Jo Barry's blog: Lessons with Carl Hester and burning the candle at both ends!

Freddie and I had a great time away training with Carl last week. We had a smooth journey down with it taking just under 8 hours. Freddie settled much quicker this time as it was his third visit and I found him stretched out sleeping when I went to give him his breakfast on Monday morning. We had four lessons while we were down, concentrating mainly on teaching the flying changes, acceptance in the transitions between extension and collection and the startings of piaffe. Carl had me riding with a lot more power and determination.

I left realising that I have to take a risk and allow mistakes to happen so that we can learn and improve. For someone like me that is really hard as I hate not getting it perfect! I have been given lots of exercises to use at home for the changes and Carl has given me the confidence to have a go and practice. Highlights were when we managed a correct flying change on the long side from true to counter canter, doing our first steps of piaffe assisted by Carl from the ground and then seeing Carl ride Freddie on the last day. It was the first time Carl has sat on him and Freddie got 'the nod' from the master!

While I was down I was really pleased to still be allowed to ride some of Carl's horses. I also helped out on the yard and was driver for one of Carl's working pupils when she had a competition at Burrows Court. I also met up with old friends and had some lovely evenings over a bottle or two of wine. The only yard trauma while I was down was when Snowie, Carl's parrot escaped up into the trees! She spent 24hrs 'in the wild' and eventually was coaxed down by 'daddy' -returning to her cage looking very sheepish. I think Carl may have been the only one glad of her return... she is known to be the pitbull of Carl's menagerie!

The journey home was not quite so smooth. In rush hour traffic on the M6 I had a blow-out. Luckily it was sorted on the motorway and Freddie and I continued on our way, it just meant it took 10.5hrs to get home. Freddie was very happy to get back to his own bed and have a few days off. However, I think Rafa would have been happier if I had stayed away -I have come back with 'Carl-ified' riding and he has had his socks pulled right up!! This week is pretty hectic... Freddie has the physio on Monday, farrier on Tuesday. I head down to Coventry on Tuesday night to receive the Pat Smallwood award at the BHS Convention on Wednesday and come home that night... I then go up to Inverness (3 hours by train) to teach on Thursday evening and all day Friday before taking Rafa to a competition at the weekend..and also somehow going to the British Eventing Scottish Ball on the Saturday night!! Possibly burning the candle at both ends..??!