little victories

Wow, long time no update. Things have been a whirlwind of accomplishments and progress lately, and I couldn't be happier with the way Ace is coming along. I'm getting my driver's license soon, so I can go up as many time as I want (or as much as I can afford, with the gas prices and everything) during the week just to visit, ride, and fool around with my horse.

One thing that we've done lately that I am SO proud of is conquering the trailer. I know he's traveled quite a bit, but the B.N. (barefoot nazi, his old owner) tried to shove him in the trailer and ever since he's been saying uh-uh. He said it took Ace six hours before he finally gave up and jumped in. So, needless to say, I was a little apprehensive when we pulled the trailer out, and so was he. We gave him a little tranq paste--just to help him calm down and make things a pleasant experience--and my mom stood in the trailer with lots of grain and cookies while I put his leg on the lip of the trailer and then rewarded him once he left it there. I did that with both front feet, and then hopped up and helped my mom coax him in. It took about a half hour total, which is quite a reduction from the battle of Ace vs. the B.N. He backed out really quick once he was in, but we put him in again and he stayed in for a bit longer. We'll be pulling the trailer out again possibly next weekend, and I'm excited to see how much better he does this time around.

We've also hit the trails again. I was way, way impressed with him when we went out for the first time in almost six months... birds were flying, people were zooming down the road, and he didn't look twice at anything. It's amazing how much this horse has come around to all of the TLC and attention my family and I have been smothering him with. I think he's really enjoying himself, and knows we may push him out of his comfort zone, but only with lots of encouragement (and cookies!). I never make our rides a taxing ordeal, even when he is uninjured, so I think he's actually starting to enjoy work. We do more muscle-building exercises than anything in the arena, and he's always willing to please. At the walk, he's now able to half-pass, shoulder-in, counter arc, two-track, etc. with his ears forward and his body loose and relaxed. I got him a new bit, a french link D-ring, and he's become really soft in it. He carries himself in a frame now, rather than sticking his nose up in the air and resembling a giraffe.

Trotting is a bit of a different ordeal, as he's at about a 2 on the lameness scale. He's sound in the straight aways, but falters a bit in circles and the corners. He seems to be a little bit better every time I ride, which is a huge relief. Ace is expected to make a full recovery, even with his old fractured sesamoid (x-ray at left). I'm just glad that he'll be perfectly sound as long as we don't do any speed events or jumping, which is okay. The jumping is kind of a bummer, but there are plenty of other things I can do.

Anyway, I think that's about it. I'm going to try and update more often, but you know, time constrictions and all that. I'll have to get up pics of my fab rainbow halter next time...