Pretty good training ride today.

We covered thirteen miles this afternoon. Our time was not the greatest. I was working on training issues along with the ride. Her trot has just got really bad, she discombobulates because she wants to break to a canter. I'm all for the canter, but on MY TERMS. Not just because she feels like doing the driving. So we worked on some of these issues. We also did intervals up my training hill, three trips up at the trot, and two at a hand gallop. We trotted all the rest of the hills today too and though they aren't big like at Clark, they are big enough to send heart rate into the 190's at the trot. Then we'd walk until things settled down, and pick the trot back up intermittently. The footing on our trails is still slippery on the hills, and wet and muddy in the bottoms. Today wasn't Phebe's best day as far as rating, but when she decided to act up (spooking, or just being a knot head) a verbal reminder was all it took to make her quit. We stopped in a field and I let her graze for ten minutes there, she drank well today (she had pre-ride low dose e-lytes), and we cantered several times. She required a correction once as she thought she'd start jumping sideways. Once that was worked out not so bad. I need to develop "trust" and it is hard for me having had so many unplanned dismounts in the past.

Once we got back, she pulsed to 47 in five minutes. Ate some feed, and drank some more water out of the water tank. She is looking lean again, so no more work until Friday, and we'll need to pour on the Cool Command for extra calories. ~E.G.