Cool ride at dusk.

How's this for the worst photo I have ever taken from B's back?! But it was getting pretty dark as we neared the end of our ride this evening around the woods.

I brought B in from the field, she caught me again, and gave her a tiny feed because she gets grumpy if she doesn't get her dinner immediately. B was very LB and I thought I would see how little I needed to do before saddling up and riding. We played yo yo in and out of her stable and when I stopped to chat to Sandra B gave me yo yo all by herself lol. I positioned her and lifted the saddle. She went to move off but changed her mind and stood still for me to put the saddle on her back. She lifted her leg again as I did the girth up loosely then stood on the pedestal. I gave her some bits of carrot and found that with her standing on the pedestal doing the girth up was much easier for me.

We played a little circle game out in the car park with cod at a quarter of a circle. She was giving me both eyes and turning lightly and easily so I left it there with some more carrot.

B has another trick when I mount from the steps! It's very funny . . . she doesn't want to stand still and walks around me while I am up on the steps. As she goes behind me she gets really close enough to knock me off so I jump down laughing. She tried this about three times until she could stand still and I got on, again asking permission to swing my leg over. For the first time we were ready before Sandra and Bertie and B stood still in the car park for a long time while I scratched her neck.

We had a great ride, despite me getting caught on a dead branch right in the entrance to the woods, ripping the sleeve of my favourite t-shirt. In fact on this ride she spent a lot of time on the side of the bridle path under all the treees and bushes where there is grass and less stones. I spent a lot of the ride saying ouch! I think this might be because the ground is incredibly dry, hard and stoney and although Breeze's feet are hard perhaps the barefoot transition is tough going on her as yet, sensitive soles. I am really wondering if she might need boots.

Breeze seemed more balanced than ever and I was certainly very relaxed, more payoff from Suzy's ppl last week in the arena. We had some lovely trot and I could feel her stretching out in walk through the treeless saddle as the ride progressed. It was a shame B was bothered by flies but it helped me get used to her doing little bucks, stamping her feet and dropping her head suddenly to scratch under her belly etc. I tried to help brush any flies off by doing some friendly with my legs swinging them back and forwards and scratching her sides for her.

B is still trying to bite Bertie's backside. He is such a sweet horse I feel sorry for him and asked B to halt every time she tried to bite him. Sandra and I think it's because Bertie, being a (mostly) LBI doesn't walk fast enough for B's liking but she doesn't want to pass him until she feels confident lol. Bertie spooked a bit on our ride and Breeze took no notice except once when I just happened to have the phone in my hand to take my bad photo and the reins on her withers lol. She jumped in the air but I stayed calm and then it was back to walking.

Breeze got her dinner when we got back and she was very cuddly again. She is a real honey! It was just getting dark as I left the yard, still smiling.

Solo ride

The RidersRasp (tm) came this morning while we were out riding! I can't wait to try it out lol.

I wanted to play with B this morning before saddling her but someone had turned a horse out in the arena that probably wouldn't appreciate us playing in there so we did a little around the yard and I saddled B in the courtyard. It was pretty easy and quick again but not as pleasant as it will be in the future. Breeze will stand still now for the saddle on the second try but today she was too inetrested in sniffing poo, treading on the rope and scaring herself. When I go to do the girth up she either walks off or lifts a front leg and waggles it foal - like, as if she is asking me not to hurt her. At least that is my interpretation of it and I may be wrong. I do it up so slowly and carefully with play in between and still she does this behaviour. Hmm interesting.

We played and walked to the old woods with some lovely circle game and weaving but B wasn't relaxed enough to get on. She seemed unconfident but not RB and would stare off into the distance listening for things. She did everything I asked of her calmly but she didn't really seem to be with me in her mind. I went through the usual stuff and tried to get on but I felt hesitant especially as she would walk off when I bounced in the stirrup. Actually she did not look rideable so I upped the tempo and asked her to sideways in both directions including turning a corner for a while, then jump the log a few times until she could stand still. That fixed it and then I got on!

