Progress

Other Dad put Dibby and I me out to graze early this morning. Dad brought me in at 1.45 after he had prepared our stables, groomed me and put on my black exercise bandages and tack.

We went into the school at 2.40 to warm up for a lesson at 3.00. Liz arrived a little beforehand and so we had an early start.

We worked on softening and roundness with a lot of walk halt transitions and some trot. As Dad had found in recent schooling sessions, I went forward quite well but was resistant at first in going round and reluctant to halt immediately on request.

Liz had brought her hat and rode me at this point. Paradoxically, Dad was quite pleased that I demonstrated some of the faults he had been experiencing in schooling over the last week or so. Although it would have ben nice for Liz to ride me at my best, it wouldn't have given such an opportunity to note the problems and work on them.

I continued to be a little rude and barge forward in the halt and she found it necessary to give firm and clear aids and half halts to get the message across. I started to co-operate better and my hind legs came under me more and I grew rounder as I progressed. We worked in walk and trot for a while - during which it rained quite heavily - and then Dad re-mounted. At Liz's suggestion he shortened his stirrups by one hole.

We returned to work in walk which went much better and then trotted on a twenty metre circle and around the school and finished with some canter on both reins. Late on in the session Other Dad joined us to watch and took some snaps.

The canter was a little difficult. On my poor rein I tended to cart Dad a little and he needed to practice taking a hold without leaning forward and half halts and giving and taking to secure roundness. By the end of the session we had regained some of the discipline we had lost in recent weeks without a lesson, so Dad and Liz were pleased.

I went in to be sponged down and given an apple and mints. I was allowed to cool off before being given my tea. Like Dad I was quite tired after an energetic lesson but pleased we had made some progress.

Liz agrees with Dad that we aren't ready to compete in a Prelim test yet until my canter on the right rein improves, but we have something on which to work. Cobs are keen on progress.