RAIN!!!

 RAIN!! We finally got rain! Of course it happened while we were hacking at Ashland, but I don't even mind. :) 

 

We had Patrick come to do feet this morning and I asked him if we could try Dan in the 3d pads instead of the big full frog support pads. So we did. Not sure it'll be any better, but... we're gonna give it a whirl. Then I hopped on Lyric for a quick ride.. then I took Funny for a lesson with Jacel at Barbaras. And then I headed home and swapped ponies and headed to Ashland with Dan. Knowing that it was likely to rain on us, but hoping that it would wait just long enough. It's been "scattered storms" that have just missed us for days, so... we desperately needed the storm to actually hit us today, but you know... 6 pm or later would be fine. ;) On the way to Ashland I got an emergency broadcast alert of 60 mph winds and large hail possible in certain areas. Greeeeeaatttt!

 

Anyways.. I got to Ashland before Sharon and groomed his filthy butt. He was nasty! And hairy! We got tacked up and hopped on. It was rumbling in the distance and the skies were getting kind of dark. So we opted to stay in the woods mostly. We hacked down to the lake because I figured Dan would want to splash. It's been so hot and humid this week. He splashed a tiny bit but not that much. He was more interested in snacking than hacking today. Ha! It had started to sprinkle a bit by then. And the thundering was still rumbling here and there. We then headed back to Raccoon loop and up the cross country field backside. We got to the top of the field and the rain had kind of stopped and the skies cleared a tiny bit. So we debated.... We decided to go around the small lake and then as we got back towards the parking lot... it still wasn't really raining. I told Sharon I really wanted to keep playing and even do a little trotting but that I wasn't sure if the weather would cooperate. I looked on the radar and it showed a light green for the moment but pretty quickly the red spot would be upon us. And looking out towards cross country again, it was getting quite dark. So we decided we should probably be smart and head home. 

  

We untacked and I hosed Dan off since he was so filthy and sweaty and wet. And while I was doing that, he grabbed the sign that asks us to unhook the hose when we're done and pulled it right off the post! Daniel! He was chewing on it briefly but I couldn't get my phone out quick enough to take a photo. Oops! Luckily he didn't break it.. just pulled the nail through it. Whooops! I stuck it back and then we headed back to the trailer. At this point it was starting to rain again so we loaded up and headed home. On the way home it started raining hard and then there was a LOT of lightning. Big streaks! Yikes. We definitely made the right call. I got home and let him out and he galloped up to the hay feeder with the girls. 

   

And then it rained pretty steadily for a good few hours tonight. Yay!! And we might get a little more in the wee hours of the morning. Thank you God! My pastures were getting crispy.

 

I took some photos of Dan's back as I do feel like he's filling in. But... when I tried to do comparisons, he almost looks worse! I think it's my positioning though. Sharon offered to help me next time we ride together so we can get the same positioning and have a fair comparison. BUT... I do wonder how much is related to his stifles and hocks too. I really do need to do some focused bodywork and rehab on him again. Arghhh..

 

 

Back to Hacking

 yay

6 days off. 

rode... kept running into stella and anna. ha ha.. did some hills... felt a little "wobbly" on all four.. not pushing from behind. but only 1 week in. did some trotting and wasn't bad. got better towards the end maybe. 

did water treadmill and he had fun. scuba-ed too... thirsty?? let him play for a minute then insisted he walk through the water (WE practice). then let him play. then did trot circles for rehab. 

walked up hill to jump arena. jumped two small jumps (one on xc too) and did some circles working on bend. better already! yay, so maybe it is his hocks. got some nice bend so headed home. didn't want to drill yet and it's hot and miserable.

photos: back to hacking

Lazy trail and vet visit

 trail ride with marvin and kelli. lazy walk. saw baby geese

then vet visit. stifle not too bad... hocks fairly sore. been awhile. injected hocks and right stifle. left stifle looks good. drunk pony. trying stall rest with trazadone. 

photos: 5-26 trails

videos of baby geese

Obstacles at Home: Freebie day

 You know...sometimes God really shows you that He's listening! And He has your back. Phew!! After I had my little meltdown I started to realize how much God was helping me out. This weather has been glorious lately and for being into May, it's just now starting to get hot and humid. And it's not even that bad yet. So thank you God for that. Then, I've been brave and told a few people no and most everyone has been super kind and supportive about it. Phew. Thank you God. And then, I've had a couple of random openings that have stayed open. Like this morning.... last night my client that lives in Buford, right across the street almost from Mom Searls place (which we were at yesterday) texted that she had to cancel for tomorrow. YAY! I mean... I hate to say it, but... Yay! That meant that I didn't have to drive almost 2 hours in traffic to work on their 3 horses and dogs and then drive 1.5 to 2 hours back to finish my work day. And... while they are great clients and I love them, they are also moving, so... hopefully I can get them rescheduled but I don't feel super duper guilty if I can't make it work. Although maybe I should feel more guilty, but... I don't. Thank you for that too God! So I didn't have to get up early... I could sleep in... I could catch up on a few things... I could ride... I could do lots of things!! I really needed this. The multiple little "breaks" that He has tossed my way has made a huge difference in my outlook. Just that little extra bit of breathing room... has made such a big difference. So yay. Anyways... really long way of saying, I had the whole morning off and didn't have to leave for work til 1:30!! So that meant I could ride! 

