Back to work!

Hee hee. Not really. BUT... today I actually put on pants. Sigh.... I mean, they are riding tights, but still. And boots. And gloves. And a SADDLE! Sigh.. Actually, it was fun. :) It was hotter than heck, but... since we were just walking, not too bad. I wanted to use the equicube. Because while Dan may be resting I'm not! I've been doing Insanity trying to stay in shape and I figured I might as well make him use himself today and make myself work on my core, so... we used the equicube. It wasn't bad... til now..... I can barely hold my arms up. Dang!

Sadly, I also had to clean the mold off my stirrups. Gross! But... oh well. I desperately need to clean all my tack but I keep making excuses. Anyways...  we had a good ride. We went into the arena and walked around on a loose rein for one lap. Then I picked up the equicube. I kept the reins long because... if it is his neck... I don't want to crank him in, and the whole point is to rehab him to use himself properly. So the reins were fairly short. We started out somewhat hollow but with patience.. he actually started using himself quite well. I took the reins up a teeny bit once he went into the contact. It was quite nice though how well he went with the equicube. I mean.. obviously I can't be handsy and crooked with it, so.. for sure, he should be better. We did our walk, then a 20 meter circle, then a 15 meter circle, then a 10 meter circle, then a shoulder in, then a haunches in, and then a half pass. We did leg yield. We did rein back. We did free walk. He was great! It's especially helpful with the lateral work as I want to tend to cross my hands. :) 


Then I put the cube down and picked up the trot. I just wanted to see how much was still there... after the original injections.... and then after we changed his shoes. It was the shoes!! At his last farrier visit last week, we took the wedge pads and pour in pads off his front feet and put him back in regular shoes. Well, equilibrium shoes, which have a nice easy break over. He's MUCH happier!!! Then we did the Denoix suspensory shoes behind. So... tracking right he felt amazing!!! Then we went left and... it's still there. But subtly again. So... maybe it shouldn't be there, with him having had all that time off, and being on previcox for a few weeks now, but... we still haven't done any treatment to the stifle or the neck so... I have faith. And I'm thrilled that he's already better than he was. :) I just did one or two circles each way and then we got nice downward transitions. Then we went for a short hack, because... he needs to heal. And he felt a little tired. Which, fair enough, as we haven't been riding in sand footing for a bit and I also did some lateral work and made him use himself. So we walked around the small lake and then he got a rinse off and we came home. :) So... I'm still trusting that God will fix him and he will be able to go and play and do the things he wants to do and comfortably.