Poshcob is on his way

Another good day, they are coming thick and fast. 

I have been suffering saddle slippage and my best friend (I believe if I were younger she would be my bestie) lent me her Acavallo anti slip pad. 

Today was Physio day and now that Charlie has had the all clear from last weeks X-rays we know we are dealing with just his retraining.

We lunged him in the school in just the cavesson and he looked great. His canter transitions were soooooo much better.

Grace was pleased with Diane's Gel pad and before we tacked up to ride she had a good look at Charlie's back. Here she noticed that Charles right shoulder had more muscle than his left which ties in with his use of his right leg as a prop for the weaker hind.

Then like a lamb to the slaughter we went down to the big field. Grace wanted to see walk trot and canter on big circles in the field. This we did and I had forgotten how much better his canter transitions had become. Maybe all the lungeing walk to canter in V reins had succeeded better than i realised its so difficult to tell when you are so close to the action.

We haven't got the softness and working from behind and through that we want but OMG the canter transition and actual canter was Whoo Hoo. Sooo much improved and something we can work with. I had forgotten how awful it had been. It is definitely the basis of our progress forward. It makes me realise that my early canter work last year in the field indicated an issue I was oblivious to. I thought it was just new horse syndrome.

His canter left was better than canter right as some sort of snort grunt and explosion occurred canter right and to be honest short of clucking and squawking like a chicken I think I nearly hid my anxiety that he might load his shoulder and piss off from Grace. I am not too worried because this is his weak side and something we need to work on plus last time we did this the saddle had slipped and unbalanced him so he was probably expressing his anxiety.

We finished our day by stripping off his tack and working through his muscles and stretches. I am pleased to note than since the EDT visit there is far less tension in his neck and everything else appears to be in the right place and functioning well.

So there is hope for me and my Poshcob yet as long as it isnt just his bute trial talking but to be frank I don't think it is we were part way here anyway.