Good boy sir

 Thank you for behaving like a (mostly) proper horse today and not a feral child sir! 

It was still a bit chilly but since it's lesson day, Dan had to get ridden first and at home or not at all. So, I grabbed him and we tacked up. I put the bosal on him that a client had loaned me. I was hoping it would fit. She had it on the 3rd hole so I moved it up to the 6th... Not even close. I had to go to the last hole, like 9th. ha ha! And I think it might still be too small for him. But honestly, I probably should have researched a bit more on fit before I just got on, but... whatevs! Ain't nobody got time for that! I put the bareback pad on and we headed to the pasture. I was at least smart enough to get on in the pasture and ride in the arena vs the open field at Ashland or the neighborhood until I knew how he reacted to it. 

 

I got on in the pasture and he was good. We meandered up to the arena and I had brakes. Nice brakes. So then we walked around and practiced steering in it. I did watch a video and it showed the bump and lift and release method so that's what I tried. He was tougher to turn right for whatever reason. And I did have to resort to pulling a few times. But then i played a little with a bit of neck raining and it felt like if I did a combo of neck reining and lift and release, he was pretty good. So I don't know. Hopefully I can watch some videos tomorrow. (Blogging tonight!). 

 

We picked up the trot and he felt a bit stiff, especially starting out. But yeah.. I bet you do, you big o' twit! After your shenanigans Sunday you quite honestly deserve to feel a little stiff. But we did a decent amount of trotting so I could figure out if I could steer and stop at the trot. I can. :) I really kind of think I like him in this and he seemed happy. He was licking softly a good bit. I'm not sure if it's going to work for him though because of sizing but I'll investigate more. I may still try playing with a western shank bit too because... I think he likes the "touch me then leave me alone" technique better than the constant slight feel. But ....we'll have to educate ourselves (me) more on this. 

 

Anyways... we didn't ride too long because he was a little stiff and I knew we didn't have a ton of time. He was quite good overall and even wanted to trot the raised poles once, so I let him. I managed to mostly get the hang of the bosal so.. we'll keep playing. 

 

Good pony! And Pretty sunset last night!

 

Well 2026... not making a good first impression

 Ooof. I'm struggling this year. Stupid hormones. I KNOW that it's mostly hormones, but I am in a funk. I'm cranky, moody, sad, and just... probably should go back to bed. But alas, I tried to work all 3 ponies today. I should have just taken Funny to Athens for Beth's grid day, but... I was trying to save money and a little worried about my truck. And parking at Beths. And honestly, I'm just cranky. I had another get together this afternoon at 2 in Athens, which was actually fun, but still.. put a damper on trying to get all the horses ridden. So I opted to sleep in, which I desperately needed, and not go to Beths. And.. it bit me in the ass. or the face.... literally. Sigh...

I got up and headed out to the arena to set up some more poles for pole work and Dan came trotting up to me all happy and chipper. So, okay, bud... you can go first. Let's go play! I know you're bored. I let him wander around the arena while I set up the Christmas tree poles and fixed the alternating raised poles I had set up before. I don't know why I cannot measure out walk and trot poles... Jeesh. So then he let me catch him and I put the equicore and cavesson on him. And then we walked the poles. And I still had to tweak them a little. Good gravy! Or maybe my horses just don't have normal strides?? ha! Anyways... then we played a little over the Christmas tree pole design. And then he wanted to trot so I tried to trot him on the lead line. And he immediately grabbed it in his mouth and took off. Twice. Sigh... so then I thought, okay, maybe I can try to lunge him without the lunge line. And when I "sent" him, he tried to eat the lunge line that wasn't there... Ridiculous creature. So then he trotted a little bit and I can't remember exactly how it all went down but maybe it was when we went the other direction, he snaked his head in to bite the lead rope that wasn't there and managed to freakin' bite me in the cheek!! The same cheek that Lyric bit. Okay... seriously guys... WHAT IS HAPPENING?!? Luckily he realized it, just like Lyric, and didn't even hurt me. I guess it was more of a lipping. ?? But grrrr. And then when I yelled at him and swung at him, he turned and bucked and kicked me in the hand. OWWW! Luckily it just spasmed my two middle fingers for a few seconds and then it was fine. It hurt but not that bad. And my hand is fine. Not even bruised or swollen. Just a little tendon in specific spots. So then... I was PISSED. Like... not cool Dan.. not cool. I understand you think this is a fun game but biting and kicking is not allowed! So then I calmly walked over and got the lunge line and the driving whip. He came right back up to me and let me clip the lunge line to him. And then he went to lunge for it with his teeth and I whopped him right in the nose! NO SIR!! You have lost those priveledges! So then he was shocked and when I asked him to lunge, he took off at the canter. Sigh... dude... not only are you cantering a tight circle, you are in the equiband. And not supposed to be cantering really too. I tried to get him to come down to a trot and he finally did. Good news though is that he looked pretty decent cantering right. So... ??? Then we tried left and same thing... cantering. Finally got a nice trot both ways and he got quite nice and even rounded himself up. Unfortunately I don't know if he actually felt good or if it was just adrenaline. We got a few nice circles and then we quit. And then I made him walk by my side and if he didn't stop when I stop he got backed up a step. And he did soften when I asked. 

