..And even lovelier longlining!

I'd had a teeny flicker of concern when I got her from the paddock tonight - She'd come in feeling a bit warm, but she wasn't blowy or tucked up, she had good gut sounds, no runny nose or eyes and her temp and respiratory rate were spot on normal...have to put it down to the unseasonably warm day we had. A couple of the other liveries had said their neds came in the same (and one was positively sweaty), so maybe there was a bit of illicit hoolying going on before we turned up...hmmmm!

Let B have a munch on some hay (no appetite problems either lol!) whilst I brushed her off, then popped her roller and bridle on and we pootled up to the school.

Did our usual of leading around for five minutes, adding some walk/halt/walk transitions, change of rein across the diagonal and a four loop serpentine in as we warmed up. (all good practise for school figures being ridden ;-) ) I wanted to see how she was in herself and , well, absolutely fine was the answer thank goodness!

So I popped the two long lines on and off we went - and suddenly it seems so easy! B was attentive and very locked on to my direction change cues. The blind leading the blind seem to have turned into a passable in-tune duo!! Safi never took to it and the pair of us used to end up in a tangle every single time, but B seems to be taking to it really well - especially now that there is a real flow to our work.

We did quite a few circle, baby leg yield to fence and along the long side manoeuvres, some nice changes of rein, some nice reinback and the pièce de résistance was doing a few nice neat figure of 8s around some jumps left up from yesterdays showjumping clinic...most impressive!!

I still need to concentrate on keeping a steadier contact - Far from being harsh... I'm guilty of letting the reins get a bit baggy (remember to work into that outside rein Mrs!!) We're still working off the rein attached jointly to B's headcollar and bit rings to minimise any chances of putting too much pressure on her mouth, but if she keeps on improving and being so good and settled in her work then I can't see any reason not to start working her directly from the bit.

Finished with a couple of short trots and then we walked off on a nice loose rein so B could have a good stretch down and then we walked back to the stable, both feeling very smiley!

Another super nights work from Brilliant Little B :-)