She set off in a fast walk while I did the rope up and then I asked her to trot because it felt like she needed to move her feet. I am managing to let the reins stay long and I no longer have the desire to hold them tight lol. Casual rein I say to myself, casual rein lol. That calmed her and we had some nice trot but her walk was choppy for a while - you can probably guess that from the rubbish photos I have posted lol - until I stroked and soothed her and we did some half halts. Then we had a nice calm walk/trot home back to the yard.

Instead of getting off I asked B to continue around the yard and to the arena gate. This meant going past other horses and negotiating badly parked cars etc but she took it in her stride. We got to the arena gate where B spooked at a sparrow lol and carried on past onto the rough ground and back to the courtyard, then out again to the car park. All the time she changed direction with a lift of the rein very lightly. This approach and retreat to the arena bolstered my confidence and I plan to do this more often and for longer every time we ride.

B's backwards is getting easier and she immediately understands what I am asking for now and can do quite a few steps. Lovely. Fast learner, eh?

I am so pleased that I persevered and didn't give up the idea of riding today. I could so easily have made excuses and walked home but I didn't listen to the negative voice in my head but made sure we were partners and B was happy.

Feets!

Left front

Left back

Right front

right back

Breeze has been barefoot for about 9 or 10 weeks now. She was trimmed before she came to me and I let our farrier trim her again a couple of weeks ago. I have been trying to rasp the chips and splits as soon as I see them and try to do a 'mustang roll' but in the process I have rasped the end of one finger nail off twice!! Probably because I am stupid enough not to remember to wear gloves.

I have been reading as much as I can about barefoot trimming both in books and online. I think I am beginning to understand it now but am still worried about it lol. While reading stuff online I came across a tool called a RidersRasp (tm) and bought one. I am hoping it will make the 'mustang roll' easier and save me a fortune on plasters!

Chilling with Breeze.

When B has to stay in over the weekends I like to graze her around the yard and show her where all the yummy weeds are. This photo really reminds me of all the hours Lizzie and I spent doing this. Bittersweet memories.

Little Miss Grumpy.

We had a play in the arena before riding today. We had some lovely calm circle game with cod in walk and trot to begin with. Then when I asked for circle game over some objects she couldn't do it lol. Instead she braced and pulled back and then gave me sideways over the jump and the barrels. So I took that offering and laughed. Breeze has such a cute expression when she does this, so innocent.

Saddling up was ok . . . if walking into her stable was B's idea of letting me put the saddle on her back! But with a little bit of approach and retreat the saddle was on. I tried to put her hackamore on sitting on the pedestal but had to stand up to do it up lol. Not bad for a first try. Breeze gave me quite a quizzical look and probably wondered what I was doing - if horses actually do that.

Getting on was lovely. I am really working on sticking to Parelli principles and taking my time to ask to put my leg over. She seems to really appreciate this and stood still for ages while I did my rope up. Then the games began! First B wanted to put her head over every stable door as we left the yard and annoy it's occupants. Lots of squealing ensued. Then as soon as we got in the woods she wanted to stop and eat every second/third step. Aha, that's the game, try and annoy me by not maintaining gate. So I just scratched her and let her eat, then wiggled the reins until she moved on. Very amusing, and Bertie and Sandra were disappearing into the distance up ahead, which I thought was cool because it's obvious she feels safe with me.

We caught up with Sandra and B gave the plastic bag wafting in the breeze, the hairy eyeball while Bertie ignored it. When asked to trot B was quite relaxed and not rushing but she couldn't maintain gait. It was like riding Lizzie all over again! Are mare's all moody or do I make them like that I wondered. Breeze has even decided Bertie deserves a bite on the bum or face or shoulder if we get too close and Sandra was savvy enough to block her as I didn't want to yank on the reins and didn't want to spook her by using the popper. I asked her to halt and wait while we were moving but she decided to try it whenever we stopped which wasn't very nice.

We trotted quite a bit this ride. I feel much more confident now since my ppl with Suzy. And since we have played with maintaining gaits on the circle game Breeze definitely feels more balanced and didn't rush. We will carry on with that.

