Part pig, part horse - a Porse?

Barn time again last night, although I was struggling with the motivation to go (I wanted to be out there, just didn't want to drive the hour long drive out there and deal with the traffic.) since it's getting dark during my drive out there now.

No problems catching the big man, although I did go say hi to his friend first (man, does he have me trained or what?  Might need to work on that...).  I groomed up my very muddy boy, since he is half OTTB and half pig, he can't walk by a mud puddle without rolling in it.

Note:  While this picture is from the spring, it is a good example of what he looks like anytime there *might* be mud in his pasture

Even older photo.  He loves the mud.  I was not warned about his strong affinity for mud when I bought him.

Headed to the indoor to ride and was almost done warming up when another boarder stopped by to ask me a question, which turned into a 10ish? minute chat. Otter was all for hanging out to talk, so much so that when we went back to work, he let me know how unhappy he was about continuing to work by swishing his tail every couple of strides.  Oh, you want me to actually bend?  Ok I'll do it, but I'm not happy about it *tail swish*  Now you want me to carry my own ginormous head and I can't just lean on your hands?  *tail swish* 

He got over himself fairly quickly and so I dropped my stirrups and did my stirrup-less work for the day. Fairly happy with how this is going for the most part.  Sitting trot has definitely improved.  Had the best right lead canter departure we've had in a long while.  Left lead was bleh-y.  

Couple of things I noticed, we are both weak and stiff on our left side.  He's stiff and doesn't like to load on his hind end in general due to past injuries (side note, need to remember to call my vet today since he is due for more Pentosan), and my left leg just doesn't have the strength to bend him around it, plus I have a tendency to turn my left hand down so that my thumb is facing my right hand. (seems to be a strength issue - possibly from an old injury?) So going to try to work/focus more on those.  

Looks like there won't be any lessons tonight in the indoors, so should be able to jump - yay!

November challenges:

No-stirrups :  Did 15 minutes, walk, trot and canter.  2! laps around the ring at a posting trot (thought I was going to die on the second lap...)

Planks:  Still going.  30 seconds the past two nights and it'll be 40 seconds tonight.  

Thanks for reading!