Feeling Down? Saddle Up

Some days are better than others for me and everything always seems so much worse when I'm tired, or more tired than usual.  I am however, looking forward to and enjoying riding once again and am finding being around Wolfie and Buttons a time when I am relaxed and at ease.  My horses are helping me in a way that they could never understand and quite simply by just being themselves.

Yesterday, we hacked up the hill with H. and J.  We've devised a new route which enables us to have a canter and a few trots, combines a few hills and flat stretches and takes about an hour.  I was letting Wolfie trot up the field when a few sheep bounded past.  Wolfie decided to bounce after them and did a leap / arched back bounce into canter.  I totally wasn't expecting it and fortunately he stayed in canter and didn't throw anything else at me, otherwise I would have been off.  He was good the rest of the hack. 

Today we hacked down the line with H. and J.  We got to the bridge and Wolfie stopped about 2 feet away from the edge.  J. walked over and Wolfie followed.  I was so pleased with him.  I expected it to take a lot longer to even get a lead over there after everything that's happened.  We hacked on and came to the second bridge.  Nothing has ever happened at this bridge, it's exactly the same as the other one but we haven't crossed this one either since the stone throwing incident.  Wolfie was in the lead and walked straight over, he was looking, but didn't stop or hesitate.  I love Wolfie's attitude.  I had wondered if he would cross this one due to association, but no, he's separated what happened at the last bridge completely from this one.  He is so genuine.  When he reacts, it's 100% genuine, it's complete instinct. But at times you can see him battling with what his instinct and every part of his mind and body is telling him to do, which is to take flight, with staying and trying to do what his rider is asking of him.  We had a long hack, we stayed in walk but were out for about an hour and twenty minutes.  Wolfie is very particular (or shy) about where he does the toilet.  Stable or field, that's it.  I know sometimes on the way back from a hack that he needs to go and I try and encourage him and keep him out a bit longer in the thinking that once he knows he can do it outside and with a rider on, then it may encourage him.  But to no avail.  Today, however, he must have been desperate because he did a big poo on the way home.  I gave him a big pat and he turned to look at his dung pile.  He then started pawing at it aggressively and scattering it about.  I don't know what that was about.  Hopefully, he'll learn that it will be more comfortable if he just goes when he's out.