Prickly

I set off up the track with Remy today, got as far as the little wood when a shot rang out through the trees. It scared Remy half to death and he jumped up a bank, spun round and started heading back towards home! I was about to turn him back when I heard another, so decided he was probably right and we should head for safety!  The horses are used to the bangs of the chasse, but this, I think was an air rifle which makes a totally different sound that the horses are not familiar with.
He came back on a mission, a bit freaked, but perfectly behaved. What a good boy.
Not much of a ride so I carried on up to the school and we had 20 minutes in there, starting with some lateral work in walk and then practicing our trot transitions. When he's out on the tracks and motivated he feels great, it's made me very aware that I need to really get him working his hind legs as he's a bit lazy and doesn't pick them up as he should when working in the school. When he makes the effort I can really feel him coming together and some of the transitions today were good into a much better balanced trot.
I had a short ground work and lungeing session with Bonbon and I'm really enjoying working with her, but Jim wants to sell her. :-(  Not sure what's going to happen there as he's made it quite clear that he's no real interest in the horses any more and he's not interested in helping me with Bonbon as it's always been his intention to sell her..........
I spent the afternoon, stringing electric fencing, clearing brambles and picking chestnuts. So between the brambles, chestnuts and bits of wire sticking out of the electric fencing, my fingers are ripped to bits!
Bit of an up and down day.

Catch up

Catching up over the last week.
I've started lungeing Remy again with lots of transitions walk to trot aiming for a relaxed, soft, easy trot. He's getting it. I'm going to get the poles out, get him to pick up his lazy back legs!
He seems to be over his mouth problem and he's now sucking in the bit when offered, as he was before.
I tried him in Corkys saddle today.  I just wasn't totally happy riding him in the bates, which is a 17 1/2 inch with quite a flat panel and not totally suited to his shape, although it seemed perfectly fine used with the suber pad. I re-tried the lexington barefoot again and it just didn't feel right, perhaps just because I've got used riding a treed saddle again, but it felt like I couldn't get my leg on properly, it just felt held-off. I tried corkys saddle on him and it seemed a better fit.  It's a 17inch, with a cut-back head which accomodates his high wither and a slightly more curved panel which accomodates his curvy back.  I took him in the school to try it and he seemed quicker to relax, and seemed happier and softer in the lateral work. I asked for a couple of rein-backs and he offered a trot transition straight from the reinback each time, so I schooled him in the trot from the reinback and they were light, soft and well balanced transitions. We really seem to be making progress. Hopefully not a fluke, we'll see how it goes.
Bonbon's continuing to be a sweetie, we've been doing some ground work and lungeing and she's starting to settle to the work.

It's been an expensive week, the brushcutter packed in, so a big bill from the repair shop and Elfin ripped a hole in Obi's side 'playing' down the field, so no doubt a big bill to come from the vets.

Ups and downs

Thanks for your comments guys on my truly pathetic post yesterday.  I really wasn't having a go at Rem, in all honesty, he's pretty fab, just my inability to deal with the situation sensibly at the time, and letting my hormones and emotions get the better of me.
Today was much better, I wanted it to be a confidence boosting exercise for Remy, no great expectations, I was happy to accept what he offered and calmly deal with any problems.   Well, he was pretty bloody great. He set off with some purpose and just kept going. Jim followed about hundred yds back and came up once when we crossed the main road and once to accompany us past the stone cutting shed. We were out for over an hour, we went right up to the little stud just outside the village where Remy was very interested in the horses grazing in the far fields. We turned for home there and he was a little reluctant to leave them and as we headed back started whinnying.
As we neared home he really was on a mission, so I asked him for lots of walk/halt transitions, sometimes with a couple of steps of reinback and it was such a nice feeling as he came up and together, and really soft into my hand. The last few hundred yards I gave him a long rein and it felt like a tidal wave as he really opened up the walk stride. Ups and downs eh, well, today was definitely an 'up'.

A short session with Bonbon in-hand, and she was very sweet. She's a quick learner and I enjoyed our session today. Walk/halt transitions, shoulder-fore on the circle both reins, and a little bit of rein-back.

We spent the afternoon doing the fence in the bottom field, so a busy day and I'm cream crackered now!

