Lunged Newt in the bull pen. It is still very wet and I was running short on time so I did not go to the arena. He lunged with control. When I rode I could tell he had lots of energy just wanting to express itself. I thought if it did express itself, it very well might not be in the direction I wanted. So we just did an approximate circle in each direction at a walk. I had intended to do some trotting and then ride the extent of the bull pen. I decided it best to keep control so we went to the round pen. Newt did good in the round pen. Walk and trot different size circles in both directions. The footing was not the best. His feet would slip a little at the trot in the wet places. When he slips or stumbles, it embarrass him, he will shake his head and maybe do a little crow hop. I enjoy riding Newt. Today on the lunge, I was happy with the control and how he was acting. I told him “You are the turn around horse. You da Man!”. He immediately tucked his head and lifted his front end to start a trot. I think he understood my happiness and pride and he reacted with a controlled expression of energy.
Magic has foot problems. Dale put shoes on a week ago Thursday. I had him on bute until Wednesday. Thursday I noticed he seemed somewhat stiff. Today he was keeping weight off the off front by always having it bent with only the toe touching when he stood. Tonight it was no better. He nickered when I walked up to him in the pasture. I guess he is nicked and getting an abscess. This is just like last shoeing just the other foot. Dale says he is very thin walled. He was not lame at all when I first got him. I admired his feet. They are all black with good concave. But we are having bad luck. This is not good. The only option I can see is just to remove his shoes and wait until his feet improve. Each time we shoe him, his behavior deteriorates. His feet are sore and the hammering is intolerable. Continuing down this road will ingrain a bad habit. It seems like it took Newt almost a year to get past the tender-foot stage. Newt is flat footed but has thicker hoof walls. It was pitiful to watch him limp around. One time the infection ruptured on the coronary band, commonly described as “he had a gravel”, and he was better almost immediately. I called Dale and left a message.