Another Horse...

Sometimes I think the last thing I need is another horse to be working.  Then I get my sanity back and get all excited again.  :) 

The Coach said at our lesson on Monday (which was a challenge by the way, but went overall well), that she wanted me to come and have sort of an "intro" ride for another of the ex-racehorses that needs the next step up in her training.  So today I went over and after discovering that one of my friends took me up on my recommendation and is riding with the Coach also (yay!), I went and got Paradox, an Arabian about six years old.  She is nice on the ground overall; although she really could use some basic groundwork to learn to move off pressure--I can hardly back her up at all--she isn't spooky, ties well, and seems quite sensible.  Also she is a pretty good trail horse and quite calm.  The main thing we were working on, and are going to be working on, is her canter.  Tisn't pretty, and she likes to snake her neck around and act obnoxious whenever you ask her to do something she doesn't want to do.  The chiropractor and the vet have been out to see if she had any problems that way, and she's been adjusted.  Of course there's always the possibility of another physical problem but nobody can think what it might be.  And the fact that she only does it when she doesn't want to do something seems suspicious.

She was sore today so we didn't canter much.  Accidentally I made it worse when I pushed her a bit too hard in the round pen and she slipped pretty good.  Ugh I feel bad. :-/  But we did a bunch of walk-trot transitions on the grass, which let me see and deal with some of her issues at a slower pace, and Coach was able to show me the set-up she wants her ridden in at canter.  And I am now needing to ride her at least twice a week if at all possible, outside lessons, plus still working with Rhapsody, plus Rusty and Fringe and the Bay Boy and whoever else happens to be available, plus, most recently, working a friend's green horse over 12-18" jumps during our lessons.

School?  Who needs school? :)  Oh yeah, that's right, that's why I'm getting up at 4:30 a.m. to do the school stuff so I have afternoons free at the barn...okay, so you didn't need another indication of my insanity I guess...better go to bed now. :)