Bara, how did Forry like all the new excersices?

[Amy]

Have you had a chance to implement any of them? See any differences, yet? What has seemed to work the best for him so far?

Tango is starting his 30 days training on Monday. I can't wait for it to be over already. I'm trying not to get my hopes up but I'm really looking forward to the jump start this is going to give us for the Spring/Summer. His training has taken so much longer that I thought, but as I've mentioned before, he's my first green horse and I've had to take slowly both for him and me.

[Bara]

Hi Amy - thanks for asking. Right up until last night, I'd have said it was working a treat ...

Then, for some reason, we slid right back down again and decided we'd never seen a jump in our lives ...

But I know what to do now! So it's back to all the great pole exercises. I'm also taking on board the comments about what I'M doing. I think it was my fault last night. You may remember I have a worry about his mouth/back? Well last night I got our barn-owner to school him on the flat, just to see if HE could feel what I meant. And he could. Of course, Forry looked a completely different horse with a proper rider on him, but at least I now know it's not my imagination.

The upshot of that was that I think I was tensing him up and trying too hard. So back, too, to sitting straight, leaving his mouth alone and much more leg. I also liked the 'watching the jump' through the ears suggestion. We'll try again today - going back to basics.

Thanks everyone.