I Have My Horse Back

Well, long time no see, again. I seem to have developed a tradition of posting once a week on weekends. This is not a good thing. This is also what happens when it's week 8 of fall term and I'm taking two study-intensive science classes, but that's life. I have learned to stop making promises about when I'll next post, as that is usually a surefire way to NOT write a post that day! But, I can at least post once a week, and maybe more if the homework load is light.

Pandora is over her little bout of hoofsoreness. I was starting to get frustrated, but she seems pretty much 100% sound again. She was always fine over gravel, but she is normal under saddle at w/t/c again, which is nice because I was getting tired of not riding!

We picked up some Durasole at the store and it sure seemed to help. I didn't pay super close attention before, but I am pretty sure that her frogs look WAY better than before I used it, after about 1.5 weeks of almost-daily application. And she's sound again. The bottle was only $13 and you only use a little bit, so it's worth it to me. I think I'll use it once a week or maybe less all winter. Last winter the center of her frog got a little squishy and grooved and I don't like that. With the Durasole, her frog is very smooth.

I've been having some very good rides lately - maybe both of us appreciate getting back into regular work again! Last night was one of those nights where I was just riding around with a big grin on my face. Mom made fun of me as I went by and said "She's so much fun to ride!" and she told me she was going to record that and play it back to me when I get grumpy.

This blog has been so good for appreciating the progress we make. I can look back at the actual things I wrote when we couldn't really hold a canter down the long side of an arena.

Speaking of, I am WOEFULLY behind on my riding/training log for Pandora. It is bad. I should probably just cut my losses and start up again and forget about the mysterious time for which riding logs just won't exist.

I called that dressage trainer and left a message yesterday evening. If she teaches on Saturdays, I want to take my first lesson with her next Saturday. The prospect of consistent, quality dressage lessons is super exciting to me. I am ready to make some progress with someone who knows what I should be doing next.

McKinna is going through a bit of an odd stage right now. She is a bit cranky and dull to the leg in general, not really wanting to move off the leg or canter. On the longe and under saddle she does not want to canter - it's very fast and rushy and strung out and lean-y. Highly unpleasant. I've tried to school it by just doing short pieces of canter, one 20-meter circle and back to trot. It seems to work a bit, but last night was pretty bad. It may be the dressage saddle, which really just doesn't fit her very well, so next time I'll try riding in the jumping saddle.

It also has a lot to do with fitness I think, but still. This summer I could take her and ride her at canter and she was mostly fine, so I'm starting to wonder.

The plan now is that I'll school her a couple times a week for the next few weeks, and if she doesn't get more willing/balanced about the canter, we'll have the chiro out to take a look. It's just unlike her to be so resistant.

That's about all for now, I think. Tonight is the night I feed and muck for the barn owner, so no riding unless I want to get there early. Which I might. I had such a good ride last night that I am eager to repeat it!