We are in a cold snap now. It was -5 F this morning. Weird weather because the forecast says it's going to be high of 42 F tomorrow.
The mini's are fuzzy and warm. They have no concerns about the low temp. Jerry often has snow and ice all over him; he rarely goes inside. Rosie goes inside for a while, but then has to come back out shortly after to check on her world--she is a nosey little thing. Babe didn't grow much of a winter coat this year. I keep her blanketed. I noticed her mid-weight blanket may not be warm enough when it gets this cold, and also her turnout sheet with no fill might not be adequate when the temps are at the in-between state where it's too warm for her mid weight blanket. So, I solved this problem by ordering her a 100 gm blanket liner. I ordered this one:
https://www.amazon.com/Horseware-Rambo-Optimo-Liner-100g-x/dp/B004BPZ1D6/ref=sr_1_6/133-4120860-5981545?ie=UTF8&qid=1542993828&sr=8-6&keywords=rambo+blanket+liner
I can add this to her sheet and also add it to her mid weight blanket as needed. I'll let you know how I like it. I used a Schneider's blanket liner one time and I didn't like the fit. It seemed to bind her in the chest. It was also heavier than I wanted--180 gm. Add that to a sheet and it isn't much lighter than a mid weight blanket. Add it to the mid-weight and she would be too warm. Adding only 100 gm of warmth makes more sense to me.
I'm still riding. Had a great lesson the other evening. I was having trouble getting Chocolate to canter to the right, his bad direction. I thought it was because he just physically couldn't do it without struggling. He's an older guy and likely has old age arthritis and the like. My instructor got on him to check things out. They cantered both directions without a problem. I watched closely for signs that he was half crippled to the right ... didn't happen. She said that, yes, she could feel him moving better to the left, but it wasn't like it was overly difficult for him to go to the right. He was likely sensing my reluctance and was playing that up some. I got back on and cantered to the right, this time with purpose and determination. He did it and felt much better than when I am all wishy-washy about riding his right direction canter. Don't you hate it when you find out the problem is *YOU* and not the horse, lol??
To give my new friend Chocolate a little more TLC, I have offered to buy a joint supplement for him. I ordered it online and it came quickly. I'll take it over to the barn tomorrow. People question why I'm doing this for a horse I don't even own. The why: I am the only one riding him now. Without the supplement, he does just fine hanging out in his retirement. Riding him puts extra stress on him. My lessons and riding just barely cover the cost of a monthly joint supplement with a little extra for my instructor's work. I don't mind footing the bill because it not only helps him and my instructor--supplements add up and Chocolate didn't need it before he started working again--but it also helps me because I should have a nicer moving horse to ride. I like riding him. And, I need him. I feel such gratitude towards that horse. Chocolate helps me out so much because he is a safe horse for me at a time when I desperately need a horse like that to make my return to riding successful. And, it's even better because he is also a challenge because he isn't a push-button horse and needs encouragement and reminders about what I expect. He makes me stretch. Drifter may be an easier horse to ride, but I don't get the same benefits as I do from Chocolate. I'm happy to do whatever I can for Chocolate and my instructor, who has allowed me to kind of make Chocolate my own riding horse. It's a win-win-win situation.
Rosie is bored. She doesn't do well with idle time. I spent some time with her yesterday just grooming her and fussing over her. She had such a good time. It doesn't take much to make her happy--she just wants attention and interaction with me. With her pony-tude, she really needs some kind of work to tone that down and remind her she is not running the show. Even just having her stand for grooming and picking out her feet reminds her of this. I could see her eyes light up when she had something to do. I bet some of our snow will melt with the warm weather we have coming and I'll ground drive her or at least lunge her. She also loves going for walks with me. I'll find something to do to make her eyes light up again.
Friday, November 23, 2018
Sunday, November 18, 2018
Horsey happenings!
All is well here at the ranch. Rosie is doing great. The little nut helped me do chores today. She is such a help--she pushes the sled I use for hay and bedding with her nose, she tests out new shavings by immediately rolling--she gave today's shavings her seal of approval. We have snow and I'm not doing any more driving training with her. We lunge occasionally and I may slip in some ground driving if I get ambitious, but for the most part Rosie is on vacation from her driving training until Spring. Winter in NY doesn't usually give up until mid April or so. We just received an early Thanksgiving gift of almost a foot of snow. That was an eye opener. I think everyone forgot what winter was like. OK, I remember--now go away.
Rosie's little nose is just begging to be kissed
Babe is ready for winter, sporting her Weatherbeeta high neck turnout blanket. I joke that I will spend much more for a winter coat for my horse than I will for myself ... but, really, it's no joke--It's fact! But as long as she is comfortable and happy, so am I.
Jerry doesn't need a coat because he has plenty of his own. He is unbelievably hairy. Hairy Jerry!
My riding lessons are going great. I am also riding in between--once or twice depending on how much time I have. The stable is almost an hour drive for me. I wish it was closer. Where I live EVERYTHING seems to be far away. But when it comes right down to it, I'm glad I have this available to me at a time when it is just what I need.
I'm still riding Chocolate most of the time. He's doing so well. When I first started riding him, it was like riding a lumber wagon that stalled out all the time. As I ride him more and more and we get used to each other, he has smoothed out considerably, is listening to me without gawking all over the place, and has become much more responsive to my aids. It's a wonderful feeling of accomplishment as well as partnership.
