Jump lesson with a barrel

We had a great jump lesson today, the first in 2 1/2 weeks.
First, Duke's feet.  John says he kept pads on all his prelim horses, just because it wasn't worth risking a rock or even a little stone.  He said to ask the size of nail, and that the farrier should be using "specials".  He also suggested measuring from Duke's coronet to toe, and making sure that we don't trim shorter than that.  He thinks that when it is warm and Duke's foot expands (vs. cold when it contracts) and when it grows just a bit after the shoeing, that the nail might be touching the white line.  His fourth suggestion was that although his pre-purchase X-rays were good, Duke might have a coffin bone that is pointed a bit down and towards the sole of his hoof, so if his foot is a little flat and then he puts pressure on the thin sole, it can press into the coffin, which presses into the digital flexor tendon, which presses into a bursa, and can hurt.  So this suggestion was, if he goes lame again, try a bar shoe.  If it is his thin sole, the bar shoe should prevent the coffin bone pressure.  He said we'll need to figure it out, but it's Duke's only weakness so far (he doesn't mind a scrape on his leg, he doesn't mind being skinny, etc.), and that he's had horses vary a bit (doesn't know anything is off and a huge abscess blows; steps on a pebble and goes lame).
Next, me.  Pull my shoulder blades together to make my back flat.  Wrap my legs down and around him and keep my heels down.
Third, Duke.  Man, he was a good boy.  He was just a tiny bit hot (he wouldn't stand still for me to tighten the girth the final hole and I had to get off), and he was annoyed with the music (so I'm glad it was there, since Aspen plays music at show jumping), but he was a rock star over the fences.  We started with a tiny cross rail, which he seemed very surprised by and made Brooke and John laugh.  John slowly raised it, and he just got better and better.  We worked on making the turn off of my right leg (turning left), and once he came in at the wrong distance and I didn't support him, but other than that, it went pretty well.
Then John had us ride a four stride line (both directions) and worked on trying not to let him drift left.
From there, he had us go down the center over a skinny that was on top of two barrels, and then we just kept going and jumped a bar that was between the barrel and a standard.  Then he had us angle the vertical and ride a three stride line OVER the barrel (left lead to right lead) and then angle an oxer, three strides, over the other barrel (right lead to left lead).  Making the oxer to barrel turn was much harder, and he said that's Duke's weak spot, and what we'll do this season if there is a right lead bend to a left lead is bulge the line a little (so ride it in six strides instead of the walked distance of five) and then over the summer, tighten the line up).  He said especially if we're coming into water on the right lead and have to get out, that might be what catches us a little.  I can also imagine a hard right hand "roll back" in show jumping where we could scramble a bit.  But Duke did it eagerly and with some panache.  He hit the barrel the very last jump, and John said he was tired.  He got pretty sweaty, and although we cantered non stop once we got going, it wasn't that many fences, so I need to get him back in shape.
John said one thing he wanted to see today was how he handled the fences being a little hot and with a couple weeks off, and he was pleased with Duke's attitude.  Me too.  Big reminder though is I can't just count on him to do each fence, but need to guide him and tell him.  If he's drifting left, I need to put the outside aids on and straighten him out, and if we're coming into a funny spot, I need to give him the support to let him know it's what I want and it's ok.
I don't feel as hesitant about riding training at Spokane for our last show now.
Then I cooled him off by walking him down the road, and he was good.  He didn't recognize Ashley running towards us, but he just stood still and looked.
After we got home, I tried to use the whirlpool boots, which made him nervous and were ridiculous, so I'm going to see how much they'll cost to return and just use two black feed bins with water and ice for his feet.
Great lesson, great weather, great day.  It made my whole March.