Getting our Groove Back!

Whooo hooooo!! Today was the second day on bute for the "bute test". And it was either that, or the fact that Fleck was showing off for his friends, but he felt GREAT! 

 We met Kelli and Judy and went for a nice relaxing hack. Then we played in the field a little. Fleck felt pretty darn good. I only noticed the right front about 4 separate steps, mostly in the downward transition or down hills. But that was really it. So yay! That makes me happy. And know what else makes me happy? I thought about lifting my shoulder, and I fixed the right lead canter. The first time we tried I missed it because I was still overthinking it. But then I just thought, bend and lift my shoulder, and we were on the right lead. Whoo hooo.

 So then they went to go video Cash and I stayed and did some hills. Fleck was soooo mad that they left him. He kept bolting and galloping. Wheee!! I didn't mind. I'm glad he feels good. So we did some trotting and cantering on the hills. Then they came back. I wanted to see what they thought so I jumped a bit. We jumped three of the little stadium fences that Ann had set up and then I let him jump the prelim cabin. And then we continued up the hill to the two prelim roll tops. He wasn't jumping beautifully, but I wasn't helping him at all. And it wasn't horrible. We just didn't quite have our timing down. And I wasn't really making him sit and use himself. Still, he felt like he was jumping decently. He wasn't rolling over his shoulder. He just wasn't as balanced as he could have been. And my eye is so off. We chipped one and took a flyer to another. So then I turned and we did the two training coops, which he jumped quite nicely. Then we trotted down the hill and then I picked up the canter and jumped the two cabins again. Again, one flyer and one chip. Doh! I could hear Fleck thinking "Get it together mom, jeesh". But Kelli said it wasn't too bad. She said his rhythm was nice and he wasn't rolling over his shoulder, but that he was a little flat. So then I decided to jump the cabin once more but focus on balance. And man... I'm rusty. We got nice and balanced and rocked back but I left a little bit too much leg off so we crossed the line to under-energized. So he had to heave a little bit. But, he was nice and rocked back on his hocks and he cleared it effortlessly, despite his Agassi sound effects. And it felt quite nice. So... we just need to work out the rust. 

But YAY!!! It felt soooooo good to be jumping my guy again. And galloping. And he felt GOOD. He kept picking up the trot and canter on his own. And I didn't feel anything funky behind. And only those few steps of the right front. So whooo hooo. Maybe training at Wind Ridge in a few weeks will work. Plus he's looking so fit and lean right now. :) Dr. Bob's fitness protocol is freakin' tough, but it's a good prep for a horse trial. So... win win. 

Yay! Guess we'll see how he feels tomorrow. He was iced and then arnica'd. And he seemed happy as a clam.