Bonus Groundwork Day

 December is always a tough month, with lots of cancellations at the last minute. And it's aggravating because it throws my schedule off and I don't get paid unless I work... but today, I chose to be grateful for the last minute mid day cancellation. I went to the first barn and did three horses and then was able to come home. My first client made me some delicious frittata's that I ate for lunch. And then, the weather was cold but not awful so I headed out to play with the ponies. 

I decided that I would do groundwork with them and since they were all up by the arena, it was easy to fit all three of them in! Yay! Lyric went first and then it was Dan's turn. 

He was cheeky today and chompy. But he stayed engaged and we were able to do a full 25 minutes without him pulling away or getting loose or tearing off. Yahoo! We started with pillars and then we walked some poles. I had set up a fan so we did that. He has a much bigger stride in general than Lyric so he was a bit tight even in the middle. We did try to shorten him to fit him in the narrower side, but it was hard for him. We also walked the poles with the ends raised. We did that a few times. 

I also made him weave in and out of the poles, like a maze, to help work on lateral suppleness. His hind end swung out a few times but he also managed to bend for most of it. We played with the shallow serpentine over two poles end on end too. He's pretty good at that. We did some leg yields in hand too. 

I did also try the side pass over the pole. He was pretty good side passing one way... (why is it so hard to remember now.. it's only been 5 hours!) but pretty resistant the other way. I think going right is the hard way. I'm guessing it's his stifle? I did get a nice side pass going the other way and the we did manage to get a short side pass going the hard way. He can do it without the pole so then we added the pole back in and he got it. I didn't push it too much because I figured it's because it hurts. But I did want to push him a tiny bit to help strengthen it. In theory. Hopefully I didn't screw him up. We then went back to all the other games and he was fine. 

Then it was time for Funny. But when I tried to bring Funny into the arena, he reached over the gate and took a big ol' chomp out of her blanket! No sir! So rude. I think he was mad it was her turn to get cookies. 

No photos other than equilab unfortunately. But yay for getting to do some work with them!

I slept in a little bit today but still felt icky when I woke up. I think I have my annual 48 hr flu bug thing. Ugh. Plus my neck is killing me from sleeping funky. And it's freezing! So, instead of riding early, I did invoices and reports for a bit. Then it was about time to go get Dan to meet Kelli at Ashland. 

We headed over and got ready. She lunged so I took Dan to the arena to do some pillar work. We got bored fairly quickly and he was overbending when I tried to do leg yields in hand, so.. I just got on and we did some lateral work at the walk under saddle. He seemed okay to do leg yields, shoulder in and haunches in. And I was able to keep his body straighter from up top. He did lick his lips a good bit and his was moving but it didn't seem to be that upset tongue. 

Then we headed for the XC field and went on a hack. It was nice. We hit the woods and did the outer loop til we crossed the creek. And then we headed back up to the lake and up the dam. It was nice. Cold, but not terrible. And so many leaves on the ground you couldn't really chat but that's okay. Kelli watched us trot a tiny bit and said that she thought he looked like he didn't want to engage that right hind as much. And was maybe a hair off. He felt pretty sound at the trot. And at the walk he felt soooo much better today. I only felt a few short steps, which could have been due to the rocks and him being barefoot, balance, or his stifle. He tripped up front twice, but Marvin did 3 times, so... maybe that's just clutzy or too many leaves. 

 

It was a nice ride though and I had mentioned to Kelli that I wasn't sure how to continue with his rehab because I wasn't sure where he was in his healing with the patella fracture. I wasn't even sure if we were two months into healing or 5 months into healing! But I did mention that he did seem to be standing more square and resting that right hind less. I still hadn't seen him rest the left hind yet. But then after I untacked him after our ride, I looked over and he was resting the left hind!!! WHOOO HOOO!! But I still think that I'll do walk trail rides (and not 4 days a week) with a tiny bit of trotting just to stay abreast of how he's feeling until the new year. We'll get through the holidays and then I'll probably schedule a recheck with Dr. Barrow to reradiograph and ultrasound and see where we're at. Then from there, I can make a plan. But no reason to rush it now. Although I do think he's starting to look a little better in his topline and neck since I started hacking him again. I'll have to keep doing the groundwork too to help his posture. And if he starts looking bad again, I'll back off. 

 
And... I'll keep praying and trying to hear God's plan for us. 

Hackamore = Snackamore!

 Happy Thanksgiving!!!

 

I am grateful and thankful and blessed! I'm so glad that the sun was out and Dan and I were able to go hack at Ashland. We had the whole place to ourselves! Ahhhhhhhhh... 

