Lots of lovely weather, lots of lovely riding. Spring/summer is finally here and we are all
loving it. May was not so great weather
wise though so the horses were still in at night for most of the month. However, they had a few rug less days which
they all made the most of.
My aims for May were:
1. Calmness
2. Rhythm
3. Suppleness
4. Consistency
of bend on left rein
5. Halt
- we don't practise this enough
6. Encouraging
contact more now
7. Canter
transitions need improving the most.
8. Trot
serpentines still need to be more balanced
9. Improver
our canter, less rushed, right lead
10. Trotting
poles.
This is what May looked like:
2nd - Lunged today, very good.
3rd - Basil's leg is a bit swollen, he has a tiny graze -
typical thoroughbred!
6th - Rode in the arena today - leg seems better. Behaved much better than last time we
schooled. Pleased today we did some
better trot serpentines :) Walked over
the pole and did some walk leg yield.
Canter was a bit better but he is still not listening to me when we
strike off and sometimes just 'runs' into canter.
8th - Hack today- lovely. It is so nice getting out and
about again, we hardly seem to have managed to hack since we lost Fidget last
April but finally are getting out regularly again.
10th - Lunged today - very good again.
11th - Basil's birthday today - 15 years old. We rode in the arena and he was really strong
in canter today, however, I think we had a breakthrough as he suddenly decided
to soften and we stopped fighting each other. Some good walk leg yield away from the track
too.
14th - Hack out, Basil was keen but manageable today. I think he enjoys a change of scenery as much
as me.
17th - Rode Basil in the arena today and he was SHOCKING. He
was so naughty and just kept shying and jumping then shooting off across the
arena. We achieved very little today.
18th - Lunged today.
Very good.
20th - Arena again, much better. He is beginning to work more round again now
and is a fraction less strong. We had
some good trot and canter work today.
21st - Lunged - I like watching Basil on the lunge, we don't
have side reins so he really gets a chance to stretch down.
22nd - Hack :)
24th - Arena again.
Good today and was a bit better in canter as I had more control. - Progress!
25th - Lunged and again very good. Only a matter of time before he has a mad day.
26th - Basil's glands are all up today.
27th - Lunged gently today as I am trying to decide if Basil
is breathing OK - giving him Ventipulmin as I think his allergy might be trying
to cause trouble.
28th - Arena , gently again.
Mostly walk, although I think Basil is OK. Lots of walk and a little bit of trot. We did lots of circles, serpentines leg yield
and poles.
29th - Hacked out, good and relaxing. I have decided Basil is breathing fine.
30th - Lunged again today - they stayed out last night for
the first time so I wonder if Basil was tired as I struggled to get the correct canter
lead on the right rein.
1. Calmness -
especially in canter
2. Rhythm
3. Suppleness
4. Consistency
of bend on left rein
5. Having
more consistent contact
6. Right
canter lead - this has been causing a few problems in the last few weeks
7. Trot
serpentines still need to be more balanced
8. Improver
our canter, less rushed
9. Some
new exercises
10. Jump
a little cross pole!
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Until next time!
Jo
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