Speedy's Back in Business

I guess when you own a horse long enough, there will be years like the one Speedy and I are having. Sometimes he's at work, other times he's on the disabled list. Right now, he's back on the roster.

He's barefoot in the front, but he's sound. I am particularly grateful because I worried about him being sore simply because his soles might not have been hard enough to deal with the ground up close. I needn't have worried. He's also sporting bell boots 24/7 in case his sore tootsies were from the bruises on the walls of his hooves.

Helmets for his feet!

Being sound does not mean that he's working well however. He had two weeks off, and somehow his brain leaked out during that time. He's behaving himself in the barn, but he has forgotten what it means to accept the contact and to use his hind end.

To put it mildly, Speedy has attended several church revival meetings this week where he has had more than one come to Jesus moment. Can I get an amen, sister?! I have a feeling that I am preaching to a choir of converts! I am not sure what in the hell happened, but that boy has decided to let me carry his entire weight in my two hands. 

For a brief period, I spurred his little butt for 20 solid minutes while he bucked and kicked out all the while refusing to canter on the right lead. With enough motivation and preaching, he finally decided to just suck it up and c.a.n.t.e.r.

This is what a gray pony looks like after he's had his butt kicked!

I know we are not in show form yet, and I hate to embarrass myself at this weekend's show, but if I don't just get out there and do it, I'll keep talking myself out of it. I feel like we have this gigantic First Level monkey on our backs. We showed First Level in the fall at a schooling show and scored pretty well (63/64%), but now we need to do it at a CDS-rated show.

If we were to score a 60%, I would be over the moon happy, but since I haven't prepared as much I like, we'll be lucky to earn a 57%. I need to start memorizing the tests, I've barely looked at test 2, and get my butt in the right frame of mind. I know we can do this - we've been working hard all winter on developing more thrust and collection. 

I just need to do my part by putting it all together. Go team Speedy!