May 2010 - Summary

So much has happen recently I am going to have to do a summery and do separate posts later to expand things! So here we go:

MAY 2010

20th may -  Was so proud of Bella today for keeping control of her emotions whilst tackling a scary 'Carwash'. Every time we play she is wows me with her amount of try.

21st  May  – Savvy Sussex Study meeting @ Lynne’s. Talking about LBI & LBE using the LHB DVD set as reference

22nd  – Started to teach Bella canter circles

27th –  Taught Bella to Lead by the tail!  Will expand on this later.

28th  - Had the most amazing liberty session with Bella our new round pen :)

Bella was AMAZING!  Walk, trot, canter, halt and backup transitions, changes of directions, stick to me walk and trot, back up by tail with only a few strands and without anything!, spins, standing on the pedestal. But best of all was when she got confused she just ran to me then tried again! Sooooo proud of her :)

30th – Another liberty Session today – Liz  kindly took some photos for me

16th May – Level 2 Online Re-film

Liz came over today and we re-filmed my Level 2 Online Audition.

Here it's:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSHtCxDhDqs

25th May - Just heard .... Passed my online audition with a Level 2++ !!!!!!!!!!! Yeeehaaaaa !!

8TH May – Play Day with Beth

On of the things I am working on is approach and retreat for taking Bella to clinics, so as part of that Beth kindly invited us over to hers to play. After a rather rocky trailer loading start, we arrived and meet up with our good friends Linda and her horse Tizzi. Beth was kind enough to lend my mum the use of her beautiful mare Sol, and she played with Terri’s horse Pumpkin. We all had an amazing day and there where loads of 1st for everyone including both me and Linda both getting changes of directions at Liberty and Linda getting Tizzi to jump the barrels!!

I swapped with Beth at one point so she could have a play with Bella and feel the difference a year has made, which meant I got to play with Pumpkin who is just amazing. It felt like I was playing with a feather, she was so soft, willing and light. Now I really have and idea where I’m heading with my feel with Bella. Bella loaded like a dream to go home which was a big plus!

Bella, Pumpkin, Sol and Tizzi where perfect partners all day. Big ‘THANK YOU’ to Beth for organizing it :)

4th May - Bella's lessons for me today was: 'Feel during the day, Think at night' and 'Trust that she will respond, but be ready to correct, not one

Today we played with ‘feel’ and boy do I have a lot to learn, but Bella is teaching me everyday so we are on the right path.

1st May - Bluebell Ride

Today some of us Savvy Sussex Girls got together and when on a ride around the Bluebell Woods at Angmering Park. Bella was AMAZING and did me proud. Even having to contend with Giant Log Pile squeeze's, guns shooting, race horses, scouts hiking, sheep and a new place Bella was Cool calm collected Bella ... Well apart from walking backwards down a slope a few times, but we will ignore that for now ;), which is more than I can say for me!!! I lead her the first bit till I was more LB then hoped on and off as my confidence went up and down. Nothing to do with Bella, just my own hacking issues.

By the end of the ride I was laughing with everyone else, and taking pic’s of the woods and the rest of the group from on top off Bella as she walked along as a perfect partner.





In the afternoon I went out on a small hack on Hazel with Liz & Merlina. Merlina is just getting her confidence hacking so we went along to hold her hand so to speak. This was also my last ride on Hazel before she was sold, so a nice end to a nice day.