Between Storms

It rained all morning but I managed to get a ride in between bouts. We had quite a time on Tuesday trying to get and keep Axel moving in the round pen. My original plan was to do some hill work. Something I know we'd be successful at but something Axel really needs to work on. Unfortunately since it was raining all morning I figured the hills would be too slippery. Instead I went out on the road. We worked on some trotting and a working walk. Both of which Axel was very willing to do on the road. I didn't have to kick one bit, just a squeeze and he'd go. We couldn't quite get a canter going, just some bucks when I asked. So we stuck to just trotting and walking. We did a tiny bit of hill work in a large part of the ditch on the other side of one of the fields.

Not sure why he's so unwilling in the round pen. Maybe it's just the bending or something. I guess we'll see on Tuesday. The plan is to try a dressage whip to tickle his hind quarters into moving a bit. I don't think my legs can handle kicking him any more. And we will definitely need to do a lot more hill work. You can see in that photo of him that his forehand is all muscled up but his hindquarters are not.

Maybe by the end of the summer both of the boys will be all in shape and looking good.