Breeze became more relaxed as the ride went on and after some lovely trot around the old woods we did some weaving, fig 8's and circles around the trees. I am still in awe of having a horse that does as I ask happily. Breeze doesn't get bracey or resistant and seems eager to play. She really is light and responsive and it's wonderful to feel it and move as one. I hope I never lose this admiration for 'my' gorgeous Breeze lol.

Back at the yard we played briefly with backwards. I tried some sideways in the woods and although B could position herself to start it I think she doesn't understand what I am asking her to do. Plus I am probably unable to ask her correctly as yet. That's something we will practice in the arena soon. Then it was time to get off and get on with mucking out etc. Breeze makes that quite difficult sometimes as she likes to stand in her stable and eat from the haynet outside. She does make me laugh.

Oh boy! How interesting.

Breeze was quite pushy and trying to bite me when I went to feed her this evening. I wondered if this was dominance on her part and thought that after her feed a play was in order with a lot of back up and sideways. The yard and arena were empty and quiet so we had the place to ourselves.

We moseyed along into the arena and played some friendly, extreme friendly, backwards by the tail, sideways over barrels and then circle game. Breeze went off on the circle in a wild canter, snaking her head at me! She kept going then went into a ragged trot and when I asked for cod she kept stopping to stare at me, head in the air and pull on the rope. Aha! I really didn't want a fight and spent some time working out how to ask her to cod quietly but effectively. She really didn't want to go anti clockwise.

We played travelling circle over to the fence so she could cod at the fence to begin with and calm down. Whenever she stopped and looked introverted I let her rest then scratched her and this time she didn't stop for long or go quiet. Nice.

Back on the circle game again and I found by asking her in a little and slowing down I could bring her to me and then ask her to change very softly and because her head is down she doesn't brace. Then I sent her by slapping the c/s on the ground!

After a good few laps her ragged canter faded to a ragged trot and then she relaxed and we had some very good steady trot. On the anti clockwise direction she tried to blow up again but it wasn't so explosive, I used the fence again and pretty soon she could trot calmly and then walk. We have some way to go before she can circle in trot or canter calmly and with any slack in the rope but I don't think it will take too long lol.

As soon as she softened and I could see she was relaxed I asked her in for scratches and carrot and we ended that game there. By this time she was pretty sweaty and I wanted to cool her off rather than just finish so we walked about for a while and she did some sideways over things oh and....sideways without a fence! Woohoo! Breeze will also sidepass towards me if I hold the c/s over her back/rump and bounce it gently. Thanks to Suzanne for that!

Without me realising over an hour had passed when we went back to B's stable via the rough ground for a graze on some succulent weeds, where I managed to lose another hour scratching B on her neck and again she let me groom her all over. I think me having Polo's had something to do with her eagerness to be with me but finding something else to motivate her is excellent.

So, there we are, somewhere towards B finding confidence in herself which has been quite a revelation for me. I find a sense of purpose in everything we do which is so interesting. It also brings me confidence, knowing I can push B a little further and then bring her back. What a wonderful, interesting horse she is!

Still partners.

Thankfully there aren't many photos of me riding because the light was a bit low. I am a very vain person it seems and whenever I see photos of myself all I see is a fat person and feel bad lol. I have been licking and chewing on our ppl with Suzanne and having nice dreams about it. My stomach continues to flutter very slightly when I think about it but it's nowhere near the level of anxiety it was before.

Last night when I went to catch B I was told the horses could stay out 5 nights a week while the weather is good, as long as they are all in at weekends. This is a new concept for me! I am so stuck in 'Lizzie mode' who never wanted to stay out, that it never occured to me that B might want to.

But I thought why not let her stay out. It's normal for horses and probably the best way of keeping them, after all. I lay down on the grass and relaxed to watch what she did. B came and snuffled around me, eating grass and the mints and bits of carrot I had brought for her. Then she wandered off and other horses came to say hello so I stood up to scratch them. Breeze wandered off even further so I made my way back to the yard.

It was very strange for me to leave her out. Such an alien thing for me to do and waking up this morning and not having to go to the yard felt just as odd.

This evening I went to the yard and there was B waiting by the gate for me! I didn't expect that and was very pleased to see her. I groomed her and our routine was returned to it's usual normality.