Snow Day

Only not quite all day....  it was beautiful this morning, so Lindsey and I got a ride in then.  Now it's snowing.  I know we need some snow.  Am trying to be cheerful about it.  Louses up my riding a lot though. :^(

Yesterday my barn time was spent holding horses while Rochelle trimmed their toes.  We went ahead and pulled Gracie's front shoes and left her barefoot.  She hasn't been without front shoes for any significant time for over a year now.  Last year I pulled them for about three weeks, couldn't stand it, and put them back on. Back when she broke her coffin bone she was barefoot for 7 or 8 months and was still tippy-toeing around at the end of that time.  Yeesh.  

This morning we tippy-toed up the road about 3/4 mile and back again as a warm-up, then spent some time in the arena.  Half-steps are slowly getting better.  I begin to wonder if she will get worse at getting out of them as she gets better at getting into them.  Not sure how to dodge that issue. Left canter is *so* *much* *work*.  It helps to keep my left hand high, right hand low.  She really wants to fall on her left shoulder the moment I let down my guard.  Today she wasn't particularly interested in taking the right rein.  That said, we did have some okay canter squares.  I just have to ride every stride.  every stride.  Print that on the insides of my eyelids will you please.