Lin's blog

At the celebration I invested in this report and was staggered to find Namara is RBE - not the calm gentle mare I thought she was but since reading it and watching Namara I agree completely with the assessment.  There are many miniture signs that she displays that I have overlooked - a big loud cheer for Namara for managing to be so wonderful and gentle dispite having me blunder along with her.  I have taken a massive step back and am reassessing all her level 1 and level 2 work with new eyes and noting the areas that she is not comfortable with and I am finding that she is watchi

I am still amazed at how much time Namara needs to process new ideas and have realised that much of her work has been reactive as she does so want to please, instead of being responsive.  Her lung capacity has at last improved adn I have stopped using her inhailer.  When she was bad, she would look for it and angle her nose down and to the side, to help herself.  I have found after some experimenting that she is much better standing in her stable during the day and being out at night although this is contrary to the vet's advice but when she was really bad I was trying anythi

Full of enthusiasm I brought Namara in to play after our wonderful follow the rail experience the day before yesterday and o oh hormones were almost as high as her head and her rbe state so we stayed in the arena playing follow the rail until she relaxed - approx 45 mins, so we stopped there.  I went out today and found (very deperessingly) that she was unlevel on her near hind - probably twisted it when her hormons were high and she was rbe, so play with the horse you have - I grommed her and gave her an Equine Touch treatment and let her back out with her friend.  Hey ho I wonde

I'm concentrating more on ground work while we're waiting for Namara's sarcoids to heal.

Nancy's scargoids are slowly going and she is no longer sensitive on her girth area.  I'm now wondering is they have been irritating her for some time as she can be stroppy when being saddled.  It will be interesting when I use the saddle again.  Which brings me to my comfort zone.  I love riding and we have a wonderful relaionship when I'm on board - she is SO sensitive, so I have taken the plunge and have started riding her bareback - no pad, no nothing and as I've said befoe she is croup high, completely circular is RBE/RBI and is gifted with the beautiful soft silky

While waiting for the green balls to be available I've introduced Nancy to a smaller silver ball (the ones that you can use for keep fit purposes).  She will sniff it, touch it with her foot, be happy with me rolling it around her and bouncing it and also placing it on her - I've just started to bounce it gently on her, BUT she will not attempt to push it.  Both Billie and Hatti push it around, but this is a definate no no for Nancy - she can't see the point.  Any suggestions?

So, although me and the 45' line are developing a relationship, Namara obviously thinks otherwise.  She will hind quarter yield beautifully on the 12' and 22' lines but is very slow on the 45' line.  Her attention wanders and at this greater distance I think my timing is way out.  When she does register my requests she is only too happy to oblige so I must think more about this and maybe play with the line without her.  On the plus side it was worming day today and she took it as if it was an apple.  Lovely Girl.

So decided to have some time with Namara.  I am useless with the 45' line so have decided not to use anything else until I feel more competent.  Yesterday Namara decided to be very RBE so we practiced our circling and canter games - her canter was 10/10, my rope handling was 1/10 but we had a little fun with some liberty work.  Today Nan was RBI so her canter was 3/10 but I delighted to say my rope handling was 4/10.  Again we played with the liberty and I found she is quite happy with leading by the ears, front legs and hind legs which was a surprise knowing how RB

As everyone knows in se uk its been rather hard to do much.  I've been doing passenger game at trot, which is quite enjoyable now, and am working at the canter - just one lap of the 20x40 arena after which we both need to regain our equibrium but there is definite improvement.  We've also been working on the her draw, which is now pretty good.  This has enabled me to look at the liberty work again which is quite a comedy act.  Sometimes she is very responsive, but then will lose concentration and drift away to do look at oyher things.  I learned the hard way a

I was going to call this blog "Allowing Nancy to be Wrong", but then I realised that she is never wrong.  She is either not ready emotionally or phsycally or I have not been clear enough with my requests.  We were practicing my pushing passenger game as I am useless at it (or am I?).  Nancy was following the rail on her difficult rein, but would not maintain gait (the trot).  I allowed her to drop into walk whenever she wanted to and gently asked he up a gait every time.  She responded everytime  immediately.  After 15 or so laps (I totally lost

Any one living in Kent will know exactly what I mean.  The all weather surface has dried out and the sun was shining.

The thaw has started and every thing is wet and slippery, plus the water still isn't running, but hey ho that's life.  Continues playing with Nanc with the back up and draw.  I have a strong suspicion that I have never actually taught her the draw as she has gone very introverted about it - normally a sign she doesn't understand and needs lots of thinking time, so this is the ideal weather for practicing.  I'm covered in all my ski gear and so can wait for the 4 - 5 minutes she needs to assimilate my requests.  This is the 3rd day we have worked on this game, and there i