Little whickers

I walked up the lane to the school with Remy and we had a lovely session in-hand. We're starting to get a much better feel now. Remy's taking much more responsibility for the forward, being much more motivated and focussed. He's lowering his head into a nice stretch with relaxation and release of tension through his neck. It can be inconsistent, but if we lose it, we soon get it back. He's getting a lovely forward walk stride and today when I asked for shoulder-in and slowed my movement, he followed my example and rebalanced himself. I can now move toward his shoulder and he moves away very nicely with good lifting of his inside shoulder. He gave me a lovely giravolta into a shoulder-in on the circle. The best thing was the little whicker that he gave me during one of the movements - made my day.

I've been continuing with the lunge and in-hand stuff with Remy over the last week. It feels like it's starting to come together now. A good session this morning with stretching and relaxation, left rein looking much better balanced,right rein more difficult to stretch the outside, falling onto inside shoulder, but this is getting better in the walk with moments of good balance in the trot. The transitions from walk to trot are much cleaner with more energy.
Had a good day out in Limoges with Bev yesterday, lunch and some shopping, didn't buy a thing but Bev bought a new bag and a couple of plant pots. The sun came out in the afternoon and it was lovely to enjoy it over a couple of drinks.
The builders are coming next week to start on the unfinished rooms in the barn, so, no doubt we'll be back to Limoges very shortly for supplies.

Anky's been a bit uncomfortable this last few days. I've gone to get them in and she's been standing in a stretched-out way. She's eating, but she looks miserable. Having said that, they all look a bit miserable, we've shut them out of their favourite field, the grass is a bit sparse and it's raining (not sure that bothers them as much as it does me). So, is she really miserable or am I just thinking that because I worry about her so much? I don't know, but today I felt the need to change her routine a little. I so much want to see her enjoying life and a spark in her eyes. I've done nothing with her because she's too much of a worry for me health-wise, and also I thought I'd just leave her be and concentrate on the youngsters.
I took her for a walk up the lane, let her eat some grass on the verge and then into the school. I wanted to see her moving - she was ok, but a bit crabby behind - tightness, discomfort - I don't know. She's lost weight this winter and looks a bit poor, that's a worry too. I may do a little light lungeing with her several times a week to see if I can loosen her up a little - or I may not - I may change my mind by tomorrow.

Took Remy for a walk too, it seemed to be the day for it. He was looky but fine. Ten minutes in the school in-hand and then back down the lane home. Our neighbour stopped in his truck to chat to us for a few minutes and Rem was pretty relaxed about it all.
Anky's got to me today, I take it to heart, can't help it, I just want her to be happy.

In the mist

We worked in the mist and drizzle today. It was fab. Remy was focussed and relaxed. We did some nice work on the lunge. His transitions are much cleaner and more active and he's starting to relax into the trot. Finished with some in-hand, giravolta, leg yield down the long side, shoulder-in on the circle and a little reinback.
Continued with Bonbon and lunge training. She's staying out on the circle now and the walk/halt transitions are getting better. The in-hand work is improving, she's moving her quarters really well and getting the hang of moving her shoulders. There were a couple of distractions with our neighbour skulking ( bonbon's word not mine) on the edge of the wood with her dog  and the chasse hooting in the distance, but she kept her cool and focus and I was really pleased with her.

Retail therapy

Had a much needed day out yesterday with Bev. A tasty lunch, lots of chat and some retail therapy! A good day, thanks Bev.
This morning started off overcast but fine, but by the time I was ready to do something with the horses it was miserable and raining - the horses had a day off and so did I, I hate the rain!

A beautiful day

It has been so warm and sunny today, a real spring day.
Remy was very calm and focussed from the start and we had a really enjoyable session in the school. I started off on the lunge, but moving fairly close to him, moving him around the school using small circles in the corners. He was relaxed with a long neck, good stretch and a good walk stride. I didn't work too much on the trot, but we got some good transitions keeping the relaxation, good on the left rein, a little on his inside shoulder on the right rein, but that'll come right with time. We finished with some leg yield, shoulder in and reinback. The last reinback that we did was so fluid that instead of the walk forward, I asked him for a trot transition and he pinged up into a trot with such ease I was slightly taken aback. LOL, the boy's learning.
Next, Bonbon in the school, saddle, bridle and lunge cavesson, looking very grown up indeed and a completely different horse from the last session. Very calm and attentive, relaxed with a lovely forward stride. We spent a little time on the lunge training and then some in-hand with reinback and moving her quarters and shoulders away. I finished the session by standing her up next to the mounting step and leaning over her back for the first time. She took it very well, although I couldn't put my full weight on as she's so tall I'd have to jump up off the step. A bigger step is required, I think.

