“Marvin” Takes Care of Dad Too! Learning to Jump as Well

Me Tru aka "Marvin" at the race track.

Dear Elizabeth,

I still haven’t purchased a digital camera. However, you can be sure that I wrote it on my Christmas wish list!

Me Tru, aka Marvin, is doing fantastically well. He has gained weight, and has a nice thick winter coat that is shiny and sleek. He comes to the gate for attention and still has a beautiful, kind eye.

Marvin is learning to jump. He loves it! He doesn’t rush the jump or get hot, he just moves like he’s having fun and is ready for more. He’s careful, but not to the point that he over-jumps. When I make a mistake, he is very forgiving. However, because he is smart, I have to be careful that my mistakes don’t teach him bad habits.

Marvin quickly learned voice commands while longeing. He also learned to keep his feet in place for carrot stretches. His muscles feel pretty tight, so I’ve introduced him to massage. At first, he was impatient in the cross-ties, but he’s learned to relax, especially for the brachiocephalicus, and hamstring groups. He’ll make funny faces when I find a tight spot, and will occasionally nicker when it feels really good.

My husband rode Marvin the other day. Marvin took great care of him – it was the first time my husband has ever been in a saddle. My trainer frequently comments about Marvin’s gentle disposition and willingness to try to understand what he is being asked to do. We got a big laugh when my husband waved to the video camera instead of signaling to turn, and Marvin marched straight to the top of the shaving pile.

Thank you for making this possible!

Fondly,
Kathryn