Wednesday, April 13, 2011

A girl can never have too many shoes!

The Diva  has back shoes - she is all grown up now!  Farrier had been holding off on back shoes, but her hooves were getting too worn down now that she is in full work under saddle.  She took it all in stride and did amazingly well for her shoeing.  She is normally a handful and gets irritated when the nailing begins.  Farrier was pleased with her behavior today.  Good Mare!

I put her on the lounge, and she was tracking up well and moving smoothly at w/t/c.  On the right lead, she kept doing flying lead changes at the canter.  I had husband come out and get her going on the lead and she gave up the switching when he got after her and made her stay on the correct lead.  Sometimes, I am just not firm enough...but I am working on it!

We worked inside - had the indoor to ourselves, since it was a gorgeous warm day.  Other boarders went out to ride.  I worked again on trot to walk to trot transitions with contact.  Riva seems to like this and was responding well.  We worked in some leg yield at walk and a few at trot.  We moved on to canter and got 1 & 3/4 laps on the left lead.  1 lap on right lead.  When we tried it again, 1 & 1/4 on left lead - 3/4 on right lead.  The left lead feels very rhythmic and smooth once she gets going - right lead is still very up and down and inconsistant.  But - no bucking or silliness...I will take it!

I forgot to mention that I cut off most of that lovely mane she had been growing for 3 1/2 yrs last night.  I want to braid her for our show next weekend and that hair had to go.  I did it really fast, cause it was kinda sad for me.  But she looks adorable with her sporty mane - she likes to flip it around now :)  We also sticked her to check her height and weight - had not done that for awhile.  She is just a hair over 16 hands and weighs about 1065 lbs. 

More pics from last night:



Headed back to the barn


Halt at X

1 comment:

Achieve1dream said...

Aww I would have been sad about the mane too! You need to get picture of her new sporty mane so we can see it. :D