a crisp winter weekend

well the rain finally gave up, the wind dropped, and everything froze !

But it was too good a chance to miss, and the topped up arena surface means it doesn't not freeze quite so hard :)

I started with Fi on a halter and line just to check she was sound - 3 weeks ago she had pulled a shoe and was not quite level. Yep - fine, so time to get on. She was a little bit like a tightly wound spring, and the low winter sun is a problem for her. She tends to spot movement into the glare, or hear something she can't see, and assumes the worst :rolleyes:

But she was a good girl and did about 30 mins ridden work in walk and trot, all the time looking for softness. The arena was too hard, in my opinion, to do any canter work - whether lunging or ridden.

Then it was Rosie's turn. I long reined her first, as she had also not been ridden for a couple of weeks. And then we tacked up and mum got on. I was aiming to walk behind her as usual, as a fake long reiner. But after a short while mum opted to take the dressage whip off me and go for it. Rosie through a few evasions at her, and each time mum needed to counter them. We alos got the "I've done ten minutes - can I stop now" negotiation - but it is starting to get later in the session, which is good news.

Finally I bunged Duds on a halter and line and "lunged" him. He thought this was quite amusing and proceeded to decide that the blocks marking the corners were VERY SCARY and he could not possibly go between them and the fence. Much silliness and he seemed to amuse and exercise himself.

At least they all got something done, in case Sunday was a wash out.

But actually it wasn't ! It was still cold, with a duller sun (so less issue with glare for Fi).

Fi again did some good work; approx 10 mins on-line, with some good trot work. Then 30 mins ridden work, including canter. She did spook at one point. She had been focusing really hard on what we were doing and I think she suddenly caught the movement of one of the dogs going for a work on the nearby stubble field, and it surprised her. She spooked, then ran on - but it was slow enough that I had time to remember to not grab both reins, and to turn her and get some control back. And she settled afterwards, so I was quite pleased. At the end I was working on a canter and leg yield exercise. Canter round the short end of the arena, trot leg yield in for half the long side, out for the second half, then canter again. She thought this was quite amusing and couldn't we just drop the leg yield and canter it all ?

It seemed to be a good exercise to help her balance on right rein, and she was popping transitions like they were easy - so it's one to remember.

Next up, we schooled Rosie and Dudley together. This was a big step forward as rather than riding behind Rosie (in long reining position), I just rode him around, staying away from Rosie. She objected at first but mum got her settled and going forward. So we called it a day on a good note :)