The original plan was to hold a clinic with Amanda this week and to borrow an outdoor school. Unfortunately the lady whose yard we were using broke several ribs in an altercation with a quad bike, Chancer and Theoden got sore backs and needed new saddle pads which took three weeks to come, David had a bit of bone floating around his knee and then Chancer pulled a shoe off! All did not bode well. So, plan B was a little more modest, with Chancer's shoe replaced and the new Mattes pads in place, I am having two lessons a day with Amanda on two days. I love my lessons - I think I have said they are all about softness, intent, communication, rather than putting my right leg here and my left arm there. I rode Theoden for the first time today and we worked on simply asking him to turn left, right, walking and stopping all with a soft attitude. Theoden has a little "yeah but, no but" feeling about him which probably emmanates from him being nine and having joined a union some years ago. Chancer is a darling but tends to fall asleep and lean on the bit. Today we worked on how to lift his shoulder so that he can back up more easily and part of this entailed getting down on all fours to feel this for myself. Chancer is taking a keen interest.