 

We had a lovely ride. He was a tiny bit lame at the walk at times... It almost felt up front but I think it's the hind end... creating up front feelings. It was almost like he got stuck and was lame and then he'd kind of unhitch and smooth out. And when we trotted (just a tiny bit) he was sound. I got a little sad.... because... I want him to be sound and happy. But then I remembered.... it's going to take time. And I am on my horse... who could have broken his femur... or any other disastrous situation... And we're having fun. The view is beautiful. He's hacking.. he's snackin'.... he's happy! I'm happy! And I went back to enjoying the ride instead of being sad that he wasn't healing quicker. 

 

We hit some hills and walked the "water treadmill". We even did a tiny bit of trot in the water complex too. Just because. I do like him in the hackamore. He looks so handsome. And he's just as easy (or hard) to get out of the grass than with the bit. And he enjoys the unimpeded chomping. 

 

I talked to God... I realized yesterday when telling a friend about how I figured it was a neon sign when I fell off him and she asked me if I had asked God about it. I .... uh..... oh.... oooohhhh... I was sort of flabbergasted. I mean... I've been praying and praying and praying... and I have felt at peace with the decision to just... switch to western.. no more eventing... no more jumping other than popping over little logs for fun on good days. So, I suppose that I figured that I had "talked" to God about it. But... I haven't. I've just TOLD God... And sure... I've "heard" His No's... His Not Yets... but only because I didn't listen for so long that He had to make them neon signs whacking me upside the head. (or back). But... I am still trying to control the situation... I'm still doing "my will"... so, I tried to pray about it. To really ask God what His will in the situation was. Because, maybe... it's NOT to go western.. maybe it's NOT to ride at all.. maybe it is to go back to dressage (doubtful, but I know God CAN fix him.. it's just.. not sure He WILL). But like... I don't know. I have no idea, because... I've not asked.. I just keep barging ahead and trying to stick to the plan.. and then find a new plan... and then plan C... Sigh. So... hopefully I can actually stop long enough to listen and hear what He has to say about the situation and then... be obedient. It didn't happen today.. but I was able to stop long enough to think and try. And hopefully I can try again tomorrow. And the next day... and the next. And maybe, one day, I'll be able to listen and heed. 

 

So, I'm also grateful for mercy and forgiveness and that God doesn't shame me. And the beautiful view!

 

Hackamore Hack and Snack

 

 Hack with Marvin and Kelli.

 

Sniffing Marvin's pits like a homeschooled weirdo. Even marvin thought it got awkward

 

nice lovely hack. quite good in the hackamore.. not any worse with snacking than with a bit. warm out and he had frothy butt just from the walk. 

 

hung out while I adjusted marvin. 

 

 

Hackamore Hack

 

 Well... today my back felt good enough that I rode all three ponies! Although, I basically just hopped on Dan for about 15 minutes and we toodled around the pasture. But still! I've missed him. I gave him a quick brush and threw the bareback pad on and then I put him in a hackamore. The one Judy loaned me. I kind of wanted to see what he thought about it. Although it was hard to tell from just a pasture amble. We walked around a little bit and he seemed happy enough in it. Although sometimes he wanted to go right when I asked him to go left and vice versa. I think it had more to do with him wanting to go towards the girls than misinterpreting my aids. But I do wonder if the hackamore works on direct pressure or if it's like a neck rein and works opposite?? I guess I need to ask Judy. Ha! But the breaks work, although again, not sure how much of that is from my seat and body aids because I didn't use much pressure. 

 

I did tempt fate and trot him twice. Just very short stints. The first time was quick enough that I didn't even realize if he was sound or not. It was also a bit harder on my back than posting. So the second time I did it on flat ground and made sure I was paying attention. And it was still super short, but.. he felt sound. Yay!

 

So we wandered around a tiny bit longer and then I slid off and gave him all the rest of the treats. Oh yeah.. ha! He's such a goober. I had my unicorn fanny pack to hold my phone because I didn't want to put my boots back on and my phone case but my breeches didn't have pockets. So every time I unzipped it, he would stop and turn his head back to me, like.... Cookies? Ha ha.. Greedy little man. Of course I obliged him a few times. 

 

Hopefully I can take him for a hack on Sunday at Ashland and we can try it again. 

 

The Auroras Again!!!

I didn't stay out long because my back is hurting and it's cold, but... the northern lights are out again! And luckily, Dan happened to be at the water trough when I went out to look so I was able to get photos of him with the lights!! :) 

So magical! You could even see the pink hue without the camera!