Yesterday Tom was very good. I got on without lunging and walked him for 10 minutes before trotting. During this walk time I make promises to myself that I will not use my lower leg except when specifically needed and then I will remove it! Bad habits are really hard to break! After a bunch of trot work we did quite a bit of canter work and actually managed to work on walk/canter/walk transitions- from my seat- not from my lower leg! he was good and actually got kind of jazzed. I cooled him out with a long walk. I really need to get those clippers out!
Today it poured SO hard in the morning, I thought I wasn't even going to be able to turn out. Then the sun finally broke through and everyone went out to their respective pastures. It rained hard again in the afternoon, but the horses didn't seem to mind so I left them out. When I rode Tom at 4:00, the ring was flooded. A puddle stretched all the way down the far long side. I kept Tom out of that, but it meant no 20m circles. 15m was about the maximum. He had a hard time. I could tell that the not-great footing was bothering him, and the smaller turns weren't helping. We just trotted on a long rein for 20 minutes. Then I took him out down the road and trotted the 1/2 mile to the end and back and then up the hill to the neighbor's house. He seemed to like that. Definitely better footing made him happier. We walked back down the hill and he seemed to manage that OK. Some days (prior to knowing about the EPSM) he has a very hard time walking down that hill. He does a Hitler walk- flicking his front feet way out and "missing" the ground. Occasionally he'll shy to avoid the work and then all hell breaks loose as careens down the hill, unbalanced, uncomfortable, and slightly out of control! Today was good. None of that silliness.
I Picked up 2 bags of Poulin's Carb Safe and have started the transition from Blue Seal Demand. I also had Quiessence (a Magnesium supplement) delivered today and started him on that. Now I just have to get my hay tested.
Your workout and Tom's response to poor footing, smaller circles and down hill are reminiscent of mine with Jazz. It is amazing how similar the symptoms are....
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