I owe a lot of my riding success to Chocolate. Don't get me wrong--he is a challenge in that his gaits can be very rough, he's very much a push ride (although becoming less and less like that every ride), and he can be slow and rather clunky feeling. At the beginning, I would get to my lesson and think "Ugh, I have to ride Chocolate again." He was a lot of work, he traveled so discombobulated, and I never felt like we were getting anywhere. But, things have really come around for both of us just in the past few weeks. It's like magic! I'm gaining confidence and strength; he's gaining physical endurance and greater flexibility. Both of us are growing.
Chocolate is an older horse--23, I think. He is my riding instructor's personal horse that she has owned for 16-ish years, since she was a young child. But, it's been a long time since he's been used like a regular horse. From what I've learned, he's been used for some easy beginner lessons and that's about it for the last few years. He had good training early on but he is very rusty now.
The great thing about Chocolate is that he has wonderful manners, a kind soul, and is one of the safest horses I've ever ridden as far as needing a horse that doesn't pull any crap. I feel safe when I ride him. He doesn't spook, he doesn't buck, jump around, or do any of the things that can shake a returning rider's confidence. I feel like I owe that horse a lot. And, the special treat is that as I work with him more and more, we are bonding, and I find he behaves like a horse that says "Let's do it!" ... Not "Let's not." like he was when I started. How has this happened? Just being firm but gentle, consistent, kind, and loving him for the sweet horse that he is. I think all horses respond to that.
Sometimes I can't even believe I'm riding almost like a "normal person." I dismount and I feel fine ... next day I still feel fine. It's almost unfathomable to me how this return to riding is going so far. I see no reason that it won't continue. My horsey life is so important to me. I feel like things are starting to come together again--the mini's are wonderful--Jerry is perfect and Rosie is my golden-ray-of-sunshine pony, Babe is doing well in her retirement, and I'm riding again!! Who could ask for anything more!!!
Thursday, October 18, 2018
I told you I change my mind a lot
I wrote in an earlier post that I change my mind a lot. Well, I did it again!
Last post, I said I wasn't going to canter Chocolate at my riding lesson any more. Next lesson I cantered him. Don't say I didn't warn you, lol .
The lesson was going well. It was cool and Chocolate had some spring in his step ... well, as much spring as he can muster. He's a pretty laid back horse. Part of his charm. I was feeling extra confident--I decided to do it. At first, he cantered a couple of strides and then broke into a trot. Lumber wagon thing big time!!! But, I wasn't willing to give up. I tried a few more times, fine tuned my cues, got better able to catch him before he slowed down, and he managed to canter the whole way around the arena. You may think this is no big deal, but on Chocolate, it is. I've cantered a lot in my life, but I don't think I have ever been more proud of myself for riding a canter.
At my lesson last evening I rode Drifter, who is a barn favorite. I've seen him being ridden by others, but this was my first time on him. He is a saddlebred. He's very well trained, responsive, and is what I would call an over achiever. He was so willing and compliant. He was a very easy ride. He would occasionally bend to the outside and get his body out of whack a bit like many horses do in an arena or change his way of going a little bit, but he was so easy to correct. He operates in the "how may I serve you?" mode. His trot is delightful--smooth and cadenced. Cantering him was interesting. Being a saddlebred, he has been ridden ultra collected with a high headset. He needs to be in that position to canter. Once the rider starts taking up the reins and collecting him, he knows what is coming and pretty much steps into a canter with the slightest cue. (I told you he was an over achiever.) I cantered him quite a bit last evening. I noticed I was using different muscles than other gaits. It was good for me physically to do a sustained canter like that to build better balance and strength. As part of his over-achieving ways, when we were waiting in the center of the ring with others while each horse was cantering individually, he always had this look and feel of a horse wanting to do something. Chocolate? He falls asleep or entertains himself by watching whatever is going on and has no interest in getting out there to work. I don't think you could find two horses more different from each other.
As much as I loved Drifter's gaits and willingness, I have to admit I missed my boy Chocolate who makes me work for everything he gives me. It's such a feeling of satisfaction to get Chocolate to get out of his sluggish ways and do things he doesn't really want to do--things that take some energy and concentration. He's all for conserving energy and he loves to gawk at anything going on. So, when things come together riding Chocolate, it's a very big deal and feels as great as if I did something really big--like climbed Mt. Everest (and sometimes it feels that way from all the energy I have to use).
I've been thinking about which horse I'd rather ride. My answer is both. They each have gifts to offer. Drifter is a easy horse who wants to please, is super responsive, and has nice gaits. He is great when I just want to work on my position and relax more about what the horse is doing. I don't have to stay on top of him every minute. I kind of set him in a gait and forget about it ... well maybe a little reminder here and there, but he really is super easy to ride. Chocolate is a "good old boy" type of horse who is a sweetie but he really doesn't want to do any more than he has to and wants to make sure you really mean what you ask for. This makes me stretch to use every bit of skill I have in my riding arsenal. Not that I'm all that skilled of a rider, but I definitely have to use the tricks and skills I do have to bring out the best in him. And when he responds to that and I see the results, it is a great feeling of accomplishment.
So, riding is going well. My body is holding up. I feel like my legs, especially, are getting stronger. Yay!! I'm SO glad I decided to try it again.
