Day 30: Mostly for the hoof nerds ;)

I wonder, what on earth happened with today! I swear it only started a minute ago. Sometimes, the day just goes by way too fast. Alas, I am very pleased with Joker today, he was yet again a little better than he was yesterday so everything crossed he continues to improve and finds his mission in life.
There is still a lot to be done to make his movement truly better as well as increase his motivation to work. For all hoofcare obsessives out there, I took some shots of his hooves last week and will take some again on Thursday when Helen is around to help. His bars are in need of work on some harder surfaces but he is otherwise one of those horses that you can take shoes off and he carries on as if nothing much changed. He does react to very stony ground of course but his movement is otherwise the same as when he was shod all round.

Joker 26th January 2015. Few weeks out of shoes. Previously shod all round. Top: front feet; bottom: hind feet

And a couple of photos from today...

There are good moments and there are bad moments but overall I am very happy with his work today. He's got gentle lateral bending work in front of him next week, walk hacks with Helen and short schooling sessions under saddle with me mostly in walk. 

Having a few minutes work under the saddle today for the first time in about a month

Now, I have a morning train to catch so must sign off and catch some sleep.
Until tomorrow!
Wiola