Asshole!

Sigh... seriously though....like, WHY does it have to be this hard??? Ugh... So hopefully I didn't break him. Although to be honest... the effer did it to himself. Once I turned him loose from the arena, he added insult to injury and dropped and rolled in the red clay.  Because of course he did. But he did trot and canter off and was cantering on both leads. And swapping, although he was cross cantering some. But he was on the right and left leads. So... I don't know. Guess we'll see what happens at his vet visit. 

 

Good Riddance, I mean Bye to 2025

 The last sunset hack of the year

Another glorious Hack

 Okay, I know I hate the summer sweats... But I don't actually dislike Summer... I just dislike humidity. Because today was 75 degrees! December 27th! And it was glorious!! I sweated a little bit. ha ha. I can handle a little bit though. Poor Dan was hot in that full winter coat of his. I almost wonder if I need to test him for Cushings as he's so long and thick! But I think it's just because I didn't bother clipping him this year. Hopefully! 

  

I had time this afternoon after taking Funny to Jacels' and helping her get on her baby horse for the first time!! So, Dan and I headed to Ashland. It was too beautiful of a day not to! Plus, tomorrow is Mike day. I figured I would take advantage of the "holiday" vibes and the gorgeous weather. Because... meh, I can finish painting the hay shed later... I can organize the barn later. 

 

So we headed out. We chatted with Kathy when we got there.. she was finishing her ride so they left as we headed out and we had the whole place to ourselves. I put Sharon's hackamore on him because I could. We started off and I pretty much let him pick where he wanted to go. I did decide to only trot in the grass and not on the trails because I think that his feet hurt. And sure enough, he was much happier to trot today, so... I really do think that might be some of his problem. I'm sure his stifle is still bothering him, but... he feels pretty good at the trot. We even got some really nice round fancy trot in the field, especially uphill. He was lifting his back and getting some suspension. And then, he totally face planted and almost went down. Ooof! I don't know if he was rounding up because he was trying to sneak a bite of grass or... ha ha! But he caught himself. Perhaps his atrophied shoulder just didn't cooperate for one stride. He was fine and I was fine. He caught himself and basically just fell onto that knee I think. It was over before I could really process. Then he trotted off nicely again. We also walked a few ditches and the up bank and walked over two small logs. 

 

They were shooting guns somewhere off the property but they were so loud and you could hear them everywhere. And they weren't consistent. Sometimes they were single shots, sometime rapid fire shots... it was a bit annoying and unnerving. And then the dredging equipment was in the big pasture by the big hill and that was spooky. So Dan was a bit wide eyed and decided NOT to go towards the dredging stuff. Given the gunshots and the hackamore, I didn't push it. So we did some unusual paths, but... we hit a good bit of hills and did some trotting. And we splashed in the lake for a little bit. It was a good ride.  

He seemed quite happy and content and didn't seem quite as slow, although maybe it's more because I didn't have anyone behind us to gauge our pace with. But he was definitely more willing to trot so that made me happier! 

 

He was a bit sweaty and so gross and it was still so warm, I ended up hosing him off. I'm hoping he dries within 2 days. ha! The temps are going to plummet Monday night (maybe Sunday night) but he should be fine tonight.. the low is only 60! Of course he was still wet when we got home and rolled and rolled and rolled. Oh well, he didn't get that clean anways... just not quite as crusty. :)

 

Christmas 2025

Merry Christmas!!!!

   

We slept in this morning and the ponies let us! When I went to feed this morning Dan was staring off towards Jeans intently. I didn't see the girls but then Funny showed up and went power trotting out that way to see. Dan was staring intently and then I saw what was about to happen. I couldn't do anything to stop it and couldn't even get my phone out quick enough to record it... Funny started cantering back towards the main pasture about the same time Dan decided he was going to trot towards the middle field. They both hit the gate opening at the same time and body slammed into each other! Ooof!! They chested each other and poor Dan got bumped into the fence post. Luckily they both seemed okay. Funny trotted off sound and Dan walked off sound. But good gravy kids!!! Jeesh! Later that afternoon I noticed the the right side of Dan's neck, around C5 is swollen and a tiny bit warm and tender. I'm not sure if that's what hit the fence post or that was unrelated and due to something different (like a kick, etc). But he seems fine and didn't seem neurologic. Just what we need.. that right atrophied shoulder injured again. Come on ponies!!!

