Tired

It's been one of those days!! Was having a leisurely cup of tea in bed and finishing off my book when my phone pinged with a message that Jack, Buddy and Lime were not in their allocated areas of the field. So headed down to the yard to repair all the fences which were properly mangled, snapped posts and wire everywhere. Thank goodness none of them injured. It took us all morning to put it all straight.

Came home for some lunch then had a lesson with Ruth booked this arvo. Had a really good lesson tackling canter transitions. I need to treat them like any other transition and not flap about! Ruth asked me to pinpoint why I flap as I love cantering and feel comfortable doing it and I was thinking back to when I learnt to ride and how canter was always the looked forward to finale of the lesson. Everyone else would turn their horses in and we'd go one by one. I think this is where it stems from -the pressure to get it right with everyone watching and make sure you didn't miss out on a canter. Whereas Ruth got me to see if it doesn't happen, do something else then ask again later and not to have the mega preparations and build up to it!! It worked anyway!

Afterwards Ruth had a look at Jack's bit and bridle as she's a bit fit consultant as well. We still have Jack in the bit he arrived in a year ago but I'm so glad I asked for Ruth's help as he basically has the worst most evil bit in for the shape of his mouth (Dutch gag. I want to burn the bloody thing now I know what it's been doing). He won't be wearing it again that's for sure. I mistakenly believed cos he was strong and Eva still so little on him that we needed a strong bit and his previous owner said they'd tried other bits and this was the only one her much larger and older son had brakes with so I don't think I dared to change it. But seeing him being worked properly by Eve yesterday I could see something wasn't right. All the poll pressure has caused soreness and a hollow back and affected his way of going. The only way he has had to deal with the nutcracker action is to take hold of the bit and lean into it, hence causing issues with the brakes. I can't wait to get his new one ordered. Ruth also gave me some in hand exercises to do with him to help loosen him up.