Cuteness per Gator

Last night I was grooming my boy. No one around. My favorite time with him. He fell asleep while I braided his forelock with his head just at the perfect height for me to reach. He's a good boy that way. Well, I finished up, stepped back and looked at him. For some reason I thought of stretching out his front legs. I never have before but I thought, you know, he might enjoy it.

I reached down and picked up his left front leg behind the knee. He lifted it for me easily, seemed unsure though of what I was doing but as always was willing. I looped my hands around his knee and brought it up and forward to my tummy and just set my weight on my heels for 15 seconds or so to slowly stretch his shoulder. His eyebrow went up and then relaxed as if to say 'Oooh! That's niiice...'

I set it down. Tapped his right knee so he'd shift his weight and he easily lifted. This time he almost shut his eyes blissfully as I leaned back.

After I set down his right foot, he stuck out his left foot and I swear he batted his eye lashes at me. I guess he did enjoy it. Maybe it was a routine he'd gone through before and missed. I know we worked pretty hard this weekend so he very likely was muscle sore. We'll be sure to do it from now on.

We did this twice more per leg. By the end I had his knee almost to my chest just lightly setting my weight against his muscles and he seemed to really like it. He looked disappointed when I didn't go back for the opposite leg again. However, at some point we had to get that saddle on...

We had a great ride, worked on same things as our last lessons after a warm up of trotting the perimeter of our loop. He was more responsive on the trail and in the ring. I still wasn't perfect and I think I need to work on canter departs - don't rush him!

I'm still playing with stirrup length (though now they're at least even!) and working on simple changes.

I'm not sure if I'm not sitting his saddle forward enough which caused it OR he needs a wider tree... I had dry spots just behind and on both sides of his withers on his back Sunday; maybe yesterday? To think his previous saddle (same style and brand) was a size smaller than mine ... I did check for soreness after yesterdays ride. He bent away from sharp pressure as he should and didn't show signs of pain when the spots were massaged deep. I'll be mindful of it though. And he'll have today off.

Though I may go stretch him out, just for fun.