I have been thinking about these blogs which I write about Basil and my progress and whether to continue with them, I actually decided not to, which is why it is so late. Then I sat down to write something else and decided that I find them really useful - to sit and look back at last month and then look at where we are now. Some months I realise we really are making progress and then some months I realise that I need to change something or the same things will keep happening.
Basil was definitely better behaved in December and we had some good hacks. The weather has also been really good so with the 10 days I had off over Christmas we have been really lucky to get quite a lot of riding in - which is fantastic J Our cantering is still too fast and I am thinking that I ought to try another bit as Basil just fights me and sets his mouth when I try to slow him down. Watch this space on that!!!
Tommy struggled to find muddy puddles in December because we have had very little rain but he is very hairy and using it all to keep himself warm when the colder wind blows. We have settled into a good morning and evening routine now and mostly Basil comes to the gate when I arrive and Tommy isn't far behind! All making life in the dark that bit easier :)
1st - lunged, loopy at first but then he settled.
2nd - arena today and our walk and trot is getting really good and our serpentines are great, mostly. We are practising more halts now and they are improving too. We tried left canter first today, it was a bit fast but he did settle. Right canter was too fast and he was nappy !
4th - hack out today, I love pottering about. Although Basil is walking a lot faster out on hacks since we lost Chesney. On the way out and on the way back so we are getting much further in the time. I am not sure why.
7th - lunged today and we had some manic moments but he worked well in the end.
8th - really windy today.
9th - started in arena but Basil seemed a bit lame (only very slightly not right) so I stopped.
14th - hack out today. He was a bit jumpy and fast but as he has done nothing all week I was pleased :)
15th - wind and rain.
16th - arena and really good for the first 15 minutes and then Basil just thought it was time to canter so I could get no sense out of him he was trotting too fast and not listening so we did not even try to canter today.
21st - tried to lunge and actually started well but something upset him at the end and he was totally loopy, I struggled to get him back around to the yard again he was so wound up - not fun.
24th - lunged today and Basil redeemed himself by being very good.
25th - lovely hack, roads quite quiet as Christmas Day. Treat.
26th - arena today. Leg yield, tried walk shoulder in for the first time for a long time and it was not bad considering. Some nice walk and trot work again, on the bit and fairly active. Lovely left canter, steady, rhythmic and balanced but the right canter was a disaster, Basil took napping to a whole new level and tried to go across the middle of the arena and change the rein, total brake failure and total right (my) leg failure!
27th - good lunging again today.
28th - Good hack today, but we met some horses on the way home which always makes Basil walk/jog much faster!
29th - hack again today, short and much faster and much quicker than it used to be.
30th - arena again. Right canter was better as I managed to make my right leg do its job properly and stop Basil napping so badly. Still too fast and wrong lead first time. Left canter was pretty good again.
31st - nice lunging session today.
I caught Tommy still napping one morning!
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Until
next time!
Jo
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