Grooming

Well I think Im going to give Lucas until the end of the month (January that is) It will give us time to really work on our showmanship/halter (during our hand walking) as well as getting me walking on a good consistent surface, which should help with my weight as well (so far so good, no extra joint pain over the past month). His leg is good, to me its just not the same as his other leg yet and Im more than willing to spend more time on the ground to get him feeling better. If Im working on my own fitness on the ground, really Lucas doesn't need to go back to work until March. I would be the only one holding us back at that point. The farrier will also be back out around the 20th so he can have a look at his feet as well then.


So on with the brushes!

I usually start with a proper rubber curry with 'sharp' teeth. The teeth wear down fairly quickly so in the spring/summer I usually get a new curry each month. And these are the little curry's, if you have a large hand like I do I need to stretch out the hand strap before its comfortable! In the winter or when the horse is extremely dirty I just use the regular circular motion to bring the dirt up off the skin to the end of the hair. However the trick is that whenever the horse is shedding (anytime other than Oct-mid Feb) you want to use the curry in the SAME direction in the hair in short hard strokes. This will pick up any loose hair and get it off the horse. Other than the few months of the winter you should be able to get several hand fulls of hair off the horse. Do this everywhere. Face, body, legs everything if you are gentle it won't hurt the horse.

Next is the hard bristled brush, which I use the same way as written in all of the horse books. I love natural bristled brushes but they are very expensive and hard to keep really clean so I use the cheap ones. I do have natural brushes that I use at the shows, which really bring out the shine!

Then I use the soft brush all over the horse, followed by a cloth (just a regular one) or a stable mitt. I usually oil Lucas feet 3-4 times a week with fiskes (http://fiskes.ca/index.html) I had slacked off during the fall, and it came back to haunt me.

I brush out his mane every couple of days, although it needs to be pulled now! And I take his tail out of the tail bag every weekend and brush it out. His tail has thickened up a whole bunch, but he doesn't have much of a tail at the tail bone as it is.

I always use nylon sheets and winter blankets with a nylon lining in them, I do have a polar fleece liner but I only use it when its very cold or we need another layer without steaping up a blanket weight.

Sick

Hi, just got my IV finished and got my moms new computer set up (shes going back to do her Masters in Education on Jan 15!) And now Im going back to bed. Im going to talk to the barn owners about what to do with Lucas... Im reading that circles are bad for horses rehabbing from suspensory, but Im not sure that were ready to go back to riding yet... any ideas? Still doing showmanship, and walking but should we ride?

Ongoing topic about boots below, general daily stuff here

Same old day here, back to work after my vacation. Some days after getting back to work I truly wonder how the world functions without me answering my email for 5 days! Lucas is good, did some showmanship with him tonight to start getting him tuned up to me and my body language (which wasn't so crisp tonight on my part). Getting him to wait for me to step off before he begins, stopping smoothly when I do etc. I also use something that watching reiners taught me, fencing a horse. Essentialy trotting right up until we hit the wall so that he doesn't anticipate the stop it really works with Lucas.

I get my IV tomorrow so I'm going to try and put down my grooming regime on 'paper' then.

Lucas is foolish, boots for back to work?

He was absolutely foolish today! He got turnout in the morning for several hours when the owners were doing stalls, and got brought in shortly before I got there. I got there and turned him out without his blanket on (so he could have a good roll) and he still ran around like a silly colt! Oh and no off movement of any sort, I even went in and trotted him after his antics to make sure. So were going to start walking/trotting him on the lungeline next weekend for 5 min or so to start working up his strength again.

The local tack store had a sale so I got Lucas more multi-vitamin and joint supplement, as well as a new saddle pad and new polo wraps. :)

Does anyone have any input towards boots or Polo's for when I put Lucas back into work? He has interfered with himself before so I always work him in bell boots, and either polo's or hard shelled open front jumping boots. So what do you guys think of these options

1) SMB boots (I usually only use these for trailering, would he start relying on the support too much?)

2) Polo wraps

3) Hard shelled, open front jumper boots

4) Exercise wraps (not my personal favorite but was suggested on one website)

Does anyone else have any ideas?

Pre HUS diva....

So due to the foot of snow we recived today I spent alot of time online! So please see the attached:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpP6QA_1shQ

That is Executive Privilege 3E, owned by Kingridge stables in Ont, and ridden by Hugh Graham. It is a gp jumping class at Halton Place just outside of Georgetown Ont.

Now the reason I included Hugh and this gelding is for a couple of reasons...

1) I actually worked and groomed for Hugh for one exciting (and hard working!) summer. I groomed this geldings sire and dam at several differnt shows over that summer. Hugh taught me alot, some good, some bad. If you look at my photos you'll quickly catch on to where I get my flapping elbows from! I learned about high stress barn management, and how no matter how many times you have seen someone on tv, they are still just a person. Up untill this point my verson of equation kinda fell apart when the horse did somthing wrong. I would be able to fix it but would panic in the show ring because I "lost my position" I got out of that working for Hugh!

2) This is filmed at Halton Place about 4 years after I left. Yup I worked there for about a year. I loved that place, and the opertunity it gave me to improve my riding and high level horse management skills. I was only given one horse to ride when I got there but progressed to 4 by the time I left, one of which was leased out to an amature that I helped during the week. It also ment that I was trying to keep 7 horses in jumping form, when some of them were only ridden once or twice a week. (the owner rode the young stuff on the weekend). It really taught me to learn from the horse, and to learn when to push and when not too. All 4 of mine were capable of jumping 5 foot, and could preform up to PSG. Talk about a learning experence!

