Nothing is easy...

Well last night was supposed to be the first real lesson on Hobbs with Danny. So I get on him and he's three legged lame from where Legacy or Cody kicked him 10 days ago. He got kicked right at the same time as the abscess, but it wasn't deep and he was never lame, but he must've picked up an infection. It was swollen, hot and a little pussy. So he went on antibiotics and bute and this morning things seem to be on the right track. I'm still a little nervous of course because of the leasing situation and then Danny was telling us to get an X-ray to make sure....but we are going to wait considering I XC schooled on it and he was fine. Of course this all happened on the day I tried to figure out my show schedule, so of course I'm thinking it's fate that I shouldn't be trying to show this fall....ugh....it's never easy. Just as I think things are on the right track something happens. I'm just ready for a break....instead I keep having breakdowns!!

Anyway, last night I hopped on Legacy instead and Danny taught me a neat trick I think for any horse, but especially for Legacy. He always gets a little hot when we have horsey visitors and he gets VERY distracted. So Danny taught me how to control his shoulders with my reins. I was essentially neck reining his shoulders in and out on a circle while keeping the same bend. Legacy tends to bulge his right shoulder while going to the left, so this was really helping me to keep him on the track I wanted to go. It also helped to make him light in the bridle, which has been our focus forever. Danny also gave me an insight on how to work on lead changes...I need to get him to do the hind end first. The small amount of work I've done with Legacy on changes has resulted in only his front end changing. So Danny told me if I'm on a circle to the right and I have a right bend I just need to bring my right leg back and get his hind end to move out of the circle, while maintaining the bend, until he changes his hind. So that's what we are going to start working on as well as the neck reining of the shoulders. A few nice exercises to work on with both of the boys this fall. I am planning on entering Radnor on October 9 with Hobbs, so hopefully the infection clears up and he'll be good to go...fingers crossed.