Fun at Home

 Today I had an eye appointment and then ran some errands, so I opted to ride Dan at home. He was filthy! I had to brush all the red clay off him first. 

We walked up to the arena and I set the 3' ground poles up alternating and added a fourth one. Then I got on and we did our walk warm up. We got a decent turn on the forehand both ways without shortening his neck. Yay! And an attempt at the turn on the haunches that was a good start without shortening his neck. We did our trotting. I trotted the poles, a couple other small verticals and cross rails, and we did some trot walk trot transitions. He was struggling a little bit with the trot poles. 3' is quite narrow for him. He kept moving the 3rd pole and then he was trotting through them all as 3 instead of 4. I got off a few times to fix them but finally gave up. I'm not sure if I should keep at it.. or widen them for him. But I think widening them might defeat the purpose. I'll have to ask Jordan. ;) 

 

We also cantered a tiny bit. And then he also picked up the canter and launched himself over a few of the crossrails. Whoops! But he was having fun. And then we got a nicer trot and played with some haunches in and half pass. I was able to get some better half pass today, although it's still a far cry from show ready, but... duh! We're still rehabbing. 

 

We hacked home via the driveway and then I wasn't ready to get off so we took a jaunt in the neighborhood. We went left at the stop sign instead of right. Of course he got a hair nervous and pooped in the neighbors yard so I had to get off and kick it around to spread it out. You never poop dude! Oh well. He was good though and not freaked out like he was last time when we saw Brooke. 

 

After I rinsed him off I did some electroacupuncture on his muscle atrophy. I do sometimes think it's looking way better than when we started, but there's still a lot of atrophy there. And now I'm fixating on the atrophy near GB 21... so I electroacupunctured that area too. He was a good boy.

 

Big brother Duties

 Ponied Lyric

looks small in trailer

hacked to XC. walked through XC obstacles and a few logs

went to lake. Splashed lyric in the face... then face planted cause his feet got tangled up and came up with water in his ears. doh. silly boy. Chewed on her lead rope and twirled her. 

trotted in the fields with Lyric. Was super motoring so i had a tight hold.. tongue came out. maybe cause neck compressed because he was trying to (and actually) cantering? But his canter felt great! 

normal trots later with a softer rein and happier neck and even got a little bit of lifted back trot. He chewed on her some but mostly she was chewing on him. Payback for Flecky. 

trotted over a few logs. snacked. then home. Good big brother. 

Why is he the normal one today (for selfies).

photos: 3-25 big brother duties

videos

15 Minutes

Vet Visit this am. Almost late. silly boy but cooperative. everything looks good but slight edema in right hind... supposedly due to healing and fiber alignment. cleared for 15 minutes of trot and then recheck in a month and then we can go canter if all is well. also x-rayed his neck (for fun... to see the new machine. Grateful for no charge!). Weird spur on C3 lateral wing... but appears to just maybe be a biomechanical blocker??? Ie... limit motion in certain ways. But C7-T1 looks rather weird and concerning. Sending films to Travis to see his take. 

Talking about his tongue and struggles with lateral work, suspect neck issues still. Would consider injecting at next visit with steroids to see if we can get more resolution. (But I'll try my DeClue neck injections first to see if I can get good results that way). 

Headed off to Ashland to ride. All by ourselves and we had a lovely ride. Warmed up in jump arena and dis some lateral work at the walk and tiny bit at trot. then hacked out. Trotted in the water treadmill... splashed in the lake. trotted gallop track and got some really nice trot work. Round and lifted back and soft neck. Finished in arena with two lovely (but still shallow and baby) trot half passes and a lengthen to salute as a reward. Good pony!!!

stopped at feed store and then home and turned out to roll and get dirty(er). 

Good pony

 Quick ride because of helping a friend and life

Tacked up with the saddle. Hacked up to arena. Got off and set trot poles 3' apart. Only 3. Will need more next time. Did turn on the haunches in hand and it was actually quite lovely today. Not a correct dressage turn on the haunches but a move your shoulders one using your core. :) Got cookies. Then got on and rode. Did 10 minutes of trotting with some leg yields, some shoulder in, and the trot poles. Plus a few times over the single raised pole. Did a tiny bit of halfpass, sucked to the left. Right hind weak? 

Did canter both ways.. actually not too bad today. Didn't feel as disconnected or awful. .just weak. Also, couldn't resist and jumped a cross rail. :) 

hacked back home.

Got his dino gear last night so he got to wear it today! Rawr!! Staying somewhat snuggly and happy overall

Rough Day, shining star

 Rough day... 

Dan was good for our ride. Bareback arena ride. Did in hand stuff to start. Upset with turn on the forehand in hand even. sidepassed over pole well though. Got on and did our trot homework. Felt good. Decent baby halfpass. good shoulder ins. cantered once each way. Felt icky in the canter. Just not put together, four beat... front and hind disconnected. Did some poles... baby baby crossrails. Did stand on the surefoot pad for about 1 minute post ride!!!

untacked and put bridle on lyric since she was right there. When I was done with her, untacked her in the pasture and dan came up... I ws upset and crying and Dan... bless him.. was trying to console me in ways only a dino can. didn't quite let me hug him but... was comforting me. bless him. Lyric's in heat. So she was distracting him too. 

So grateful to God for him. 

Get your Crap together girls!

 Cry fest at the ashland arena with Kelli. Dan was kind but then told us to get over it! 

went for a hack. did the treadmill. did racoon loop to hoot and holler. saw a turkey. headed home

silly ponies in the wind today in the pasture