some progress, some regression

The vet came to look at Mae and did plenty of tests on her. She looked lame on both front legs. He couldn't give a definite diagnosis, but he believes it's ligaments in or around the fetlock and ankle. She's off for another 3 weeks on a tapered bute regime with a DMSO massage every day. Fingers crossed that will sort it out.

Maverik was ace in his competition. His new rider has only sat on him 8 times since she got him, what with his cracked skull and another problem where his leg blew up to twice its size! He won his level one and level 2 tests and then a huge storm hit and he didn't have the chance to do his Kur. He looked so calm and not at all spooky and the girl rides him beautifully with soft hands and patience! He wasn't at all excited to see either of us, which is a good thing, really! Hopefully I can go see him in his next few competitions as well. What a star. I felt like it could have been me winning the competitions as the tests were exactly the sort of thing I was working on with him. Counter canter loops, extension, collection, medium trot and canter. I had him ready and now they're reaping the benefits. I'm very proud.

Lilly is now longeing in walk and trot with the saddle on, very calmly. She's not expected to canter until she has been certified with the RMHA so my next step is going to be stirrups tied under her with a stirrup leather, and then I can start long lining properly. I tried a couple of weeks ago but she wasn't thrilled with the line around her legs, so I waited til she relaxed and then stopped, to try again once she's fine with stirrups. I am also taking her on mini trails with the bit and bridle on so she can mouth away at it - it's a happy mouth fulmer cheek snaffle - whilst sightseeing and just having me controlling her from the halter. I longed her with it on on Thursday, with the longe attached to the halter. She mouthed for a while but then settled and left it alone. Once she is long lining with the saddle on, to the halter, I will start showing her what the bit means and go from there.

Ella is doing well with her canter. We had a lesson last week where Lise had me ask for the upward transition with a gentle contact, then once the canter was established, hold the outside rein, push her into that with my inside leg and just use the inside rein for direction. To stop her losing her balance and changing behind, I rode her on a diamond shape, asking for tighter turns with a take and release. It seemed to work and she didn't change after the first canter.

Finally, Stormy. She lost her fetus, so no baby for her next year. Grace is the only one expecting, so that's given us a dilemma as to what to do with Stormy. She overreacts to just about everything. Her first issue was barging on the leadline, so she goes most places with a chain over her nose as despite all the work done with her, she still doesn't always feel like stopping when you stop. Next were here ears. She'd snort and fling her head violently if you so much as brushed over them with your hand. Now, she's a bit easier, as long as you telegraph explicitly what you're going to do and rub her face and neck plenty as well.

I started longeing her and she would just run. She didn't know woah; she didn't actually know how to longe, so I had to spend time showing her and correcting her everytime she switched back the other way and ran backwards, snorting and eyes rolling as I tried to get behind her quarters and drive her on. Now, she'll longe both ways, she understands woah but usually needs a tug on the line to actually stop. She still has moments of eye rolling panic, but these don't seem to be in any pattern. She freaked out at me swinging the line at her one day that I stood her up and gently slapped her all over with it to show that she wouldn't die if I did that. She trembles and snorts if it takes more than 2 tugs on the line to stop and I have to really pull. I longe her in a Myler snaffle with a copper roller and she seems to accept this, but I'm starting to wonder if she's still terrified, or if she's trying it on at times. In our last session, she went well to start with, just doing walk and woah - we haven't gotten to tolt yet -but then she started stressing and gaiting really fast, not responding to my woahs, only the really firm ones, which brought her to a direct halt and the aforementioned trembling and eye-rolling. Then, I'd go to ask her to 'walk on' which she knows fine when she's calm, and she'd just stare at me, so I'd wave the line at her quarters, and she'd fling her head up and explode into a sideways gait, skittering away from me like I was beating her. She alternated between fast gait and scared stop until I got her on a tiny circle and forced her to walk. I hit her once or twice - very gently! - when she was trying to keep facing me and I wanted her to move away. She kept positioning her body straight on so I couldn't get to her side, so I slapped her on the shoulder with the rope. She panicked, but only as much as when I circle the rope at her. Sigh. She's a puzzle.