Terry had this to say about Nyx:
I have started to ride Nyx a few times a week. He is making some great changes and does well with a good groundwork session at the beginning of the week and then comfortably ridden. One observation is how crooked he was moving even on the ground. Helping him “stand up” and move straight on a unified circle was almost impossible when we started working him. We had a few good solid groundwork sessions to address this and felt a great amount of change then on the following rides.
He has a fairly crooked left front leg and, while sound for everything we are asking of him, this does cause some extra needed attention to his straightness work. Not to mention, let’s just be honest, Nyx is a huge dude! There is a ton of body weight there that has to learn to get “off the forehand” and distribute weight off the front and on to his hind quarters. He tends to naturally become heavy on his front end which, if left uncorrected, could result in falling. As a result, we are working on everything that can help him distribute this weight more appropriately for riding. This, too, will help with longevity as a sound riding partner. This also has helped his expression while being worked. As he has freed up his feet and felt more balance, he has a softer and more peaceful eye while being worked.
Nyx is a big boy with a ton of try, heart and love for his handlers. He is a good boy but remains best suited for intermediate riders with experience helping keep big horses balanced. He may have taken a bit longer than we had expected to prepare to meet adopters but in the beginning of this year, we are getting very close to looking to introduce him to potential adopters! He is updated on all medical needs (vaccines, worming and dental care). He also has been able to return to going barefoot after he has grown out his hoof from the harsh trim he had before coming to SAFE that left him very tender. He looks great, has no soundness issues and has been a very gentle boy for our volunteers to handle, feed and lead in and out of turnout. Who wouldn’t fall madly in love with those big dreamy eyes?
