Leg stretcher trail ride!

After five days of 'vacation' Boomer finally got back to work. I gave him Monday-Thursday totally off with occasional grooming and a little feed/electrolytes to get him back up to normal. It only took about 24 hours before he felt like he was recuperated. I am amazed by his recovery time! On Friday I lunged him for about 20 minutes just to see how he was moving and was pleased to see that he looked 100% sound with plenty of energy.

Since starting dressage lessons I have been really studying Boomer's mechanics and trying to figure out where he is crooked. All horses travel a little crooked and it manifests in different ways. Boomer is easier to bend right, but actually travels more correctly to the left. So, his weak side is the right. He prefers the left lead and seems to trot stronger with his right hind, always pushing me up on to the left diagonal. He does lateral work easier from right to left. When I pick out his feet he always hikes up his left hind leg really high. I know these things don't really seem connected, but 50 miles of trail will give you plenty of time to make some strange connections. My conclusion is that Boomer's left hind leg is weaker. I'm fairly certain it isn't pain of any sort, I think he is just trying to avoid 'loading' that leg and really bending it underneath himself. So, part of our lunge work on Friday included some leg yields in hand along the wall. I am going to try to make an effort to build up that left hind and see if it makes a difference anywhere else in his body.

Saturday was our first day back riding and my friend who came on the Endurance ride let John borrow her horse JJ to go for a trail ride! We went to Kill Creek trails and rode for a little over 2 hours. It was really fun to get out with John! I know riding isn't 'his thing' but he is such a trooper to do that with me!

John was changing the water filter in the fridge and Charley had to get involved.

Anybody know what this tree is?