Have we turned the corner?!

Jester has worn fore boots about half the time since Dec 27- his heel rub which developed proud flesh had prevented wearing boots in turnout for about 2 months :( but it's all but healed now, thanks in great part to NoThrush powder that I applied directly to it. Copper salts are listed on the bottle, and that ingredient alone could be the key. Well! I have had him out on the pasture side as much as possible, where he has always been more comfortable, and took the boots off Friday night. He was quite stiff while I was away at Christmas, but now- just under 2 weeks later- he's a new man oops gelding! Moving comfortably on the hard dirt as well as the dormant dry pasture, even without the boots. I rode him booted last Thursday, and he felt great at walk, jog and trot. Pivoting to the right is good, Pivoting to the left he crosses behind with his right fore still. He did chomp on the reins some before I rode, but quit when I spoke firmly to him. Wow. Now today was amazing. I took a friend out for a short ride-we rode the two mares. Left alone without another horse in sight, Jester began neighing, his usual bugle reverberating through the neighborhood. What I did not see was that he began to trot and gallop back and forth, kicking up his heels, and kept it up nearly half an hour! My husband was surprised to see it! I hope he gave himself some chiropractic while he was at it :) Can't wait to get that boy into shape and see what he can do. Short round pen sessions and longer ponying are in his future! (under saddle he just wants to be slowwwww, like a good show pony haha). His appetite has improved markedly- I had him on 1 flake alfalfa am/pm in addition to his bucket of concentrate (integrity senior/beet pulp/bermuda pellets/CA Trace/Sunflower seeds/Devil's Claw Plus and free choice bermuda, which put some good weight on. Now he is devouring his 2-3 flakes of bermuda per day and the concentrate mixture, minus the Devil's claw. I wanted to see if his body needed a break from the herbs. So far so good! Does he move perfectly yet? no. Better than I've ever seen him? Yes!