Progress?

We finally had a lesson with DQ after our massage. She could see the difference, too!


In our lessons, we have been working on the most basic basics, so our lesson looks like the endless 20-meter circle around the instructor. The connection at trot was so consistent this time that we moved on to riding the long sides and long diagonals! Hooray!

Again, she gave me more canter to work with, but she is just not accepting the outside aids. To set us up for success, DQ had us start with a little bit of haunches in then make the canter transition from the walk. We made progress in explaining to Psycho Mare that we want her to accept the outside aids. In true Psycho mare fashion, however, she stepped into counter-canter. Kudos for me, as I have been riding this mare consistently enough that I could tell DQ exactly *why* she was picking up the wrong lead. Regardless, we made more canter progress than we had made in a little while. At least this time she maintained the gait long enough for DQ to see what evasions she normally throws at me when we are working in general.

At the end of the lesson, we discussed my ‘homework’ (I always ask for homework). We have instructions to work on leg-yield in earnest! She also advised 15-meter canter circles and more haunches in.

She looks so excited about it, doesn't she?

Psycho Mare has really been relaxing into my massaging efforts!  Her head gets droopy…  Her eyes get sleepy looking… She sways in time with my massage strokes!  MT advised DMSO with my massage efforts, and she seems to have accepted it pretty well.  She had reacted a little to Absorbine, so I’ve been experimenting with other stuff.  Bigel Oil went over nicely, but she REALLY seemed to like the Equi-Spa Cool Muscle Wash!

let's get some muscle on this butt!

I'm interested to document any changes we get over the next severl months.  Hope you enjoy butt shots!

just relaxing - we don't work hard ALL the time!