I was up early yesterday to drive back to Berkshire (via 2 1/2 hours crawling on the M25!!) and spend the morning at Stud XIX - a top warmblood breeding yard near Newbury. I was there earlier in the year to start a bunch of youngsters under saddle, due to the weather (snow!) we ended up with only a few working days, and although the majority of horses were started and riding despite the stop-start training, there were 3 who needed a bit more time before being suitable for the other staff to ride so I and am popping back when I can to continue with them. Today I was thrilled with them, the big black stallion has always been a little tricky about seeing things dissapear into the blindspot behind his head, and we have worked with all sorts of exercises and toys to get him used to this, and its really paid off. Today he was calm as you like to be ridden and we did our first proper walk out on our own. His little brother who has really had very little work at all so far was also great, although a little worried about the feel of my legs so I will bring Audrey(my fake legs) next time. And the ticklish chestnut mare got the gold star of the day, riding entirely without a ground handler in walk and trot and loose, supple and happy - my goodness her trot feels fantastic!
Then off to Kelly Marks' to ride her little herd there. Banksy is working on his walk/canter and trot/canter transitions, and he tried his heart out despite the heat - he's not the most energetic of horses and all the work with him revolves around keeping him light, balanced and freemoving, so a heavy sticky sunny day doesnt help but he felt great, and I finished on a little jump which perked him up! Romi has a new saddle to try - a Wow dressage saddle, I was skeptical at first because it has a clever girthing system to stop it slipping (she is a very wide Warmblood) which has 2 girths, one quite far back on her belly, being just started I was worried she wouldn't like this so longlined her in it first. But she was fine, and when I rode although it is quite a 'lot' of saddle underneath you it was really very comfortable and stuck to her like glue so I think I'm a fan. Harvey (I think I may have to make him his own page!) as always, was great fun. He used to be very nappy before he came to Kelly earlier this year, and the tendancy to say 'No' would come back if you rode him with the wrong attitude, particularly in the first few minutes of work - but I set up a great little track of games, a jump, a pole to leg yield across, a black plastic tube to jump, a tarp, cones to figure of eight round and jump wings to back through, and by the time he had completed them all (he loves things like that) I had good control of his feet and mind and could set about some schooling. Isn't it just the way that once somethings in your mind you stick with it all day? So Harvey and I worked on canter transitions too. 
One small hiccup - leading Romi back through the village up to her grazing, she would rather be carried and needs persuading to walk in her own space - well I am blaming the heat I was entirely in my own world ambling through there and Romi sucked in to my space past a dog and trot on my toe which is now blueing up nicely - and just the other day I was telling Hannah (ahving been trodden on herself) that I never get trodden on anymore and its all about body positioning, awarenss and reading the horse. Egg. On. Face. Dare I ask for her sympathy now and risk ridicule?!
So this morning someone is coming to have a look at Harvey (who is looking for a new home) and I hope they are perfect for him - he really is a smashing chap and if I hadn't sworn to myself when I sold my last mare that I will not own any more horses, I would be really tempted.
Off to practice loading with him now, as we will be taking him to a local indoor school and just want to check hes smooth up the ramp - can occasionally stick for a second or two. First impressions and all that... on which note perhaps I'll give him a quick bath - fingers crossed (and toes actually because after that I have a lesson with Monty Roberts the man himself!)
xx