a good ride!

Nicole and I are managing to stay focussed, despite the heat. we played a short game of tennis after dropping the kids at school (yep, she won! but i have learnt a really cool way of putting her off her stroke, i just mention her next riding lesson and she falls apart!!) anyway..... then we came home all set for a ride.
i really want to get a bit of a pattern going for tallic, let him know that his life of work has begun! so, even if it's only a short session, i reckon we're better off doing something than letting too much time lapse between work-outs. afterall, that's how it was for him at the 'breakers', and i think he needs the repetition to get some stuff/rules established.
well, the float's away (back in the shed where it belongs), so my ground work is in the arena now, although, of course, it starts from the moment i go out to him.

• tal was looking rather 'down trodden' and even depressed when i went out to him and boo in the stable this morning. i actually was wondering if he was crook. head down and sad looking. earlier on i thought he just looked tired, but i popped his halter on and left him standing with boo, didn't tie him up until i got the saddle, and he just looked so quiet. i don't think he copes well with the heat. he had a gobful of mineral lick on him too which made him look weird!!
• tied him up to put the saddle on. i got snapped at a couple of times, even though i do the girth up so nicely for him. ungrateful horse! carried the bridle out, decided to do some ground work in the halter and lead
• went out to the arena paddock, nicole and joe arrived, so we did the gate twice (good practise for our yields)
• took him over to the noisy neighbour's side of the arena, ready for the spacco dog to come flying out at us. thought i'd rather deal with it on the ground first this time (considering the little sod made tallic take off last time i rode him there) he didn't show until later when i was on - friggin typical hey!
• tallic was SO MUCH more forward and responsive today. had him trotting from tap tap on his side, i pretty much circled him so i didn't wear myself out running this time (unlike yesterday - i was pooped). i could lengthen his stride and quicken it at the walk, and then up to trot - NICE.
• had a go at pushing his quarters out by tapping on his flank, seemed to work. not so good on the shoulder (this is at walk and trot). managed not to crash into joe and cole, and he was fine working with him in the arena (seems to prefer it actually)
• bridle on, girth up another hole (i def. need a shorter girth, i've only got one hole to go, and that's on the all purpose saddle - dam - but, it does mean his weight is good.) speaking of which, i've added sunflower seeds and a bit of soy to his meagre ration now he's in work. his coat is rather dull since the rain scald, poor baby
• got him to go sideways to the round yard for me to get on, but when i had my foot and weight in the stirrup, he walked off sideways, not handy! decided to get on the 'normal' way, first time with no block/rail and no-one holding the stirrup leather. much better! stood well.
• ride was good! walking was more forward and responsive, steering wasn't even too bad!
• managed to quicken pace and also lengthen stride (i think, am having lesson tomorrow so norm can tell me!!)
• trotted - yay - no humpty dumpty, no rearing, just trotting (and only an occassional head shake into it - much better attitude) did several transitions, went full arena and some circles
• didn't need to tap tap very often, mostly responded off correct leg aids
• practised some indirect turns in corners where he was falling in
• practised some shoulder and hind quarter turns around corners

overall, very happy with the session!

still treating tal's face for rain scald and back pasterns for mud fever

washed PJ so i could put his summer rug on and keep some of the march flies away (thought they were going to carry tallic away when we started! have been covering him with musca-ban. i love the way he is quite happy for me to wave the whip over his hind quarters while i'm riding him around! i got bitten thru my jods - rotten mongrels

Back in the saddle:)

• started off by tying tallic up to the float (which is still in the paddock due to the house reno's) whilst giving nicole a lesson on joe (who did very well today: steadier/more stable leg position, concnetrated on keeping her hands together and bend at the elbow. got that left canter lead happening by doing lots of serpentines across the arena, lots of change in bend/direction and keeping her hands together, partic. at point of canter deaprt)
• did some float loading to follow-on from yesterday. not quite as good to start with. need to concentrate on making sure he is straight and correctly aligned for entry. took the passenger breeching door out to give me better access. improvements when: talking to him; on float with him; backwards forwards repetition got lightness.
• got tallic to go backwards and forwards within the float today. if he goes out of his own accord, tried to keep the pressure on, i stay in float and hold til he comes forward off pressure
• learnt that light tap taps work well, but will beef them up if he's running backwards or being rude
• tied him up to the float again and went and got his saddle etc. learning to stand at float ok. nicole said he had one go at pulling back, then gave up. paws ground occassionally.
• saddles up well, went over to round yard for some ground work. tied him up in there and got my riding gear.
• had a practise of walking and trotting with bridle. made sure his 'stops' were good. fwd was good, but cranky at trot (march flies are terrible!!)
• nicole held my opposite stirrup and i mounted him. walked off well, stopped well.
• trot - well, what can i say - cranky pants decided to test my bronc riding abilities didn't he!! we started with some humpty dumpty work, and followed it up with a rear!!! i think poor nicole might have gained some grey hairs today - sorry! darren saw it from the office, but wasn't fussed because i seemed not fussed, and, tallic didn't continue with this crappy behaviour, we went forward on onward:)
• NEED TO REMEMBER NOT TO KEEP SQUEEZING HARDER IF HE DOESN'T GO FWD! I NEED TO GO 'TAP TAP' INSTEAD. i think tallic gets grumpy when i squeeze, i must remember to use light aids, and if i don't get the desired response, tap with the whip.
• tallic responds to use of voice, so he got growled at when rearing and bucking, but told 'good boy' when responding appropriately
• did a few laps each way with some walk trot transisitions. stopped on good note. he HATES march flies etc, but will let me wave the whip over his butt - how cute!!