Hi,
Just thought I'd give you an update since we were not able to connect today. In retrospect it's too bad that you were not there today because Cat showed a side of herself that has not been much in evidence when you have come before. We went outside but it was fairly late in the day, long shadows on the ground, windy and cooler, with the other horses already inside. The neighbour was out on his tractor checking his field and that just put her over the edge. Farm machinery, with the noise and that slow menacing way of going, are particularly alarming to horses for some reason. Anyway she was ballistic from the word go and took along time to settle and be able to ignore the tractor. I longed her for a bit once she was quiet, then called it a day so as not to risk injury. None of this is at all unusual but I think you need to know this sort of thing since you will be primarily responsible for her program in a few days. When it happens you just have to work through it, keep her safe, and make a judgement call as to how much work can be done once she settles without risking her soundness. As I said she is not particularly quiet but she is certainly well within the realm of "normal" and this sort of thing is just part of the process.
What reading have you done on working with young horses? There are any number of good books available and I would strongly recommend getting one, if you haven't already. As I said already if anyone in your situation asked my advice about getting a young, unbroken horse I would dissuade them but obviously that point is moot. (You can ask around - I am very vocal on this point!) The main sticking point for most people is how long things take, how much patience is required, and how many setbacks and wrong turns can accumulate along the way. Remember, you are literally years away from having a grown-up, reasonably consistent horse. Your learning curve is going to be steep and, while I can help you on the days we set up a school/lesson, she will still be your responsibility more often than not. I know I have stressed this point repeatedly but is a big "hot button" for me because I so often see the results of horses who have been rushed, incompletely educated, or who have been affected by bad decisions. The major requirements for success - however you define it - are patience, good sense, and an ability to roll with the punches, literally and figuratively.
Here endeth the lesson! I know we have covered this before but I though it was important to have it fresh in your mind this week, particularly since she has been revved up a bit with spring (like everyone else).
Let me know the plan for Wednesday and I will pass the information on to Odette. You can let me know what you would like to do once she is at Laura's. As I said you could give her a short holiday and start again from scratch. As a riding goal I would advise you to be back up to speed to the point where you can comfortably do a posting trot without contact with the horse's mouth before you ride her - you can certainly monitor that on your own. Of course in the end she's your horse and you have a perfect right to do whatever you think is best!
She has a bridle, a grooming box, a winter blanket, a Buccas shell - anything else I need to pack?
See you Wednesday.
R.
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