Grotty will need to retrain Baggy.

Well bloggees, winter has arrived back in Suffolk! The heating is back on and Baggy dressed Furry Mama for the Arctic this morning, but it wasn't enough. Clever Bird actually wished that Baggy had made Furry Mama put gloves on too. Seriously - it's June. Mind you, Baggy has always felt the cold, but since she has lost 3-stone, she feels it even more. It is also true that everything hurts that little bit more in the cold. Baggy was well aware of her stomach and arm scars today. Although, Clever Bird realises that some of that was down to Baggy talking to her sister on her mobile phone for most of the walk. Meaning a bent (poorly) arm, holding the phone to her ear for over forty minutes. Well done Clever Bird, but it was good for Baggy to set the world to rights with Debby. The moment she finished the call, Calum called her for their morning chat, so she then held onto the phone for another twenty minutes. Cue arm and back burning with pain. Ah well. Hormonal Hannah did wind Baggy up a bit as she tried to explain to Debby what has been going on with Baggy's Dad's house, but it helped to talk about it. Furry Mama cheered her up no end, when she watched the teeny weeny Longhorn Cattle hurtling about the field, staring at the scary wolf a.k.a. Minty Mutt.

As Baggy was so cold, Clever Bird made Grotty Groom put even more clothes on before heading to the yard to get Wesley's saddle checked. The Boys were delighted to see her, especially when they got an extra haynet each. The good news was that Wesley's waistline was pretty much the same as it was last July, so Alison, the lovely saddler, just needed to re-flock it a little, where it had settled. That done, Grotty hopped on board. Wessle's was a sweetheart and the saddle felt good, until that is, Grotty asked Wesley to trot; then he went into the weird banana-shaped, neck-in-the-air, drifting left horse again. Clever Bird was perplexed and asked Alison whether she thought Wesley was in pain, or whether Baggy's lack of strength and wonkiness was the problem. Her response, "Well, he certainly doesn't look like a horse in pain, I think he just looks rather confused". Clever Bird recognised that, that makes total sense. The Boy is extremely well schooled and used to Grotty "thinking" him into a move or pace, she doesn't need to move more than by a twitch for him to respond. Of course currently, due to Grotty having to get used to Baggy's post-Lawrence-the-durmoid-cyst body, she has no strength whatsoever to stop her left leg from flapping, her body from sitting on the wonk, or twisting etc. No wonder the poor lad is confused, he's totally used to responding to Grotty's "seat", and that, at the moment is not as strong as it used to be.

Next time they trotted, the banana impersonation was even worse, so Grotty decided to check whether Baggy was pulling him into that shape with the reins, so Clever Bird got her to drop them completely. Nope, he carried on as a banana, so it must be her seat, then, still with zero rein contact, he spooked and shot forward in a canter! Grotty managed to grab the reins and reassure him, as Baggy laughed! This must have relaxed her so much, that the next little trot was actually okay. Hmmmm! So the next plan is to "Stop beating yourself up", as Alison said (where has Baggy heard that before?), and concentrate on walking exercises, bending, changing pace, using poles and so on. Wesley is probably a little stiff too after his break, but despite having forgotten how to ride properly, Grotty is loving being back on the Boy and Wesley is doing nothing except trying to do what she asks of him. Tomorrow, weather and aches permitting, they will be back in that school.........