Since Vale View was hosting the British Dressage Para Winter Festival, we've had the great opportunity of riding with all the white boards out, lots of people in the cafeteria as well as a judges' table at C. This is great practise for Vallu and me, we can now go nearly safely past the table with only his outside ear twitching towards it. Considering we started from Vallu refusing to go anywhere near the white boards with at least a 2 meter gap between him and them, and staying well away from the table and chairs, this is huge progress.
I intuitionally trained properly for the last 3 days event though the weather was lovely and we could have ridden outdoors, because I wanted to take advantage of having the boards and letters laid out. I now know how close I can ride to the letters and boards without Vallu spooking and I love the way how Vallu responded to me asking him to concentrate on me and nothing else. He was lovely and attentive and did everything that I asked. On Sunday I could feel that he was getting tired from having to work hard three days in a row, so for the rest of the week he is now getting an easy time with lots of hacking (weather permitting of course)
With our departure for Finland fast approaching, I'm just keeping Vallu happy and content, and trying to make him as fit as I can, so that the journey to there will be as easy and comfortable as possible for him. This means he's getting some form of work everyday, and goes on the walker so he stays in good shape. Lots of hacking out means that he has to do quite a bit of hill work, and I can already feel the difference in him. In the the trot work, it's especially clear as he can just push forwards so much more easily and with less effort. Hacking out is also a nice way to keep him in constant work but at the same time letting his brain chill out so that he stays happy! :)
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