Update on the Pea Monster :)

Taken last year - Pea's no longer as clean as this this year!

Well I've been home from University for 3 weeks now and that should mean that Pea has been doing lots of work and we're working on our winter plans but again it hasn't happened. Last winter I had lots I wanted to do over winter and this year was no different however due to work and the weather, it has meant that I haven't been able to ride as much as I would have liked to Pea has had a little winter holiday really but he is now starting to come back into work ready for competing again in 2013 :) 

I planned on starting his work last week, however after the monster decided he would pull a shoe (again!) and then the weather turning for the worse he had a week off and started being ridden on Thursday with just a casual walk round the farm with another horse as the arena's were flooded and the indoor booked! It was so muddy so we just walked but Pea was such a saint, happily walking on a long rein most of the way so he could pick his own routes through the mud, which often meant I got dragged through tree branches! He did decide that it would be rather entertaining to let out a large spook at a sign, one he has walked past many a time yet very rarely walks past it normally! Normally he just watches it as he walks on past in case it decides to jump out at him, but this time he was nearly past it before deciding to launch sideways! Oh so silly! He also decided he didn't like the part of the wall that had fallen down which he has walked past before no bother, even though Nelson was between him and the wall Pea still decided to walk through the crops to avoid it! Good thing the hacking is round the farm so luckily Robin doesn't mind too much and has got used to hoof prints in the crops! haha! 

Today I managed to get the indoor as it was so windy and Pea is a nightmare in the wind, although being indoors didn't change too much! He started off schooling quite nicely and stopped once or twice when there was a sudden gust of wind as it made the doors rattle quite a bit. We then started to do circles, and on one off them at B, there's a dark circle on the circle which Pea has been over no end of times in walk but on one circle he decided that the shadow was rather scary - when he was on top of it - stopped, looked at it and jumped sideways! So glad I've learnt to keep my heels down and be prepared! I walked him over it and he didn't care, trotted and again fine, go to do a circle again and bam, the shadow is once again scary! He also had a bit of a fright when my instructor appeared at the game in the door asking if she could share with a client! But luckily he still schooled really nicely when they were in, when normally he would nap and misbehave so very pleased with how well behaved he was and living up to their entrance of: "oo we're sharing with the new dressage superstar!", haha!

I had a lesson last week and we talked about his canter seeing as he can happily canter out doing a test and win but refuses to do 5 strides as home and my instructor decided that instead of collecting him and then asking for canter like you normally would, for now just ask for a fast trot so he naturally goes into canter as that's easier (Pea likes things to be easier!) and he'll gradually realise that canter isn't that bad, just as you often do when first teaching youngsters - I do often say that Pea is like a 7 year old as he hasn't ever done much work before me. 

Overall, I'm pretty sure Pea was loving his easy life but I don't think he minds being in work that much at the moment! Hopefully might pop him over some jumps next week, seeing as that was the plan of winter, before I go back to uni. 

Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and that all your horses are fine :) Oh and if I don't write a new blog post beforehand then have a Happy New Year :) 

Bye!
Laura & Pea x