Mud Glorious Mud

I hate this mud! Rupert had a lovely groom last night but after his walk this morning looks like a mud monster again!

On the training front things are progressing really well, I gave the see saw problem some thought and decided that I would release him over a jump and throw his toy gaining some distance between him and the noise of the bang, this has worked a treat, we started at Jo's on Sunday and I held his collar for the tip and let him find the contact which worked well, then at this mornings session I held his collar for the first attempt and then let him have a go on his own from both sides - result, he didn't give it a 2nd thought, happily working the tip on his own and confidently finding the contact (still without command) I released him onto a jump and threw his toy - Excellent. So the plan is just to let him have a go each time I visit the paddock to keep it in his mind.

Our homework this week has been flick flacks and pull ins. the flick flack training is going ok, only faulting with his enthusiasm with me trying to race to get into position, however he actually works much better when I drive from behind, and I must make sure I work on both directions which I am very lazy at! Pull ins on the other hand are a little more difficult, especially as I am doing them straight after a flick flack! maybe on Friday I'll do the pull ins first. He is getting the first two, but then his speed takes him over the jump rather than through the gap, still plenty of time to perfect them, and its a lot for him to take in all at once.

Tomorrow night is his first night at Club, I'm really looking forward to working him in a group, although I know he will be over the top to begin with, having to work on patience will be a good thing.