Hot work, cold shower

We did some long lining today and his canter on the left is coming on so well. It seemed I just had to think canter and he was off. He got very puffed up at one stage, all proud and arched, and just want to go, go, go. Then he decided the Spanish Stamp might help. I had to laugh because he was trying so hard to do both legs while walking along but he really can't seem to sort his legs out and ends up at a standstill in the oddest position, looking at me as much to say, "Well? What do you think of that then?" Why on earth does he like doing that so much?

I was a bit of a sweaty mess by the end of all that and Sammie was very grateful for the cold hose treatment. Just stood there ground tied and didn't move a muscle apart from lifting his hind leg very slightly when I sprayed his crown jewels, but I think he quite liked it once he got over the initial shock!

I remember the first days of hosing and bathing Sammie - it was an absolute nightmare, so much so that I gave up in the end and used to sponge him down instead. I think he was just plain terrified of the hose. I've heard that some people use hoses and plastic water pipes to beat horses because they don't leave marks on the skin - nice eh? I'm not sure if that was every in Sammie's life, but now he's an absolute angel and he still gets some treats for being so good.

I rode in the school this morning hoping that it might be a wee bit cooler, but by the time we got ready the sun was starting to do its stuff. It didn't seem to put Sammie off though, he worked so hard. We worked a bit on transitions and I think I must be improving because he is starting to listen more and more.

The important thing seems to be to start off as you mean to go on. No dawdling or pootling, but clear directions and signals right from the start. Well that seems to be the way with Sammie. We still warm up and down properly but we do it all with purpose if that makes sense.

We really were hot and sweaty after nearly 40 minutes of that so I decided to give him a proper bath for which he seemed pretty grateful. Stood there like a rock with his lead rope dangling on the ground and even let me get the hose right up his neck to just behind his ears. He was wary and lifted his head a bit but certainly wasn't that bothered by it.