Thurs Sept 16th 2010
I don't know what's going on with my memory at the moment but it's shocking how little I can remember even a week later! I do know that I wrote on a little bit of paper - which I now can't find - "Update Blog, Duncan trotting towards me!"
Since resuming contact after my enforced summer break, D seems to be getting keener on me! Until today (24th Sept) I assumed this was pure cupboard love as I always take him out for grass. However something happened today which completely blew me away! Hah, you'll have to keep reading now to find out what it was!! Oh bother, no you won't, you'll probably have read about it already if you started at the top. So much for keeping the reader in suspense!
Anyway, all I have been doing is zone 5 driving, going out down the road then into woods or down towards the scout camp. A couple of visits have been so brief, I've only had time to go up and down the road. He obviously really enjoys going out and will actually come over to the gate to be tacked up loose. No face pulling. He's less confident about the saddle and usually turns zone 1 away a quarter turn but after a bit of sniffing and swinging it off & on, he's OK.
My birthday was really nice as I had more time than usual and it was a lovely day. We went right to the bottom of the Scout Camp track with few thresholds but we were going really slowly. I'm pleased to say D is showing a lot less interest in the other horses (unless they cavort around!) He was doing a lot of munching and I was finding my rope flapping rather ineffective to get him to desist eating so I ended up breaking a twig off a tree. I could carry a carrot stick of course but what with the 2 ropes and the dog to reel in off her extendable lead attached to the back of my waist, I've got my hands pretty full!
The twig worked a treat although I forgot to desensitise him with FG first. Oops.....he was a bit startled at first. Then he realised it was edible! All went so well that I got on were the track forks on the way back. Interesting...as soon as I got on, D braced. I just sat and rubbed. He was holding it together rather than relaxing - evident not only by his posture but also goggling at a water trough that he never usually looks at. I decided to let him eat as that's a great relaxant if he's not too far gone. It did the trick nicely!
Had an embarrassing moment when the postman came down the drive and wanted to turn into a house in front of us. Flick was right in his path. I called and called, my tone ranging from wheedling to exasperated but she wouldn't come! I was very reluctant to get off as I'd only just got on! Luckily for me the postman decided to leave his van where it was and walk down the drive!!
I rode D almost back home (don't get too excited, it's only a 2 min walk!) but had to get off - to get Flick - when another car came further up. Very inconvenient! If I knew when I was going to ride, I could leave Flick behind but as I'm mostly on foot with no guarantee of getting on board, it seems a waste to walk Duncan then have to walk Flick afterwards!
That was a really good day..................
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