Thursday.

 I had time before work for a play in the empty arena. I have worked out that I can set us up for success by starting off with some games that B likes to do... rock slide, falling leaf, s pattern, leading on to fig 8's and then circle game. It feels a lot like slowly bringing her life up and engaging her mind.

 B didn't seem as relaxed as usual so I didn't ask her to do too many laps, instead I asked for change of direction and then canter. Wow! What a good idea that was! She gave me four laps! Nice calm canter for four laps! I asked her in and gave her a lot of praise, rest, then sent her to try the other direction. B didn't quite maintain the gait but it was good enough for me and I ended the session there.

After work, when I got to the yard Sandra was getting ready to ride and suggested we join her and Bertie. I thought why not? B and I went to warm up in the arena after saddling, which didn't take long. I started out with friendly game, then picked up B's feet and then did some wrap around. Pre flight warm up was good and didn't take long. As we left Sandra and Bert were going into the arena so B and I hung out for a while before I got on. She seems to need this sometimes.

Very small threshold as we left the yard and B likes to grab a mouthful of leaves from the bushes at the gate. Sandra and I decided to just do the big loop of the woods and set off down the mile and 1/4. We let the horses eat as we went along and B was a great partner, eating and moving on. Bertie wasn't and wanted to stop. Further on he dug his heels in and refused to move. Something up ahead was bothering him and we had no idea what it might be. After a few approach and retreats he decided it was ok to carry on. We trotted a while along the muddy bridle path until we came to a bigger puddle. Bert splashed his way through, B took me totally by surprise, scrunched herself up her head rising up in front of me and bunny hopped the puddle! I lost a stirrup and had to stop, gathered myself together, started breathing again and we carried on in walk. Just as well we did because to our enormous surprise what was coming towards us along the path? A car!! I kid you not! A car!!!
I have shown in photos how narrow the path is? Barely enough room for two horses to be side by side but here was this car scraping along the fence and grinding to a halt, blocking our way. Poor Bert couldn't stand still while B took this opportunity to stuff her face! Every time Bert turned so did B but she easily turned back again when I asked. Eventually the driver, having hopped out to appologise and open a gate to reversed back far enough to let us past. I gave him some advice/directions about retracing his tracks and we left him to get on with it. I noticed some damaged fencing further on and how the car didn't slide into the stream I will never know.

B seemed unsettled by having to wait and get eaten by flies and I found it hard to relax after this. Perhaps I just got annoyed, I don't know, but it took a while for both of us to get in sync again. We got to go in the lead for a while which seemed to help B settle along with some zig zag until we were far enough up the straight for us to have a trot. I was a bit anxious about it but as soon as I asked for trot I relaxed and we both enjoyed a nice slow trot. I seem to be happier if we are in the lead, don't know why, will have to lick and chew on that one. Maybe it's a control thing lol.

We got back to the yard without anymore excitement with Sandra and I chatting and having a bit of a giggle about it all along the way. Amazing what happens sometimes!