More Mucky Monsters

The girls outdid themselves today, both in their good behaviour under saddle & their ability to bring half the mud in their field in with them and by consequence transferring it to me during grooming - so much so that my mother kindly told me I'd a mudstach when I got home *sniggers*

Mucky McMonster

As has become the new norm, I started with Kika while Nancy spun on the walker. We warmed up well at the walk, I really concentrated on getting a good forward walk from K on a long rein and progressively more collected working in circles, changes of rein on the diagonals, circles and serpentines - really focusing on straight and then bending correctly. As always a work in progress, but to be honest & fair to her I don't work it as well or as often as I should. *shame-faced*

Hairy McMuckmonster

Just as we were starting our trot work, a fellow livery came to ask if she could lunge while we rode. No probs for me, in fact it was the same girl who lunged on Monday evening while i rode K - although she was lunging a different horse this time. Thankfully a quieter one, not that he mad one had bothered K on Monday ... but I digress. This meant that we were again working in only one half of the ring, which I find challenging to keep things interesting.

Only way to get a photo of me in the tack
 #sundayselfie  pre-work
Kika is so motivated lolz

The goal became transitions & softness from Kika, I didn't want any hollowed giraffe impressions from her. I'm not saying we didn't have any (hello - it is still us) but i kept asking similar questions till I consistently got the outline & give from her. Poor dear was destroyed when we finished - i cannot wait for her to be clipped and I'm sure she feels the same.

A hot mess after work

Nancy was next after i gave K a rinse and popped her on the walker to spin as Nancy & I got to play under saddle. It struck me as i joined three others in the largest arena that it had been a few weeks since I had ridden Nancy in company. As i have typically been riding Kika first of late; most people are finished and gone home by the time i get to play with Nancy. Not once did she look at any other horse nor put a toe out of line on that count.

Close-up of N pre-grooming

I didn't really have a set plan of attack for my spin with Nancy bar not get in anyone else's way while seeing what i had to play with in the N-meister.  A more forward walk wasn't really happening, but now that I think about it she had spent a good 30 (maybe 45) minutes at a good walk in the walker, so we'll tackle improving the walk again tomorrow perhaps when I will be riding after work and more conscious of not letting her get too sweaty before she goes back out to the field for the night.

Cute poneh being adorabubble after work

We did more trot & canter work than we have been doing lately. Her trot work was very good as almost always. The canter left a bit to be desired, probably my fault somehow...wish I had eyes on the ground to yell at me; but we'll go back to the drawing board another day. I am not saying it was appalling or anything, just that the last time we worked on canter went better. Admittedly that day we were in an arena alone & I dunno about you guys, but i deff ride better when I am not keeping half an eye out for other riders and/or thinking they're watching and judging me/my horse. Which let's be honest I'd highly unlikely considering they are probably concentrated on their horses & not paying me a blind bit of notice. Poor Nancy having to deal with a neurotic numpty like me on her back.
Our canter itself was quite nice, however our departs were a bit stickier than I'd have liked - however we didn't mess up our strike off. So I'm going to take that as a small win and update the mental to work on list.

#pamperedpony getting spoiled

The problems really are mine in that I still am not getting out to ride them as often as I should. Now I don't think they are in anyway upset at this lack of saddle time - i don't doubt they are happier out 24/7 without my harassing them the work on circles etc. Upswing of the clocks going back is that this is their last week on summer turnout. Friday they will go in for their first night since the end of April & I will be back to visiting the barn twice a day. Midday to turn them out and then again in the evening to bring them in and hopefully ride. Finger scrolled we can all get fitter again & start making positive progress if i can organise myself to take a couple of lessons!

See you tomorrow