Some evaluations and comparisons

Someone luvs to perform his new trick to get a treat. 

I've created a monster

Funny thing is, I thought I was teaching him his 'smile' cue by touching his lip, but he chose to do the trick when he see me extend my pointer finger and point up. 

Funny what they figure out as their cue sometimes.

 The last couple weeks, we've had some nice rides, decent rides, great rides and some off rides when he wants to buck and romp around.  

I've noticed some riding patterns of mine that are teaching him how to use his body incorrectly, so I've been working on that.  For instance, when rounding around the arena, he wants to pull away from outside fence, when I push him over with my inside leg, he turns to the right or does a circle.  So I've noticed that I've been riding with a strong outside rein, along with inside leg and it's creating a banana curved shouldered out horse with his head at the arena fence but not turning with me to the right or left, depending on direction.  We have been working on that lately at the w/t.   I still am riding bitless/bareback and may pull the saddle out 1x a week to see if there are some positive changes with that, and maybe my old bitted bridle to see how he handles that.  We rode in a kimberwicke but I dont think he likes it so I'll have to play around with bits, or see if I can communicate what I want in my bitless, correctly.  He loves his bitless so I don't want to stray...that will be my last option.

And in feet news, here's a shot of his right rear from this past Friday...

 Here's an image from May 2010..so I see some positive changes for sure

And it's just starting to look more like a normal foot.

He is still 'lame' and off but that may have to do with muscular as well

I've thought about xrays, but I think for now...I'm opting to save the money and just keep trusting in Cliff and make sure Laz stays consistent with signs of positivity along the way.

 Something that helps his feet too, is being back in a herd and moving more constantly.

He and Sawyer (herd mate) get along, more so tolerate each other, but aren't really playful with each other.

They don't know how to communicate.  Sawyer wants to play, Laz doesn't and Sawyer will pester and follow him and then bites Laz, so Laz doesn't trust him.  That is my input from what I see...who knows what they think! :)  They also chose to stand by each other and show signs of relaxation around each other.

 Friday evening was high 80's and humid. Felt like mid July weather..yuck! Too much too fast.  Today as I write, it's 50's and rainy.

But Friday evening, we actually got a good ride in.

 Laz was a bit of a pistol and was agitated by the heat/bugs/the others being turned out to pasture, and we had some riding miscommunication which lead to a couple of tantrums during a canter request BUT we found some good spots, and he rode beautifully while a helicopter whizzed by, neighbors were shooting something rapid fire (wtf?!) and I was proud of him for not reacting to that poorly.  

 Poor sweaty boy!

So, he deserved a good hose down.

First one this year! 

Not a bath, just a hose, curry, sweat scrape job.

 It felt satisfying to feel his hot body cool down and allow him to graze a bit

 Mason got hosed down too!

Hopefully the weather will cooperate for this week being the weekend wasn't so great!