Ride in the woods? I don't think so!

Here is one of the mud socks after our walk in the woods. They worked perfectly and kept the wound warm and dry over the bandage.

It was very cold and foggy today. I thought we would do our usual thing and walk to the top of the old woods and I would get on. Unfortunately B was very unconfident and we did a lot of this.....head down and staring....which is not surprising as we haven't been in the woods for 10 days and not alone to ride for what seems like a long time. I have to take the time it takes for B to be confident.

Then she was eating mud and it took a long time to get along the first part of the woods. Stop-start as I waited for B to be with me again or eat leaves and soil. I wonder if the course of anti-biotics have changed the flora in her gut and she needs something extra in the soil?

Breeze did a lot of this and this.

She was very tense and not really listening to me, square nosed and snorting. More focussed on everywhere else and looking for trouble. At the top of the old woods I decided maybe today wasn't the day for riding and we turned for home. B was very spooky and jumpy. I gave her lots to do like sideways and half circles against the fence. Weave around trees etc. She jumped in the air when the dog in the pink house' garden barked at her. She got very snotty about going sideways at first but in the end offered it. Falling leaf wasn't calm and she was throwing her head in the air on the turn and leaping around. But she was happy to walk with me by the time we got near the exit.

We did some approach and retreat around the exit and she was quite willing to go past a few times in either direction. Then it was back to the yard where I decided to get on. It's been a while since I rode B and my fears have surfaced again, as they always do after a break. Especially when she is too RB to ride in the woods.

It took her quite a while to stand for me to get on. Lots of slow, very calm, circle game in both directions while I stood on my steps. Eventually she was able to stand still and I got on. She stayed still for ages so I just sat and scratched her and gave her a treat or two.

When I asked her to move she did and we had a lovely calm mooch around the yard for 10 minutes or so. We found a carrot on the way! I have noticed B is quite reactionary to begin with when I direct her but I insist on being polite and particular and she settles quite quickly. I think she might have walked into the arena if I had let her but being on her and just mooching was enough for today. Better to accept very little and not over do her willingness. She didn't brace at all leaving the courtyard or going around the muck heap. What a sweetie. Best of all I preserved my confidence and her dignity. Baby steps.