Bittersweet...

So, today was a bittersweet day for me.

RoughCutt has continued to get better and better with mounting and ridden work. I have continued with him with groundwork too. I also discovered that its his girth area that is super sensitive so as long as I use a mounting block and don't jab him with my toe when I get on he has been superb.

I went to FOH with the plan of riding RoughCutt out of the arena for the first time. Today would be a big test for him. Today there was to be no lunging, no groundwork, I just wanted to see him cope with me just getting on and off we go. I had decided to ride him around the farm on his own to see how he copes. He needs to be trail ridden/ hacking to find a home so the first port of call was a farm ride.

Just when I was leading him from the barn, a couple of ladies arrived. They were at FOH to find some winter projects for their riding school and one of the horses they had come to view was RC. They asked me to ride him for now and they would watch him round the farm and then they would take him in the school. He was great being mounted out of he arena for the first time and he went for his hack around the farm really well. He stopped to look at a few things but he isn't a spooky horse and took it all in his stride. After our little hack I handed him over. I told the ladies about his girth area, his bucking history and that I suspect it may be ulcers. RCs next big test, someone different getting on and riding him...

The Chilled boy being ridden today

I was so proud of him, he did superbly. Not only did he behave being mounted, but he was completely relaxed about it, he moved off the mounting block like he had been doing it for years. He then spent the next half hour or so pottering beautifully around the arena with the Riding Instructor (also an eventer). Ignoring the two young mares bucking and hooning around on lunge lines next to him he walked and trotted round the arena like a pro. They then put yet another rider on him, whom he behaved brilliantly for too.

He was perfect and you would never have guessed that he had been so scared a few months ago about being mounted. The women are experienced riders. One Western and one English, they both rode english today as thats how I had already been riding him and thats how he was tacked up. Of course, they loved him and have decided to take him. He will spend the winter training with them, ready for next summers riding school pupils.

I think it will be a wonderful home, and his sweet and willing disposition will make him a very well loved horse there. I am proud today and a little sad, a few tears were shed when I said goodbye and good luck to the lovely RoughCutt. x

Happy Boy- be good in your new career RC x