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Gatsby - Canter and Pole Work

Gatsby is such a fantastic horse! We had a really good ride today even though it was raining, haling, sleeting and almost snowing! The weather was awful but Gatsby made getting wet worth every single minute! I groomed and tacked him up and made sure he was all comfy, and then got on when I first got on I couldn't decide whether I wanted to do Pole work or canter work so Fiona said why not do both we could canter and do pole work, I got really excited. The exercise that I did was super fun and something that Gatsby and I really took to. What we had to do was Trot over three trotting poles making sure he was in an outline and forward then as soon as we were over the last pole we had to go in to canter doing a 20metre circle then just before we got back to the trotting poles we had to transition to trot. Now the last part would be the fun part with Gatsby because once he gets going doing pole work he doesn't want to stop doing pole work and the same with his canter work. So Fiona and I predicted that he was going to get excited and not stop and want to canter over the poles so we were surprised when the first time we did the exercise he went straight over the pole, we had a nice transition to canter, and an okay transition to the trot, however the second or third time that we did the exercise Gatsby decided that he wanted to canter over the poles, so we let him do it to get it out of his system, we then cantered the 20m circle and asked him to return to trot when he decided that he didn't want to stop, we missed the poles and went large around the school. We did this on both reins and found that for us the right rein was better. By the time we got on to the left rein I was starting to feel tired and feel my muscles really aching, and was having problems with keeping my left leg still. So I think next week I'm going to do whatever canter work I do on the left rein to start with and then move on to my better rein which is my right rein. 

I also managed to get some pictures to, the bike race that my brother should have been doing today he decided that he wasn't doing which meant that my mum could come riding with me and allowed me to get some pictures.

Things with my Nan have not settled down, she's been feeling sick none-stop and now is having bad problems with her breathing things are definitely not looking good at the moment! We've got a care plan in action for over the weekend and we are waiting for a doctor to come out and see her as she's really struggling to breathe. It's really sad to see because you don't know what to say/do or how to react around. 

Now on to some horse pictures 

Love this picture I think there is something just natural about this photograph I think you can really se how relaxed and chilled out Gatsby and I are and look I was even riding without stirrups! 


starting to work in an outline.
Better picture that shows Gatsby rounding up in to an outline. He's really trying his hardest he is such a good boy! 



Love how Gatsby's neck and head look, this boy has put in so much confidence in me and him and i are so much more chilled out than we used to be. 

I really love this picture in it you can see how happy and excited Gatsby is he loves cantering and being able to splash around in the water and puddles it was such a good combination! Now all we need to do is get Gatsby to work in an outline in the canter, he's trying but he doesn't think he does it so I just need to support him a bit more.









Until Next Time
A Girl With A Dream

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