Which at the time sounded like a good idea, but after not getting back from Essex late the night before, I really wasn’t feeling the motivation to be on the yard at all. But it was actually one of those rare days where I didn’t have to be doing something else or more to the point I didn’t feel like I should be doing something else either.

Much like today: yesterday I got one of my major chores sorted and today I need too time it that I am on the yard for this afternoon, so while I’m typing this I am not thinking in the back of my head I should be outside – hang on though I better just go sort the washing out -. It’s such a nice feeling not feeling like I am being pulled in every direction.

So back to Friday, first we got spirit out and gave her a good brush over, and then the boy had a little ride. There is a winter woolly show in a couple of weeks he might be going to. She was as always a little diamond (and still up for sale). She is really lovely, and although I would like to keep her. The boy will definitely out grow her this summer.

It was then a toss-up who to do next, but Nas was beginning to be a bit of a pest in his stable. So I decided to turn him out with spirit. Normally this is a simple task but Nas was hyped and very excited to see a small cross pole in the school. I’m not sure if he was spooking at it or was raring to go jumping, once in the field though he did charge off full of life.

He then proceeded to run along the hedge line by the school and kept peeking his head around when we had Mo in the school -he had this look of hey mum why aren’t I in there-. Mo on the other hand wanted to be anywhere but there. She was very good though much better than I thought she would be. She does need fittening up and could do with some better tack. I did get a good feeling about her and the boy.

We then mucked all the stables out thoroughly with fresh bedding, and had a good tidy up on the yard. All the time Nas was running up and down the fence neighing at me, I finally got him in about half four. And brushed him off before spinning him on the lunge quickly, boy was he up for it. He was stepping out, tracking up and stretching down.

Now for the shocker, to cool him off (not that he was hot) however, I decided that rather than cool him off while on the circle I decided to walk him around the school, 3x in both directions. Yes I walked him round in both directions three times. This is a tip I got from my friend, she mentioned it to me last year.

It reminded me of another friend who said she liked to walk her horses off in a straight line. The other benefit to this is I don’t then have to keep chasing him up to walk out, and I can set the pace. Ok I did slow a couple of times, but equally it was motivation for me to step it up a notch. This will definitely be what I do in future.

I mean trying to do all three and still feel like there is some time left for you. Usually when my head isn’t full of money and bills. Its full of how I can fit it all in. Yes I will admit to spending so much time thinking about it, I often get very little done.

Take this evening for instance on the one hand I want the horses to stay out as long as possible (one because its so nice and two because the fresh grass is meaning more droppings) but I also want to exercise Nas.

But then on the other hand its gone five and the boy is hungry -have to admit I am too- I so if I go onto the yard now then dinner will end up being later than the boy is used to. Plus the horses will be in early on a gorgeous day.

So my option was to cook dinner now! Eat as a family and then go out onto the yard while steve puts the boy to bed. This actually works out well because the sun will be down and Nas will have a nicer workout.

The only percievable issue is after dinner am I going to feel like going outside to do Nas. Either way I will have to go out and set fair the stables so I’m hoping the nice weather will keep me out there.

The other thing is I am going to save dessert until after I come back in. This will give me something to hopefully see me through the evening.

Of course all of this is possible because the horses are literally outside my back door. And steve is home to do the boy. Its times like these when I really appreciate what a good thing I have.

I then walked the dogs before lunch, we did 1.5miles in 42mins. I’m kind of pleased with that seeing as I was trying to keep the dogs under control while sussing out a new area. the path is tough going in places and there is one hairey scarey place as you have to walk down the main road without a path. Luckily a kind farmer has left a track along his field and you can hop behind the hedge.

Again I am a stress head and worry a farmer will catch me and shout at me – Can you tell i come from an era where you respected/feared 3 types of people  your yard owner, local farmers and policemen – if the worse happens then i wont be able to do that walk, but for now I will keep trying to do it on a daily basis.

Diet wise, has been good I had brunch at midday scrambled eggs on muffins. Then about three ish we had tea and cake. I’m just about to cook dinner, it was going to be pork in white wine and sage sauce. but then i just noticed the fajita packet and some coleslaws in the fridge. oh the choices lol.

 I might of been able to jump straight back on the diet wagon… the fitness one is taking a little more effort. Not quite sure what the problem is, my symptoms are… Breathing heavier than normal (putting this down to the beginnings of hay fever). Hips have been playing up recently (putting this down to sleeping funny). General aching and fatigue of the muscles in my legs (putting this down to need either a nice massage or a long holiday). Obviously I would prefer the latter lol.

 Seriously though I have found it a struggle to walk the dogs around my basic mile walk recently in fact so much so I have cut it back down to the half a mile quick one around the field. Admittedly this is also due to being tight on time. And the weather has been particularly crappy the last week or so. I’m hoping to get them out on a long one this afternoon, once I find out what everyone else is doing on the yard.

 I’ve also got to work Nas today, we did a basic lunge session with side reins yesterday, and today I was going to try long reining with the Claire lilley feeline, think I will end up using the pessoa on him, that way he can have a good workout today, a bit of a rest tomorrow. Before I hopefully get back on him again on Friday. As I said yesterday I haven’t been back on him for a couple of weeks and I got into a bit of a funk about it… when I was sitting on sofa the other night thinking hmm what can I munch, I looked at my phone and saw the picture of me riding him. And I just thought hey that’s what makes me happy that’s what I want to be doing right now, even at 10 o clock at night.

But that’s not what this post is about… This one is about NAS, he’s back in the zone with me and I think he’s enjoying it. I loose lunged him on Tuesday, and then wednesday I put his roller on. I like to build him up to these things he hasn’t done much for the past few months and even though we managed to keep his weight down, he is still very unfit and stiff on his left rein. I have rushed this a bit quicker than I normally would, because time is tight and I want to get him into proper work
as soon as possible. I also figure he is probably bored with the starting process… We usually start and then I don’t get time to carry on with his programme.

So on thursday I thought I would try side reins, I,ve got a new lunging kit that had side reins that dont have any elastic in them. needless to say he wasn’t a happy bunny, I wish I had got a picture. Basically he set his head and he did ok work but I didn’t feel he was working freely it looked stilted. I just don’t think he is fit enough yet, the last thing i want to do is make him stiff. So yesterday I tried him with the new chambon, it wasnt as restrictive and seeing as this was the first time I had worked him in it. He was a good boy. Next time I will try and get some pictures.

Today it is pissing down, so I,m going to take him in the indoor school and do some in hand work…

I really think he does enjoy it, when he sees me coming he puts his head out of the stable. Ok that could be connected to the treats he also gets, but I if that was just the case when he sees me coming with his bridle and roller, he would dart back in. But he doesn’t he,s actually been very good. And his back hasn’t seemed as itchy as usual.