we trotted!

Digby enjoying his hay before turnout.... and after our RIDE!

Well. We survived. I walked for about 25 minutes then trotted once around the ring, to the left. I picked the left because his hoof problem is front left and I wanted it to show up if there was a problem. There was no problem. He's sound. We walked for another couple minutes and I hopped off. I don't have much to say. He's fat, out of shape, and doesn't want to use himself AT ALL. He alternated between rooting on the bit and trying to yank the reins out of my hand (not happening, sorry Digby.) and curling behind the bit while chomping on it violently in protest. Luckily, he seems pretty happy to have a job again and be doing something other than eating, pooping, sleeping and hanging out with his turnout buddy Toast. Neither of us died. I asked for the trot, he lazily trotted around the ring, and we walked again. Huh. Certainly not as eventful as I expected but I suppose that's a good thing! I did ACE him a little before I got on just for safety sake. It's not worth it to me, him or anyone else in the ring for him to explode when I ask for the trot. I'm not sure how much of an effect it had or whether it was just the random humid heat that we had today but he sure was lazy!

We have a loootttt of work to do... fingers crossed he stays sound and sane as winter approaches! :) I'm going to try and coax someone into taking pictures within a week or two. Maybe at least of me sitting on him as proof because we don't do much besides walk around. It's time I put up pictures here of more than just him in his stall or the cross ties.