A colt foal!!

April has her own system of birth that she has tried and tested - the other year we positioned her under cameras and relentlessly watched her all night and April waited and waited........and then had the Archie at the top of the field all on her own just as she had planned. So this year we kept a discreet watch but let her have her own way in her private field shelter with old Belle for company.
We watched the weather forecast for the weekend with trepidation - the foal was officially due tomorrow by Charles calculations. But it was pleasant in the early morning sunshine this morning- milky warm in fact and there in the private corner at the top of the hill was a proud mother conducting her very own "foal checks" which reads something like:- full wash, check; feed check; check umbilical check; lick tail to stimulate muconium check; settle down for own breakfast of Dobson and Horrell oats ( long story but the corn merchant only had the "posh" ones!)
The vet agreed with April that everything is perfect and here is the little chap:- officially out of Shabril Will by Shaab, by Danilon Pre who's by Official XXIX out of a Yeguada Millitair Mare Jeletita. He can even claim to be related to Fuego via Goran....some way back!

and the stripes around the top of his tail ?? from gramps - Official of Yaguada Suseata! Now Here's the boy...

Baby foal has now dried to a rich bay and is sleeping soundly in his stable

Working on the canter

Our finished "wind assisted" canter at the end of the session, the lower ones ore the work in progress.





There is a lovely view from the school towards St Hilary church spire on the ridge




Rising trot (I'm a lean forwarder to rise I'm afraid)




Danni's more collected trot to finish - I was pleased with this carriage




Riding the canter forward for a big bound - Charles pointed out I'd reverted to putting my elbows out.....sigh




Earlier canter work - I think you can see a difference between here and the last photo at the end of the session ( that I put first because it was the best one ah hum)

So after a hectic couple of bank holidays Danni got his chance to go to a school to work for a change. i wanted to work to get a big canter bound and then bring him up for a more elevated carriage. Charles wasn't happy with my efforts to the right as Danni was drifting out through his left shoulder and so we spent some time cantering with a counter bend to open that shoulder - which for me was rather like rubbing your tummy and patting your head type job! but eventually we succeed and he became straighter. I was really pleased with his finished balance - you''ll have to excuse his mane billowing in the wind, it has been a breezy few day here in cornwall even the Scillonian didn't sail one day!

We hacked home through lanes laced with bluebells and cow parsley just in time for Danni's lunch!