Anyways... they ate their breakfast and then I went in and had mine. Mike made us Christmas beignets! YUMMY!! Then we opened gifts and hung out a bit. And then, I took Dan for a hack! It was like 72 degrees today! Poor Dan is so fuzzy. I bet he's a bit warm underneath all that hair, but... it's not worth clipping him I don't think. Especially when the temps are going to drop to 24 as the low on Sunday night!

 

Anyways, we got to Ashland and had the whole farm to ourselves! We didn't even see and deer. Guess they were all resting up from last nights present deliveries. :) Hee hee. Luckily Dan was not nutted up so I groomed him and put the bareback pad on and bridled up and away we went. He did get a little freaked out at the dredging equipment parked in the pasture behind the beaver dam but he was able to march forth. I sort of had a plan but he had other plans. We went down the woods to the middle of the XC field and then I let him eat a little grass as we meandered to Raccoon Hollow. Then I was thinking we'd just go across the creek and take the slight uphill to Squallor Hallow but he really wanted to turn back and go up Five Terraces. So... okay, but... then we have to come back down my friend because I'm not going straight back to the XC field and going home. I want more ride time! So we went up Five Terraces and then turned and came down idlewhile. (or sideways, I can't remember which one is which. We had to duck under the tree at the little fake creek again but this time there was a pricker bush up top and it scraped the tar out of my back as I ducked under. Oww!! But we headed back down and then Dan wanted to cross the creek. So then we headed back to the lake because I figured I'd let him splash. Since it's 72 degrees on Christmas! We trotted a tiny bit just to feel him out, but... he really only wanted to trot a tiny bit before he kept walking. Hmmm... okay buddy. When we finally turned back towards the trailers (to go to the lake) he did trot a bit longer, but then stopped fairly short. But he felt sound. So... I don't know. 

   

We had fun splashing at the lake. He splashed me pretty good and it was a bit chilly!! We played for a bit and then headed back. As we were on the trail next to XC I trotted again a bit more and he still felt like he wanted to walk asap. As we got close to the trailers I decided I would just take him in the arena and trot to see if it was him being footsore from being barefoot vs stifle or something else. I figured if he was happy to trot in the arena, then it was likely just footsore. If he didn't want to trot in the arena, I'd be more inclined to think stifle, especially because I would think that the sand footing would create more drag on the stifle than the ground. And.. he was happy to trot. Well, at least happier than in the woods. He kept going without me having to nag and we did at least two laps around the arena with some direction changes. I did a few transitions and even a tiny bit of leg yield and while he was still a bit tougher to leg yield to the right, he was good. Okay, well, that's encouraging. Maybe I'll talk to Patrick about putting your shoes back on. He did suddenly look like he's lost half his sole!

 

 

Then we we going to head back and go home and he turned and marched up the hill to the upper arena. I do think he was looking for grass, but.. then he didn't want to leave and go back to the trailers. Okay... so I let him go where he wanted and he wanted to go up to the jump arena. We had to go the long way but he was happy to do that. Then he wanted to go into the jump arena. Okay...sure.... he went in and walked a bit and then parked himself in front of a jump. And then meandered to another jump and parked himself there. Okay Dan... are you trying to tell me something?? Is this your way of telling me not to give up the dream? Do you want to go back to jumping? Do you not want to be a cowboy? Or.... are you just hoping that I will hop off so you can roll in the nice arena sand?? 

   

I finally managed to get him out of the arena and then he wanted to turn left and go back to the trails. Yay, I'm glad you're feeling happy and wanting to stay and play, but I'm getting hungry sir! I managed to steer him back to the trailers finally. 

 

  

I was a little sad for a bit because he's still walking slow and felt very trippy and borderline neuro today. He felt ... sloppy. But then.. maybe he's just ouchy walking on his barefeet behind?? I really wanted to get foot rads again to reassess. And I'd much rather him stay barefoot if he can... both financially and biomechanically. BUT... if he really is foot sore... It's worth it to put shoes on him. Unfortunately Patrick is coming back before I'll get a chance to get an appointment with Dr. Barrow. I suppose he can wait one more cycle. Or I can ask Patricks opinion. Or... we shoe him and then get rads and change it up if needed. I don't know. Guess I'll decide new years eve when Patrick comes. 

 

I sponged off his butt cheeks and back and we headed home. Later that night he was watching me lunge Funny. Intently. I don't know if he's jealous of the attention, or just smart enough to know she's getting cookies and wants to see if he can get any. He did. ;) Of course he did. 

  

 

He also got more carrots and apples for Christmas!