Distracted

It was bright today, but quite blustery. I took Remy up to the school for a lunge session and he was very distracted, no problems with forward though, just not relaxed and forward! He did calm down eventually and we got some relaxed work at walk. I finished with a short in-hand session with leg yield, shoulder in and some reinback.
I put the saddle on Bonbon and took her out to continue her lunge training - she was a little distracted by the weather, but really just not in the mood. She squealed a couple of times and reared up on the lunge, but after a telling off and moving her forward, she continued in calmer fashion and we finished with some reinback and moving quarters and shoulders independently.
I'm still trying to shake off this bug and although feeling much better, it's still tiring me out. Jim got me some super duper cough medicine from the pharmacy today, so I'm sure that'll help.

Inside or outside?

Hmm, not much of a decision....
It's warm and cozy in the house, but I'm looking out of the window and it's grey and miserable and tipping down outside! Not very encouraging of outdoor pursuits!!
Luckily, we got the best of the weather this morning and I took Remy up to the school for lungeing , followed by a short in-hand session.  He was a good boy and I worked on a circle to get some rhythm and relaxation and then I moved him around the school working on walk and trot transitions. We finished in-hand with some leg-yield, shoulder-in and a couple of reinback to walk on exercises.
After the session with Remy, I brought Bonbon into the barn for a good grooming session, put on the saddle and took her for a walk around the yard. She didn't mind it at all and we had a short in-hand session with reinback and moving her quarters and shoulders independently. She's pretty good at moving her quarters over, quite happy to reinback, but not sure about moving her shoulders away. We got one or two good steps today though.

Don't mention the weather..........

What is it with putting pen to paper??? I just have to mention the weather and it all goes to pot. Well, not completely to pot, but overcast with a chilly wind today and not the warmth that I'd expected. I know we're only in february, but my head's already clicked over into spring - probably a big mistake.
It was a chasse day today and they were at the bottom of the neighbouring field, dogs howling and horns hooting. A lone dog wandered across our land, nose dutifully to the ground, blissfully unaware that she was going in completely the wrong direction. It's nearing the end of the chasse season, so I'm hoping that this will be the last time we see them.
We'd brought the horses in early and they were restless in their stables. I took the opportunity to bring Bonbon into the barn for a grooming session. She was quite alert to the noises, but soon settled and relaxed. They're starting to moult, so that's a good sign.

Certainly not resistant to frost!

The weather seems to have turned a corner and it's been sunny and warm the last few days.
I've been in bed most of the week with a nasty bug, but it seems to be passing now and this morning I took advantage of the weather and had a short session, first with Remy and then Bonbon.
Remy worked on moving the shouders and quarters independently and then together in a leg yield and giravolta, also reinback with a low neck to walk on. Bonbon continued with her lunge training, just a few minutes of walk and halt transitions, followed by five minutes work in-hand including moving her shoulders away and reinback.
Two short sessions which I really enjoyed, I've missed them this week. 
The warm weather is prompting me to tidy the garden, so hopefully, next week I can get started. My supposedly  frost resistant pots have turned out not to be and have succumbed, so, before the bulbs start to shoot I'll have to replace most of them. That's the first job for next week.

Giggling like kids

Had a good day out yesterday, lunch at Trudi's with Bev. We ate and chatted a lot - very enjoyable!
Today, same again with Remy and Bonbon, a good session with Remy, moving shoulders and then quarters, a little reinback and a short lungeing session on each rein. Bonbon continued with her lunge training and she's pretty much got it at walk and halt transitions.
Spent this afternoon at Ricky's playing, giggling like kids and drinking afternoon tea with dutch cookies.

Chooks a laying......

After a week or so off, we started again yesterday with a good grooming session and a maintenance rasp for all. They don't look too bad for the middle of winter.  Anky could do with a bit more weight, but she's been quite well for a few weeks now, so I'm pretty happy with her.
A short in-hand session for Remy and Bonbon today. Moving shoulders and quarters and reinback for Rem and continuing baby lungeing with Bonbon. Both good as gold.  It's bloody cold though!!!
Our chooks are settling in really well. I go in and feed them breadcrumbs and they gather around like little children for sweets, and one or two are eating out of my hand. The older two have started laying again and the last couple of days we've had one or two tiny eggs, so the youngsters are laying too now. Great.