Summer cont.

It is difficult to describe the change in Ace. I am not sure that I have the subtlety of words to allow you to picture the difference for yourselves. We went for a hack and he is still spooky. But the quality of the spooking is very different. There is no attempt to spin for home, which is what he has always done before. He still looks at things and still, though much less often, spooks at them. But there is no feeling of danger in the spook, and there is a feeling that he is looking to me to tell him that it's safe. Both those feelings are new. Of course it could simply be the very hot weather that has taken the edge of him but if so it's a mighty coincidental change.

Other things that are new:

- he lies down a lot less than he used to. I used to find him lying down more often than not when I went to check them in the barn. Now he's on his feet more often than he is lying down, and for the first time ever the other day I found Radar lying down and Ace on his feet.

- once they settled their differences, Radar and Ace were mutual grooming. I have never seen Radar mutual groom anyone.

- Ace no longer bites doors. I have said many times that if I kept him in a stable he would be a crib biter, because he had a habit of gently grasping the door or the top of the yard bench in his teeth from time to time. That has disappeared, though we could also have expected that from curing his ulcers.

All in all I have a different horse. He is even carrying himself differently when he is not under saddle. He looks magnificent. I've asked SH for some video to show you how loose he is now and we'll try and get that on Saturday.

It is seven days today since I began to ride him after the injections. He has already made so much progress I am on cloud nine. Please, please let the operation be a complete and permanent cure!

C