~ Wednesday the 31st ~
He was great (most of the time).  Once when we were trotting around, me sitting to the trot, I could just imagine us doing a stunning test at the olympics...  I can dream can't I?  He's starting to lengthen a little, the poles are helping tremendously.  I think we will do the five lengths and then take out the second and fourth pole, to see if he will get two even strides between each of the three poles.  Then the third pole so we're getting four strides and if he does that well, we will put them all back and lengthen it to six of my boot lengths and start the process again.

~ Tuesday the 30th ~
Dressage was good.  Comes on the bit most of the time, good in downward transitions but doesn't maintain it in the upward ones.  Trot to canter transitions were superb!  We did a little pole work to help him lengthen - five in a line.  His normal striding is four of my riding boot lengths.  Put it to five and he did that wonderfully.  Will increase it to five and a width probably, just increase it gradually when he does well at the current length.  Was also working on square halts, and its getting there...

~ Monday the 29th ~
Nice time at the beach, did a little galloping, just seeing if he would stretch out enough for C+ Certificate and I think he did.

Away in Nelson for a week.

~ Sunday the 21st ~
Rode home.

~ Saturday the 20th ~
Went down to where the show jumping was to school over the jumps.  We did a round of 60cm then one of 70cm.  Red was really good, so we thought about doing half of 80cm (put half of the jumps to 80cm randomly so we could do it and then put the other half up for the others.)  We didn't end up doing that.  They put the course up to (lowest) 80cm and (highest) 90cm, all the rest inbetween.  We ended up doing it all!  The whole course was great, but for some reason he refused the brush twice, I have no idea why though.

~ Friday the 19th ~
Did some flatwork, Red was going well but not bending that great.  We went to show jumping in the afternoon, you can have a look

~ Thursday the 18th ~
We were doing in-hand work in the morning, was going ok for the first part but wouldn't do a side-pass at first.  Got him doing it well by the end of it though.  In the afternoon we did "Working Cattle Horse".  It was great, we would work a "cow" but it was actually someone on a horse.  The cow would go along the arena and we had to head it off and then it would turn around and do that again etc.  Then we would put it around in a circle - we were told we were one of the best.

~ Wednesday the 17th ~
Did a little dressage, got him going really nicely on the bit at times and found out our leg yields are getting there, he is crossing his legs, only to infront of the others.  (Pony Club Camp started!) 

~ Tuesday the 16th ~
Away.

~ Monday the 15th ~
Did a little dressage and then some jumping!  We did a double of two uprights, 60cm to 65cm and we did one jump of 75cm!  (Also did a few lower ones.)

~ Sunday the 14th ~
Pony Club!  We did teams games in the morning and then formation riding in the afternoon.  Left him there for a couple of days since pony club camp starts on Wednesday.

~ Saturday the 13th ~
Day Off.

~ Friday the 12th ~
Twilight Show Jumping Training Series #3!!  Have a look   Poles was fine, trotted and cantered.  The first round of 60cm was good, but we jumped the picket from a stand still, next round was great.  I was told that after our second round and we were trotting back to the gate he was "look at me, I'm just the best!" and that he was starting extended trot!

~ Thursday the 11th ~
Was away for the day... got some new riding boots!

~ Wednesday the 10th ~
His walk and canter were great!  He was cantering fast so I held him back and when he came to the right speed, I pushed him forward and he came on the bit!  (Same speed.)  I think I might try that with trot as we're having trouble with that.  He got his wrong canter lead and wouldn't trot, so I turned him in an approximately 10 metre circle and he did a flying change!  On the other rein he was on the wrong lead so I just experimented with the 10 metre circle again and he changed!

~ Tuesday the 9th ~
He was alot better today.  Came on the bit a couple of times at trot (does at walk fine), not at all at canter.  Did some trot poles because we will soon be teaching him to lengthen his stride.

~ Monday the 8th ~
He wasn't that great today.  Did walk, trot and canter circles.  Looks like I will have to teach him on the bit again.

~ Sunday the 7th ~
Went down to the beach, walk, trot and cantered.  Did some figure of eights at canter on the beach and he got his leads most of the time.

~ Saturday the 6th ~
Day Off.

~ Friday the 5th ~
Competed in the Twilight Show Jumping Training Series #2, you can take a look .  In our warmup we did circles at canter then figure of eights with a couple of trot strides in the middle.  He got his leads perfectly!
Went into the ring for our first round at 50cm, started regretting not doing poles on the ground as he wouldn't go round the ring.  The bell rang so he had to go start the course.  Came up to the first jump, wouldn't let him refuse so walked over it and knocked it down, I can't really remember the rest (only the good round!)  The next round was alot better!  We cantered most of it and went clear.  In the 60cm class he was good, but then the picket (I wanted to do it in our lap but was facing the wrong way) he was going to run out then refuse but I would not let him!  So we walked over it and knocked the picket part over.  Our next round was great!  Great rhythm, but my riding wasn't so great (at the picket I jabbed him in the mouth) but apart from that, smiles all round!

~ Thursday the 4th ~
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!  He was going horribly.  He was great on the right rein, but would hardly bend (at the start) and he would NOT canter on the left lead!  I made the circles tiny, but he still wouldn't!  I eventually had to really unbalance him so he would HAVE to canter on the left (practically a one metre circle!)  I didn't get him cantering on a normal 20 metre circle, just a 10 metre to get the lead (well it was bigger than before!) then going out to a 20 metre.

~ Wednesday the 3rd ~
Went for a hack along the beach.  Had to hold every temptation to go for a gallop!  He was very energetic and wanted to go for a gallop as well at the start.  Walked and trotted, but he took off for a few strides a couple of times.

~ Tuesday the 2nd ~
His leg looks alot better, the swelling hasn't fully gone down yet, but as he was never lame on it, I will take him out for a hack tomorrow.  Should be able to do the second of the Twilight Show Jumping Series on Friday.