Cold with a warm feeling inside.

I'm smiling today!   I really needed Ace to be better today, or at the very least not to be any worse than he was yesterday.  He's made a breakthrough :-)

I lunged for a few minutes in a very cold wind, six degrees or so out there this morning. Then I got on and he walked 30 metres to the gate. I took him back and did it again, and on the second go he really let go of some mental tension and I could feel it in his mouth and neck.  He stamped only once today, very half heartedly, and made no other gestures of mental or physical discomfort.

I am so happy with him now. I'll do the same again tomorrow, and then we are ready for a short hack next week, on the six week anniversary of the operation.

Yesterday I noticed another change in his movement. His hip bone is moving backwards and forwards as he walks and trots, not up and down like it used to. And his saddle is too narrow in front and will need a wider gullet plate put in it before I ride again. I didn't expect that, but it shows how differently he must be using his shoulders. The heel of one of his front feet has spread wider and I am hoping the other will follow suit in time, but it has always been narrower at the heel than the other. Both front feet are changing angle and have developed flares at the toe. The long bars are still there, so there is a lot more change and strengthening to come yet, which will be speeded up by us being able to get out on some hacks next week.

Onwards and upwards now I hope!

C