Trail Ride with Kelli and Marvin

We got sunshine today! And minimal winds! By the time I got back from my errands this morning it was warming up nicely. Poor Dan was starting to sweat. He's so hairy. I pulled their clothes and lunged Lyric. Dan and Funny stood at the fence and watched. Dan the entire time, Funny half the time. After that I changed clothes and made a sandwich and then went out to get Dan. Luckily they were eating hay at the barn area so I was able to grab him and get him to the trailer without the chain. 

 

We got to Ashland and I tried to groom the orange out of him. Then I put the bareback pad on and his snaffle bit and we headed to the arena. Kelli wanted to lunge first so I did some pillar walking with Dan. Then we did some turn on the forehand and turn on the haunches and leg yield. And then we did more pillar walking. And then I got on because... we were bored. I noticed both under saddle and in hand he was not wanting to leg yield to the left today. I did manage to get a decent one after a few tries under saddle, so yay for that. Then we picked up the trot to see how he felt and.. he felt sound, but... he wasn't real thrilled. Although to be fair, he wasn't real thrilled at the walk either. He just... felt fussy today and was starting to get chompy. He was curling behind the vertical and then also just... seemed unhappy. He didn't stick his tongue out though... so maybe it wasn't so much anxiety as lack of contact? I don't know. Kelli watched him trot a few circles when she was done and said that he looked like he was swinging medially in the RH and that he was dragging his hind toes. She said that he looked sound.. but maybe his RH was dropping a bit more and maybe his left sacroiliac joint looked higher. She also said that he didn't look as happy as he had before. So... I don't know. I don't know if he's footsore since he's been barefoot behind. He does seem like he's worn his feet off to much less than what he usually has. Maybe it's his sacroiliac joints that need to be injected. Maybe it's his neck.. maybe it's still the darn stifle. I don't know. 

 

I just don't know what to do. I really would like to do another lameness/performance exam with Dr. Barrow (most likely) and get her take. If his stifle is shot and that's the big thing... then, okay... but if he also just needs his SI joints or his stifles injected again and he could go back to more than just walking trails, that would be worth it. It's just... at some point, I need to stop hemorrhaging money. 

 

So then we went on a trail ride. He was definitely happier to be out and was a good boy. He is still walking slower than he used too, although he was still leaving Marvin behind half the time. But Marvin was also a slug today, so that doens't necessarily mean anything. We did mostly flat ground but did a few hills. It was nice. I wish we could have stayed out longer, but I feel like it was a good work out for Dan as it was. He had butt foam!

 

Fiesty Uber!

 I got home last night and noticed Lyric was missing a shoe. But it was dark already. So I figured I'd look for it today. And well, today was a busy day. I had an "art and worship" session with Liz and Kelli. We met at the Church and painted silk scarves and worshiped and talked about God. It was really cool. But it was from 1 to 4 pm, so... riding was going to have to happen first thing in  the morning. But it was also rainy and scattered showers for most of the morning and steady rain in the afternoon. And my truck was still unhitched from getting it retuned. (A long story.. ugh, but hopefully this makes it work nicely again and keeps my mpg up still). So I debated on what to do... I could take Dan to ashland... but it would have to be a quick ride. And I still needed to get Mike's Christmas gift (which required the truck) and really needed to go to the chiropractor. And it was icky. And now I had to find Lyrics shoe... 

So, I decided that I would get them fed, eat breakfast, and do the dishes and a load of laundry, and then go back out and hop on Dan bareback to try to find Lyrics shoe. It was randomly spitting rain but luckily it was only a very light rain and it was for about 5 minutes and then would stop. I grabbed his bridle and cookies and went and got him and hopped on. We started meandering to look for the shoe and Funny started after us and then got sassy. So then Dan got sassy! He did that thing where he snaked his head and slung it around and popped up the tiniest bit up front. Um no sir!! I'm a little traumatized from falling off you last time and I didn't put my helmet on. (Kind of on purpose... I didn't think he was going to be naughty!). i growled at him and we carried on. And then the girls went towards Jean's driveway so he got fussy and chompy. Daniel.... why are you so upset?? Ugh...it makes my heart hurt. I think ever since Fleck died, he's been so much more herdbound... or worried about the girls flirting with Jean's new horse maybe. I don't know. But he was so upset that I almost got off because I felt bad for him. He was also threatening to rear and spin and bolt a few times. Luckily only half-heartedly and I was able to settle him. But I really needed to find the shoe and... we were just in the pasture... and the girls were in sight. So, we rode a few more spins around trying to find the shoe. We didn't come across it so I decided to just let him loose and search for it on foot. He was trying hard to be good but was clearly stressed. He did get a little better but then got more anxious again. I was smart and walked him almost all the way back to the girls before I got off though, so he didn't take off after I pulled the bridle off. He was actually good and hung out with me for a minute. And then Funny came over and he was either trying to protect me or just trying to keep her away from any possible treats because he lunged at her and then sort of lunged back at me. Um sir!! Careful!!!

