Two firsts today

No, I haven't been competing, but I have just taken Ace out in the rain and schooled for a while. For the first time he went straight into Jazz's old box without hesitating.  And for the first time Radar has allowed him to share haylage at the same rack instead of driving him away. I think the pair of them might end up as very good friends now that Jazz's influence has gone. He was not a lead horse, but he was the playground bully, and as we know he was not averse to the strategy "attack is the best from of defence" and leaving anyone he felt threatened by covered with blood.  I'll never forget seeing him pick all 9 hands of 2 year old Buttie up by his withers and throwing him into a wall. And I have to admit that travelling the other two is complete bliss, as is riding a horse with a still mouth. But I do miss the old toad. His trot was amazing to sit on. I found out in my research while he was ill that the final irony was that wobblers often produce a "mouthwatering" trot, as described in one medical article I read. It's a symptom, who would have guessed that, eh?

My guess is that it is because they are uncertain where their back feet are, so they push themselves higher into the air to give themselves more time to sort their legs out before they come down. Combined with  having developed enormous hind end strength because of the additional work that it takes to stay upright when your proprioceptors, that tell you where your legs are, are dying off. 

Anyway, Ace was delightful. His mouth is to die for. I haven't had one quite that responsive and steady in the contact ever before, and after Radar, who could chomp at a bit for Britain, and Jazz, whose mouth was quite simply rarely ever shut, never mind "giving", he's a joy.  I ask for lengthened strides, he canters, I squeeze my fingers and back he comes to trot, I ask again and away he lengthens. What more could I ask for?

I put his comfort blanket on, because it is very windy and was starting to rain. Who would have thought that I'd be using a winter exercise blanket in June! It's not been the best spring, has it? I have him worked out now. For some reason, you just have to walk until he offers a trot. If you ask him to trot before he is ready, he just bucks. If you stay in walk, he does some funny little skips, but no more. I don't have a problem with this, it doesn't take him long to settle and I see no sense in provoking a fight when his work is so good when he is happy that he's done enough walk. Last time I went to a trainer she insisted that I dig him hard with my spurs and made him go forward. I didn't do it, and I haven't been back to her since.

I'm off now with a friend to watch someone else who I have considered training with give her a lesson. Seeya!

C