Getting to canter. Kinda like getting to yes, but different.

The girls had their hoof trim on Friday. The farrier thinks Gypsy's hooves look ok and the white line is growing out. We're still not sure what has been making her so lame. It's a mystery. Luckily she's still walking soundly, but tender footed and the hoof boots do help with that tenderness. I haven't had to have the boots on her for a while and she's still doing alright. I wish I could ride her, but I just don't want to push her too much right now, so I'll have to keep up with our ground work and trick training. There is a really neat event this weekend at the fair grounds and it's all mid evil riding. I'd love to be able to take one of my own horses, but Doodles is just too jumpy for something like that right now and Gypsy is just not up to it. Luckily, a friend of mine is taking her horses, two Icelandics, (I'm actually trailering them there) and she agreed to let me ride one of them. I'm excited to go but sad I can't be on one of my girls. Next year, I guess.

I've got Doodles cantering! She's still very unbalanced and unsure. She'll go for a few strides and then break back into a trot. Though I was able to get her to canter the whole length of the ring with no stops, so that was good. She's learning and trying so that makes me happy. Also, she is getting better with the stiffness issues to that one side she was having. She's still not perfect, but better. Today when I rode her however, she was a total pill. She kept spooking at everything and didn't want to move forward as nice as I know she can. She did settle into working over some ground poles but that was the most I could keep her focused. She was convinced that there was something in the back corner of the ring that was going to eat her. The Crows and chickens were going nuts so maybe there was something over there, but I couldn't see it. I'm guessing a fox or a deer if anything but the woods are so thick on that side, I couldn't see what all the fuss was about. I'm hoping tomorrow will make for a better ride.

She seems to be coming along very well in the bitless bridle. I think she's getting the idea of how the cues work now and is giving me all the right answers when I ask the questions. I really like it a lot and am happy with it. In fact, I'm thinking of buying one in leather. I have the beta one but I would like a leather one someday. I'm hopeing I'll be able to show bitless. I don't think there are any rules against it, but I'll have to look into it. There have got to be other people who show their horses in bitless bridles. Somewhere anyways.

There is a open show happening in October that I would love to go to. I'm thinking I'm going to try with Doodles and only enter in a class or two and use it as a training experience. I've got to expose her to events and shows and how else am I going to do that unless I take her to some. I'm doing my homework to get ready for this show and hopefully by the time it rolls around we will be semi-ready. I don't have much in the way of show gear. I'll need riding pants, boots, a shirt and jacket. As far as tack goes, I might be able to muddle through with what I have. I think I can make a nice turn out for not too much money if I put my mind to it. I really want to do this and I think that we can. I'm thinking that since it's a open show at the end of the season that it won't be too crazy and it should be kinda laid back. I'm also thinking I won't need to be turned out in top of the line show gear to do it. I just want to get our feet wet, not jump in the deep end. I'll only need water wings and not an inner tube. Maybe?