Some gloriously warm days to lift the spirits and get moving. Both boys have been ridden this week and despite time off, front shoes and a new saddle Cactus feels exactly the same to ride, this is not a good thing. I can’t work him out, there are moments, four or five strides down the long side, where he powers up and swings along but the vast majority of the time you are fighting the voices in your head “how many legs is this horse lame on?” and “can I ride at all?” - I don’t enjoy it, I come off him frustrated and sad. He has so many good points, he is insanely quiet, he would never think about bucking or taking off, other horses cantering around the outside of the arena gets a whatever response. Ambulance behind the hedge with blues and twos on and he’s trying to get closer for a look. He’s a kind horse that wants to work I just think physically he can’t, he’d probably would still trundle round some fields but he is not comfortable travelling to get to those quiet hacks. He came with a few “not ideal” issues, flare on all four feet, seasonal head shaker, a biter (completely at odds with the rest of his temperament) and his fitted with us saddle always wanted to shoot off to the right but equally he is an easy keeper, never pins his ears at the saddle, always seems jolly. I feel there are horses with much more obvious issues still in full work but for my sanity he will be relegated to occasional walks around the arena on sunny nights.
I have lost enough weight that I am happy sitting on Spider a little more and he is very jolly, in true pony style he is let down by the warning system of his naughty ears which activate before the rest of him. I was worried he’d had too easy a winter but hopefully we can keep him leaner than last year. Doglet is still living her best life!
