PISSED

I did a lesson on Saturday and it was awful.

Ashke was pissed. PISSED.

He looked for Cali and when she didn't show up he started looking for J. Then he got upset we weren't riding out. I mean, it was Saturday and we DON'T lesson on Saturday!!!

He must have ran for a good five minutes. When he was moving the other direction, his right leg got tweeked again.

Then I put him in side reins.

He wasn't happy. In retrospect, I shouldn't have tried the lesson, because if you watch the above video you can see him moving very sorely on his right hind.

He had zero forward in the indoor arena, which is where we did the lesson. There was half a dozen horses in the outdoor arena. He refused to drop his head, he refused to walk forward, he had no interest in propelling himself from his hind end. At one point I tried to use a carriage whip to move him forward at the walk, because he was completely ignoring my heel. It worked to get him to move, but was to ungainly to hold, so I eventually dropped it.

I think Cassandra was frustrated with his lack of response, so she got on him but the results weren't much better.

We did get a couple of good canters in, one in each direction, where he was beginning to move correctly. The one to the right was almost a disaster, since we were moving at a canter while two of the big friesians were coming in the gate and one was going out. We threaded the friesian needle by my asking him for more speed, but then when we slowed at the far end of the arena while turning to the right, I felt his right haunch give a little under us and knew he needed to be done.

Cassandra did congratulate us on being able to get ourselves out of trouble without getting hurt. Next time, however, we are going to make the weekends about trail riding only, at least until it gets cold.

I walked him out and then let him graze while waiting for Susan to finish a horse she was working on. I was hoping to get her to work on Ashke this weekend instead of next.

I love how he looks and how strong his back is getting. Although, he gets sore, it's because I am pushing him and asking him to do the work. I tell him it's PT. 

Susan did make time for us and worked with him for almost two hours. I will write about it when I get her summary.

Diane, Rider of Fletch, is interested in going to see Diane Wagner. We are looking at going either the 29th or 30th of November. If it's the 30th it will give J a chance to pull the trailer.

Ashke will get Sunday off and then we will ride with N and Cali on Monday. I hope the work on his right side and the day off  improves both his haunch and his attitude.

And just cuz I can . . . .