Winnie's Touch

I'd spent the past half an hour preparing Winnie for her workout. She would be testing out our new pool, which was filled with nice warm water at seventy five metres in distance, but in a large circle. We weren't pushing her too hard today, we just wanted to see what she could do in the pool. She wouldn't be going all out at all - just at a steady pace, but just enough to be a thorough workout to prepare for the Acorn Stakes. I'd brushed her down and made sure that I had her blue thermatex rug for after the workout. Her bridle was on, with the reins taken off, instead, I had connected a lunge line through one side of the bit and out of the other, so when she did swim, I could walk along side her.

The pool had padding on the sides, and on the floor when you walk in and out of the pool at the same entrance. After preparing Winnie, I walked her out of the stable. She pricked her ears and walked along at high speed, out of the barn and into the new section on the right hand side. She looked slightly alarmed when she first entered, but after walking her in and letting her look around, she accepted her surroundings. The water was room, at around forty degrees, just perfect for a nice calm swim today.

I walked her forwards and she steadied herself as she walked down the slope. I walked along side her, on the left. She lowered herself into the pool, and as it got deep enough, I started to walk a bit quicker. She began to swim, holding her head up and using her legs to push her forward. I grinned and kept walking beside her. She splashed around a little bit when she first started swimming, but now she was finally getting the hang of things. I kept her swimming round nicely for three more laps, until we had completed three hundred metres. I walked her back towards the entrance, which was now the exit. She walked back up the slope, out of the pool.

She shook herself off and I walked her back into the barn where I placed her thermatex rug on her, which was an extra absorbent and quick drying rug that I had ordered from England. I stroked her for a little while and gave her some oaty treats from my pocket. We had to show that we had skill and power come next week, but I didn't want to seem like I was working her too hard. Smiling, I left the stable and walked away, wondering what would happen next Saturday.