Ride in the sun

Today was a lovely spring day and I had about an hour window when I could ride. George doesn't like me to ride if I am home alone and he was due to leave at 2pm, so at 1pm after trying some figure eights on the ground (unsuccessfully) I got on to try them from above. I need to watch the 2nd to last Savvy Club DVD again carefully because all I seem to do is confuse Garbo - online as you can see.I didn't stick a saddle on (riding is so quick these days with no bridle or saddle - I just tie the other end of the 12ft line to the halter!) so I jumped on and Garbo put up with figure 8's for about 4 times...so then we did some carrot stick riding and went for a lovely walk round the track.

We did a little bit of disengaging the HQ and sideways but it was a bit messy.

Maraschino was so good - it's the first time I have got Garbo out of the paddock without getting him out too, he came cantering over to the gate when he realised but then just looked, saw we weren't going far, and carried on eating. He was such an angel.

In the afternoon my friend brought her horse around for me to have a play with. She describes his as naughty mainly. He freaked out at the Shetland Pony next door after he got off the float so I took him off her and backed him up alot - I would describe him as playful and dominant - just like Garbo actually. Her lead rope was too short so we swapped to my halter and rope.

After quite alot of yo yo I showed my friend how to start at phase one. It's funny watching others do exactly what you did once, she was clucking to make him go backwards - I asked her if he knew what that signal meant? She admitted probably not. I asked her if it meant backwards - I didn't suspect it did.

She is quite petite so he would try to dominate her quite alot especially when leading so much to her embarrassment I taught he the chicken flapping while leading and backing up.

Then we did some porcupine and I tried a bit of circle game (she told me he always comes in on the lunge). It was alot for them both to learn in one day - Tital was yawning flat out after a while, and I think my friend was too. I have told her to do yo-you and porcupine (and polite leading) every day for a week at least.

I saw her later and she said he normally chases the older horse when he gets in the paddock but today he just went and sniffed him and then started eating!