Three for Two

The Assembly Line Continues

I had some more laser therapy tonight, so I was home later than normal.

It was supposed to be raining, but for some reason the bad weather held off long enough for me to start up the riding assembly line again.

The footing was ideal so I started Tucker off in the ring. The goal was to get him sharper off my leg and more immediately forward from my aids.

His walk was super, the trot good, but then, when I tried a halt/trot transition, he pinned his ears and squinched himself all up with his hind end going sideways and a definite threat to buck or kick out. It is almost as if he resents my leg at times like that.

This time, I did not coddle him but drove forward with my seat and a decided growl with my voice and after a few more "squiggle" steps he trotted off. After that, he did not question my aids again.

It did a good number of transitions--trot/canter, walk/canter, walk/trot, halt/trot, working trot/lengthened trot, working canter/lengthened canter--and through them all he stayed forward and obedient to the leg. What I need to do is overexaggerate these exercises for a week or so until he forgets the ears back resistant trick.

Once I felt he had the idea, I decided he deserved a nice hack in the woods--especially since it would probably be the last time for another week that the footing out there would not be soggy and slippery. Heavy rain is predicted through tonight changing over to wet snow by Friday night. Tucker was surprisingly forward even on the trail, with a brisk walk I had to check a bit in some of the still muddy places.

Toby was next and we took the same trail in the opposite direction, so it all looked new. He seemed quite pleased to be out again and we had a nice little ride.

It was after 6:30 by the time I got to Chance, but it was still light enough, so we too went out on the trail in the same direction I took Tucker. He was a little bouncy, but easy to check, so all was well. I do have to laugh, though, as he is still at that stage where his body tends to follow his head. So, whenever he glances off to one side or the other, unless I correct him, he kind of starts to wander the trail. If you looked at his tracks, you'd think he was a drunken sailor. He has also decided that grabbing a snack on some of the still green laurel is part of the ride, so he keeps an eye out for tasty morsels. This too leads him off track, so I too have to keep alert for greenery along the way. It just makes a more entertaining ride.

I dressed everyone in the heavier sheets, but I may change back over to the winter blankets in the morning. It all depends on how cold it feels. The temps will be dropping down to near freezing at some point, and then the rain will change to snow.

All in all, it's going to be a real mess.

And yes, mashes for everyone at the late night feed tonight.