So different

Thursday was warm again although overcast. We spent the day out grazing without our rugs. This was most unusual for this time in October - last year we had snow.

Dibby came in yesterday afternoon having rubbed the existing sore area on his side and two or three others. It wasn't clear whether he had rubbed it raw on fences or if Cricket or I had been too energetic in our lengthy grooming. Dad bathed it in Hibiscrub and applied some soothing antiseptic cream last night and again first thing this morning. I started to groom him when we came out, but was rather non-plussed by the fragrant cream and left him alone - just as both Dads wanted.

Dibby seemed in good form and trotted about here and there and tried a gentle canter to celebrate the unseasonable warm morning like a happy senior cob.

We came in at four and Dad took me in the school for forty minutes until it grew dark. We had the arena to ourselves and worked in walk and trot as yesterday. Dad tried to improve the quality of our walk - marching uphill into the bit and general flexing and softening. We moved up into trot on a larger circle and tried to sustain more softness and roundness and to be more relaxed in our way of going. By the end of the session we had both relaxed much better than usual. I was softer and more responsive in the mouth and Dad was sitting up with heels down and remembering to breath and maintain a correct gentle contact.

We were both pleased by the session and I had minties, an apple and tea. Auntie Gemma gave Dibby and I some electro-magnetic treatment with her magic machine afterwards. Sometimes it seems so different to those days when Dad first came to see me after all those months out in that field. Cobs like to be taken care of.