Improvements

I have been very lazy and lax with my blogging lately so thought it was high time for an update.

Things have been moving forwards since Penny decided that rearing was the way to go.  I’ve really had to go right back to basics as she will look to pick an argument if you give her half a chance.  Currently we are working on the simple things of walking and trotting calmly without exploding!  A few weeks ago she nearly had me off bucking in canter because it was all just far too exciting!  Luckily, thanks to lots of training from Tucker, she’s going to have to try a bit harder before I fall off.  I have just jinxed myself now I think!

I’m still using the clicker training for a lot of her work as she is responding very well and it calms her down a lot.  Its like it gives her something to focus on so she doesn’t have to stress on whatever it is she’s decided needs stressing over.  Last week it was used to great effect for me to clip her for the first time.  She was a bit wary at first and the clippers definitely needed snorting at, but using the clicker training she was soon totally calm and relaxed and was one of the easiest horses I’ve had to clip.  She has a little bit of an odd clip though as she was starting to get stressy about her neck being done and she’d been so calm I decided to leave it there for now.

Luckily she doesn’t care what she looks like.  Its also about 4 or 5 years since I’ve done any clipping so some of the lines aren’t exactly great!

About a week later I thought I’d have a go at taking out her neck on my own (Anouk helped me the first time) and although a little wary once more she wasn’t really any problem.  I’m actually considering attempting to clip her head at some point!

Unfortunately she’s still sweating up loads if I do any work with her so I really think the lot is going to have to come off.  If the clippers are back from being repaired (loose wires) then it will get done today, otherwise I’ll have to wait till next weekend.  This was her after half an hour in the school and its just getting far too cold for her to be sweating up this much.

We have  had an extremely successful week in all and its the first time since she’s starting pratting about that I’ve really been enjoying my riding again rather than it being a bit of a chore.  I’ve never been afraid to get on her but I can feel myself getting more confident with her again.  I can start to ask for a bit more from her now that I’m able to keep myself calm so can be firm with her in what I ask.  Out hacking walk and trot are now fine and we can do transitions within the trot without any leaping about now.  Canter is getting there, she still manages to get some cracking bucks in there but it is all excitement and just makes me laugh now.  In the school she’s starting to work down and round and actually take the contact forwards.  She is definitely one of those horses that doesn’t need too much working in to get her best work though as she gets bored after a while and then it all goes to pot.  We even did some work on canter changes the other day.  Well I say work, she’s the only horse I’ve had that I’ve not had to teach them too as she does them naturally, so its more matching my aids to them so I can ask for them when I want them.

Today is looking clear and cool so am not sure whether the school or the forest beckons.  I’ll probably make a decision once I get there.

Apart from Penny, everything is going very well here.  I start a new job in Leiden on Monday which is quite exciting and more importantly yesterday was my 2 year anniversary of being with Bas and living in Holland.  So we went out for dim sum and to see the new James Bond and generally just had a very nice day together.

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