July 31- Back..from vacation

Titled as such because I returned from a wonderful week in Vail with a very sore back.

Sherlock did well under CC's care, I think he even gained a bit of weight. He did well with the citronella bands and his feet weren't chipped up or legs stocked up! They were starting to fade over the course of the week, then I took them off due to mud. I expect they will not last the listed 5 weeks- but even 2 weeks was very helpful.

I just said hello the first day back and gave out some carrot slices. The new POA mare, Maya is in with them and Sherlock is a bit grumpy about her but seems peaceful with Trigger now.

Tuesday we had a hand-walking day. Up the hill to the pond, Sherlock was nervous up there. Came back down and grazed the edge of the hay field along the back edge of the lesson horse pasture. Strong walk coming back. Still a little nervous passing by Lady and her foal Dobby.

Went back to the barn and free lunged just a few minutes. He was stiff at first but opened up well. Walk/Trot very nicely. Had grain and groomed up, went home.

I had to go out early on Wednesday, and I beat the girls feed truck. It was already raining quite hard. I just gave him a small amount of beer grain and took off the fly bands for rinsing. Pics of mud coverage for the day- quite good, I guess 85%.

July 18- ride #37, busybusy

Wow-working very hard during this time at two part-time jobs and selling items on eBay.

Sherlock looking good in blue.

On July 3 the pinto mare went back to the lesson horse pasture and Trigger moved in. Large disruption. Sherlock was very desperate to get back on top and they seemed to be fighting a lot, new bites and scrapes all the time. Really hot, 93-97 degrees for days.

July 9 Rode in indoor. Walk, small amount of trot, walked over poles. Free longed more trot afterwards for conditioning.  Recall game over pole when he realized I had carrots! Grain and some alfalfa hay.

Then it began raining every day and making everything really muddy and slick.
July 12th I fed Sherlock in the paddock and got trapped in the shelter by a thunderstorm. Sherlock was good a while and then he'd push Trigger outside, so I drove him out too. After a couple times getting wet he hid behind me and was good. I hope this helps.

July 13 Worked in round pen 30 minutes- walk/trot/canter, and over groundpole. Just enough to need to catch breath twice, worked up a sweat. Hosed down.

July 16 Good grooming, all mud scraped off, worked indoors, w/t/c. Put on citronella leg bands and collar to keep flies off without needing flyspray while I'm away. Smelly! But they work- almost immediately stopping the stomping.

Getting ready for Vail vacation. C is going to feed Sherlock his grain while I'm gone. Glad to have someone watching over him.