 

Then I went back out and finally found the shoe. And then I had time to go get Christmas gifts, mail a present, and go to the chiropractor AND eat lunch before I left for the art and worship thing. Hopefully the weather will cooperate Saturday and we can have a nice long hack in the woods. With my bareback pad and helmet!

Sunshine and Smiles!

 Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!

 

Today was a glorious day! It was 62 degrees and the sun was out! Minimal wind. It was glorious! I injected Lyric this morning and then Dan and I headed to Ashland for our virtual saddle fitting and a trail ride with Sharon!

 

We did our saddle fitting with the 'card" system and Dan should be getting his fancy custom Western saddle in .... 5 months. Ha ha! But it should fit him well! Although he is quite narrow. He's basically getting the narrrowest tree they make! Now to figure out all the trim options and color (a soft milk chocolate brown or a darker deep brown) and whether I want a quote on back or not. Sharon joked that I should find dinosaur leather stamps and have the back say "rawr". ha ha!! But no... Although it did make me smile! I am looking at celtic trim and maybe a celtric cross. But I don't know. I may just stick with the pretty little flower and spiral trim. But it was nice to have Sharon help me with the fititng because Dan is a wiggle worm and it was nice to have her hold the phone and Dan's head so I could measure. Then we went back and double checked Baylor. 

 

Then we tacked up and hit the trails! I went bareback because we double checked and Liz's saddle is too wide for him. Plus, I love bareback. We had so much fun! Dan was so glad to be out and wanted to play with Baylor. He was walking slow and kept stopping to let him catch up and then he'd try to get him to say hi. But Baylor tends to squeal and strike so we tried to not let them do that. Then because Dan was a slug, we let Baylor lead and then Dan kept trying to stick his nose on his butt and I was afraid Baylor was going to kick him. But we managed to avoid any misfortunes and just played musical leader so both ponies were happy. We even splashed in the lake! It was chilly but luckily he only splashed a bit and didn't take me for a swim!

 

It was so nice... to be back on his back... to see how happy he was to be out... and to enjoy the sunshine and company. Ahhhhhh.... Totally made my day. And reminded me how grateful I am for this... just this. Even if it's "just this".... this is good enough. 

He's such a goober. This is what he did on the ride home. :) 

 

 

 

 

Cheated...

 Well.. my plans changed a bit. I had a crown replaced this morning and then Jacel was coming to teach me at noon and 2 pm here, because Jean's out of town so she had to teach the interns here. Plus, yesterday the arena's were still closed at Ashland. So great... and then I planned to take Dan to Ashland for a hack. But then.... the arena's opened up and I debated taking Funny for my lesson there. So I rode Lyric first and asked Jacel and she said it would be better to go to Ashland for Funny, so we did. But then I also had to get gas so then I didn't get home til 4:45. So... no Ashland for Dan. Heck, no ride even for Dan. But.. that's probably not the end of the world. Except he's already eating blankets, so.. he needed to do something. 

 

So... I snagged him and we headed to the roundpen. I set the poles up in a zigzag and then we had the two alternating raised half cavalettis'. So we did that 10 times. Then we did some "high fives". He was pretty good. We even got a few trips through with him totally relaxed and soft in his neck and topline. Because.. ugh.. he's lost so much muscle. 

 

Hopefully after the holidays I can get back to a program... I think Funny will get a breather and we'll focus on groundwork and core strength and physiotherapy for all of them. And just trail ride, but taking turns. 

Celtic knots and saddles

 The sailor’s Celtic knot, characterized by its infinite loop, symbolizes loyalty, friendship and the continuity of life. Historically, sailors would weave these knots as a keepsake to remember their loved ones while at sea, symbolizing their hopes of reunion.

This knot serves as a reminder of the interconnectedness of all things and the unbreakable bonds that hold us together, even across great distances.

Oh Daniel....

You sir... are a heathen! Ha.. This is why we can't have nice things!

Today's weather was awful. That light misting rain that doesn't really get you wet but... makes you feel miserable and cold and dreary. So Mike and I put up Christmas lights this morning and I did some chores. It finally stopped long enough that I took Lyric to Ashland. Then when I got home it was still not raining again so I grabbed Funny and headed to the arena. It was sloppy! We noticed that Dan was entertaining himself. 

Poor Lyric... 

He is such a menace! But, by golly that velcro is STRONG!!! Her neck attachment is still fully attached! Although he did eat a strap off Funnys yesterday. Now I now how! 

Sadly I didn't have time to play with him because once I finished with Funny it was sunset. But... he tried to beg for cookies anyways. I'm sorry buddy... they're all gone!! But thank you for being cute and friendly and not cranky! (By the way... WHEEEEEENNNNN is his CBD going to get here??? I ordered it Nov 26th and it's still "processing").