2/3's Ain't Bad

OK, so I've had wonderful rides this week, albeit mostly at the walk.

Tilly has turned a corner and is really starting to use her back at the trot and offering a much more controlled canter. Gone are the days of her legs spinning in little cartoon circles to get to the canter (whew!). Now we are still working on balance, especially when turning; I wish I could take her outside somewhere and let her canter big long lines... but that'll have to wait til spring. She's still a pretty brave little pony, only offering little spooks when a door slams shut or the wind blows snow against the arena and it sounds like someone is sandblasting outside. So that's one.

RC and I worked on getting his neck down at the walk and trot-walk transitions. He's slowly started bracing his underneck and bringing his neck very upright (odd for a QH, isn't it) in the downward transitions. While it looks like a fancy upper level horse to those who don't know (and UDBBers would be so proud, his poll is always the highest point), he's locking the base of his neck and dropping his back in the transitions so that nistead of feeling like all of his energy is flowing smoothly from gait to gait, it's like learning to drive a stick shift and possibly leaving the tranny on the road after a particularly bad gear change. BUT we had a great day of staying over the back with lots and lots of easy, correct transitions. That's two.

And Delight makes three.
I had a great ride on her as well; she was relaxed in the walk and trot, lifting her back and coming out through her neck in stead of curling, so why doesn't she get marked up as a success?
When trotting to the right, she's off. She's not lame when  lunge; both diagonal pairs are even and covering the same amount of ground, but she's bobbing her head every few strides. It's better when I give her the reins and don't drive her forward. It's gone when I free lunge her in the arena. Her legs are cool and firm, but she does have some soreness on her heels. Other than the occasional bob of her head, she's the same happy pony she's always been. Sigh.

Rolling in the snow is a new hobby....

"Got anything better?"

My very non professional opinion is that she catches her front heel with her inside hind when she's tracking to the right. To the left, she's easier to put into the shoulder fore, her inside hind already coming to the middle of her body, but to the right she wants to track very very straight. I suppose it's time to start booting her up... Dover, here I come!