On the fringe

A bright and warm start to the week. Other Dad put Dibbs and me out to graze early and Dad came down later to attend to our stables. After going home for a few hours, both Dads came back and brought us in at 4.00.

We stood by our stables in the cool and had some haylage for half an hour and were groomed. Dad put on my black exercise bandages with my pelham and dressage saddle. We went into the school at 5.30 for a group lesson with Liz from Moreton Morrell. There were four others in the class plus Dibby and me; Tod, Leo, Kamara and Tom. We schooled in walk and trot and did some shoulder fore and turns about the forehand. As well as cantering on a twenty metre circle in groups of three, we also practised walk on a long rein and trotting across the diagonal with a transition to canter on the far side and then cantering around to the rear of the ride. Dad was pleased with my transitions and that I didn't get too excited.

It was a quite tiring on a warm afternoon and we were both satisfied with the session. Dibby was good, as ever.We were all well behaved apart from Kamara who was "a little fresh"and gave Isabelle a difficult ride, but she coped very well. I miss our housewives' sessions at Solihull on Monday mornings but always enjoy Liz's group lessons at Netherwood.

When we came in we were hosed down and dried and put in the stable our cooler rugs. After cooling down we had tea and some treats whilst Dad sat outside and brushed and rolled my bandages. The lesson was the start of this week's preparations for the dressage at Solihull on Sunday which we hope will be a nice outing. Cobs do like to have something to look forward to.