Baths and bare back

I bathed Wolfie today, he was okay, but I did it quickly before he got too bored. He has a lot of dapples this year. Zoe came up with Susan and we went for a walk with Zoe riding Buttons. A dog ran out of a garden straight up to Buttons' front feet and head, he was very good and didn't move, just looked at it.

I then did a little in hand work with Wolfie in the school with the umbrella. Wolfie hates umbrellas. I've been doing a little with it over the past week. We're now at the stage where he will go over and touch it, when it's up in the school, but if you move it or try and pick it up, he will back off snorting. A little more work and I'm sure he will be fine.

I then decided to ride Wolfie bare back. I've been thinking of doing it all week, what's the worst that could happen, I fall off, I haven't came off Wolfie yet, but it will happen one day. I decided today was a good day as it was very warm and he was feeling the heat and looked quite lethargic. I got on at the mounting block and rode him into the school. He seemed a little hesitant at first, probably felt strange and a difference in weight distribution but he settled into his stride quickly. He was very good. We just worked in walk mostly and did some flexing and straightening exercises and then some leg yield and the beginnings of introducing shoulder in (we have also been working on this from the ground over the past week). We did a little trot work, he has an amazing big bouncy stride and apart from a few whizzy moments, he worked nicely and was focused on what he was doing. I haven't done much sitting trot with him under saddle, so need to build this up. He also hasn't been in the school for ages. It was fun. I'd forgotten how much more aware you are of your body, position, movements etc when you don't have stirrups or a saddle. Wolfie responds to your seat and weight aids beautifully. I spent years riding without stirrups and bare back, and it's all still there, I spent half an hour concentrating on the work we were doing, feeling his movement, the lovely swing through his back and for the first time in ages for that short time, I was the old me, where nothing would distract me from schooling a horse and for that short time, my huge weight was gone. I felt light and my horse felt very light. I then rode him around the yard and he was very good. I'm planning on doing some more bare back riding this week. I don't know about hacking him out, but maybe I'll take him a walk along the tracks. I wanted to get a photo today, but there was no-one at the yard when I was riding, maybe get one during the week, as proof.