rain = yoga, massage and baking

Well, despite a rosier forecast, the rain has returned, so they all had yoga exercises this morning.
Remy's improving, Bonbon is pretty good to start with, and Corky's a stiff old bird!
I gave  Remy a massage to finish and he was lovely and relaxed.
I took to baking - a good sign that I've nothing better to do - and made some mince tarts and an egg custard.
I threw some potatoes in once the others were cooked, so it's baked spuds for tea.

road trips, yoga and bitless options

My mum and dad are on a road trip through France. They arrived here 9 days ago and it's been great to see them. They went on their way this morning and, as usual, I feel sad and a little bit lost. They have another week and will be slowly making their way home. I hope the weather picks up a little for them. The forecast is good.
After they left, I gave Remy his exercises before a short lungeing session on our set aside area at the bottom of the garden.
I was really pleased with him, and he felt light and forward on the line. The trot looked and felt (on the line) easier, and there was a definite spring in his step. He really wanted to get to the grass, so was stretching down very well (sometimes a little bit too much), but managing to keep his shoulders up.
I'm investigating bitless options for the moment. I've ridden him on the training cavesson, but I think I'll just attach the reins to his noseband, it's well padded so shouldn't be a problem.I've also been offered the loan of a Dr Cooks , so will give that a try, although I'm not sure how we will get on with the head-hug effect.

Remy continues his yoga sessions

I had a good session with Bonbon today. I took her for a walk up the lane into the school for her lungeing session. She was really good, striding out well, and I lunged her at walk and trot around the school before getting on.
I haven't ridden her for a month or more, and it felt strange, she's big, quite wide and, after Remy, I felt perched a little on her back. It took a few minutes before she started to focus, and I walked her around the school on a long rein as she checked out the various corners, jump wings, poles etc.
As she started to pay more attention, I worked on walk/halt transitions and changes of rein on circles.
I decided to ride her back down the lane home, which I've never done before. Jim walked with us and she was great.
It felt good to be back riding her.
Remy had his yoga session before a short in-hand session on the yard. It seems to be helping him. He's relaxing into the leg lifts, and we're definitely seeing some progress with the pelvic tucks and belly lifts.

We planted 3 new trees this afternoon - a laburnum, a silver birch and a sycamore. I love trees, and I'm happy to say that our eucalyptus that we thought had died of the cold seems to have survived after all.

The clouds roll away

It's been a week since I rode Remy. He's been having a rest after his osteo treatment, and I've been massaging him and doing these daily exercises which I think are really going to help him.



I decided to ride him up the lane today, I didn't put the bridle on, just rode him on the cavesson, and while it felt a bit strange in the hand, he was fairly receptive, especially halts and reinback which I used on the way back to keep him focussed.  I wanted to test the waters as to how much control I had, so was pretty pleased, although I don't know how we'll go if I ask him to canter.

Bonbon always holds her weight, and she's come through the winter very well. With the flush of spring grass, she's holding quite a bit of weight, so now the weather's a bit better I've started lungeing her. I took her for a walk up the lane today before going into the school for her session, and she was really good.