still lame

Mae was looking good at walk and gait, so we put her in the big field for a rest without coming in and out of the field every day, which would have been nice, except DeeDee, Valerie's palomino 3 year old got mega excited and led them a merry gallop down the hill to the other side of the 6 acres and then all the way back. Mae started hopping after about 3 strides, so I swore quite loudly and went and caught her again - she's very sweet to be caught even after being a mentalhorse with the herd - and walked her back in. She's now in a small paddock, on her own, with limited grass as she's quite the fatty, and she's not inclined to move faster than a walk. We have no idea what's still dogging her after 3 weeks, but it's very frustrating. She's sound at walk and has a good range of movement, but is still a bit wobbly in her gait and at canter. Sigh.

Ella, the 3 year old Rocky I'm working with is coming along very nicely. She's just learning how to canter under saddle and we've had to work through the problem of her becoming disunited behind every few strides which is very hard to sit to for my lower back! I went back to longeing her at canter and just riding her at walk and gait for a few weeks, then she had a break at grass for a couple of weeks. Now she's back in work and her canter is mega improved, so we're building up more and more of that.

The work with Stormy and Lilly is going well. I've tried a bit and a saddle on Lilly, just very calm and matter-of-fact and she accepted both with little problem. Stormy is still determined to be terrified of me when I swing a rope near her, so we're doing de-sensitization stuff with her each time I work her but it's going to take a long time.

I'm also working the Canadian mare, who has had lameness problems. She's on adequan now and has recently had all her shoes put back on, after trying her barefoot didn't work. Basically, she's a different horse. She's VERY headstrong and is ridden by beginners fairly often, and she just takes the mickey constantly, but not in a way they realise or know how to deal with, so when it comes back to me riding her, she'll start off being a pig. Valerie and I ride her in a kimberwicke whereas they ride her in a loose ring snaffle and I think she's worked out the pattern now. Kimberwicke - concentrate, be a lovely horse, snaffle - anything goes. I've had plenty of fights with her in the past, she's so alpha it translates into being ridden, even, but this last week she's been a dream to ride, big, powerful trot, soft mouth, willing attitude. It's like having a new horse at the barn!

Later today we're going to watch Maverik in a dressage competition at his new home. Exciting!