His freshness

Blu has made remarkable strides in his ongoing work to strengthen his back. When I got him, he did not know how to take the reins down in a long low frame. Coming through his back was an impossibility. I would attempt to feed him the reins and he would bounce around on the end of them looking to connect with my hand. He just could not figure out how to get there.  This led to kissing spines and wear on his coffin joints requiring yearly injections. Long lining has been his saving grace. Today he has built up enough strength to carry himself correctly through his back. His tendency to hollow is not constantly in play. Instead, when I get on him he looks to stretch through his back.

With strength and yes cold weather Blu has a freshness about him I had never seen previously. On the long lines he is just too full of himself for me to contain so I remain grateful to the barn manager and long liner extraordinaire Susie, for helping me with this important regime. At the end of the last session he was over tracking and he had a true medium trot! Under saddle he is just a delight! While he finds things to spook at they are never big. On some evenings it is a little more irritating than others but by in large he is still the best boy ever! He has so much to teach me and I only hope I am able to give him back some of what he gives to me.