23.07.2016- The most productive day of all!

Well today I was off work and I think I definitely earned my bed tonight... This morning I walked up the yard to have a quick ride before it got to warm as it was crazy hot yet again (after doing 3 barrows of poo picking may I add!!). We're off to a show tomorrow so I thought it was best to have a little last minute jump practice as XC was the last time I jumped and I'm still very nervous about jumping. He was a very good boy despite the heat, he was actually surprisingly calm as he can get a bit hot headed when it comes to jumping but he was very laid back and jumped everything I pointed him at no problem. I forgot to put my body protector on so I was a bit more nervous than I should have been but he looked after me and we had a good session :) I only did about 20 minutes as I didn't want to push him in the heat. 

 Then it was bath time! With it being show day tomorrow I decided he needed a right good scrub. He was absolutely perfect, he just stood munching his hay half asleep the whole time, even when I hosed his mane, neck and his face which he's usually super sensitive about- and I didn't even use calmer this time! He was honestly so well mannered and well behaved. Then, because the shower room was a bit of a mess, I tied him up on the yard while I cleaned out and left him tied up by himself for a good 15 minutes and he didn't fret or do anything stupid, so another brownie point to the fat boy there.

                               

Then after nipping home for some lunch, it was back up to the yard again! I've been waiting for a stable on the other side of the yard to come free for a while now as he just won't settle in his current stable, every time I put him he's a complete nightmare, digging up all his bed, throwing himself on the floor, trying to climb the door and just basically giving me a weak heart at the age of 20 shall we say. Well today, one of the other girls moved her horse and so I spent a couple of hours shifting all my stuff round to the other stable and arranging my tack room all neat and tidy. 

                                                    

Well he was like a different horse going into that stable! He walked straight in, no questions asked and just went and stood quietly at the back eating his hay while I sorted the last few bits and bobs out. 

                               

Much to my poor horses horror, it was time for ride number 2 of the day. Yes, I am a horrible person and in an attempt to get him more fit and resembling more of a Fatboy Slim than just Fatboy I've decided that on my weekends off I intend to school him in the morning and attempt (attempt being a key word) a quiet hack in the evening when the traffic has died down. Deciding to attempt a hack is always a brave mood and I was well prepared for a bit of a fight, I just wanted a little evening mooch to the bottom of the road and back in the sunset and I'd take that. Well clearly I must have brought the wrong horse out of the field because he tootled to the end of the drive, straight off the drive and then proceeded to go on a good 20 minute hack to the next village and back at the buckle end as if this was something he always decided to do. We even went for a little canter round the edge of the field and he was as good as gold, even when we ended up following a tractor pulling 50 bales on a massive trailer (why, why, why when I am riding the worst horse to hack ever!?). I couldn't have asked for a more perfect way to end such a busy day and I don't think it's quite sunk in yet that we managed to achieve that. He could go out and win every single class tomorrow and I don't think I'd be as proud of him as I was for that hack tonight. I am sure this is probably a fluke, but I will take it!!! Super, super boy today, he has been nothing but impeccably polite and 10/10 normal all day.

                                                  


Beth & Jack x