DVM Report..

IS THAT WE ARE AT 80%!!!!! YAY CHESTER!!!

She was thrilled with his progress and said we have made monumental progress...AND if we keep going, that maybe maybe MAYBE Canterdown on August 15 is a possibility!!! :-) HOW FREAKING AMAZING WOULD THAT BE?! OKay, not that we are getting ahead of ourselves, but she was really impressed at his improvement from 4 weeks ago.
Her notes:

• His trot is still catching - slightly, but regulairly - we need to up our game on the conditioning. She said for me to wear my event watch and time it. 5 minutes solid trotting, walk for one minutes, repeat x5 then x6 next week. He really is quite fit...we can trot for ever without him breathing really hard. She said that is a sure sign to up it and push him.
• Said he canter looks GREAT - but the focus as I said above, needs to be on his trot.
• Include one day of just going up and down the hill for 30 minutes - his recovery period should be when we 'walk down the hill'
• In the arena - figure eights, serpentines, lots of changing direction, keep going with the grid work.
• Add more poles into the grid work - we should have 5 or 7 on the ground
• NO MORE DISH SOAP!!! She said the blister is fantastic and has obviously done it's job! Good thing - now the other horses won't be making fun of poor little Pickle.
• His back - is 100% better...it is amazing what horse strength robaxacet and a new saddle can do.
• Best of all - HE IS HAPPY...the pickle makes its appearance regulairly and was very much apparent when DVM Extraordinaire was there on Saturday.

So - three more weeks of HARD conditioning, harder ring work, more bending, more engagement, more circles, more grids - then, DVM comes back out to take another look....and dare I say it...we attempt to jump...

The Boss and Kelly come out tonight!!! :-) :-) :-) I AM SO EXCITED TO SEE THEM!!!!!

20 more % to go...LET'S GO PICKLE!!!!

The Man enjoying some hand-grazing after his conditioning yesterday