Harley received an excellent report from his Equine Chiropractor, Dr. Jenny Johnson, on June 8. The issues in his poll and neck are almost completely resolved, his walk and trot were nearly perfect, and the few adjustment that were needed were minor. Schooling him properly, having a saddle that fits, and doing our neck and foreleg stretches have worked very well. He also received a good report from his farrier. His feet are strong and healthy.
We continue to work on transitions, and he gave me an almost textbook perfect walk to trot transition yesterday, quiet, seamless and accepting contact. Of course, he still becomes distracted fairly easily, and will probably always be that way, but that's Harley. As long as he comes back to me and does not fight, I'm happy.
We have also had some very good session at liberty in the ring and round pen. Harley no longer panics, running blindly and risking hurting himself. He walks around quietly, rolls, explores, eats whatever greens he can reach, and then comes to me when he is ready to leave. This is very important in helping him forget his fears from the past, and making him more comfortable in the ring. I am also learning to discern between actual fear and putting on an act so he can go back to the barn. To which Harley says, "Curses, foiled again!" :)
