Foggy and Frosty

I managed to get each horse ridden once on the weekend. Even with my skirt covering my legs, I'm still cold after riding (and sweaty) and it's hard to convince myself to get on the second horse at 9pm. It's hard enough in summer, definitely isn't happening in winter.

Sunday morning's drive to the barn was foggy and frosty.

Cisco had some nice moments in his last ride at a trot. I've changed his bit again - I went back to the Bombers Happy Tongue but wrapped it in Sealtex this time. On our last ride in the Sprenger Duo I noticed his tongue coming out of the side of his mouth and wondered if he had gotten his tongue over the bit. I was also wondering if that bit was the reason he was starting to curl a bit behind the vertical at canter.

On that ride with the Bombers bit I had some really good moments on our stronger right lead canter of him reaching down and forward. The left lead - I think we had a couple of strides I was happy with? It's the weaker side for both of us, unfortunately. This is the side that evasions are easier for him. Our first canter was overflexed to the inside. I thought about keeping his head and neck straighter for the second canter, which meant he flexed to the outside, couldn't steer, and wanted to stop (a dressage whip doesn't work over a riding skirt fyi). The third canter was just crap and resistant all round. The left side will definitely be our bogey side for a long while.

Foggy and frosty also applied to forelocks.

Phantom's first trot set was a bit pokey and stiff, but she loosened up for the second trot set and felt fine. The last couple of rides she coughed a bit at a trot. I haven't been giving her any Ventipulmin but will start with the next ride as I plan to increase her trot set times. This is the time of year that she was at her worst last year, although the only thing I've heard or seen so far is the coughs at a trot.

The mice that chewed a hole in my saddle pad seem to have left my tack locker - no new raisins have been spotted - but moved into someone else's locker. I only feel a little bit bad. A really little bit.

And my Pixio robot is on it's way to France for repairs. It wasn't cheap to send, but hopefully, I will be reimbursed most of the cost. It's estimated to be delivered on Feb 4th, and then they said it will be fixed within 7 business days, so I'm hoping to have it back in my hand the third week of February. And hopefully, it works properly this time.