Perplexing.

Yeah, it's freaking hot today.

I got out and Amber was turned out in one of the smaller pastures with one of the mares. The barn cut back on almost all the horses, and the schedule is kind of wonky right now.

I took her out to the round pen and she was feeling pretty fresh. She actually kicked out at me at one point and I got after her good. So she's looking totally sound.

Well, it was boiling already outside, so I decided to do a little walking on the bit and just see if she was sound under saddle at a trot yet. Well, she was great walking. Nice and on the bit, steady and consistent. She was holding head and neck "in position" for 99% of the ride. She was all foamy around the mouth.

I asked for a little trot, and she started off nice, and then she scuffed her toe on the harder ground and pinned her ears and kicked out with the left hind. And by the way, I'm retarded, I told you all it was the right hind, its actually the left. Uh-durrr.

No wonder she's wonky, her owner can't even tell left from right. ANYWAY, I have a lot on my mind.

It seems to be a physical issue, but it's so weird how she's sound enough to gallop around in the round pen, without any sign of pain or limp, and she is perfectly sound at the walk under saddle, but soon as we trot she tenses up and I know that she's going to throw a tantrum if I push her. Part of me has a thought that she just doesn't feel like working and she thinks she's found a way to get out of it. But I really don't want to push her through it if it's pain, because I don't want her to become sour to work.

So. My list of possibilities:

-Saddle fit. I am going to recheck this asap, and maybe get Bob to give me his opinion.
-Too close to the sensitive tissue on the toe? She was closer before, it makes no sense, but at the same time, it seems to happen after she scuffs the toe.
-The wonky toe lengths.
-Something muscular or perhaps hip pain. If the shoes don't make her 100% sound, I'm going to have a chiropractor have a session with her.

I just wish I knew why this is happening. It's very frustrating. But at least we can keep walking and looking gorgeous with our new consistent contact? She's a little behind the vertical, but overflexing her might be a good thing right now. Build up the topline muscles and really stretch those top muscles.


***ADDED LATER***

Katie is giving me the number of a chiro that's only about an hour away from us. I'm definitely going to let Bob shoe her and do what he needs to with the feet. I agree with him that that's mainly what's restricting her stride is the lack of toe on that one side, and it's going to be an ongoing effort for a while. But definitely going to have to chiro out soon as I can. I'm thinking this might be up in her hips...I mean, there is NO heat or swelling in the leg at all. No sensitivity. She can stretch it, that's for sure. Actually, come to think of it...like, I seriously just realized this as I typed that. She stretched the CRAP out of that leg when I was cleaning her feet the other day. I usually encourage her to do it because it loosens her up for the ride, but perhaps she stretched a little too hard? I know I've stretched too hard before and pulled muscles. Hmmm...