Rosie, Jerry, and Babe are all doing well. Babe still has scratches/mud fever on one pastern, but I think I may be on to something. I found a new sulfur-based cream called Nu-Stock
https://www.jefferspet.com/products/pierces-nu-stock
It says to apply it every three days, but I've been doing touch ups every day to keep the product on the bad spots. Tonight the scabs came off super easy with gentle scraping with my fingers. It was more like just rubbing the scabs off. Things look better after just a few days of treatment. Fingers and toes crossed this works because I'm running out of options. The lime sulfur dip I got from the vet worked wonders the past couple of years, but this year all it is doing is keeping it from spreading. I've tried so many products through the years that I've kept the tack shops and feed stores in business.
Babe is also prone to rain rot once her winter coat starts coming in and then she gets wet. I bought her a new rain sheet that covers everything other than her head. It's also in *her* color--teal, so she looks especially pretty. It was on sale and I hesitated to take a chance on it being waterproof, but I took the plunge. Seems OK so far. This is the one I bought her.
https://www.jefferspet.com/products/jeffers-combo-neck-rain-sheet?via=5338848b9fa2600f00000196%2F5338848f9fa2600f000001ea%2F533884909fa2600f000001f0%2F57fd030ef2131d2b520000c0
My only complaint is that it runs a little small. I bought her the usual 78, but I think an 81 would have fit better. This isn't a good sheet for horses that are hard on their clothing or in a pasture with a lot of things to poke holes in it, since it's only 600 denier, but Babe is easy on her clothes so I think it will work fine. For $59, I think it's a steal of a deal.
I'm enjoying my horsey world. Riding has given me back a huge part of what I enjoy most in life. It's such a gift. I love the mini's and retired Babe. Life is good.
Last post, I said I wasn't going to canter Chocolate at my riding lesson any more. Next lesson I cantered him. Don't say I didn't warn you, lol .
The lesson was going well. It was cool and Chocolate had some spring in his step ... well, as much spring as he can muster. He's a pretty laid back horse. Part of his charm. I was feeling extra confident--I decided to do it. At first, he cantered a couple of strides and then broke into a trot. Lumber wagon thing big time!!! But, I wasn't willing to give up. I tried a few more times, fine tuned my cues, got better able to catch him before he slowed down, and he managed to canter the whole way around the arena. You may think this is no big deal, but on Chocolate, it is. I've cantered a lot in my life, but I don't think I have ever been more proud of myself for riding a canter.
At my lesson last evening I rode Drifter, who is a barn favorite. I've seen him being ridden by others, but this was my first time on him. He is a saddlebred. He's very well trained, responsive, and is what I would call an over achiever. He was so willing and compliant. He was a very easy ride. He would occasionally bend to the outside and get his body out of whack a bit like many horses do in an arena or change his way of going a little bit, but he was so easy to correct. He operates in the "how may I serve you?" mode. His trot is delightful--smooth and cadenced. Cantering him was interesting. Being a saddlebred, he has been ridden ultra collected with a high headset. He needs to be in that position to canter. Once the rider starts taking up the reins and collecting him, he knows what is coming and pretty much steps into a canter with the slightest cue. (I told you he was an over achiever.) I cantered him quite a bit last evening. I noticed I was using different muscles than other gaits. It was good for me physically to do a sustained canter like that to build better balance and strength. As part of his over-achieving ways, when we were waiting in the center of the ring with others while each horse was cantering individually, he always had this look and feel of a horse wanting to do something. Chocolate? He falls asleep or entertains himself by watching whatever is going on and has no interest in getting out there to work. I don't think you could find two horses more different from each other.
As much as I loved Drifter's gaits and willingness, I have to admit I missed my boy Chocolate who makes me work for everything he gives me. It's such a feeling of satisfaction to get Chocolate to get out of his sluggish ways and do things he doesn't really want to do--things that take some energy and concentration. He's all for conserving energy and he loves to gawk at anything going on. So, when things come together riding Chocolate, it's a very big deal and feels as great as if I did something really big--like climbed Mt. Everest (and sometimes it feels that way from all the energy I have to use).
I've been thinking about which horse I'd rather ride. My answer is both. They each have gifts to offer. Drifter is a easy horse who wants to please, is super responsive, and has nice gaits. He is great when I just want to work on my position and relax more about what the horse is doing. I don't have to stay on top of him every minute. I kind of set him in a gait and forget about it ... well maybe a little reminder here and there, but he really is super easy to ride. Chocolate is a "good old boy" type of horse who is a sweetie but he really doesn't want to do any more than he has to and wants to make sure you really mean what you ask for. This makes me stretch to use every bit of skill I have in my riding arsenal. Not that I'm all that skilled of a rider, but I definitely have to use the tricks and skills I do have to bring out the best in him. And when he responds to that and I see the results, it is a great feeling of accomplishment.
So, riding is going well. My body is holding up. I feel like my legs, especially, are getting stronger. Yay!! I'm SO glad I decided to try it again.
