5th Nov

my brother was visiting, he hasn't ridden a horse for about 15 years, he wanted a ride, and I know she is safe as houses with me on the ground with a 12ft line, so that was good fun, he looked like a real cowboy in his denims and Aussie hat!!! Very cool as was able to get her going sideways, only slowly, but not something a novice rider gets to feel on a "normal" horse, she was really good and followed some direct reins, and even gave him a back up, although it was far from straight, but she was a really good girl!!

also went for a hack, beautiful day, but pretty trying! Even tho we went down the road, Giddy dragged her feet and walked at a snails pace.... got down to the lane, first gateway, and our first conversation began, she would rather just eat she's telling me, I would quite like to carry on says me ;0)) after some disengaging and getting her feet moving, we went on, slightly quicker than we started, got to a driveway opposite a field where there are sometimes horses; and she planted her feet

The only good thing I can say about all this, is that I am no longer losing my temper, but do still get out of position on my balance point, much like the other day, we went round, backwards, sideways, as ever dropping out through that left shoulder, but didn't make any progress, did lots and lots of disengaging both sides, set her up in the middle of road looking ahead and waited for that forward thought, after a few mins, we plodded on...took her a bit further than she wanted to go, then brought her home

it is very frustrating, but at least not getting into full blown arguments any more!!

4th Nov

It has been a really tricky week, and have had no time, visitors today, but found some time to do some groundwork, again she was pretty happy to play, worked on the canter transitions again, it is getting much better to the right, left still not happening

Tried another tactic on top of the changing direction when she changes gait, and when she cantered, let her go for a few strides and was then stopping her - she was looking at me completely baffled, and her life got up, and she was offering canters and was keen to go! Gotta love the Parelli programme!! doing the opposite definitely seems to be working for us right now

29th Oct

It was such a beautiful day, I had no choice but to go out hacking!

Played down in the field for a bit, and she was full of beans, ears pricked and happy to play which is always great fun when she's like that!

Saddled up and off we went, she was walking out beautifully, not a single nap or hesitation, although we did go down the road, which she has always been happier about

Got all the way to the field full of shetlands, and then things went a bit pear shaped, stopped to say hello for a bit, 6 or 7 of them, and so very sweet, when I tried to ask her to go on, she simply wasn't having it, after 10 mins, of spinning, walking backwards, backing up into walls and hedges, I realised we weren't getting anywhere, so got off and drove her from zone 4, and she went straight on, went 100metres or so, and then got back on. We went down to the fjord and back, but had the same problem on the way home, tried to walk past them without stopping, but she wasn't having it; I have no idea what it will take to be as effective as I need to be under saddle

anyway, beautiful day, and on the whole she was brilliant