Ok... I'm trying not to spiral. Today was a little rough. As was yesterday. But also.. my horse is amazing!
We had a lesson today and we took Lyric with us. I put Dan in the pasture while I worked and rode her first. He was pretty good. He called a few times and ran a bit but wasn't crazy. So yay!
Then it was his turn. He was filthy... again! Oh well. I brushed the crumbly bits off where his tack goes and we headed down. I lunged him first and Rana thought he looked pretty darn good although a hair sluggish. She suggested that I work on adding in some poles so he has to engage his hind end more. So we can do that. And yay because last week she didn't think he was strong enough for poles yet. She thought he was looking a hair better. And yes, much straighter in his footfalls but dragging those toes a bit. She said to reward him for holding his head up a little higher too. Which is what I've been doing... and also I told her I added in transitions to help keep him from just peanut rolling.
So then I got on. We started out at the walk and she was fussing at me for being straight in my spine... keeping my legs long.... my toes up... and my hands soft and following. Then we picked up the trot. And he felt a hair off in the beginning. Not bad... a step or two. Rana didn't say anything so I ignored it and carried on. And it was so subtle. But then his tongue came out. Again. A lot. Sigh... And then Rana mentioned the lameness. Sigh. We decided to see if we could work him out of it. She explained that when he wasn't reaching for the bit.. he just got a bit compressed where his neck ties in. And maybe that creates the lameness... whether it makes something hurt... or whether it just blocks him??? So we really focused on getting him to carry himself and reach for the bit. I had to close my leg, and add contact to the rein, holding the outside rein, and wait for him to bend and stretch down and out. Then when he does, I can follow him and let him go forward into my hand. So we did that and he got MUCH better. He started using himself better and there was no more tongue issues. And he felt bouncier and loftier and sounder. So... she said at the end that she really thinks it's a "rein lameness" because a true lameness wouldn't go that sound. I hope she's right. She also said that I need to remember that he's going to fatigue so get some good steps and get out/change direction/rest... so that he doesn't over do it and get angry again.
So then I hosed him off because he was super sweaty and we grabbed Lyric. I loaded him up and then tried to load her up. Nope. We spent... oh... at least 2 hours trying to get her on the trailer. And poor Dan just hung out like a good boy. At one point I unloaded him and let him graze for a bit and pee. And he did. And then I tried to put him on the other side of the trailer to see if she would load. Nope. So then I put him back on his side and threatened to leave Lyric there. Then I ended up backing the trailer up into the barn aisle, acing Lyric, and Rana showed back up and we finally got her on. But Dan was so good the whole time. He was mugging me for cookies (and got a lot too!) but he was so patient.
And really... going down this rabbit hole of biomechanics and posture... he really is a good boy. He tries. He does. And he keeps on trucking despite his issues. I told him today how proud of his I was. And a little proud of me too. I made him. :) Now if I can just figure out what's bothering him and fix it... so we can get back to doing all the things he loves to do!
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