Work in Progress (like 1/8 of the way in from "no progress" to "kinda progress").

So yes, I haven't updated in a bit once again because, frankly, I've been too preoccupied fretting over Spartacus pony's weight to give other riding-related things much blogging attention. 4 days into the U-Guard, I could finally see improvement! He stopped acting like he had inhaled too many marijuana fumes and was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed more like his normal self; and, although he was still underweight, he filled out much more and was back gleaming like a Rolex horse with zero amount of elbow grease AT ALL from me.

Then I was gone Thurs-Sat and when I swung by the barn he was looking like poop again and had completely lost the shine and everything. I realized he hadn't been getting his grain and U-Gard for a couple days because of a mix-up, so I guess that at least explains the situation, but I can't help but feel  defeated. I need to get this horse plump before his cross-country trip to Virginia, yet I can't even keep proper weight on him. Sigh. This is why people don't like leaving their horses in other people's care for a month and a half! Bad owner! I remember how glorious he looked when I left him for my India vacay. He was a show-stoppppaa.

Anyways, on the bright side of things, we're only 1 week away from cantering for the first time in a year!!! We're on 3 trot laps to the left/3 trot laps to the right! I've been looking like shit while riding him because I've had my legs CLAMPED in the grip of death against his sides whenever we're trotting, and I couldn't figure out what the f I was doing. The embarrassing truth is, after a year of not riding your horse who you only ever rode for a month, you forget details like, you absolutely cannot ride him without spurs unless you want him plodding along in a partial coma. Oh yeah, duh. I slapped some spurs on the other day, and omg, the difference!!! I wanted to shed a tear of joy. So forward and immediately responsive! I'm doing turn-on-the-haunches and leg yields on my horse with no training. Wut. I swear, he's an easier and more schooled ride than the Training horse I was running, haha. Yes, he almost bucked me off when he tore away from me going down a down bank because of the western horse show commotion that was going on right by us, but he is going to be a serious gem when he gets more miles on him. I can't wait :)

And I'll leave you on this silly video:

http://youtu.be/xxeDV3YchJ0