Improvements all around

Charlie definitely wasn't happy about being left inside today (my barn owner said he screamed for a long time after everyone else went out) but the scrubbing worked and his feet are probably about 80% healed. One more day in with a dose of scarlet oil and I think he'll be good to go. I'll just try to keep up after him and coat his heals with protectant if it gets really muddy again.

Since he was in all day I really wasn't sure what kind of brain Charlie would have, but surprisingly he was really good. We even cantered, which we haven't done for a very long time under saddle. Both of us aren't in working shape yet, so it wasn't the prettiest, but we didn't have any real arguments so that's a success in my book. Charlie was looky and spooked at a few things, though. I was proud of myself for still having the muscle memory to sit through these episodes and also proud of him for coming right back afterward and not losing his head completely. One particular time I was really not sitting centered and he let me know with a big hind end kick out; I almost fell off....Oops! I'm glad, actually, when horses do stuff like that to let me know that I've fallen out of position and am riding like crap, even if it means I do end up falling off. It's a good reminder.

Today my goal was to canter with Charlie (check) and achieve tantrum-free transitions (check). Next time I'll work on getting him to lower his head and start to use his core.

To end for today here is March's conformation shot. Charlie was looking a bit ribby when I got back from my trip so I started him on some beet pulp (no molasses, we don't want to send him even more through the roof!). I think we'll really be able to see a difference by this time next month as he puts on more weight and we start to work under saddle to develop his neck and back.

3/11/13