Patches
Well-Known Member
OH MY WORD (Self indulgent warning!)
I took Patches out to meet my friend for a hack today. Friend wasn't quite ready when I arrived at her yard, so I decided to be cheeky and sneaked into the indoor school whilst I waited. (Will offer to pay them for the time, next time I see owner at the school - our kids are in the same class).
Well.....
I am so pleased I did. It's the same school I was in when I couldn't canter Patches and decided she felt "flat" and put her on Red Cell (subsequent blood count last week revealed no anaemia or virus/infection) Well, she wasn't at all "flat" today. She was so forward and her trot was positively motoring along. So balanced and far less choppy than usual. She felt amazing and more like a horse than a cob.
Canter transitions on the right rein were a bit hit and miss, as she was a little spooky at some stuff in the corners of the school, but we got it (albeit in a sloppy fashion) but the left canter transition was effortless. Left canter is usually the worst rein since her knee op. She maintained canter through the corners too, which is often where she easily breaks stride and requires so much leg to maintain it.
Only schooled for 20 minutes, but it was more than enough for me to feel very impressed with how light and responsive she was. The hack with my friend afterwards was equally as forward. After escorting my friend back to her yard, I trotted practically the entire way home (was running late for school). She was brilliant. Had plenty of puff for the thirty minutes home (although we didn't trot down some banks, so the trot was broken up, not continuous) and even wound herself up to being all joggy and me having to make her walk at one point. Usually my having to make her walk means leg, leg, leg as she's shuffling along. Totally the opposite of today.
Was brill. I can only conclude that Red Cell is a miracle! We were out for nearly three hours and she was amazingly forward through it all.
Not long ago, I was questioning whether she wasn't really flat and it was me who suddenly wants more from her. I take that back. I don't know where the heck she found that trot from today, but it was incredibly impressive and she really covered the ground.
Of course, we all know she will NEVER show that trot again, especially if there is a camera in the vicinity. It shall become a Patches Urban Myth....much like the "I caught a whopper today, but it got away".
I took Patches out to meet my friend for a hack today. Friend wasn't quite ready when I arrived at her yard, so I decided to be cheeky and sneaked into the indoor school whilst I waited. (Will offer to pay them for the time, next time I see owner at the school - our kids are in the same class).
Well.....
I am so pleased I did. It's the same school I was in when I couldn't canter Patches and decided she felt "flat" and put her on Red Cell (subsequent blood count last week revealed no anaemia or virus/infection) Well, she wasn't at all "flat" today. She was so forward and her trot was positively motoring along. So balanced and far less choppy than usual. She felt amazing and more like a horse than a cob.
Canter transitions on the right rein were a bit hit and miss, as she was a little spooky at some stuff in the corners of the school, but we got it (albeit in a sloppy fashion) but the left canter transition was effortless. Left canter is usually the worst rein since her knee op. She maintained canter through the corners too, which is often where she easily breaks stride and requires so much leg to maintain it.
Only schooled for 20 minutes, but it was more than enough for me to feel very impressed with how light and responsive she was. The hack with my friend afterwards was equally as forward. After escorting my friend back to her yard, I trotted practically the entire way home (was running late for school). She was brilliant. Had plenty of puff for the thirty minutes home (although we didn't trot down some banks, so the trot was broken up, not continuous) and even wound herself up to being all joggy and me having to make her walk at one point. Usually my having to make her walk means leg, leg, leg as she's shuffling along. Totally the opposite of today.
Was brill. I can only conclude that Red Cell is a miracle! We were out for nearly three hours and she was amazingly forward through it all.
Not long ago, I was questioning whether she wasn't really flat and it was me who suddenly wants more from her. I take that back. I don't know where the heck she found that trot from today, but it was incredibly impressive and she really covered the ground.
Of course, we all know she will NEVER show that trot again, especially if there is a camera in the vicinity. It shall become a Patches Urban Myth....much like the "I caught a whopper today, but it got away".
