Tom Graham 8th September 2015

Well it has been a long time since I last rode with Tom and a long time since I blogged properly.

I went to Portugal in May with Pip had a wonderful time riding, have tried several horses but they all have a but, my issue not theirs

My back has been bad this last month so Chorrie hasn't got the walk work he needs for his rehab and it was all a bit pear shaped and I was feeling very despondent.

But here we are I'm back in the saddle, my back is now just grumbling rather than shouting at me and life seems less grey. Still the worry with Beaglie and the dementia but we have to take each week as it comes and travel in hope

So back to the lesson, first lesson in the new indoor for Chorrie he found all the stable noise terrifying    so walked him in hand until he settled. Told Tom wanted to work on our halts as they were AWOL, Tom asked us to show him what we'd been doing and there was the first bl00dy great hole we bumble along and bimble I might do a bit of leg yield or shoulder in but there isn't much of a plan nor it would appear is there much straightness

So worked on a circle with C staying on my circle path and me having a defined path

We've lost straightness most of my halt issues are straightness issues ride him off the outside rein maybe with some counter flexion and he halts easily.

So exercises

1/ If he gets too deep do a few steps of LY to engage and thus lift the poll
2/ If he spooks keep the leg on keep him thinking forwards
3/ LY to track, half 10m circle, LY back to track

But most of all ride the outside round , not pull the inside round.