making hard work of it

this has been the first weekend this year that I've managed to ride at least one horse on two consecutive days ! Saturday

Actually on Saturday I rode all three - even if Dudley just got a ten minute toddle about while Rosie was tacked up.

I was a bit concerned that Fi might be getting a bit stiff with the time off and the weather and going we've had. But she actually worked very well. Dudley quite happily had a toddle, a trot, and a brief canter on each rein. Rosie however thought that last week's single schooling session must have been an aberation and thought she would try suggesting doing things her way.

For some reason it occurred to me to try backing up, and then also using tight turns, when she decided to try planting her feet. Kathleen had commented back in November that Rosie did not seem to have worked out that she was using more energy in objecting than in doing as she was asked. The backing and the turns mean the Rosie is having to move her feet, rather than stay still, so make the objection "hard work". I don't want to use them too much, given her tendency to pick up patterns.

She did then still feel she could try negotiating with mum when we swapped over. But mum persisted and got some good work out of her.

The interesting thing was that today (Sunday) it felt as if Rosie was less committed to the objection. You could almost see the cogs whirring... and she seemed to be quicker to give it up and move forward. Once again a change of rider meant she tried to negotiate anew - but once again she gave it up pretty quickly.

Fi did some good work as well today. Dudley got the day off as it was too bitterly cold to stay out too long.

I wrapped up after we'd finished and got the arena graded for the first time in a couple of months.