Nothing to report

Apologies for the silence but I have nothing major to report. Life is rolling on as usual and all is well with Rainbow too... She's looking a healthy and a happy horse, so I am happy too. She's a bit slim, but not thin – actually looking quite toned – and has a good appetite. I still feed her hay and sometimes haylage, with a nuts and chaff combo dinner, garnished with NAF Pink Powder and a splash of Flaxoil. Sometimes with carrots added in. She always polishes her dinners off with enthusiasm :)

Although had a little funny episode a couple of weeks back (the first 'season' of the season, perhaps?!) when Miss was a little excitable. It was only one day of funny business, stepping about and neighing, so rode her a very short time to spare myself from anything too exciting. 

We are still doing flatwork lessons and I also accompanied a friend on another instructor's lesson on Monday where we did pole-work. My friend's horse is recovering from various problems he's had, so they are not allowed to jump. So my friend asked me if I wanted to share a lesson. I think R enjoyed it – got her grey matter going as she had to look where to put her feet! In trot she didn't look at the poles too much but as soon as we tried one in canter (cantering in a fairly tight circle, which is not easy for us yet), she instantly had to hop over the pole. Quite funny really, as long as I know to anticipate it. 

I also noticed she looked at the poles more, especially in canter, if I was being a bit wishy washy in my approach. Because as soon as I knuckled down a bit more and steered R in a 'harder' way – with more purpose – she seemed to believe me and just went where I wanted her to go. No looking down at the poles or being hesitant. So, again, a valuable lesson on being a leader. 

Tomorrow we have dressage lesson and Friday I am practising lunging. I have found a lady at the yard who is good at lunging and willing to teach me. I have never lunged a horse before owning Rainbow, so it's almost a skill like riding that one has to learn. You may wonder what the problem is, but Rainbow is not the easiest of 'lungees' – she tends to take the mick if you don't know what you're doing, so I have decided not to do it on my own until I am confident I can do it, because I don't want to give upper hand to Rainbow too easily.

Here some latest rug fashions. The cold weather persists (the coldest March for 50 years here in the UK) I decided to buy my horse a new stable rug, which looks a lot like a duvet! But at least she's toasty.

This rug was kindly donated by Johanna when I visited her in December. It fits Rainbow perfectly and is an ideal under-fleece, too, when combined with the 'duvet' above.