What I've been up to...

I haven't spent much time riding etc for the past few weeks for a number of reasons...Simba helping me work - work has been quite manic, but better to be busy than quiet.

Claire and I had a lesson with Russell before he heads off to Dubai, and that was the last time I did much, apart from today.

We have been busy this weekend concreting a bay in the new shed - the fencers did a really great job and finished it on Friday - just need to get the surface down so I can start using it with all this wet weather.

We have the gates arranged so they can come straight in from the paddock one way and if necessary go out another way.

Today I wasn't going to do anything horsewise but then thought it was time to get back into it. I wanted to ride, and as Cam looked quite rideable I carried out a little experiment, just to see how she felt. She was eager to have the bridle on, reaching for it, and had a play online quite happy. I hopped on and we did some walk and trot figure of eight and weave. She wasn't particularly respectful, but instead of getting off and fixing it on the ground I wondered how she'd respond to how I used to ride her. That meant taking a bit of contact, sitting down and putting my legs on. I'd been wondering if my riding was too low key and relaxed recently, and if I ought to be 'upping' the pressure a bit. well, she let me know what she thought of that!! From a relaxed hokey dokey pony she very quickly went almost RBE, exactly how she used to - the 'unexploded bomb' feeling first and if I didn't defuse it I knew what would happen, so we didn't go there.

How interesting, it wasn't about the bridle, or where we were in the arena, as when I reverted to my 'relaxed' riding on a long rein she stretched down and relaxed and was 'steerable' with a steady mouth and slower
- yet soon as I caused her to feel claustrophobic between hand and leg and seat her head went up she chomped the bit and she was trying to scoot out any way she could - she didn't becuase I didn't put that much pressure on...but I was able to recognise the signs of pressure building SO easily..yay! Poor girl, I did apologise to her but I had to be sure what she preferred, and we finished with a relaxed ride and trot on a loose rein. Interestingly she was very 'clingy' and affectionate when I stopped, and when I got off. I think she was relieved I hadn't morphed into something else after all.

Prooves to me finally (as if i needed it..) that this is the way forward, and I have to make incremental tiny changes with her for her to feel confident. Making everything a transition, I guess....Interesting that RBI are supposed to feel 'confident' with finesse, but put too much pressure on and Cam easily 'boils over '....

Hmm, lots of thinking to do....