Quadi being Quadi

For all that my ankle is still bruising and swelling, I'm almost sound in walk :)

The order of the day was road-hacking. It was warm in the light of the sun, and since the forest is shady a hack along the closed road near the yard seemed the best plan.

Quadi was a little short on his feet last time we went this way, so he wore his front hoof boots. I was a little leery of using them for a long hack but getting off halfway to remove them wasn't an option. Partly because of my bum ankle and partly because I'm hideously useless at mounting from the ground.

I managed to mount up without disaster and decided that I would indeed use my right stirrup instead of letting my leg hang. I placed my foot just so in the stirrup knowing that I could remove it easily. We set off behind Kate and Fin leading the way.

I think Quadi was a little fresh from not being worked for two days, and was also feeding off a little bit of nerves from me. Sadly it was impossible not to be a little tense about how I'd get on with a gammy ankle. He's not difficult to control but he knew I was slightly incapacitated...

There wasn't anything specific, he was just being a little bit of a toad, not that I mind. We went out for a long hack and it wasn't until almost home that he was relaxed. My squintness and tension being a major factor, but also a little bit of it was just Quadi being Quadi. I rested my foot out of the stirrup on the way home, stiffness was more of an issue than movement.

But he didn't ditch me or wipe my sore leg off of a gate so I'm happy I rode. And I managed to get my muckboot on and off without wincing.

After our ride it was so nice we tied the boys outside for their feeds and tidied up their hooves.

The order of the day tomorrow for me is a little bit of schoolwork at walk, with poles to get Quadi working his abs. And then I'm ground crew for Kate and Fin practicing jumping :)

I'll have to post some gory photos of my foot once all the bruising has surfaced!