New year new skills.

January is almost over. It seems ages since I updated this. In the time between I have seen two beautiful horses put to sleep before Christmas and a third only yesterday. I can still weep for my lost Spice, the more we look back on her the more we realise what a good horse she was and how kindly disposed to us humans. Sheltie has settled so well in his new home, he never seemed to stress at all and recently had a new mare join him and his pal so he is in a little herd of three and very content. After breakfast and a grooming session I have worked for 10 or 15 minutes most mornings, but where it used to be on the lunge it is now on the long reins. He understands whoa as a prelude to stand these days and we can do a slalom down a line of fence posts (with no fencing between, like bending poles) on the long reins, so steering is pretty good. He has just got the hang of backing up in them as well. He is very good at walking backward any old time but in the reins was a new skill. He moves off quite well too, at first he used to turn around and look at me ... can't see that being too good if in a cart! I am at the stables by 7.45 seven days a week, when the snow was bad it was a six mile walk round trip to get there.but he is worth it! Doing his bed does not take long, he is on rubber and easy bed; it takes two minutes to make his buckets for next meals ,the hardest thing has been water when the outdoor supply was frozen, fortunately there s  a handy utility room in the home close enough to carry buckets to and from. I only went flat on my back once this winter on the ice, no harm done thank God. Looking back on the last year Sheltie has gone from being a bit of a thug to being a very clever boy. He is quick on the uptake but has to ask why he ought to do stuff at the outset. After a million repetitions he gets on good as gold, but it is the repetition and the very regular routines that push the message in thoroughly. We have started doing a regular weigh tape check on the three ponies, all needed to lose a bit, but as we head into spring with the restricted grazing I am hoping to see Sheltie become a bit more slender. At the mo he is so hairy you cannot really tell his shape so the tape is a quick way to monitor all is well. I do not want him to end up a fat and laminitic pony. I got his crupper ok, and now am trying a different bit as he has not stopped opening his mouth in an unsettled way despite being light to steer with his bit in. I would even consider bitless if need be but we will see how a different bit works. He has such fat lips...all the better to kiss you with my dear! I am looking forward to having a few young riders up at half term to work on his rein skills from on board, Alysha did a couple of circles loose on him recently, I just stood in the middle and he did let her steer. WANTED, FOUR FOOT JOCKEY ,APPLY TO KAY. He is very small, very cute, very clever and very good, his personality is there but he is calm and biddable....I love him to bits.