Don't blame it on the sunshine, Don't blame it on the light.

YES! We have finally got some sunshine here and the UK the horses were able to have there rugs off today and go outside without them and they LOVED it. Fussy and Hazel even got to stay out for longer than they normally would do! I'm loving it the evenings are getting longer, the heat is getting warmer meaning that Pony Club in the evenings is going to be son fun, it'd be fun in the cold to though! 

Today I was riding Gatsby and a guy had already used him earlier in the day for a lesson, so he wasn't too muddy this meant that I got more time and was able to play with his tail and try plaiting it as I've never done it before properly on my own without anybodies help normally it was my mums! So today while Fiona and Elaine were doing other jobs and Jaimie-Leigh I did some work with Gatsby on plaiting and turned out with quite a nice cute plait it was messy at the top but he's had his tail pulled (think that's the right word) so at the top there's loads of really thin hairs that you just can't use in a plait! Here's the picture though, let me know what you think.

Then it was time to ride, I got on and sorted his Girth out because Gatsby really doesn't like people doing his Girth up and was surprised when it was nearly on the top whole of the Girth strap and buckles both sides! I didn't force it up though! Just did it when he relaxed and it needed going up! We started off Getting Gatsby to really stretch down and walk forwards allowing him to warm his muscles up and loosen up, when we picked up the contact he really wanted to move straight in to the trot. But I didn't let him instead doing some work in the outline in walk trying to contain as much Energy as possible and getting him to really move forward. When we did move in to the trot before asking him to go in to an outline I did some rising trot letting him to get himself sorted and then gradually picked up the contact again asking him to move in to the outline. We decided that we didn't want to do too much walk work so as to not tire me out and we moved on pretty quickly to doing some canter work. To start with it wasn't to great when he went down the long side he wanted to get faster and faster and I was tipping my position forwards. Totally NOT helping him move and work how he should do and in doing so I was allowing him to get faster and faster. We then did some circle work, now the problem with Gatsby is that he starts to try and tell you when he WANTS to go and he tries to predict your moves, not allowed Gatsby! So we decided to change things up and start asking for the canter at C and A or at E  and B and then do half a lap of the school. I really feel by the end I was starting to get some really nice work, the canter transitions were smooth and under control not overly rushed and when he tried to rush I stopped him, rebalanced him and asked again some where else! I don't want him to get in to any bad habits as he is doing so well at the minute and me and him are getting out of the bad habits that we had gotten ourselves in to. He's turning in to being such a good dressage horse and I couldn't ask for more from him. By the time that we had finished I was cantering smoothly, giving firmer half halts and sitting taller so that he COULDN'T rush the long sides as this is not his job and he needs to learn this and eventually he will. But he also did some really nice canter work IN AN OUTLINE! I think he managed to shock both me and Fiona as neither of us really expected him to do it, I definitely find it harder to get him in to an outline in the canter but it is something that I've never done before and I don't think he is so we can't expect it to be amazing the first time that we do it, but it would be nice if it was! I have got both Video's and pictures of Gatsby and I today. However for the next three weeks I won't have any unless my dad does them but he's not good with a camera! As my mum will be taking my brother to Darley Moor Road bike races and these are every Saturday for the next three weeks. So Dad will be taking me riding and mum will be going with my brother and taking him to his races! On to the pictures and Videos.

I'll be visiting my Nan in the hospital, to find out whats going on they've done nothing to investigate why she's dropping so low in blood pressure so when My Mum and I go later my mum is going to try and find a doctor and talk to the doctor, all they're doing is giving her pain killers, which as my mum is her full time carer could do with my nan at home. Let's hope that we get some answers this time! My mum tried ringing the hospital twice and got data protection thrown at her even though my mum is my nans next of kin!

Until Next Time
A Girl With A Dream!