Brisk Lungeing on a Brisk Day

All Three Were on The Line

Talk about a change in the weather! Yesterday, well over 70, today barely 50...well maybe in the sunshine a bit warmer. And, there was a brisk breeze.

I had gone to the Spring Formal at the school--the Academy--last night, and didn't get home until around 11 PM. It was a really nice affair and I had a good time seeing the students enjoying themselves.

I was kind of tired today, so I opted for lungeing rather than riding.

I worked Chance first, just walk/trot/canter for perhaps 15 minutes or so. I don't exactly time my sessions but rather count circles at each gait.  Regardless, it was enough for Chance as he was thinking of quitting at the end. Otherwise, he was a really good boy, and his gaits are quite nice when he moves forward.

Then I took Tucker out for a similar session.  He looks fine on the lunge with no sign of a limp.  It is interesting that he starts to move better and more forward as the session progresses.  This leads me to think that when I ride him, he would benefit from a long warm up period before I ask for even the trot.  Maybe as long as the weather and no bug situation holds, I should take him out for a walk in the woods before I school.

Toby was last. He was kind of cute in that instead of starting the session at the trot, he decided, on his own, to canter first.  This is actually a good technique for a Thoroughbred as they were bred to gallop and sometimes a canter warmup loosens them up faster than trotting.

The best thing about Toby at this point, is that he he still barefoot and looks simply wonderful.  He is striding out with full, strong movement and doesn't at all look to be 21 years old!  I still would like to see a bit more weight on him, but he's not skinny.  I think part of it is that he has almost no muscling and his topline shows the sharp definition often noted in senior horses.  Otherwise, I doubt anyone would suspect he is over 20.

It makes me happy to see Toby sound at his age. I stopped competing him when I realized the work was too much for him--hock soreness from the upper level work. I don't regret that decision when I see him so frisky and bouncy now.