Rosie, Jerry, and Babe are all doing well. Babe still has scratches/mud fever on one pastern, but I think I may be on to something. I found a new sulfur-based cream called Nu-Stock
https://www.jefferspet.com/products/pierces-nu-stock
It says to apply it every three days, but I've been doing touch ups every day to keep the product on the bad spots. Tonight the scabs came off super easy with gentle scraping with my fingers. It was more like just rubbing the scabs off. Things look better after just a few days of treatment. Fingers and toes crossed this works because I'm running out of options. The lime sulfur dip I got from the vet worked wonders the past couple of years, but this year all it is doing is keeping it from spreading. I've tried so many products through the years that I've kept the tack shops and feed stores in business.
Babe is also prone to rain rot once her winter coat starts coming in and then she gets wet. I bought her a new rain sheet that covers everything other than her head. It's also in *her* color--teal, so she looks especially pretty. It was on sale and I hesitated to take a chance on it being waterproof, but I took the plunge. Seems OK so far. This is the one I bought her.
https://www.jefferspet.com/products/jeffers-combo-neck-rain-sheet?via=5338848b9fa2600f00000196%2F5338848f9fa2600f000001ea%2F533884909fa2600f000001f0%2F57fd030ef2131d2b520000c0
My only complaint is that it runs a little small. I bought her the usual 78, but I think an 81 would have fit better. This isn't a good sheet for horses that are hard on their clothing or in a pasture with a lot of things to poke holes in it, since it's only 600 denier, but Babe is easy on her clothes so I think it will work fine. For $59, I think it's a steal of a deal.
I'm enjoying my horsey world. Riding has given me back a huge part of what I enjoy most in life. It's such a gift. I love the mini's and retired Babe. Life is good.
Friday, October 12, 2018
A week off work for horse time!!!
I've had this week off work. It has been SO nice. I can't wait until I can retire, but that's going to be a few years. I am trying to focus on the positives of my job--flexible time off, no mandatory over time, no schedule changes unless it's my choice, security, good pension plan ... gee, it's starting to sound pretty good. So why do I complain? I'm like everyone else who wants to do whatever they want, whenever they want to do it--that is my definition of retirement and heaven on earth. Plus, as I get older, I just don't like dealing with the work place politics and crap. I work for the state government and there is always crap going on. I swear they go around trying to fix what ain't broke so much that it becomes the new normal for management. Oh well ... I will just focus on the things I love about my life outside of work. Retirement will come some day.
I've been working with Rosie quite a bit this week. It started off hot and humid, totally unseasonable for upstate NY. The mini's have a pretty heavy winter coat already and they were so hot. I couldn't work with Rosie Sunday or Monday, but then the humidity dropped and Tuesday and Wednesday were tolerable. She was wonderful. I say this all the time ... but I just love that pony!! She has a bit of an attitude (OK, more than a bit), but she will do ANYTHING I ask her to do. Well, unless it involves pain or discomfort--the vet!--then she has no tolerance at all. She just loves doing training work. I worked her pretty hard Wednesday hitched to the cart. It was still pretty warm and I'm sure not ideal for a hairy mini. She was near perfect and never showed any sign of wanting to quit. She was just happy we were doing things together. What a girl!!!
I still haven't gotten in the cart and some people have told me she is ready. Everything I do with Rosie comes from gut feeling. My gut is telling me to do more ground driving, more complex things with the empty cart so she is even more solid than she appears now. She trusts me and I don't want to rush things to make her doubt that trust. Trust is the reason she is so willing to try new things and lets me do so many crazy things to her without batting an eye.
Wednesday I worked on trotting her pulling the cart. She wasn't quite sure about that. I don't think it's the noise because that kind of thing doesn't bother her at all. I had her drag six plastic milk jugs in front of the cart basket right in back of her legs and that doesn't even faze her. I think it was that the shafts in the harness had a different feel. She trotted a little here and there but was reluctant to keep going. Just kept giving me the "Mom, I'm not so sure" look. So I want her comfortable with that. I also want her to pull the cart outside of our safe 1/2 acre paddock I've been working in--the big pasture. I know driving people won't agree with me for ground driving her hitched in that situation, but my gut tells me this is the way to go with her. If she becomes unsure, I can quickly go up to her head to give her reassurance. I also want to set up some cones and drive her around them. She is already doing great turns--she is learning to kind of side step into the shafts and can make some pretty tight turns. Ideally, I would prefer to have wider shafts that Patty's Pony Place in Canada makes to add to existing carts, but Kelly, the builder, is backed up, and I have to work with what I have for now. It's OK, but not what I would consider ideal. Most drivers wouldn't think anything needed to change. I'm just picky, I guess. I think Rosie would feel better if she had more room to move within the shafts. She's a wide mini with a big butt especially. She needs more room to move and groove.
Riding lessons are going well. I'm still riding Chocolate. I have come to realize Chocolate does not like riding in the heat. I rode Tuesday early evening and he was obviously wanting to quit a lot. He was also heavy with the reins and was blowing off my attempts to use more subtle cues. He just wasn't into it. My next lesson is tomorrow--Saturday. It cooled off dramatically over night, so he will have more energy--I just hope not too much. I like that happy medium that everyone else likes as well.
