A new beginning in 2010

Started the new year on a real positive note

After spending the night at my friends place I was feeling rather *ahem* delicate this morning, but I had promised I would ride this afternoon, so I did.

Pinto was going sooo well today, really nice and soft. Just playing around, we were walking on the inside track, and I had my hands quite high, but the reinds really long, then to ask for bend I would just vibrate my inside fingers. I must have looked a bit daft, but Pinto responded really well to the very light aids.

Moving on to trotting, his trot is eventually (after only 4 years!) becoming softer, and we are no longer pounding around the track. Moving onto the inside track we did some work again on transitions on the markers, first in rising and then in sitting trot. Sitting trot felt sooooooo goooood tonight.

Then we did 3 bars on the ground. Pinto was also playing nanny to Erica whose pony was being a bit of a spook monster so we did some follow-the-leader past the spooky corners, and we had some fun singing to keep breathing.

Then my most amazing success... I went over a 20cm x pole on Pinto It is the first time since I broke my wrist I have "jumped" with Pinto. Well I say "jumped", really it was just like a raised pole, and Pinto trotted over without a hitch in his stride, but it is such a huge deal for me (big wuss that I am!). In the end I went over twice on each hand then decided to call it a day while I was on a huge high.