The Haflinger Show was Cancelled :(

The Winter Haflinger Show was cancelled because the weather made it quite dangerous for people to get there. There were people travelling from Scotland and places, so it just wasn't worth the risk. They're planning a spring one though, should be exciting.

Opal's growing! We measured her today and she's grown about 1/2" since she was measured for her passport in the summer. She now stands at 14.1 hh, and she's certainly filling out! (As am I!)



She's such a little character.

On an average week she might get lunged once, free lunged once (maybe more than that depending on the weather) and a proper handling session once(other than the basic ones I do as part of her usual routine). The handling sessions consist of her trotting calmly beside me, getting her to trot more flashy next to me, immediate transitions up to and down to trot, walk and halt, square halts, clockwise circles in trot and walk (got it down to a 10m circle now! This is me on her left side), walking backwards fluidly, side passing in walk, turn on the forehand and quarter walk pirouettes! None too shabby for a 3 year old, with just a schooling whip, headcollar and lead rope.
I can't wait to get on board, she's so intelligent! I lunged her today and she picked up canter on both reins on the correct leg. Proud.

Niels was amazing to ride today! I had that buzzy feeling after I'd ridden and everything. He'd been in his stable for a couple of hours, and I got on at about 5:45, and only rode for 1/2 an hour. Usually it takes that 1/2 an hour to settle him, get him to concentrate and actually listen to me. Today it was more like 15 minutes, and he was more uphill at the end of the session than he's ever been before. It started with some noises outside exciting him, then once he was in that flashy trot there was no stopping him! I think he liked it, released some endorphins or something, because he just kept giving more and more! We did a canter on each rein too, (he's much easier to sit to when he's going like that!) and then stretched in trot and cooled off. Again, proud mama. I can't wait until I can get back out competing, I want to see what scores that can give us!
Here's some of Niels in the snow too:



I'll try not to leave it so long between updates in future and hopefully get some photos and videos of their progress.