:-(

Well, it's a bad day, hormones, age, taking it personally, overreacting, totally pathetic, ridiculous behaviour for a woman of my age!
Remy didn't want to go this morning, stopped at the neighbours when he saw him up a ladder trimming the vine and refused to go forward. It's understandable, the rational part of me knows that.  I'm pushing him out of his comfort zone, and he's a little worried about things. Paul led him past and we continued on up the track, through the wood to the road.. He was ok and Jim met us at the road. We crossed the road, but then he refused to go again, backing up, shaking his head. I got so annoyed with  him, annoyed at myself  for losing my patience, annoyed at myself for taking it so personally. Am I so naive to expect him never to say no, all horses go through this, don't they? But I feel myself getting impatient, I want to tack up, just go for a hack, have fun!! I think I've been fair with him, taken it slowly. Perhaps I've taken it too slowly, not done enough, not shown him enough. God, I don't know, I think perhaps, I'm too bloody old, too bloody sick of doing it on my own, and perhaps I just don't want it enough.
Anyway, I got angry and frustrated, The only redeeming thing about it was that I didn't take it out on him.  I got firm with him, but let him work it out, letting him halt, but then asking him again to go forward. 
The thing is, after a few minutes of working it out, he did go, in fact he went marvelously, we carried on and went for another km or so, down the lanes towards the village, tracks he'd never been on before, and although he was looking at things he kept going forward. 
So why am I focussing on the bad things? All-in -all, after a sticky start, he was pretty good today. Someone on a forum I go on said it only a few days ago, it's so easy to get frustrated when it means so much.
I really need to get things into perspective, it seems like a tall order at the moment.

Remy says no

For the first time, today out on a hack he wouldn't go down the track, stopped, planted his feet, tried to turn round and shook his head decisively. I've never felt a 'no' in him, but it was there today.
Everything looked fine to me, but for some reason he was worried enough to stick to his guns.
We had to continue, I really couldn't allow him to decide to turn round so we waited at halt for a while until he relaxed a little and then I asked him again. I had to ask him a few times, halting and waiting in-between until he decided he could go, but when he went that was decisive also and he went on with purpose. He came home very forward, but quite edgy and jumpy, we halted several times on the way back and although he really just wanted to keep going, he listened and stood quietly.
By the time we approached the neighbours he was chilling a little, until he saw some new logs at the side of the barn, he huffed and puffed at them, but went up to have a look and a sniff.
Jim had come out to look for us as we'd been gone quite a while by this time and Rem stood quite happily as we chatted with the neighbour.
I don't think he lost confidence today, I'm hoping that he's gained some.
If Jim had been with us, despite his worry, I think Remy would have followed him, but now he knows that he can do it with just the two of us. Well, I hope that's how he sees it! We'll see.

Dentist time

We had a day off on Sunday, but back in the school yesterday with Remy. Something was going on in his mouth, he was working ok, but over-salivating.
We worked at walk on figures of eights, shoulder-in to counter shoulder-in, which he managed ok, and on squares, shoulder-in to travers, which was tricky,but the travers is definitely improving.
His rein-back is becoming more fluid and straighter, he doesn't seem to be throwing his inside hind out like he did.
His trot transitions were pretty good, more active into a better balanced trot, which he managed to keep for longer. All-in-all a really good session.
It couldn't have been better timing as the equine dentist was booked in for today. He seemed to think that the recently erupted wolf tooth may be causing problems as it had become very sharp. He smoothed it back to the gum, so, for now it will be fine - we'll see if it needs any more attention next appointment. Apart from that, he gave Remy a clean bill of dental health, so we'll see how he is next time I ride.

A really great session with Bonbon yesterday, sitting-on with Jim leading her, circles on both reins, lots of halt and walk transitions. She was really attentive and responsive in my hand. First attempt at reinback, which was nice and soft. Really pleased with her.
A little star also with the dentist, calm and relaxed (well, as relaxed as she could be with a bloody great chunk of metal holding her jaws open!), I'm so proud of her, little sweetie.

Cold!!

Cold today, a shock to the system! It's too soon for cold weather, bring back the sunshine please.

I took Remy to the school, warmed him up in walk on a long rein, lots of changes of bend. Then onto small circles, asking for softness through the neck into my hand, letting him extend and relax, some shoulder-in and turn around the quarters trying to keep the softness. Lots of rest breaks then into some rein-back, which was very good today with a real feeling of coming together, the walk forward being full of energy but staying soft. Onto some trot work, transitions from shoulder-in and reinback. Lots of energy, more than I could handle at times, need to have manageable energy without losing control and balance. A mixed bag today, some really nice stuff, but the trot work was a bit all over the place. Nevertheless, I got the urge to canter, so before we finished I asked for a canter transition and although he gave me a few trot strides first, we cantered - our first canter ever.  I was pretty chuffed, but have the feeling it was too soon, don't know if it was, but just feel that way. Am I jumping the gun, should we be working on the canter when the trot's so far off being balanced?  LOL - out of my comfort zone again!

New tracks

A good morning. I took Remy out for a hack, Jim was to meet us at the road, but when we got there a farmer was going up and down with his tractor directly opposite. Not wanting to create an issue, I doubled back and took Remy down a new track, it doesn't really go anywhere, sort of peters out, but as he'd never been down there I thought it would be good for him. He was great, really striding out, looking at things but really thinking forward. Couldn't have been better.
We then tacked up Bonbon and took her to the school. She's not been up there in a while, but she was good - a little in-hand, walk and trot and then a short sit-on.
We practiced a few flexions at halt and then Jim led her around on a circle on both reins, interspersed with halt and first attempts at reinback mounted. She was pretty cool about it, starting to stretch out and soft in my hand.  I started to think about where I was placing my weight and she responded really well. She'd been so well behaved that we walked her back down the lane home.

