Gawd, blink and another few weeks whizz by and no blog update! :-[

It feels like it’s been a bit of a long month. I thought we’d fixed the mud fever but found new scabs which are proving a bit stubborn so he’s still in all day. I have got permission for yard staff to put him in the indoor with Boysie for a short while each morning which is good but I’d rather he was moving a bit more. Since he’s been in he’s felt very stiff in canter so I’ve been working a lot over poles, both ridden and free, to try and loosen him up. The osteo is due back out beginning of February so I’ll get his verdict then. I’m hoping in the longer term the straightness training will help strengthen up his weaker hip so he doesn’t have a sort of plateau of feeling a bit not quite right every time with up the work.

Exciting day today! We went out to Warehill (our ‘local’ dressage venue – 1 hour travel now Patchett’s has gone) to do the intro again and bought home a rosette! I think we were 4th of 7, which is much better than usual and the score was 61% which is about 3% more than previous efforts so I’m very pleased with that!

You can see the video here. If you’re wondering why I don’t have black half chaps on it’s cos I forgot them so it looks a bit pony club with short boots on, and I’m very glad my jods didn’t ride up my leg!! :-[

He was pretty forward in the warm up, I think the cooler weather helps, but he dropped off significantly as soon as he came down the centre line and I went back to nagging. I really need to fix that. It can only be my fault he drops back, I would guess I’m tensing and feeling more anxious and he’s reacting to that even though these days I don’t ‘feel nervous’ as such. Need to work on my legs at home and then concentrate on relaxing in the ring! But lots of like as well, and pleased to get a rosette! :party: