The Royal Spotted One makes known...

I started the evening wanting to go out for a long trail ride. The temperture dropped from over a hundred degrees to suddenly FALL overnight. Overcast, and a nice breeze, most folks wearing flannel or light jacket (me in tank top as I'm always HOT HOT HOT). Journey was acting really goofy with the weather change and especially the wind, so we stuck to ground exercises, and since she was such a pistol, just as well we did. She probably remembered our ride in the pouring rain yesterday and was thinking no! Not again!



Journey made clear what she happens to think of my leadership this evening.  On the longe line she kicked out at me because I was asking for a change in direction.  Hmmm....I kept my own desire for a temper fit in check (as that would be unproductive), took a deep calming breath or two and kept at it.  Journey is calm and attentive with low energy activity.  But when you start asking her to move her feet, really move them, she has a little redheaded foot stamping F-I-T.    So I reckon we will be doing more of that, until she can go about it in a calm manner, without trying to rush the exercise, or voting for the changes of direction. 

I also had her trotting poles and she was really picking her feet up nice for the first time.  It also really rounded her back to move that way, so we are going to have some good fifteen minute sessions on just working those poles.  She was also booted on the front and the boots seemed fine even at the canter on the longe line.  I'm kicking around drilling a hold through the bottom and customizing them using Chris Martin's Goober Glue which creates a rubbery custom pad that fills the frog and stays put.  I'll try it with a couple of my old boots first which we'll use for training rides, and see how that works for her.  She was sure plenty energetic wearing them and her gait was much more animated and she was reaching instead of that little motor boat funny way she goes. 

I'm noticing Journey's topline is beginning to fill in a little, and she's gained some weight.  I'd still like to see maybe another fifty pounds on her, but I think building muscle will do a lot for her looks.  I'm already starting to see a cut in her hind leg muscles, and she's getting some definition in her chest. 

We are inching our way...in tiny little increments towards the goal.