Sorry for my overly frequent updates, I just had to share this one.
Ben has Wednesday off and then we did some proper schooling on Thursday, we had a fun polework/mini jumping session on Friday followed by some more school work on Saturday. Today I wanted to give him a break from the school so off we ventured into the fields.
We went into a smaller field (where I feel safer) and just ambled around. I could see my RI cantering her horse in another field and another livery having blast in yet another field and I started to feel very jealous. I felt that I wanted to join in but I felt I couldn't because my nerves wouldn't let me.
After half an hour of walking with little bits of trot I was getting bored (and so was Ben) so I thought we would have a wonder round the yard and see where we could go. We walked up and down the lane, in and out of the car park, did a mini walk round another field and walked in and out of the school. I then thought 'SOD IT', went into the huge field where my RI had been hooning around, and with the encouragement of another livery I cantered Ben all the way across it. It's about 20 acres so pretty big. We stayed in there for another half an hour, mainly in trot with little bursts of canter. Ben was so well behaved and he enjoyed himself. He didn't call to anyone else (even though there were no other horses in sight), he listened to me and although he napped a little towards the gate, he was great.
I feel fantastic because I when I was in the little field, the concept of cantering over the big one felt impossible, but half an hour later I did it myself!
Ben has Wednesday off and then we did some proper schooling on Thursday, we had a fun polework/mini jumping session on Friday followed by some more school work on Saturday. Today I wanted to give him a break from the school so off we ventured into the fields.
We went into a smaller field (where I feel safer) and just ambled around. I could see my RI cantering her horse in another field and another livery having blast in yet another field and I started to feel very jealous. I felt that I wanted to join in but I felt I couldn't because my nerves wouldn't let me.
After half an hour of walking with little bits of trot I was getting bored (and so was Ben) so I thought we would have a wonder round the yard and see where we could go. We walked up and down the lane, in and out of the car park, did a mini walk round another field and walked in and out of the school. I then thought 'SOD IT', went into the huge field where my RI had been hooning around, and with the encouragement of another livery I cantered Ben all the way across it. It's about 20 acres so pretty big. We stayed in there for another half an hour, mainly in trot with little bursts of canter. Ben was so well behaved and he enjoyed himself. He didn't call to anyone else (even though there were no other horses in sight), he listened to me and although he napped a little towards the gate, he was great.
I feel fantastic because I when I was in the little field, the concept of cantering over the big one felt impossible, but half an hour later I did it myself!