It turned out dry today, although chilly, which was a surprise. Michele, Pamela and me went over to see the horses in the early evening. The ground in the main paddock has reached maximum saturation and has turned into a small marsh. All the horses were huddled near the second gate and wouldn't come into the first field apart from Cori, who braved muck up to his fetlocks to be fed carrots at the gate. He looked great, despite an enormous belly, being covered in mud and having what looked suspiciously like the beginnings of his winter coat growing through. Days of clipping are not that far off. I don't like to think about that.
Humphries and all his equine and goatish companions were in the garden when we went into the yard, so it was easy enough to smuggle Humphries out and leave the others locked in the garden. Michele was able to put the head collar on Humphries and lead him, which was a marvelous feat considering her dislocated shoulder. Pamela acted as decoy to lure Shianna away with carrots, but the canny skewbald was not fooled and followed her friend to the door, where I crouched waving my arms in the air. Michele led Humphries to the stable where we had to tie him up to groom him. He was a bit stroppy, but not bad, and only misbehaved slightly because it has been so long since he has received this sort of treatment. Pamela brushed the body while I brushed his face. When we were finished, I helped Pamela tack him up. Then I led him out to the arena, where he gave a great big whinny to Shianna in the garden.
Pamela mounted beautifully from the mounting block and the lesson began. Because Pamela is a beginner, I led Humphries to help her get a feel for the movement of the horse. First I led him by just walking around the arena and he followed, while Michele helped Pamela with her position and got her to do exercises with her legs and arms. Then Pamela tried to make Humphries go around the arena without being led, but he made things difficult, so I clipped on the lead rope and led him again and Michele encouraged Pamela to ride standing in her stirrups. When Michele thought she was ready, she talked Pamela through the motions of rising trot and took over the leading. Together we got Humphries to trot nicely forward and I took over with teaching Pamela in the trot. I wasn't teaching exactly, I am not fit enough to trot a horse for very long so Michele had to do that and she couldn't run and watch Pamela at the same time, so I had to do that. Pamela picked up the rhythm of the rising trot really quickly and improved with each trot. When the trotting was finished, she tried riding him without being led again and it went much better. She even attempted a couple of trots on her own. Her lesson finished, Pamela dismounted and Michele hopped on for a few minutes. She rode Humphries in a lovely outline and got him more responsive to the aids in mere minutes. It was lovely to watch. She led him back to the stable where Pamela and I untacked him and gave him carrots for being a good boy. Then I opened the door to the garden and let all the others out. I was really pleased because Harvey came right up to me and let me rub him on his face and I didn't even have any food for him. We said goodbye to the horses and went home.
Humphries and all his equine and goatish companions were in the garden when we went into the yard, so it was easy enough to smuggle Humphries out and leave the others locked in the garden. Michele was able to put the head collar on Humphries and lead him, which was a marvelous feat considering her dislocated shoulder. Pamela acted as decoy to lure Shianna away with carrots, but the canny skewbald was not fooled and followed her friend to the door, where I crouched waving my arms in the air. Michele led Humphries to the stable where we had to tie him up to groom him. He was a bit stroppy, but not bad, and only misbehaved slightly because it has been so long since he has received this sort of treatment. Pamela brushed the body while I brushed his face. When we were finished, I helped Pamela tack him up. Then I led him out to the arena, where he gave a great big whinny to Shianna in the garden.
Pamela mounted beautifully from the mounting block and the lesson began. Because Pamela is a beginner, I led Humphries to help her get a feel for the movement of the horse. First I led him by just walking around the arena and he followed, while Michele helped Pamela with her position and got her to do exercises with her legs and arms. Then Pamela tried to make Humphries go around the arena without being led, but he made things difficult, so I clipped on the lead rope and led him again and Michele encouraged Pamela to ride standing in her stirrups. When Michele thought she was ready, she talked Pamela through the motions of rising trot and took over the leading. Together we got Humphries to trot nicely forward and I took over with teaching Pamela in the trot. I wasn't teaching exactly, I am not fit enough to trot a horse for very long so Michele had to do that and she couldn't run and watch Pamela at the same time, so I had to do that. Pamela picked up the rhythm of the rising trot really quickly and improved with each trot. When the trotting was finished, she tried riding him without being led again and it went much better. She even attempted a couple of trots on her own. Her lesson finished, Pamela dismounted and Michele hopped on for a few minutes. She rode Humphries in a lovely outline and got him more responsive to the aids in mere minutes. It was lovely to watch. She led him back to the stable where Pamela and I untacked him and gave him carrots for being a good boy. Then I opened the door to the garden and let all the others out. I was really pleased because Harvey came right up to me and let me rub him on his face and I didn't even have any food for him. We said goodbye to the horses and went home.
3 comments:
Nic pics!
Humphries sounds a lovely horse!
The pictures are lovely. THis has to be my favourite blog -it would be so lovely to hear about your riding lesson!!! or even things you are doing with Humphries.
To Anon - Humphries is a lovely horse.
To B.W - Thanks B.W, Stardust Ratatouille is lovely too. It would be lovely to hear about my riding lesson all right, but I don't think it is going to happen this year.
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