Hot

The hot weather has set in this week, and I can't say I have missed it. It's fine though and I am thankful it's just hot as other parts of the country are facing much worse conditions (drought, fire, flood, it's basically the apocalypse).

It was raining when I took this picture!

Anyway it means that riding after work is out since it's just too hot. Instead I have been riding before work, which according to the horses is just the BEST. Or not. Our rides have been going well, and even Henry (sir I don't do mornings!) has been getting on with it.

On Thursday he was full of fire, but knuckled down and got to work. It seems he is becoming quite the grown up, he didn't chuck a wobbly once. As I was riding around on my young OTTB who felt like he had fire in his belly I thought to myself hmmm, I wonder how he would go in a novice test. Now that was one of my goals for the year and I did not intend to do it early in the year but I think we will!

We are doing it!

Today Coolie was tense, it was so windy it had both of the horses on edge. I was not hopeful for our ride at all but it turned ok pretty good. He settle really well and did some good work. I realised I had been slacking so I lifted the bar back up again and got some good work. I have also realised I need to add more half halts into our rides to help balance and set him up better. So I am being more conscious of that too. At the end of the ride Coolie suddenly got really fresh and it took a bit to work him though that. He is an interesting horse to ride that's for sure.

Tomorrow we have a dressage training day and our first test is at 7.16... am! A very early morning but we are done before 9.30 and home before it gets hot. I don't have high hopes for our scores, I imagine Coolie is going to be feeling very up for it. We will just do our best and enjoy it!

I've been using the downtime to clean my gear. These are my winter boots. They were gross. 

Sunday Andrew and I are off to a SJ course design seminar and hopefully staying out of the heat!