April 2023 Wrap Up - In duplicate

I haven't so much had to figure out the formatting of how to wrap up the month for two horses in one post because Ben hasn't been doing anything worth writing about. We actually did go XC schooling and had a jump lesson and a dressage lesson, but he's not quite been himself. Sore in parts of his body from compensating for sore feet, although that wasn't always completely apparent to us. It really came to a point last week when he went dramatically lame on his right front, a frog bruise from the welded in plate that was trying to protect his feet. We've switched farriers, have some new foot rads, and I think have a plan. But in the interest of not wallowing, I haven't been blogging about it much. 

Current regimen of icing and then epsom poultice or magic cushion

His farrier recommended putting the bagged kiln dried shavings in his stall to help dry his feet. Especially since it finally started raining here and now it's monsooning basically every day. I'm really not complaining though, when we get to doing things again, the ground will be much more forgiving. Ben was SO pleased and helped distribute the shavings and then had a delightful roll in them. At least he's finding joy somewhere since it is certainly not in icing his feet. 

Delighted!

Sooooo, let's talk about da bebe horse! He comes out each time better than the last. And time off between rides doesn't seem to matter much to him. He had: 

• A field trip to JT's to extract an incisor cap 
• One trail ride getting ponied off of Ms GY's older guy 

• SIX lunging sessions - WOW! I did not realize we had lunged that many times until counting on my calendar just now. He got better and better each time and our last session he actually trotted a few circles where he did a generally circle shaped circle
• FOUR rides off our home turf. I hesitate to really call them trail rides because they were pretty short, but anyways, four rides away from where he lives. The first two we had company, the last two were solo. The first solo one, we just went down the driveway until we encountered a rather large snek. But Gogs was SO GOOD! None of the nappiness about leaving the herd. The last one we went solo again and actually opened the gate out ourselves. We walked past the hay field and almost to the corner. When we turned around, he thought maybe we should trot home. I told him no, he tried one more time, and then settled for a power walk with his nose almost on the ground. Weird, but okay! 

Beautiful red rat snake wasn't interested in moving, so we gave and turned around

Before we got to the snek

Solo and pretty far from home, staring at cows

What a lad, Goggins! 

• FOUR other under saddle rides at home. Today was technically May, but I have to brag on him. I put out two trot poles in the ring and was using them both as trot poles and as a focus point to figure 8 through. The first day we did it, it was HARD to aim through them. Steering is very difficult. But today we worked on it again and he was SO MUCH BETTER! We haven't cantered, either under saddle or on the lunge, although Ms. GY did offer to scoop me up today if I wanted to try it LOL. I don't think it would go that way, we just don't have the steering or light connection that I want before moving on to a canter. His trot is ALREADY improving so much though. He really wanted to kind of... bounce up and down through his shoulder, but not in a fun suspension way, more of a pogo stick way, but he is already getting so much smoother and better at going FORWARD not up and down. 

I am enjoying this phase SO MUCH. He is clever and relaxed and just such a good boy. It is so much fun teaching him how this whole thing is supposed to work and watching the wheels turn. Each time he seems to remember exactly what we worked on last time and starts right where we left off. I am endlessly impressed with him, in case the raving up until this point hadn't made it clear. 

This Friday we're going to JT's with Ms. GY and her guy. I'm so excited to get some under saddle help with him!