I was a good adult and ended up taking the recycling in and then picking up my prescriptions. And then I did the dishes and a load of laundry and tidied up the house a tiny bit. And then I rode Dan! Well, first I went up to the arena and set up some obstacles. I looked up measurements and set up 5 single slalom standards and then added 2 of the double slalom standards, so... we could do the 5 singles or the 5 double slaloms. Then I put the 3 blocks as my 3 drums. Then I pulled out the two big semi-broken wooden wings to make my "gate" and put my lunge line on it as the rope gate. I'll figure out how to make a wooden gate soon so that we can practice that. And then I put out a raised side pass pole. So then I got Dan and tacked him up. I ended up putting on my paddock boots and my english spurs and the bosal. I wanted to see if this would be better at getting bend without making him so upset.  So then we headed up on foot. 

I did a tiny bit of backing and then we side passed the pole without me on him. He actually did better today than I expected. So then I hopped on and we did some walking. I did some 10 meter circles because Judy had told me that Kelly told her that 10 meter circles at the walk were very good for suppling without the torque on the stifle. So.. noted! And I did like him with the spurs. He felt a little more willing to lift his belly and use his topline and soften his neck and was a bit more bendy. So then we did the rope gate a few times and he was pretty darn perfect! Then we did the sidepass pole and... he actually did it really well to the right... and then not so great to the left the first time. But we came back after a little bit and if I thought more about leg yielding him over it, vs halfpassing him over it, he was good. Even the hard way was great! So whooo hooo!! I think we can be acceptable enough that by the time we move up to novice, we'll be good enough at that. Good pony. 

 

So then we did some trotting and he did feel more bendy. We played with the slalom's and the drums and did some general suppling work. And.... I got annoyed at him. Poor guy. UGH! I need to remember the whole reason for doing this... to find something fun that he's comfortable to do. But, I get carried away with wanting to be good and... expecting him to be able to do something because he used to be able to do something. Like... bend around my leg for the slalom sir!! So I got handsy and then spurr-y. Sigh.. and he kept trying, bless him. He didn't seem quite as agitated as he did with the bit, but maybe it's just because the bit makes it more obvious when his tongue gets stuck over it?? I don't know. I'm so mad and sad at myself for getting sucked into my ... competitiveness? My frustration??? Like... why can't I just relax and remember that he is trying and it's hard for him and this may be his new normal?? Ugh. Although, maybe, to a certain extent... he is just being lazy and doing as little as possible. Because it probably is hard and not as comfortable. But I don't know if it's just that he doesn't want to because it's hard work... or if it hurts. I am going to have to pray hard that God also helps me have more patience with him. And I also wonder if getting his stifles injected will help him feel better and be more willing to bend and sit. 

 

His canter did feel better today though in ways. He didn't want to turn very well but he was better on straight lines. Although, once, on the right lead, he did get stuck out behind and fell out of the canter. I'm sorry buddy! We finished on a good note and I told him I was sorry and was proud of him for trying. 

 

Tomorrow we'll do a nice fun trail ride and then go get his stifles looked at. And then, hopefully when he can get ridden again, I'll remember that he is trying and to be kinder to him... I can still ask for more bend and more sit and push but I do need to be more sympathetic to his tries and not expect it to be 2nd level worthy just yet. Or ever!  Ugh.. no wonder he's a cranky pants all the time. 

bit woes

Ugh... today was not a good ride. I got in my head that he needs to be rounder and more through and "on the bit" so... in an effort to get better scores, I tried the western bit on him again. And... it worked.. but he was not a happy camper. He stuck his tongue out multiple times during our ride. Before we even cantered. 

 

I tried to keep the reins nice and long and soft and just ask him with soft little reminders about staying soft. And he felt pretty darn good. He was round and soft and much more correct. But... he wasn't happy about it. I don't know if it's just the bit in general... or if it's the fact that the bit made it so I could get him more correct and round and that hurts his neck?? And then, when his tongue came out, I got mad because... dude.. it's not like I'm cranking your nose in.. I'm not asking you to go in a 2nd level frame even... I'm just asking you to be soft and slightly round! Ugh... But shame on me. Clearly it's bothersome to him... whether mentally, or physically, or both. So... next ride we'll go back to the bosal and just have to figure it out that way. Or... just accept the fact that we'll score poorly, but... hey, if we're still having fun, that's the important part. 

hack with marvin

 hack with marvin, played in XC field after

photos; Hack with marvin/kelli

Ahhhh... breathing

put saddle on to measure bc and wither strap. then such a beautiful day deciided to hack around neighborhood. put on western biit to see if more supple. hard to tell. maybe ... maybe not. had to have pretty heavy contact, so... maybe back to snaffle??

but forward and energetc. big powerful trot, but maybe nverted. but bold and happy

gorgeous day. ahhhhhhhh

photos; 5-26 neighborhood hack