Catch-Up

Hopefully I’ll manage to keep this update short as don’t actually have that much to report I’m afraid. Work was mental last week and unfortunately is not looking like slowing down until at least Wednesday at the earliest.

As a result I only managed a very quick spin on Kika on Monday. I mean quick, less than 20mins in the saddle quick...I didn’t time it but I’d be very surprised if I was up there longer than that. She was good, there were 2 others in the arena with us and I was pretty distracted as I knew time was tight so although she didn’t misbehave she wasn’t exactly concentrated either...

Unfortunately I did not make it to the barn on Tuesday, Wednesday we lunged and she was good. We worked in the new arena – just done it’s only a week old today I reckon. There are two doors at either end which were open as we were working and while she gave them and her new surroundings the googly eyes at the start once we started transitions she relaxed and worked away like a good girl. I had been late-ish leaving work and as such it was late when i got to the barn so I was conscious of not pushing it and letting her get too sweaty as she is still living out 24/7 and getting on the hairy side so I didn’t want her catching cold by having to go out to her field sweaty!

Thursday was great! We didn’t do anything fancy, just worked on our homework from the previous Friday from L’s tips. We worked mostly in trot, varying the speed, circling getting smaller and smaller, serpentine-ing with volts at each turn. I came home that evening over the moon and so so happy with the work we had done.

Friday was another missed opportunity as I was so spent after the day at work, so Kika got to spend the whole day and night in the field which i imagine she was not unhappy about, ;-)

Then today, managed to make my way to a “new” tack shop – new in that i only found out about it on Thursday and had never been there before. I was told they had a sale on so happily went off to see what stuff they had, while keeping an eye out for a sleeveless vest and a royal blue saddle pad if I could find them.  They are top of my to-buy list at the moment, but have yet to find either of them that I have to have! Although I am pretty set on ordering these saddle pads from Pink Equine, ;-) Royal Blue – Aubergine LINK.

I didn’t find either of the things I was looking for, also continuously keeping my eyes peeled for a bridle to go with her fancy new saddle and breast plate again if I can find one, but those are further down the shopping list then the vest and saddle pad. I did manage to pick up a 15kg bag of muesli which I had been going to order off the internet – but didn’t know which brand to go with. So the Mammy (who was with me) and i spent ages looking at the ingredients and trying to figure what all the German meant, ;-)

Got to the barn and brought herself in, after a bit of pampering to tidy her up we tacked up and up I hopped. We rode in the biggest available arena and I actually used the mirror to try and correct myself and make sure I was on the right diagonal when trotting – not something I often get the luxury of doing as Kika doesn’t always give me as good of a spin to allow me try to sort myself out! But she was excellent today, we didn’t quite get to work on as much of the more finickity things we worked on on Thursday as there was another rider in the arena with us. They are relatively inexperienced and don’t always have control so I was conscious of this and kept out of the way. We did work on our circles and in actual fact we got lovely canter work done on a circle – which is often a bit of  a bogey for us as circles are difficult for her till she strengthens up more particularly in canter. But she was really good today, I am overjoyed with what we worked on this week even though we didn’t get the same amount of work we usually get done what we did do was of a good enough standard, in my opinion for whatever that is worth ;-)

Typically this is far from a short update, but if you regularly read our updates you will not be in the slightest bit surprised teehee!

Woods tomorrow for a hack with L and her dogs, so that’ll be fun before the work starts again on Monday and I know already that I won’t be getting out of the office in time to get to see Kika Monday or Tuesday, L Hopefully she’ll still get worked as I know the Mammy has the days off and I’ve asked if she’ll lunge her if my yard buddies don’t have the time/desire to ride her for me...Probably cheeky of me to ask in any case!