UC Davis article on suspensory ligament injuries

http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/ceh/docs/special/Pubs-SuspBrochure-bkm-sec.pdf

Willig's MRI results

He has an injured medial collateral sesamoidian ligament (old name: suspensory ligament of navicular bone). He'll get 8 more weeks of stall rest (3 months total), and 3 shock wave treatments. In the future, he may need another MRI, and injections in his coffin joint and navicular bursa.
It's not clear to me whether he'll jump again.
The MRI images were super cool.
The indoor dog park in Portland was super cool.
The flat trailer tire on the interstate was not even remotely cool and almost completely overwhelmed me (and Willig) with the stress, making me realize that the ways he annoys me are basically reflections of my personality.
He's also going to get SmartPaks of Quiessence, SmartOmega3, and SmartFlex Rehab (which will change to SmartFlex III Resilience when he goes back to work).

This is what a flat tire on the interstate looks like

And Les Schwab are my new heros. They have a mobile tire change van that has a lift that can lift a horse trailer with a horse in it and the fastest tire changing guy in the world who doesn't even complain that it's raining.

Snow at Forest Park

Family visit at Thanksgiving

The cure for Willig stall boredom

Not that he seems particularly out of sorts, but a fellow boarder loaned me her Amazing Graze, and I heard Willig playing and playing with it in his stall. Since he doesn't like Jolly Balls or Pas-I-Fier, I didn't have high hopes, but this appears to be just his thing!
Today I had just two quick mini-lessons and a couple of great ground tips.
For braiding, the trick to avoiding those bulges is to press your thumb on the top of each of the three strands to make it tight and flat at the top. It's the first three or so "wraps" that count. Once I master that, it looks like there's a trick to avoiding the "pippi longstocking" standing-straight-up braid (that Willig's mane usually does) and also ... braid styles go in and out of fashion in dressage! So while Willig is laid up, I'll practice braiding too.
For leading, you walk next to their shoulder. With a whip, it's in the outside hand and can be used to urge them forward. I lead all lazy in front of them, and that's the spot you can get jumped on if something unexpected happens.
Then we worked on the canter. I've had trouble using my existing method (at the top of the "swing", squeeze my inner thighs and lift a bit with my hands) to the get the moment of suspension to last longer. So Mike worked with us on changing my method from 1st level to her level, which was to think Piaffe, and then walk, and then ask for canter, and then keep the piaffe feeling. As best I can describe, this is to sit up tall - like the Centered Riding string pulling out of the top of your head - and that makes your core (belly and back) strong which helps hold that moment up. This worked to completely transform the canter, but I can't describe exactly why. Sitting up taller doesn't do it justice because after some work both directions, my thighs were just screaming.