Day 125 - Lovely day! Grotty can ride!

Furry Mama took Minty Mutt for a long walk so that he'd snooze while Grotty and Calum headed out for Grotty Groom to get back on a horse. Today was the day for checking out Baggy's core strength. On the way to the Ashen Equestrian Centre a stop at the saddlery was required. The Boys had run out of treats when Grotty and Calum were at the yard yesterday. Clearly this needed to be remedied. Joey had also totally destroyed one of his turnout rugs, so Grotty wanted to get it mended. That however was a little illogical, as a new rug wasn't much more money. New rug chosen. Six hoof picks have gone walkies while the Boys have been on full livery! Two psychedelic ones chosen. Smart half-chaps that actually fit Calum chosen. New feed bowls to replace the totally squashed ones chosen. Okay all reasonable, required purchases. Then Grotty spotted the most gorgeous, lovely, beautiful, stunning, wonderful, absolutely had to have jacket! Fitted like a glove. Calum insisted Grotty should be treated. Okay then! Lunch. Diet met with the sandwich. Totally ignored with the melt-in-the-mouth lemon drizzle cake. It was worth it. Baggy is definitely having a treat day.

Headed off to the Equestrian Centre. Clever Bird hadn't bothered to get directions having been there once before. Over two years ago Clever Bird. They got totally lost. Fortunately they were also miles early, so had a chance to regroup and still not be late. While waiting for Grotty's session on the computer horse, Strider, she acquired a new best furry friend who decided that Baggy needed a new hair accessory. He proceeded to crawl onto her head!

 

Grotty was tempted to take him on the horse with her, but Clever Bird advised against. She thought the horse might get spooked!?! Now Grotty has ridden Strider once before. She was very very wonky. But pretty much totally counter-balanced as far as the horse was concerned. Not this time!

 

 

This time she was wonky and unbalanced for the horse! Rubbish arched back. Sitting tilted back and to the left! 

Baggy is seriously on the squiff! She was repositioned and manoeuvred by the wonderful trainer, Becky. Then gave it another go. Much better but still on the squiff. The very clever computer measures your every move. How much weight you are putting on the horse. How hard you are pulling his mouth. Whether your left and right hands are putting an even weight on his mouth. Whether you are tilting forwards. Or backwards. Whether you are tipping to the left or the right. It became apparent that Grotty has been riding to "allow" for Lawrence-the-durmoid-cyst. It makes sense. He was fifteen centimetres big and weighed around seven pounds sitting on Baggy's right ovary. So if she tipped a little to the left, she would be more evenly weighted.

Grotty walked. Trotted. Working trotted and cantered. By the end she was still on the squiff. But much less so than when she started.

The even better news is that Baggy's stomach did not hurt at all! Her core strength is not bad either, all things considered. So watch out Wessles, Grotty is going to be back on you any day now. She just needs to try very hard to remember how she was sitting at the end of her session. Yee-hah.

On the way home, Calum and Baggy decided to explore the lovely little town of Clare. More coffee drunk. Church checked out. Shops and antique centres explored.

Lovely day...........