Rosie is doing SO great with her cart training. I punched more holes in the straps of my harness so I could raise the tugs to better balance the cart. I think it looks much better.
She is pulling the cart around with me ground driving from the side and in back of the cart. No fear and no more than very brief moments of confusion when I do introduce a new element to the routine. She always keeps her head about her. If I can get my butt moving to work with her more frequently, she should be ready for me to get in the cart very soon. I want to make absolutely sure she is solid and comfortable before I do that. About the picture. She is tied to the barn by her halter. Technically, I know I'm not supposed to be out of the cart without someone at her head ... but I'll warn you, I'm breaking a lot of rules with Rosie. Get used to it, lol. I'm on my own most of the time and I have to make do. I've also been around horses most of my life, so I'm pretty good at sensing if things are headed south and can intervene--not always, of course, but although I'm new to driving, this "ain't my first rodeo" with horses in general. I'm also not planning to use a bit or blinders--that will really freak out the driving folks, but that's what I'm doing with her because I think it's best for her and makes her more comfortable with the whole process. That's what's most important to me, not following the traditional norms. Don't I sound like a rebel??? LOL
Some Rosie news that's not so good: She developed an eye infection several days ago. The vet came out, much to Rosie's dismay. She is afraid of anything that says "vet" to her. They smell funny, they have needles--not a good thing. Poor girl. The vet and a student were trying to examine her and they did manage to do so, but it's never easy with Rosie. She just hates vets and decides no good can come of this no matter how many treats they offer, no matter how many times they say hello to her at visits when she is not the target of their visit. I feel bad because my vet really IS kind and nice to her. Rose just thinks she is the enemy. The good news is that she didn't have any cornea scratch, which I was so sure she had by the symptoms--just a conjunctivitis kind of thing going on.
I was given antibiotic ointment (3X day) and they left. I wanted to start her immediately so there would be enough time in between that dose and the night time dose. That was a mistake because Rose was upset about their visit--I really should have given her more time to calm down. Long story, short, I went round and round trying to get the eye ointment in her eye. One time was bad--she reared and jumped forward. Happened in a nano second and the end of the tube went in her eye and I heard and felt a snap. OMG!!! I thought I punctured her eye. She kept it closed after that too, which made me more fearful. I called and asked the vet to come back. She did and examined the eye. She didn't see anything bad. She thought maybe it caught the third eyelid and that's the snap I felt. I breathed a sigh of relief. I decided to leave well enough alone and wait until the bedtime dose, which went MUCH better. She was calm by then and just tossed her head a bit. Subsequent doses were no big deal--I'd just squirt the medication in the eye and that was it. No fuss, no muss. I should have given her time to calm down after the vet ordeal. Lesson learned.
I was feeling particularly cocky one day after I medicated her without even putting her halter on--just out in the pasture. I kind of cuddled her head and asked her to hold her head still ... and she did! I've medicated her two more times that way without any problem. I thought--to all the people who think I spoil her too much and let her get away with too much pony-tude stuff, I say "Take that bitches!" ha ha (I mean this in a joking way, but I really did say that to Rosie out loud when I finished with her just standing there cool as a cucumber.)
Rosie's eye is looking great now and I only have today's medication and I'm done. I'm free! I really hate making that bed time medication visit late at night when I'm all settled inside cozy and comfortable after a busy day of work and everything else I have to do around here when I get home. Not that I don't want to see the horses, of course, but it's cold, dark ... not a fun time.
Rosie's eye at its worst
More on the vet medical front--I'm still battling Babe's scratches on her left hind pastern. I think I may be making some headway, though. Even though she doesn't have much hair on her leg, I decided to shave it down with clippers. That has helped a lot, I think. Last evening the scabs came off more easily and I could tell the liquid medication I use (lime sulfur dip that I mix with water dispensed by the vet--works better than anything I've used before) was getting to the skin better. If our weather can just stay dry for a few days, I might have it licked. But with all the rain we've had this summer and early fall, that's asking for a lot. At least the scratches are not getting worse.
Babe is SO patient for treatment. I scrape off as many scabs as I can, and I know it is painful for her. I don't even have to put her in the stall or put a halter on her--she just lets me do it, with no more objection than occasionally picking up her hoof and holding it in the air for a few seconds or turning her head around to let me know when it's too much. Babe is so patient and tolerant. She has always just seemed to understand that she has to tolerate uncomfortable things for short periods of time occasionally. If you exceed her "short period of time," then she starts fussing. Until then, she will tolerate a lot. What a good girl!
Jerry is doing well. He's always doing well. He is a totally trouble free and always a good boy.
Back to some good news. I'm taking riding lessons! I'm riding a horse named "Chocolate." He's a very sweet older horse. Very well behaved and kind. He's big and his gaits are rather rough, but I think he's perfect otherwise. I feel very safe and my body is getting used to riding again. Really, there is no exercise that simulates riding--you just have to do it to see if you CAN do it. My body seems to be holding up really well. I get a Charley horse kind of cramp in my hip/leg when I first get on. I just wiggle my leg around, stand in the stirrups, or whatever to get it to go away. It sometimes comes back a minute later, but it's the same type of cramping I get when my leg gets torqued in a weird way doing other things. I have talked with my surgeon about it and he thinks it might just be some scar tissue around the hip prosthesis that causes a muscle to kind of pull for a bit. I can work with it, so I'm not interested in pursuing any further treatment. I've been through enough. Once I get that hip/leg thing sorted out, I'm good to go. I'm not even that sore when I get off dear Chocolate!
Chocolate's gaits are rather clunky. Kind of like riding on a logging truck on a bumpy road. He's rather lazy, as well, so it's actual work to ride him. First lesson I didn't do much more than walking. The trotting I did do, it was difficult to keep him trotting. He is used mostly for beginner, walk riders. His rough trotting and the starting/stopped threw my back around. He must have been able to tell I didn't feel confident.
I had my second lesson yesterday. After working out my hip/leg kink in the beginning, things went very well. Chocolate seemed to sense my increased confidence. We did a lot of trotting and once he started to pay attention to me--"she is serious!"--he was much smoother. Still rough compared to many horses, but smoother for him. He is such a kind horse. I'm lucky to be able to ride him. The great thing is despite doing more work at the lesson, I felt really good when I got off. I still feel good today. Next lesson is a group on Wednesday and I'm going to join another group that rides every other Saturday morning. I met some fellow riders yesterday--Saturday, so more activity. Everyone was welcoming and friendly. I love my instructor. She is young and easy going. And, one of the best things about her is that I know she loves her horses. She looks at Chocolate with total love and admiration for what a nice horse he is. I like that. I think I found a good stable.
I'm beginning to think this riding gig will work again!!!! That is such good news. As I said before, I LOVE my mini's and will continue to work with Rosie on driving. This has been such a great addition to my horsie world. I also want to ride if I can ... and it looks like I CAN! I feel like I've hit the horsie lottery--my wonderful mini's and driving, AND riding. I still might not be able to ride hours and hours like I used to--in fact, that is unlikely--but I'm OK with that. If I can only ride for one or two hours at a time, even mostly at a walk, for the rest of my life, I'm OK with that.
Oh, my mind is spinning thinking of possibly buying another riding horse in the future. Nothing that I will do right way. If all continues to go well with lessons, maybe next year. Yipppeeee!!!!!
Mr. Chocolate and me:
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