Holding my breath

Link seemed a bit tired today, but still gave his all and seemed maybe a little more supple to the right than he was yesterday? I tried him out in the double-jointed loose-ring Happy Mouth and while he did well (c'mon, he's Link, hehehe), he didn't do as well as he normally does in the C3 cradle bit (less resistance, more flexion, softer mouth in the C3). We worked on some extended trot (got several strides!), patterns, leg yields, sitting trot, and canter. His canter was okay but pretty speedy and thus also unbalanced; he did pick up the right lead though after a couple tries(!!), which is something we couldn't get yesterday. Tomorrow I think though we will work on more suppleness, softness, and responsiveness, particularly laterally....I think it will help our canter more than doing more actual canter tomorrow ;)

By the time I was finished with Link, the people who came to see Missy the other day (yes, Dad and family) arrived to try Missy out again. This time I let them do everything themselves, from catching her to riding her, to get a more thorough idea of her. Daughter #1 did great on her (90% of the time, a couple times she wasn't sure what to do), and Dad did great for awhile - especially since both were basically green. After awhile though Dad got a little frustrated because he was having trouble getting impulsion out of Missy. He was busy claiming she must be tired ("so soon!" he exclaimed disappointingly) when I offered to try. The minute I got on she felt fresh and we trotted, did transitions, halts, sidepass, and turns on the hind. I had to (nicely) explain to him that it wasn't her - it was him. He had to be light, ask in phases, do some exercises, and 'reward little' sometimes. He actually did manage to get off his high horse and admit that maybe, just maybe, it was him, and not Missy. Missy was doing fabulous! It had nothing to do with her! Anyways, he hmm'd and haw'd and finally decided to sleep on a decision. On one hand, he wasn't sure if Missy had enough get-up-and-go, but on the other hand, he knew he could trust Missy with his daughter. I explained to him too that as Missy is further developed (through consistent work), she'll develop more get-up-and-go too, she'll have the impulsion when needed, but that lessons would be of great benefit in the mean time to teach both rider and horse. Personally, I think she will be perfect for the daughter - she'll take care of her and she will have enough energy (she already does, the two just need to learn to work together as a team - something they have a good start at). Don't think the guy didn't try to talk our price down though! He would already have been getting Missy for a steal at the price she was advertised at, but refused to pay a penny more than much less than we were asking. I told him I'd talk to the owner, then left to let him sweat it out ;) A couple hours later he called me back saying he'd like to buy her, but that he still wouldn't go above his price. I pondered what to do, but finally decided to cave. We need Missy gone and holding onto her longer might just mean we end up dropping her price even further, meanwhile sinking even more money into her - we can't do it. Plus, I am only going to have less and less time here, to the point where she eventually wouldn't be worked with at all. Dad demanded too that he have Missy's breeding certificate (etc) so that she could be registered, so I passed him along to the owner. Of course she should be registered, but the man is getting a steal even if she were just grade! Anyway, at least Missy is going to what I think will be a well-intentioned home where she will be doted on by a young girl. The rest, the man can deal with through the owner - I am simply the trainer and negotiator for the deal :) Man, selling horses is hard...it's almost a full-time job on its own! Hopefully I can count her as sold though; I am holding my breath until the money is actually in my hands, lol.

Sorry if this (from some, to all, of it) is not all that coherent...I blame lack of sleep. Tomorrow is another full day, though slightly more laid back. At least I only have my own horses to work tomorrow (Link and maybe Cody). And I should probably go write my Class 4...