Thursday 27th March

Eddy Modde Horsemanship Day 2!!

This morning again we started with a quick chat without horses about yesterday and anything we would like to work on today.

I didn’t really have much to say, understood everything from yesterday I just now need to put it all into practice.

So we went and got our ponies out and headed to the playfield, I started with playing with the patterns from yesterday and quickly got Blossom’s attention on me. We moved on and played with the hills, Blossom loves being at the top of the big hill she didn’t actually want to come down. Her ears were forward and she was just looking around her at everything else that was going on around her. Once she decided to come down we moved up the field to the trailer, it was Eddy’s trailer and to me looked quite scary as it had a tarp hung up at the front which I think they used for hay on the way over. But after a couple of approach and retreat Blossom went straight in and just stood there relaxed, she even had her head in the tarp to see if there was any food left.

Eddy then called us all over and showed us a few more patterns we could do with our ponies. The first on was backing from the rope and then asking for FQ yield, which you could then go on and ask for sideways. Blossom wasn’t very good at this so Il need to try and work on this more at home, I really had to go up my phases to get her to go backwards and also use the carrot stick.
The next was the rolling rock (I hope that’s the right name) I didn’t get it to start with, so Alison kindly showed me with her pony as she has done it before. I got the idea and tried it with Blossom, it actually went quite well for a first attempt but sideways really needs more work – but again this pattern should help us I think.

Shelley then held Blossom for me while I went to get my saddle, I said she could play with her if she wanted. When I came back with my saddle Shelley was playing with Blossom getting her to squeeze through the tractor tyres. It was really interesting to watch as this is the first time I have seen anyone play with her, so I felt I learnt something from watching maybe I should do this when she does that etc instead of what I have been doing. It really let me see things at a totally different angle, hopefully I will get a chance to watch somebody play with her again. Thanks Shelley!!

I then saddled her and this time Eddy suggested that I stay out of the round corral and play with riding in a more open area. So I decided to start with follow the rail and worked on getting good bends at the same time as working on my position and how I was holding the reins – so many things to remember!! We then tried trot, which became quite fast so I would bend her to a stop and then ask her to walk until I felt she was calm enough to trot again. I did get a few nice trots, but a lot of very fast ones too. But with work I’m sure we will both learn to relax and trust each other with time and everything will improve from there.

It was nearly lunchtime so I jumped off her and played lots of friendly game to finish.

I didn’t to anything with her in the afternoon session as I played with Aicha instead, I didn’t feel there was anything that I really needed more help with and neither did Eddy. He feels that everything I am working on will come with time and practice especially the riding.