Matt is a Cadillac!

Yesterday, I was bound and determined to ride after work. Got home a tad early - before 6, so I saddled them up. Dude was especially good for saddling! I used my English saddle. He stood very still for the blanket and the wither pad and the saddle itself and only walked a little for the girthing. He stood still for a carrot a lot during tightening the girth. He likes for me to stretch his front legs after I tighten it. He's not whirling around like he used to so, Yay! However, it might have been because he is LAME. When I went to lead him in I noticed he was walking funny, very delicately. Then, when I got on him he just didn't feel right. When we went out on the street, he would not get on the pavement. Usually he prefers the pavement to the rocky grass on the side, but he could not stand the pavement. I dismounted and took hm back and picked and checked all his feet. No signs of trouble. I think he's sore from the trim he got Tuesday. I had let his shoes get too loose and one had fallen off and the ends of his hooves had been very ratty. So, I think Bill had to trim him pretty short to get the ratty ends off. They've never been lame after shoeing before, but since it seemed generalised, and not limited to any one foot, I think it was from the trim. My daughter didn't really want to ride anyway and had been going with me under protest, so I took my saddle off Dude and put it on Matt. Matt went willingly out onto the road and we were headed off when Dude went nuts and tried to tear down the front gate, so I had to go back. I rode Matt around the yard. Matt, I must say, is AWESOME. He turns on a dime and slow trots/jogs so smooth you can hardly post. I worked on getting him to flex at the poll and he responded pretty well. I asked for a shoulder in and he really tried to do it, but he tripped. Poor old fellow is rusty! I practiced closing my eyes and guessing whether I was on the correct diagonal (I was!!) I plan to work him a little every day for awhile to get him back in shape. He needs an extended trot, too. And I need canter practice! He hasn't been ridden much since my daughter broke her arm. I wish he was mine since he's just relaxing to ride. Its nice to have a Cadillac in the garage. My daughter doesn't want to practice for the show. I told her she's going to cry when she doesn't get a ribbon because she hasn't taught her horse to WTC on cue. she says she can do that already. Okay, don't cry to me when you don't get a ribbon. But, for Matt's sake, and because I like riding him, I am going to work on getting him in shape. I sneaked Matty bunches of baby carrots. He loffs me now. I wore my tall English boots. They are stiff, stiff since I haven't used them in years. I can't wait to get Matty into shape and start jumping little X's and things on him. I'm still going to work with dude, but I need the practice on Matt and he needs to be lightly worked on a more regular basis. Tonight, since I'm giving Dude a few more days off his sore feet, I plan to try to put a snaffle bit on him and let him run around and fuss about it in his mouth if he thinks he needs to. He's pretty accepting of anything I want to do to him these days around his head, so I'm going to give it a try. Wish me luck! ETA: I'm using this, from our own Improperusername, it is really good - has audio - be sure to listen! http://horsetrainingschool.com/tutorials/