A Productive Week!

Well it's only been about a week since I last wrote in this and I feel like I have just as much to say as last time! Haha it's been an incredibly productive this week! Not only was it the final week of lectures for this semester, I had an essay to write, and worked all the horses regularly, PHEW!
So I best get on with this... breaking it down by each horse again.

Bailey.
I had my awesome friend who used to ride Bailey get back in contact with me... and we organised for a ride on Tuesday. I lunged Bailey the day beforehand and she had been quite fresh but relatively good... could have been a lot worse! Millie came out and rode her and she was a little naughty... once again, she could've been a lot worse, and she always likes to test the rider on the first ride anyway... Millie handled her like a pro, and was keen to come out again the next day... which went so well, in my opinion anyway! Bailey was very forward but she wasn't incredibly naughty and I think if Millie just relaxed a little more, and just gone with the trotting, they would have really had fun! I lunged Bai today and she was super relaxed... it was really lovely... she had a big trot, but very consistent... and listening to all my aids... I was so proud of my pony! I'm hoping its gonna be like that this weekend!


Evo.
This week Evo's been up and down in the scale. On one hand I've changed his training. I've decided I spent way too much time focusing on getting his trot, and focusing on myself, that I've neglected his suppleness and training in basic 'thinking' work. So I've taken to just riding mainly in the walk, with a couple of trots at the end. We're both really enjoying it! I'm using my paddock as if it were an oversized dressage arena and riding a lot of serpentines, figure of eights, varying sized circles, playing with the tempo of his walk, halting etc. I've found at the end of our sessions he's been a lot more attentive and feels like he's using his back better! Which I'm all for! He did have one bad day and I couldn't get him to focus AT ALL! Every time I put my leg on he'd leap as if he'd been stung. Some days there's not a lot I can do, especially when he's in moods like that. He's also been a shit to catch lately... last two days he's been enjoying trotting circles around me until he's ready to be caught. Big shit, lol.


Honey.
With Honey I feel like I could write a novel... but I'll try to keep it to a minimum. Since Friday last week, I've been working with her daily (with the exception of Sunday) and up until Wednesday, all I was doing was sitting up on her back for longer periods of time and doing some desensitising while I was up there. However, Rahn came out on Wednesday and had me and Honey on the lunge, teaching her to stop and go. Although as a cart horse she was taught to go and stop and steer, its different with a person on ya back I'm sure! But she was really cute about it all, she really enjoys her work! So then Rahn took us off the lunge and made me walk her around by myself... I can't say that I was relaxed at all.. I was worried that if Honey did something, I'd make the situation unpleasant with pulling back or something and then she'll probably freak out more... but she's a wee doll really... some rough areas here and there but nothing major.
Yesterday I rode her by myself... I rode her defensively, as everything that could go wrong, did... it was really windy, really cold, the horses around us were going nuts, and water was running in the trough beside us. We were both incredibly alert but apart from a couple of head tosses she didn't do anything.
And today, well apart from not wanting to go forward at first (which confused me cos I thought she was enjoying her work, and is a very forward wee girl) we had an awesome ride... her halts are near perfect and she's really walking forward quite nicely :) Her changing of rein is more smooth now too, before she was really hesitant about going a different way haha! I think with time she's just gonna be my favourite horse to ride... although Evo is beautiful and lovely... I'm hoping that Honey just remains as uncomplicated as she is... I mean just getting up on her and going for a plod is fun for me... even if my nerves sometimes get in the way.

Well I have to end this now, my brother is hounding me to go watch Ironman with him.
More from tomorrow, with a bunch of pictures too!
Over and out,
Chelle x