I like riding Chocolate because I feel safe ... but, his gaits are rough, he's a lot of work to keep driving forward when he is having a lazy day (which is often). I cantered him for the first time a week ago and it felt like I was going to fall off! His canter is big and rough--I felt like I was being tossed around the saddle big time. Holy crap!!!! He is easy to get into a canter, but is very difficult to keep him going once he gets to the short side of the arena. I decided it's not worth it to risk falling off just to canter him down the long side of the arena. I told Rayann I would hold off cantering until another, smoother horse becomes available. I've cantered horses plenty in my life time. I don't need to canter this very minute to prove I can ride again. I know beginners get so excited when they are finally cantering in their lessons. I'm just not at that place where it's a big deal to me. I'm just grateful and excited that I can ride a horse again and still walk the next day--and then go back for more!
I posted on facebook my description of my perfect horse. Kind of like declaring to the Universe what I want so it will open up to come into my life. Of course, my horse friend enablers found me some ads. (You knew they would, huh? :-)) I contacted the seller about one by facebook messenger. I couldn't resist--she was a gorgeous palomino!!! I know, you can't ride color--but wouldn't it be great if I found my ideal horse in my ideal color! I explained my story and what I'm looking for. Does her horse fit what I'm looking for? She got snippy, started talking about that I'm scared and won't be able to find any horse that won't react to my fear ... blah, blah, blah, followed by "You need an old, old, old horse!" (Yes, *3* olds) This horse was three hours away. I'm not going to even entertain the thought of driving to try her out if she doesn't have the qualities I'm looking for. It's called screening horses before wasting everyone's time. That, of course, pissed me off. OMG--is this what I'm going to encounter over and over until I find that jewel of a horse I need? I know they are out there. I've owned a couple in the past that would be perfect for me now. I just have to weed out the frogs to find my prince (or princess).
Ideally, I would rather wait until Spring/Summer of 2019 to look seriously. I'll have more money saved up. I'll have good weather to immediately be able to start riding the new horse--I don't think it's a good idea to buy a horse now, have it sit for most of the winter, and then try to get to know it after it's sat all winter. Sounds like a recipe for disaster. But, a girl can dream. Who knows? But I'm willing to stick my neck out there to get the ball rolling.
I've been working with Rosie quite a bit this week. It started off hot and humid, totally unseasonable for upstate NY. The mini's have a pretty heavy winter coat already and they were so hot. I couldn't work with Rosie Sunday or Monday, but then the humidity dropped and Tuesday and Wednesday were tolerable. She was wonderful. I say this all the time ... but I just love that pony!! She has a bit of an attitude (OK, more than a bit), but she will do ANYTHING I ask her to do. Well, unless it involves pain or discomfort--the vet!--then she has no tolerance at all. She just loves doing training work. I worked her pretty hard Wednesday hitched to the cart. It was still pretty warm and I'm sure not ideal for a hairy mini. She was near perfect and never showed any sign of wanting to quit. She was just happy we were doing things together. What a girl!!!
I still haven't gotten in the cart and some people have told me she is ready. Everything I do with Rosie comes from gut feeling. My gut is telling me to do more ground driving, more complex things with the empty cart so she is even more solid than she appears now. She trusts me and I don't want to rush things to make her doubt that trust. Trust is the reason she is so willing to try new things and lets me do so many crazy things to her without batting an eye.
Wednesday I worked on trotting her pulling the cart. She wasn't quite sure about that. I don't think it's the noise because that kind of thing doesn't bother her at all. I had her drag six plastic milk jugs in front of the cart basket right in back of her legs and that doesn't even faze her. I think it was that the shafts in the harness had a different feel. She trotted a little here and there but was reluctant to keep going. Just kept giving me the "Mom, I'm not so sure" look. So I want her comfortable with that. I also want her to pull the cart outside of our safe 1/2 acre paddock I've been working in--the big pasture. I know driving people won't agree with me for ground driving her hitched in that situation, but my gut tells me this is the way to go with her. If she becomes unsure, I can quickly go up to her head to give her reassurance. I also want to set up some cones and drive her around them. She is already doing great turns--she is learning to kind of side step into the shafts and can make some pretty tight turns. Ideally, I would prefer to have wider shafts that Patty's Pony Place in Canada makes to add to existing carts, but Kelly, the builder, is backed up, and I have to work with what I have for now. It's OK, but not what I would consider ideal. Most drivers wouldn't think anything needed to change. I'm just picky, I guess. I think Rosie would feel better if she had more room to move within the shafts. She's a wide mini with a big butt especially. She needs more room to move and groove.
Riding lessons are going well. I'm still riding Chocolate. I have come to realize Chocolate does not like riding in the heat. I rode Tuesday early evening and he was obviously wanting to quit a lot. He was also heavy with the reins and was blowing off my attempts to use more subtle cues. He just wasn't into it. My next lesson is tomorrow--Saturday. It cooled off dramatically over night, so he will have more energy--I just hope not too much. I like that happy medium that everyone else likes as well.
I like riding Chocolate because I feel safe ... but, his gaits are rough, he's a lot of work to keep driving forward when he is having a lazy day (which is often). I cantered him for the first time a week ago and it felt like I was going to fall off! His canter is big and rough--I felt like I was being tossed around the saddle big time. Holy crap!!!! He is easy to get into a canter, but is very difficult to keep him going once he gets to the short side of the arena. I decided it's not worth it to risk falling off just to canter him down the long side of the arena. I told Rayann I would hold off cantering until another, smoother horse becomes available. I've cantered horses plenty in my life time. I don't need to canter this very minute to prove I can ride again. I know beginners get so excited when they are finally cantering in their lessons. I'm just not at that place where it's a big deal to me. I'm just grateful and excited that I can ride a horse again and still walk the next day--and then go back for more!
