more solo hacking

not that that was the original plan, but i'd got there too late to have company

so ... deep breath -

along the back drive (i knew that wouldn't be a problem, did it the other week) and round the 20 acre - i started singing as i got to the first corner, as i do dislike wide open spaces, and who knows what's going to happen .... also, of course, got to get rid of the memories of molly planting, disliking fishermen, and so on ...

walked along quite happily. put up a pheasant, which startled me but not him ...

and i was surprised to be able to open the gate at the end - i could feel it in the shoulder, which isn't wholly fixed yet, but since i couldn't have done that at all a few weeks ago, very pleased indeed.

was going to trot up the hill to home, but the girls on ponies were at the top so he stopped and dropped back to walk before we'd really got going...

there was a change in log positioning at the top - there are some logs that people pop - and there were two at a narrow place, leaving a gap to go through - he was a shade snorty at that, as it wasn't like that last time we went up that hill with company, but went past it no bother

also, unlike the last few times we've done that (when i was at the riding school) he walked over the blue pipe thing on the ground without a second glance - that's possibly been assisted by the fact that i used that stretch for in hand grass when he was on box rest a few weeks ago.

overall, very very pleased with both of us!