the glass is half full.....

Monday=day off!! So a lovely lay in followed by breakfast in bed!!! Then off to Steven's old yard to pick up rest of stuff and pay final bill. Will still pop down as have some friends there now after being there for a fair while with one then two then one again!!

A quick catch up with a friend of mine on who's yard I used to do some work on. Had a nice catch up and was nice to hear how her youngsters are getting on and what she has planned for the season ahead for them and the older mre experienced horse of hers.

Then off to see Murphy. Had a lesson today with someone who I used to have lessons with before I stopped being freelance. She had taught me on him once before about a week after I first picked him up so probably around 8 weeks ago so a fair while really. She was really pleased with how he has come on. He cam out a little stiff today as had a bit of a gallop around due to the rain in the morning when he was out and takes great pleasure in giving me a heart attack by galloping stopping dead twisting and galloping off again. I really wish he wouldn't do that all I see is vet bills but obviously don't want to stop him going out. Anyway we were working on him taking the rein down more and stretching over his back therefore becomming more loose and supple through the hindquarters and back. This seemed to work really well and although he took a while to get it when he did he maintained it really well and in his usual fashion went 'oh you want this ok no prob!'. He went from having a relatively small overtrack in the walk to having this massive swinging through walk so really pleased there. We then did the same in the trot as well as making him a bit sharper off the leg as the first few strides of the trot are sometimes a little lack lustre then he gets into it. So we were trying to get him to be correct from the second the trot started and we got there and so the trot improved in engagement and cadence. She then sat on him as we both thought it would be good for her to do so and it also gave me a chance to see how he is going from the floor. She was quite amazed how different he is to actually ride then he looks and said I make it look a lot easier then it actually was. He did go very nicely for her and it was nice for me to see how much his movement is improving how his hocks are flexing and how much stronger he is getting. I then hopped back on for a short while and felt the difference so I now know what I have to work on and exactly what he is capable of at the moment looking at his muscle development etc. I will try to have a lesson with her once a month as I am a great believer in having another instructor come in every now and again to give a different eye to what is going on in the horse and rider.

This evening I went to see my friends mum in hospital she has now had the operation and looks remarkably well considering and is very upbeat. To be honest you wouldn't expect anything else from her she really is one of those ' the glass is half full' people very refreshing. Wishing you a speedy recovery 'mummy' hope you are back on your feet soon. I am very much a glass is half full person too love looking on the positive side of life otherwise I think we just stop living I mean really living. Yes sure bad things happen times are difficult etc but there is always something positive and there is usually a solution to the problem and if not well then we just have to get on with it. LIfe is a journey sometimes good sometimes bad bit of a rollarcoaster ride really and you know what it is a ride well worth taking. Big smiles.

x