Well...we finished our first 100

...miles that is *LOL* Phebes has completed 100 trail training miles at this point. We've been doing some schooling exercises working with transitions, and trying to get the canter smoothed out to be "buck free". The biggest problem at the canter right now is NO WHOA! I had to point her at a fence last night to get her stopped and I thought........I'm coming off again..............! But managed to hang with it thanks to the saddle horn. So the plan now is to walk, then trot, then canter a few strides, and transition right back to the trot, and a whoa. That was working better. It takes me about six strides to find my balance point at the canter, so I no sooner find it, then need to transition her down. We'll just keep working at it until we can get it right.

I've also taken her on two short solo rides to get the idea in her mind that she can go out without Cree along. Our neighbor has a hay field, so we rode the edge of that up and back about four times on Tuesday. I let her rest and graze when we got to the edge of the woods. Then last night (Wednesday) I decided to take her into the woods and to the logging road behind the woods (this is where the training trail starts). She hesitated a few times, but no real balking, just slow and cautious which is okay for now. So that was her first real solo ride, and it went well.

She walks right into the horse trailer now without direct and drive. She is making progress, it just comes slow, but I'll take that. I hope to get her to the park at least a couple of times before the riding season is over. Hoping whatever is ailing Cree is over by then. We booted him, and the grade 3 lameness on his hind hoof became barely detectable. He was sensitive to pressure on his heel bulbs and I think that he had a deep bruise. Doug has been doing Epsom salt soaks, giving him Arnica, and booting him.

Have to get ready for work ~Endurance Granny