Rug up, old boy.. it's spring in Scotland

I rode a little better tonight, all thanks to the good but slightly grumpy Pablo.

We went through a phase a while back when we would have a good ride, no gripes in the lesson or leading out of the school, but the minute we got back to his box to un-tack and get his rug on, he and I would get in a spat. I thought we were headed back there again tonight.

I had a couple of  failed attempts at tightening his girth that wound him up rather at the start of the lesson. You know...nearly in the hole but missed "Sorry mate, I need to do that again", and so on and on the 3rd attempt he flipped a bit, snatching his head round for a bite and kicking off with his rear end......"Whoa, steady, shush, good boy" I said as convincingly and calmly as I could with the sound of thumping heart in my ears like the big fearty I am.

We rode flat work again, shallow loops, leg yields and kind of a half attempt at pirouettes, although none of us or the horses do it often enough to be really sure what we are supposed to be doing. We rounded of with figure of eight work in canter over poles, okay at times and handbrake turns at others, but all good to practice.

"Any questions?"asks Kerry at the end.

"Is it supposed to be this hard, or is it just because you are asking us to do harder stuff?" I chip in, half in jest, but really needing to hear the words "It's supposed to be this hard, keep working and one day it won't be". Instead, I think it came across as "I'm really fed up with all this hard work" which is kind of true, but not at all what I meant to say and I suddenly wish I could shove my chat back in its box where it belonged.

Okay so then it's home time, 9pm and time to put Pablo back in his box....I can see it coming.

He was good as gold while I took his saddle off, but I thought 'Lets just leave your bridle on a minute till we see how this goes"...I turned around and put his saddle down and by the time I turned back with his rug he had turned the whole way and was looking at me straight on, and he is talking right to me and saying "Just you try". Okay then, I think, I take one step towards him and the ears go flat and he is snatching at me again for a bite. "For pity's sake Pablo, there is a great big pile of haylage there, can you not just get your nose in it and let me get on with it?"

Moral support and wise words from my pal Jane over the shoulder "He's at it, just walk in like you mean business".....how true. Rug on....result!!!

Celebrate your small horsey victories, sometimes they are the ones that will see you right in times to come.