Progress report on Pete and Boomer

Today was Pete's owners (also the barn owner) birthday. Her husband got him all tacked up and had me ride him around for about 15 minutes to make sure he was calm. Then I left the family to do their birthday surprise. The owner and her daughter both rode Pete around at a walk. He did really well for them. He was responsive to their turns and was patient while they figured out how to handle the reins correctly. I gave the owner some tips on holding the reins in both hands and moving both hands in the direction she wanted to turn to help him learn to neck rein. She was so thankful to me for how far he had come along. I really wish I could have seen him ridden before. He has progressed and I look forward to working on more with him. Tomorrow, I plan on working on trotting circles as he doesn't know how to trot and turn at the same time. Saturday, I might take him out in the big pasture for a trail ride and next week I would like to work on cantering if he seems ready.

I rebandaged Boomer's leg and he was really good about it. I rinsed it out and he stood there holding his leg in the air for the whole 10 minutes! He held it up in the air while I was bandaging it also, which made it difficult to get it low enough below the fetlock, but it will do until tomorrow or Saturday. I was really happy with how patient he was. He didn't try to kick my head off once! He did have a swelling on his neck near the injection site for his xylazine sedative. I called the vet and he said it was a hematoma from the injection. Boomer tossed his head turing the injection and made it difficult to set the needle right and some blood leaked. I am supposed to put DMSO on it twice a day and it should clear up in three days.