Drizzle.

I haven't used this waterproof sheet in ages. The last time was when Lizzie and I did a sponsored ride a couple of years ago. It certainly fits B better.

I admit I was a little anxious this morning when driving to the yard but I didn't let the negative thoughts get to me. There is no point thinking bad things will happen. I seem to have trained myself to turn the negatives into positives and I am getting very good at visualising a successful ride. And that's exactly what we had! In walk. All the way around the woods with only 2 spooks.

We started with saddling out of the rain in the walkway of the stable block. As soon as I showed B the saddle she sniffed it and licked it! Excellent. I had already played friendly game with the waterproof sheet and B stood still for me to put that saddle on her back and do the girth up. I used a shavings bag to put over the saddle and then we had a quick play in the school.

B was wonderful. She mirrored me perfectly and she didn't get tense about the other two riders there. Nice!

Today, instead of risking a fight leaving the yard I walked B over the road and got on in the pub car park. It took a few circles while I stood on a bench seat and B almost let me mount on her right side because that way she could look back over the road at her home lol. In the end I got on, on the left as usual and we set off into the woods.

Breeze was quite relaxed and spent most of the ride with her head down. She wasn't snorting as much as she has done in the past and she stopped to sniff poo and eat grass/leaves. Only one or two thresholds today too and I let her decide when she was ready to move on.

She attempted to bite Bertie on the bum a few times but I just stroked her and sometimes did some half halts by lifting the rein and bouncing it up and down. She seems to like the rhythm judging by her response. She slows down and keeps her distance.

I focussed on helping B stay relaxed and playing with sideways and more zig zag. We got some lovely sideways to the left although it was near the exit and the third time I asked for it she resisted and got annoyed, head in the air and breaking into trot to get nearer the exit.

All these photos were taken after our ride. I nagged Sandra into taking the ones of me on B as I never have enough! Then I let B mooch about and cool off a little before she went back in her stable.

Show me the carrots! I know they're in there somewhere!!