New rasp, using new tools on the trail, and a problem

First, at our last trim Dawn handed me a new type of rasp that she got for free. I haven't done anything with it (my father died the day after the trim), but today I broke it out and the hoofstand and decided to see what's what.

I'm a complete clutz with a real rasp, however this one was very easy to use but really didn't seem to do much. I didn't get the pile of hoof confetti that I'm used to with my regular rasp, instead it was a scattering of grated Parmesan hoof. I was able to round off the corners that formed on his toes, but even after going at it for a while, it didn't seem like I did much to the roll itself.

I'll see if Dawn can notice a difference. My shoulder doesn't hurt, and that was the big test. It was easy enough to use that I could use it at almost every grooming, and maybe that will make a huge difference instead of trying it 3 weeks after the previous trim.

Rick and I then went on a trail ride. I had no impulsion, but then started to try what Lisa described in her blog about her last lesson: pretending that each hip was being pulled up and forward with each corresponding step. It worked like a charm. We had a nice ride, although Rick was having issues with Gene. At one point, Rick dismounted, and when I looked away for a second remounted and continued the ride. I'm proud!

Rick and Gene led on the way back, and Gene was all about going home. At times, he pulled out well ahead of us. Normally, I would feel Peanut tense as Gene went out of sight, then he would panic, pull his head high in the air, and haul ass to catch up. Instead, I used a combination of my upper legs, core, and legs to tell him to slow or stop, and he did. Plus, he was calm. As soon as I let up with my aids he would try to take off again, but as long as I had them applied he was relaxed and listened to me. This is a major revelation and I am so happy.

At a couple of points on straight-aways, Gene trotted off at his usual mach-3 clip. Peanut wanted to canter to catch up (or gallop), but with the aids I was able to keep him in a nice, controlled gait. He would occasionally get a stride or a start of a canter, but a further squeeze of my thighs would bring him back down. I love the tools that Denise is giving me for my mental riding toolbox!

The only time that I wasn't willing to experiment was when we were crossing one of the narrow, horse-safe bridges that cross streams. They have no sides, so a mis-step to the side could be a big issue. Gene went first as I had Peanut stopped (one horse on the bridge at a time!), and that appy took off when he reached the other side. I was not going to risk Peanut panicking on the bridge (sure, it was short, only a couple of steps, but it still had a drop on each side), so I held him still and called to Rick to come back since I was in a dangerous situation. Gene ended up getting pretty far away - enough to cause Peanut to panic previously - but I had my cues engaged and Peanut stood there solid and calm. Normally, he would have been dancing and fretting, and when I did let up with my legs I could feel it begin to build, but engaging my legs again extinguised it. Eventually Rick was able to bring Gene back and we crossed, but I think we could have done it anyway. I just wasn't willing to risk it today.

My horse is an awesome horse. :)

I do have to say that I think that the Fhoenix is really helping with things like this. We can feel everything each other does, so my cues are coming through loud and clear.

After I untacked him, I made a horrible discovery: he had rubbed the fur off where his elbows touch the girth when he walks. Damn. I've never had this happen before! At first I thought it was tiny patches of sweat in his "armpits", but then I touched them to find them warm, dry and naked. He'll get time off to heal, I'll just take him for walks, and I have to figure out what's up. It was bothering him (he kept reaching back to try to bite at it) and started to swell. I cleaned them as best I could, glad to find no trace of pink on the paper towels I used to pat them dry, and covered it with some smurf blue goop.

All of my tack needs to come home this week for some serious TLC anyway, so I'll check out the girth on whatever night I have my cleaning fest.

PS - my Lite Rider saddle finally sold!!! I was basically told that it was the whore of the shop: it would get a ton of attention and keep going home with people who would then bring it back - sometimes apologetically. Anyway, I got the check today, and it's most welcome. It's gone to a older lady who is a rider but is recently getting over cancer and finds that she doesn't have the seat that she used to. The saddle fits her horse, is comfortable to her, and best of all it has the "oh shit" handle that I used so much myself when first learning to ride. She will use it to help with her impaired balance. Win-win for all. :)

I'll bring my 4-Beat in next week. Wait til they get a load of it! They thought that the Lite Rider was one of the oddest saddles they've seen? They haven't seen anything yet!