Rat
Well Rat has come back into work and that horse hasn't put a foot wrong after essentially being out for 6 months. That horse is my baby, and he will never go anywhere. Anyway, we started quietly lots of walk and turn and halting then we did a little trot, and we've progressed to doing lots more trot. He's a much easier ride than Lace, he keeps tempo and he does a nice big trot, whereas little Lacey doesn't want to expend any more energy than required (not dissimiliar to her owner I think).
Cheeky
Shannon got a saddle for Christmas for Cheeky, and wouldn't you know it, its not a bad fit, so Cheeky is now able to be jumped and is loving it. She's working great guns at home, so we took her down to Melton Park with Amanda. She didn't do a thing wrong but wasn't settled, got to expect that after being stuck in a paddock for 2 years I guess. So we'll go back again next Sunday and just start taking her out every week till she's comfortable with new surroundings again.
Lacey
Lacey and I were supposed to be doing a Vaughn lesson in January, unfortunately I stepped in a hole dug by one of hte dogs and sprained my ankle, no way I could manage an hour of riding on that ankle at the moment so have asked to change my lesson to a February one. So typical! Anyway, Lace is very lazy but we'd been doing a bit of jumping practice, but the grounds been so hard that we're irrigating the riding paddock rather than the paddocks we should be doing. Roly is going to buy more irrigation so this is taken into account. Love a man that thinks about whether the ground is too hard for the horses or not, and he doesn't ride! Anyway, Lace is rather round and we're going to start gearing up for eventing season shortly, so will be working on more fitness work (me too) and my jumping position.
Jim
Well what can you say about Jim, he's magnificant! He's got this big beautiful floaty trot and he's just such a gentleman. He loves Shan and its a pleasure to watch those two together. Shan had been road riding with Alise before Alise went on holiday and I'm sure she will again before start of school, the daily rides certainly helped with his fitness. Today she's heading out with her Aunt for a road ride, should be interesting.