Autumn Leaves

A bit overcast this morning, quite a nice change after all the hot weather and fewer flies!
I took Remy in the school, working on trot transitions with more activity which he's giving me, and staying soft and round for longer before he starts to lose balance.  Also continued working on the quarters-in and he's getting the hang of it now. We managed quite a nice travers up the long side, alternating with shoulder-in. Tried travers on the circle, which according to some, should be easier, we got a few steps, but I find it quite difficult, mainly because I lose my place and can't keep the circle. I'll have to get a piece of string and scribe a small circle into the sand so that I know where I am. LOL

We've been saddling Bonbon up every day, just to get her to accept it without getting worrying and getting snazzy. Whether it was her season or not, I don't know, but she's coming round a little.
I groom her, saddle up, a little in-hand and then a short sit-on, which is going ok. Jim leads her round the circle and today she was calm and attentive. We practiced some flexions mounted and for the first time, she stretched out into my hand.

It rained most of the afternoon, the leaves are all turning now and we're losing the summer. Although it's very beautiful this time of year I always feel a little sad that another summer is over and winter will soon be upon us.

Hacking!!

We spent a couple of hours down the field this morning re-stringing the fence so it was going up to twelve  before I thought about riding.  I wanted to take Remy out for a hack and thought lunchtime would be good (less traffic about, total french population home for lunch) so off we went. Jim followed as he wanted a walk (to keep an eye on me, I think), so we went through the little wood to the road and he made sure there was no traffic so we could cross and then we continued on past the small lake, past the stone cutting place and down the lane towards the village. Remy was on his toes, very active and huffing and puffing, but apart from a couple of little spooky jumps, he was brilliant. I felt brilliant too, it's what I've wanted for so long, to actually hack my boy out. At times he stretched and relaxed his neck and was so soft in my hand it was like all my birthdays had come at once. He was great coming home too, no rushing, just nice and forward. Oh, nearly forgot - the leccy fence has gone too, Yippee!

Tick v.g.

Back in the school with Remy today. Starting with relaxing the neck with a soft contact in the hand, small circles with lots of changes of rein, then allowing him to stretch and walk out. Back to a little shoulder-in on the circle and turn around the quarters. Then some trot transitions, asking for bend and relaxation of the neck into a transition. Then trot from reinback asking for more activity. The trot was a little more active today and felt a little better balanced. We did more work on starting travers, he's getting the hang of it, and finished  alternating shoulder-in to travers down the long side on each rein. Lots and lots to work on, but seeing gradual improvement in his comprehension and suppleness.

Bonbon was a sweetie today, a little unsure as I tightened the girth, but we took it calmly and slowly and she relaxed into it. A short session on the yard in-hand, both reins, nice relaxation through the neck, a little shoulder-in, some reinback and then a short sit-on. We practised a few flexions mounted and then walked a few steps on both reins. Much better, tick v.g!

Moody mare

A short hack up the track with Remy today. He huffed and puffed at a guy cleaning up a few leftover heads of maize in the middle of his field, but went past undaunted. He was on a mission again coming home - oh I love that feeling, and if we're going to activate his back end, this is going to help no end!
Bonbon was a little cow - pmt, I think! I put  the saddle on and as I tightened it up she shot backwards and upwards, not nice at all! I'm not sure what we'll do, I suppose we'll go with it and carry on, see what happens. I took her onto the yard and walk and trotted her around until she settled. She was squealing, and throwing her head at me, but nothing huge. As we were finishing, an airforce jet came over and both Jim and I wanted to run for cover, it was flying so low and making a hell of a noise. Bonbon jumped backwards, but then stood quietly without a murmur - she can be a very good girl. She seemed calm enough so I had a little sit-on, no problems so walked a few strides and then got off and left it on a good note.

'knowing the hand'

I've had a couple of bridle sessions with Bonbon the last two days and she's really starting to release and extend and relax her neck now. She's starting to 'know' the hand and accept it.

In the school with Remy, continuing on from the last session, paying particular attention to the release and relaxation through his neck, keeping the softness into the hand.
Trying to keep him attentive with a quicker reaction and more activity in the hind legs. We had some nice trot transitions, staying soft, but a little more oomph to the trot.Lots of changes of bend, some nice relaxed turns around the quarters and a little light-bulb moment for both of us (well, perhaps more for me, to be honest) when asking for quarters-in off the corner as he responded nicely to a slight shift of my weight to the inside and slightly to the inside hind  (if that makes sense). As usual, he tells me when I'm getting it right ( I really need to do that more often!)!