I posted on facebook my description of my perfect horse. Kind of like declaring to the Universe what I want so it will open up to come into my life. Of course, my horse friend enablers found me some ads. (You knew they would, huh? :-)) I contacted the seller about one by facebook messenger. I couldn't resist--she was a gorgeous palomino!!! I know, you can't ride color--but wouldn't it be great if I found my ideal horse in my ideal color! I explained my story and what I'm looking for. Does her horse fit what I'm looking for? She got snippy, started talking about that I'm scared and won't be able to find any horse that won't react to my fear ... blah, blah, blah, followed by "You need an old, old, old horse!" (Yes, *3* olds) This horse was three hours away. I'm not going to even entertain the thought of driving to try her out if she doesn't have the qualities I'm looking for. It's called screening horses before wasting everyone's time. That, of course, pissed me off. OMG--is this what I'm going to encounter over and over until I find that jewel of a horse I need? I know they are out there. I've owned a couple in the past that would be perfect for me now. I just have to weed out the frogs to find my prince (or princess).
Ideally, I would rather wait until Spring/Summer of 2019 to look seriously. I'll have more money saved up. I'll have good weather to immediately be able to start riding the new horse--I don't think it's a good idea to buy a horse now, have it sit for most of the winter, and then try to get to know it after it's sat all winter. Sounds like a recipe for disaster. But, a girl can dream. Who knows? But I'm willing to stick my neck out there to get the ball rolling.
Sunday, September 30, 2018
Lots of Horse Happenings!
So much has happened. I feel like my life is in a whirlwind--a happy whirlwind. Yay!
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:
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:
Sunday, September 16, 2018
Inspiration Can Come From Unlikely Places
I watch a lot of Youtube videos. Some to learn new skills and information and others purely for entertainment. I don't have "regular" TV--I have Roku hooked up through my internet, so I can watch videos on my TV with the bigger picture. I love nature. Lately I've been watching quite a few videos of thru hikers on the Appalachian Trail. So interesting to see the progression of the hikes and the terrain in different states along the way.
One hiker said something recently that was very inspirational for me. She is a 50-ish (I think) first-time hiker and is having trouble with her foot. She had to take some time off to rest the foot. When she resumed hiking the trail, she spoke of getting very discouraged. The foot pain was getting in her head and making her question whether she could finish the hike. She decided to re-frame how she was talking about the hike and change the way she did it. She decided to keep going but hike shorter days and take days off if needed. Her new mindset was that as long as she was making forward progress overall, that was good enough. She couldn't keep going the way she had been, but that didn't mean she couldn't still do it. Rather than thinking/saying *if* she could finish the trail, she changed it to *how* she could finish the trail.
That change in wording and thinking make a big difference to her, and I found it did to me as well. As you know, I have been hoping to start riding again. I found myself saying *if* a lot when I thought and talked about it. Well, that has now changed to *how* I can ride. I decided things were probably never going to be perfect again and I was going to have to make some changes in *how* I hope to accomplish this feat.
Last time I tried riding several years ago, I did everything my usual way. This time, I've been thinking about what changes I need to make to my riding style, position, my expectations, etc. Heels down and putting a lot of weight through my leg into my heel will probably not make my bad ankle happy--so, that will have to change. I have a bum knee that won't like having a big bend and won't want to absorb a lot of shock through it--so, that means I may have to lengthen my stirrups. I may not be able to do more than a walk until my body gets used to it again--or maybe I'll never be able to do more than a walk and be comfortable and not re-injure a body part--fine, I will walk the entire time if need be. It's better than not riding at all.
I have a lesson scheduled for Thursday afternoon. I already discussed my challenges (not problems!) with the instructor to give her the heads up and get a feel for how she would respond. Everything was "Hey, no big deal--we will work things out." That was encouraging. Last thing I want is to go to a stable where I'm viewed as a lesser being just because I can't hop on and ride like the good old days.
I'm going to be constantly listening to my body as I ride during each lesson. If I need to take a break to dismount and walk around, I will. If I need to stop and stretch my legs out of the stirrups to rest my back, knee, and ankle, I will. I'm going to be grateful to even be back on the horse in any capacity, so if I have to change the way I do things, so be it.
No more putting off riding until I'm perfect ... until I've lost a significant amount weight ... until my body is markedly stronger ... until I can ride like I used to do. Although that is sound thinking in one sense, it's also just making me postpone riding longer and longer. I've decided I'd rather adjust my expectations and work with what I have now than to continue to put it off until things are closer to perfect. The bottom line is that I really miss riding and I haven't felt like myself since I gave it up years ago.
Don't get me wrong. I've been working on increasing strength and endurance by hiking with my dog Heidi, doing a lot of more farm work without needing help, and working out with a yoga video here and there (I admit, that one falls through the cracks). I feel myself getting stronger and will continue these things, as well as work very hard on losing weight. But, the wait for everything to be perfect is just not cutting it any longer. Horses in general are a big part of what makes me, me. Riding is also part of who I am. I love my mini's and I think driving Rosie will be a lot of fun. I will continue her training. It's just that riding has always been my escape from life stressors and it just plain makes me feel alive. I want to do it. So my new way of thinking: It's not *if* I can ride, it's *how* I can ride. I'm so glad I watched that hiking video to get this piece of inspiration.
