After making a lot of progress quite quickly when we started having lessons I feel like things have slowed down a bit. The chaps are not as happy in the winter field, and he’s had restricted turnout for a few weeks whilst they ate off the bulk of the grass as I didn’t want him to put on weight so he’s been a bit annoyed. He’s not bad tempered (I’m not kidding but not a week goes past without someone on the yard telling me how lovely and gentle his is – the lady who works Saturday’s misses it if I don’t get him to turn him out! :wub:) but he’s clearly not all that happy that winter is on its way.

He’s taken to jogging when asked to walk which is a bit annoying but we had a nice hack this morning up the bridlepath and he was nicely forward and not at all footy after being trimmed this week so yay for that. We had a bit of an exciting time on Thursday when I forgot that the school opposite the yard would be having their firework display. There’s nothing like 580kg of scared horse trying to climb into your pocket to make you pull a muscle in your neck as it turns out 8o( He seems fine now though and my neck has recovered!

In random stuff: I found this article quite interesting today: http://www.dengie.com/friendly-feed-advice/study-questions-hay-net-benefits/#.VF4ZKnhGL5k.facebook Now I realise it’s one study and hardly to be taken as ‘fact’ on its own but I’ve been feeding his hay, soaked, loose on the floor as I didn’t really think the small holed net we used last year slowed him down all that much and he has some odd muscles in his neck due to holding his head slightly to one side when he had his teeth trouble so I didn’t want to exaggerate that by using a net. Interesting that this single study seems to back up my own, not thought about terribly hard, feelings!