Getting Them "Right"

For the past six months I've been riding Marmalade, my Marm, Marmy, Marmy Mare. I am very lucky to have a great friend who was kind enough to lend me her horse and willing to trust me while, through trial and error, I endeavored to make her "right". Marm is a classic example of a "sound" horse that just isn't physically right. I would say a good half or more of horsemen out there would get on and just ride this mare. She is broke, sane, and is overall a good using horse that just about anyone can ride. Her "issues" if you can even call them that, are little things like an unwillingness to stop (though she will stop) and a desire to trot off (though she will walk), an uncomfortable gait and a rigid, stiffly muscled poll/neck. She is an absolute sweetheart but she always has this Eor like expression. She has always had an even stride but too me it looked shorter than it aught to be considering her conformation. All little things. But all those little things added up. I have become obsessed with making Marm right. So far I have worked on correcting her front foot shape and angles, getting her in to a better fitting saddle, having some chiropractic adjustments, putting her on a joint supplement and leaving her face/headset alone under saddle so she can learn to relax. She is better than she was. But I wish I could do so much more. I wish I could throw a lot more money at this mare but it hard to justify spending a bunch of money on a horse that is technically sound....technically usable as is. I cant help but wonder just how talented this awesome, big hearted mare could be if she were at her top physical condition. I hope time will tell.