Here's a picture of the last time I rode Babe. The strong heels-down got me in trouble and re-tore my ankle tendon. When I look at the picture, I see there is no reason I need to have my heels down that far, so that adjustment should take a lot of stress off my ankle. The stirrups can come down a hole too and I think I'll still be fine. Part of the *how* I'm going to make riding happen.
A friend I haven't seen in a long time came to visit today. She had never met Rosie and Jerry. Rosie gave her the sniff and "oh, big deal--you seem pretty boring" response that I expected. She is just not into other people very much. I got some of my desensitizing toys out--hula hoop and the big ball. She yawned through my "show off" performance (lol). Here is the ball in mid air getting ready to bounce off her back. She looks very impressed, huh? lol Babe also seems to think it's not a big deal although it did get an ear to flick sideways.
One hiker said something recently that was very inspirational for me. She is a 50-ish (I think) first-time hiker and is having trouble with her foot. She had to take some time off to rest the foot. When she resumed hiking the trail, she spoke of getting very discouraged. The foot pain was getting in her head and making her question whether she could finish the hike. She decided to re-frame how she was talking about the hike and change the way she did it. She decided to keep going but hike shorter days and take days off if needed. Her new mindset was that as long as she was making forward progress overall, that was good enough. She couldn't keep going the way she had been, but that didn't mean she couldn't still do it. Rather than thinking/saying *if* she could finish the trail, she changed it to *how* she could finish the trail.
That change in wording and thinking make a big difference to her, and I found it did to me as well. As you know, I have been hoping to start riding again. I found myself saying *if* a lot when I thought and talked about it. Well, that has now changed to *how* I can ride. I decided things were probably never going to be perfect again and I was going to have to make some changes in *how* I hope to accomplish this feat.
Last time I tried riding several years ago, I did everything my usual way. This time, I've been thinking about what changes I need to make to my riding style, position, my expectations, etc. Heels down and putting a lot of weight through my leg into my heel will probably not make my bad ankle happy--so, that will have to change. I have a bum knee that won't like having a big bend and won't want to absorb a lot of shock through it--so, that means I may have to lengthen my stirrups. I may not be able to do more than a walk until my body gets used to it again--or maybe I'll never be able to do more than a walk and be comfortable and not re-injure a body part--fine, I will walk the entire time if need be. It's better than not riding at all.
I have a lesson scheduled for Thursday afternoon. I already discussed my challenges (not problems!) with the instructor to give her the heads up and get a feel for how she would respond. Everything was "Hey, no big deal--we will work things out." That was encouraging. Last thing I want is to go to a stable where I'm viewed as a lesser being just because I can't hop on and ride like the good old days.
I'm going to be constantly listening to my body as I ride during each lesson. If I need to take a break to dismount and walk around, I will. If I need to stop and stretch my legs out of the stirrups to rest my back, knee, and ankle, I will. I'm going to be grateful to even be back on the horse in any capacity, so if I have to change the way I do things, so be it.
No more putting off riding until I'm perfect ... until I've lost a significant amount weight ... until my body is markedly stronger ... until I can ride like I used to do. Although that is sound thinking in one sense, it's also just making me postpone riding longer and longer. I've decided I'd rather adjust my expectations and work with what I have now than to continue to put it off until things are closer to perfect. The bottom line is that I really miss riding and I haven't felt like myself since I gave it up years ago.
Don't get me wrong. I've been working on increasing strength and endurance by hiking with my dog Heidi, doing a lot of more farm work without needing help, and working out with a yoga video here and there (I admit, that one falls through the cracks). I feel myself getting stronger and will continue these things, as well as work very hard on losing weight. But, the wait for everything to be perfect is just not cutting it any longer. Horses in general are a big part of what makes me, me. Riding is also part of who I am. I love my mini's and I think driving Rosie will be a lot of fun. I will continue her training. It's just that riding has always been my escape from life stressors and it just plain makes me feel alive. I want to do it. So my new way of thinking: It's not *if* I can ride, it's *how* I can ride. I'm so glad I watched that hiking video to get this piece of inspiration.
Here's a picture of the last time I rode Babe. The strong heels-down got me in trouble and re-tore my ankle tendon. When I look at the picture, I see there is no reason I need to have my heels down that far, so that adjustment should take a lot of stress off my ankle. The stirrups can come down a hole too and I think I'll still be fine. Part of the *how* I'm going to make riding happen.
A friend I haven't seen in a long time came to visit today. She had never met Rosie and Jerry. Rosie gave her the sniff and "oh, big deal--you seem pretty boring" response that I expected. She is just not into other people very much. I got some of my desensitizing toys out--hula hoop and the big ball. She yawned through my "show off" performance (lol). Here is the ball in mid air getting ready to bounce off her back. She looks very impressed, huh? lol Babe also seems to think it's not a big deal although it did get an ear to flick sideways.
Wednesday, September 5, 2018
We did it!
I hitched Rosie by myself and ground drove her pulling the cart! Yay!!!!!
She was great! I led her around for a while and it just felt right to move forward. I drove her from the side at first, staying close to her and leaving the lead rope connected just in case I needed to grab her quickly. I progressed to ground driving her standing in back of the cart. I was so pleased with her! Here's a picture of her hitched. Note Jerry in the background looking very impressed.
