Canter!

Ace did what I had hoped he would do this morning, popped into canter without being asked and so unexpectedly that I had no time to be nervous before it was obvious that it was not a problem. He was cautious and quiet, just like he was in his earlier trot. Going on the other rein, I wondered whether to ask for a transition and thought 'why not?', so I did. And of course he just did a gentle large circle in canter that way too.  Next week I want to open my Christmas presents, because this was supposed to be where he got to by Christmas :-) !!

He is building an ever thicker layer of back muscle, and it is firming up in consistency while not losing any of its elasticity. This was definitely the right rehab for him, he is physically and mentally going from strength to strength.

Footwise, the foot on the  leg that used to have the outward knee action is now pointing outwards when he stands up straight,  when it used to point inwards. Whatever has changed inside the shoulder above it is mega-big, and I will take his schooling cautiously until his muscles have had time to adapt to supporting him on corners with his new conformation.

The eagle eyed amongst you will spot that I am not out hunting :-)   I decided that only the most die-hard hunter would take Radar with the hole that he still has in his foot. If the sun had been shining, I might have packed it up hard and gone, as I have in the past. But it isn't, it's cloudy, damp and windy, and what point is there in taking a risk with his foot in those conditions? None? I thought so too.

So now I am going out for a walk. My smile is now in Jean's sitting room on one side and somewhere in Germany on the other.

C