Had a really good ride on Cruiser, yesterday. We are stuck working in the indoor arena, and we haven’t gone on a trail ride since about Christmas—and it was a short one, at that.
Last month, he finally started to settle down—and he settled too much. He is fine gong to the left, but has been soggy towards the right. I have had this problem since he bowed his tendon and got carpal tunnel in that leg. (Yes, horses can get carpal when they bow a tendon, and there isn’t anything you can do about it. His ultrasounds were used as an example at a vet symposium on tendons.)
I think he has physical limitations that direction—even when I lounge him, there is a marked difference in speed and impulsion. Still, I decided to see if I could get a little more on our ride.
We did a bunch of walk/trot trans to get him a bit fired and limber up. Once I felt he was ready, I insisted on him giving me more impulsion. When he slowed, I told him to increase his energy. Well, Cruiser didn’t let me down. With persistence, he gave me the best trotting in that direction of the year. He still didn’t match the good way, which only got better as the hard way improved, but I was very excited. Now I know that once he warms up, if I focus on the problem, he will, too.
Of course, the stables was very quiet last night—there was no one there to see him in all his glory.
We get our shoes back on next week, so if the snow ever melts, we will be back on the trail—and we will forget everything we learned this winter.
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LOL, forgetting everything you learned all winter sounds familiar . . . like school maybe? Bring on the summer time. :) Glad you had a good ride. That's why you can't give up. Give the boy a hug.
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