Journaled 23rd January, 2001.

Hi Christie and Matthew,

Well I'm finally getting this update to you a little late. It's been a long
day here and a busy one. As you know, it's also been very hot, so I waited
til it was quite late to work Flash. I have friends staying the night before
the topline Park Gymkhana tomorrow and Matthew helped me out with Flash.

I lunged Flash this evening, again in the saddle and bridle. He was again
well behaved, as I expected. I cantered him a little further on the lunge
tonight, but only about 1/2 a circle at a time, concentrating more on
establishing the canter command than anything else. He cantered willingly,
although the first couple of times he paced through the transitions. He
showed some very nice trot work too. His trot was more cadenced, partially
because his rhythym had improved quite a bit from yesterday. He was more
obedient again and less inclined to make "egg" shapes of the circles.

I let the stirrups down ont he saddle and let them hang against his sides.
He was not at all concerned.

After I had lunged Flash and made a fuss of Flash for being such a nice boy,
I asked Matthew to hold his head while I leaned across his back, moved the
stirrup leathers around, patted the saddle and leaned some weight on his
back and in the stirrups from both sides. Again, it all seemed like "old
hat" to him. He was a bit annoyed though that Roly was in the arena and
MIGHT be getting something to eat that he was missing out on. He was well
behaved though. He didn't try to move away and was calm and attentive,
although casting the odd glance at what Roly "might" be eating.

After that I did a small amount of work in hand, asking him to step across
from a gentle touch on his side, where my leg will lie when asking for turn
about the forehand. In effect asking him to do a partial turn about the
forehand (just a few steps) from the ground. He picked up the idea quickly
and seemed to enjoy the game of "move my legs when she touches me gently".
Then we finished the session on a good note there, with lots of pats and a
wash over with a wet cloth, since he was only a little sweaty under the
saddle.

His legs are looking good. They seem to be healing well and there is no
swelling. He has shown no signs of soreness or lameness since he has been
here.

I think that he will be very nicely sensitive to the leg from the start. He
is so interested and willing to do anything that is asked of him and enjoys
learning new things. He also responds almost instantly to the gentlest
possible aids on the lunge and when being handled, whether they are voice
aids or physical aids. I really like his temperament, but what else would I
expect from a STB? :-)

Tomorrow is the Gymkhana, as I mentioned, so I will work him in the
afternoon, but he will have the experience of being able to see lots of
people and interesting things going and and not be at the race track, which
should be a positive experience for him. Although I suspect that the place
where you keep him is far busier with people coming and going than my place
is, because I don't have horses agisted here by other people, so the general
"traffic" around him here is probably less.

He ate his tea with his usual gusto and seems very settled here.

Cheers,
Lisa


	- Lisa W