Unfortunately farrier had the day from hell today and was absolutely cream crackered, so he phoned and asked if he could come tomorrow. How could I say no to this man? He's never done it before and to be honest I'd just had such a lovely long-lining session with Sammie, it was great that he wasn't going to be wound up at all. So farrier is coming tomorrow around 5pm. Poor man, he still had another five horses to do and he really sounded quite worn out.

I long reined Sammie in the school and he was an absolute charmer. We can canter really well on the right rein now as well as long as I set everything up correctly. What a little star he was. Trotting along and then with just a small release and bringing the inside rein forward, off he'd go into canter. Then back to trot, up into canter. I realised today that I had been getting rather tense on the right rein (because I know it's not so good) so today I kept him on a large circle and just breathed out. Sammie had no problem with that at all.

So it was nice just to be able to take him back to the yard, give him his supper and then turn him out. His field mates immediately spotted something going on down the end of their field and wandered off at a speedy walk. Sammie stuck with me for his stretch exercises and when we were done he took off at canter to go and investigate.

I often wonder if he appreciates the different life he has now to the one he had when I first met him? Something must register somewhere mustn't it? Or are they truly 'in the moment' animals? They must have some sort of memory to remember pain, but that's a survival thing.

Hmmm....maybe going too deep here so I'll stop.