Dear Petra has been giving long reining lessons for years now and is still the Queen of long reining. She will go wherever she is asked to. This is the first time she has been asked to long rein over the see-saw. She's so tolerant of my antics too - leaning on her bottom to explain pressure on the reins, and going between her legs.
I never expected to get the Pet and Net team, proof that you can get the staff! Yesterday I had a client who really needed to experience putting long reins onto a pony that has never had them on before. Nettles passed the four assessment exercises easily and was then long reined in the field for a very short time. Today another client, Fiona, needed experience of long reining a pony out and about for the very first time and once again Nettles fitted the bill and was perfect. He went from dual controls to flying solo and there was just time for a wonderful hug at the end.
"Thanks for today and for the notes. Really enjoyed learning a new skill to add to my repertoire. I will now go away and quietly work on getting Enzo used to the long reins over his body and on the ground before I shout for help again! It was a good experience working with Nettles - he has such a lovely, quiet, yet inquisitive nature. If Enzo is as easy as Nettles was I will be a very happy person!" GM 6.6.13
