Tuesday and Wednesday Rides

Sorry for the lack of pictures, I rode alone on Tuesday and yesterday everyone was riding so there wasn't anyone to take pics. I have thought about getting one of those deer/wildlife cameras that are motion activated. It would take my pic when I rode by......lol

Tuesday:
This was our first ride on his new shoes! He was FRISKY. It was warm and the air was thick and humid but the breeze was cool and crisp. Perfect colic weather if you ask me! He wanted to PLAY. He was good during warm up but once I picked up my reins he wanted to go. We did lots and lots and lots and lots of trotting. I wanted to work on me some so we did some trotting without stirrups. He wasn't too thrilled about the stirrups banging around on his sides but he held it together.

When we picked up the lope is when he decided it was his turn to play. I could feel him trying to twist up his back and I knew he wanted to jump around. I didn't let him so he rocked back at was slapping his front legs on the ground. He never broke gait or really moved my seat so I let him. I was laughing!

He was still really up when it was time to cool down and he decided he didn't want to be on the rail so we had to have a LONG discussion about staying in between my aids and how much work it would be for him to leave me. I would put him on the rail and when he would veer off he was gently reminded with an inside leg. If he ignored it or overreacted and picked up a trot then we would spin, back up, sidepass, etc quickly and then get back on the rail with loose reins. He got the message pretty quickly but wasn't happy about it.

It was a good ride though. I learned how much I could get after him and what he did when he was really pissed.

The farrier commented Monday that he didn't have much growth on his hind feet and didn't take anything off. I'm wondering if he wasn't a hair bit sore and now that he has shoes he is more himself.

Wednesday:
I was so happy to get to ride. It had rained a good amount all day but it was clear and thankfully the arena dries up REALLY fast. I was riding Andy and I had one of my teenagers on Tulsa. Andy was much better about staying with me and not being such an idiot. He and I really got a good workout. Tuesday's ride was more about trotting and staying with me. Wednesday's ride was about rating the lope. When he should speed up, when he shouldn't, and staying at the speed I choose on loose reins.

Once he was doing really good and was super focused I started having him lope near things. We would take a circle off the rail and go near a barrel or pole. He wasn't too thrilled about this at first. He wasn't spooky but he would throw his shoulders ALL over the place. It was kind of funny. Its amazing how agile he is.

Then we started working Tulsa. Tulsa is a trail horse and only a trail horse so we put him on Andy's butt and were playing follow the leader in the arena. Then we took it outside. Andy was sweaty but still not that tired apparently. He still wanted to play and work. He was pretending to see things go booger at. He doesn't spook but he'll jerk his head and shoulders without coming off track. Its funny. He would almost warn me. He would get tight and look in the direction and then jerk a little. What a goober!

I'm really thinking that I was a bad mom for not having shoes on his back feet. I think he is feeling a lot better. Hopefully his new diet will encourage some new hoof growth.