Now drivers--I realize I'm breaking a lot of rules here--She is wearing a halter not a bridle with a bit, I'm not in the cart while she is hitched, and there is no header. If she wasn't so good about everything and I didn't know her so well, I would be more conservative with my approach. She's not ready for me to be in the cart, and I don't have a header who can be here when I work with her in between my lessons with Melody. If I waited for a header to be available, I'd hardly ever do training. That's just the way it is. And--this will blow concerned drivers' minds--I'm planning to drive her with a side pull unless she shows me she needs a bit. She is super sensitive to pressure and turns and stops when I just wiggle my fingers. I'm not planning to show her so I can do anything I (and Rosie) want. I also know the cart and harness need more adjustment. I'm working on all of that and will have everything squared away before I climb in that cart. It really helped to have the picture to see things from a different view. I could pick out the problems more easily than when I'm standing by her basically looking down at everything (because she is so cute and short!). OK, housekeeping done :-)
After we were finished and I left her, I looked back to see her standing at the gate with a sad look of "You are leaving me? I want to do more. Come back, Mom!" OK, I say it all the time--that pony is just SO adorable!!!!!!!
More big news! One thing you will learn about me if you stick around (and I hope you do!) is that I may adjust my plans from one post to the next. It's not that I'm indecisive, it's just that things evolve as I think more, research more, etc. OK, here it is: I have decided to start riding lessons sooner, rather than later. I'm having trouble with motivation to get in better physical shape. It's not going to happen over night. I live in NY state where winter won't be far behind. I don't want to waste the beautiful fall weather we have coming up. It's the best time to ride.
I've been in touch with a stable, told the instructor my whole life story, and asked about very low key riding lessons. She said she can accommodate me and my issues. Another Yay!
I'll likely do just walking with a little bit of trotting to start--I don't want to injure anything and my body needs to get used to it. Riding is different than anything else I do. I haven't ridden in, gosh, 6-7 years and my body has been through a lot of slicing and dicing during that time. I'm not the rider I was before all this happened. We haven't set up anything firm yet because she is out west right now, but we'll talk again as soon as she gets back.
I ordered a pair of Ariat Terrain boots today. I have a helmet. I'll soon be good to go! I'm really looking forward to riding again. I'll keep you posted about new developments in this area, along with continuing Rosie driving updates.
If it works out and my body can hold up to riding, I'll be so happy. If not ... then I'll be disappointed, of course, but I can't just give up and never try again. Like the Nike ad says--Just Do It!
She was great! I led her around for a while and it just felt right to move forward. I drove her from the side at first, staying close to her and leaving the lead rope connected just in case I needed to grab her quickly. I progressed to ground driving her standing in back of the cart. I was so pleased with her! Here's a picture of her hitched. Note Jerry in the background looking very impressed.
Now drivers--I realize I'm breaking a lot of rules here--She is wearing a halter not a bridle with a bit, I'm not in the cart while she is hitched, and there is no header. If she wasn't so good about everything and I didn't know her so well, I would be more conservative with my approach. She's not ready for me to be in the cart, and I don't have a header who can be here when I work with her in between my lessons with Melody. If I waited for a header to be available, I'd hardly ever do training. That's just the way it is. And--this will blow concerned drivers' minds--I'm planning to drive her with a side pull unless she shows me she needs a bit. She is super sensitive to pressure and turns and stops when I just wiggle my fingers. I'm not planning to show her so I can do anything I (and Rosie) want. I also know the cart and harness need more adjustment. I'm working on all of that and will have everything squared away before I climb in that cart. It really helped to have the picture to see things from a different view. I could pick out the problems more easily than when I'm standing by her basically looking down at everything (because she is so cute and short!). OK, housekeeping done :-)
After we were finished and I left her, I looked back to see her standing at the gate with a sad look of "You are leaving me? I want to do more. Come back, Mom!" OK, I say it all the time--that pony is just SO adorable!!!!!!!
More big news! One thing you will learn about me if you stick around (and I hope you do!) is that I may adjust my plans from one post to the next. It's not that I'm indecisive, it's just that things evolve as I think more, research more, etc. OK, here it is: I have decided to start riding lessons sooner, rather than later. I'm having trouble with motivation to get in better physical shape. It's not going to happen over night. I live in NY state where winter won't be far behind. I don't want to waste the beautiful fall weather we have coming up. It's the best time to ride.
I've been in touch with a stable, told the instructor my whole life story, and asked about very low key riding lessons. She said she can accommodate me and my issues. Another Yay!
I'll likely do just walking with a little bit of trotting to start--I don't want to injure anything and my body needs to get used to it. Riding is different than anything else I do. I haven't ridden in, gosh, 6-7 years and my body has been through a lot of slicing and dicing during that time. I'm not the rider I was before all this happened. We haven't set up anything firm yet because she is out west right now, but we'll talk again as soon as she gets back.
I ordered a pair of Ariat Terrain boots today. I have a helmet. I'll soon be good to go! I'm really looking forward to riding again. I'll keep you posted about new developments in this area, along with continuing Rosie driving updates.
If it works out and my body can hold up to riding, I'll be so happy. If not ... then I'll be disappointed, of course, but I can't just give up and never try again. Like the Nike ad says--Just Do It!
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