One more week!

We did the trot test today. And between all 4 of us (me the two barn owners and Lucas) we think hes on the final leg of his recovery. Hes been playing a bunch in the indoor, the swelling is gone in his leg and its only because we know what he is capeable of that we think he is still not quite fully done.

Hes having a ball in the indoor now, and canters on his own for fun. That first step is still whe worst (and only at a trot) but he gets better the longer he trots. So when we get the snow that we are promised to get tomorrow we will start turning him out for a couple of hours outside. The snow will give him some cusion, and be high enough to keep coldness on that fetlock for a couple of hours.

Im extreamly happy that hes' feeling better already, and that hes so broke that having the past couple of months off wont hurt him a bit.

Getting ready for turkey

Went to the barn at 9:30 this morning to clean Lucas' stall, and give him some turnout time. He had fun out in the indoor, and even more fun when I went out to play with him :) Maybe too much fun but its nice to see that hes not feeling so bad any more. Hes also manged to kick some boads in his stall and leave a few marks, he hasnt done that since November so thats a good thing!

Merry Christmas!

I spent the morning at the barn cleaning stalls for the BO's. It was nice to do some physical work for a bit instead of making my brain sweat like I normaly do at work! I think that Lucas is figuring out the ball, I turned him out in the indoor while I cleaned stalls, and evertime I went by the gate the ball had moved about 10 feet.

Were off to my Aunt and Uncles in a couple of hours for chistmas dinner, most of that side of the family is close enough we will all be there tonight for supper. I think my grandmother from my moms side will go over with us, and then tomorrow night we'll have my mom's brother and his son, the sons wife and there 3 kids (who are so cute!) over for supper.

I hope everyone is spending quality time with your family, friends and horses over the weekend!

Does anyone know how to teach a horse to play with a yoga ball?

Lucas still hasnt figured it out. Or atleast he hasnt figured out how to work it on his own! He thinks that the plan is for him to watch me kick it around the indoor, and both of us can walk after it. Its a good tool for getting him used to weird stuff though! Ive bounced it like a basket ball and hes ok with it being kicked all around him so hes really come a long way in a year!

Hes also feeling much better. The barn owners said that he spent most of yesterday in the indoor and troted around some and looked great :) The slight cold swelling that he has while standing in his stall is now gone after once around the indoor (about 3/4 of the size of a decent dressage ring) His first step out of a stand still is still hesitant, but hes fine after that one... oh well were going to have a look in a couple of days and evaulate him... nothing to do in the meantime but wait and continue the treatment.

The Yoga Ball

Well I did it, I gave Lucas his Christmas present. He kinda knew it was coming, he kept nickering at me while I got it blown up. Hes so funny though. He wont kick it or push it, he stands there looking at it untill I kick it then he walks after it and waits again for me! Somedays I think he's training me!!!

Legs and feet feel good! All the heat is out of the right foot and the slight cool swelling on the right leg was gone after his "exercise". His left front where the thrush/abcess is is starting to firm up and is no longer soggy, and smells much better. Fingers crossed that were on the upswing! Me and the BO are going to trot him again on Sunday to see how he feels, and evaulate his healing/progress.

Staying home tonight

Well if any one has been following the weather situation everyone knows that no matter where you live, its been crazy.

The east coast (of Canada) is dealing with record rainfall, huricane force winds, and to top it all off higher than normal high tides. When just about every town is near the water, this becomes a problem. In one town about 2 hours from home, snow plows were sent in between high tides to clear off the roads from the rocks and seaweed that came in on the tide. Alot different from the job they normaly do at this time of year.

Thanks to the incoming storm my joints have been really bothering me the past couple of days (not to mention a lack of sleep due to wind and power outages). So today Im taking a 'me' day and staying home from the barn tonight. Lucas really seems to be on the upswing of the injury/abcess, so the BO was going to put him out in the indoor for a walk tonight.

Another good day

Lucas is feeling much better. Took him out for a walk and a stretch tonight and practiced some showmanship basics, for about 15 minutes then turned him loose and made him trot a few steps in each direction. This is when our groundwork and body positioning comes into play. I got him to trot one long side each direction, with his right side to the middle he was fairly sound, only slight head bobbing, no noticeable short striding on either leg. Going to the left he was bobbing his head more but only a slight shorting of stride on the left front. I also found a decent hole in his left front frog. I noticed that there was a flap of skin there yesterday but today there was a hole. I was able to clean it our and flush it with iodine. It might not be the exact issue but it wasn't helping him. The right hoof is still slightly warmer as well.

Our 'showmanship' work consisted of setting up about 10 cones around the ring and walking around them, by them, sometimes stopping next to them. Not nessacarly doing 'something' at every cone, but often enough that he was tuning into me in anticipation that we just might do something at the next cone. I like to have him in a 'ready' state of mind, so that hes not zoning out and going thought the motions, which he does if he thinks he knows the pattern. I'm trying to keep his mind active so that we wont have a repeat of Friday night!

Hes feeling better.

Well I was so disgusted with Lucas last night I couldnt even blog about it. It took three of us with 2 buckets of hot water and about 1/2 an hour of fighting to soak each foot for 5 minutes. He was so foolish, even snorting and the steam coming out of the bucket. (and it wasnt hot, it was just cold in the barn) He reared several times while we were trying to get him to stand in the bucket. Once we got a foot in he was fine but it was getting the foot in, and taking the foot out that was aparently horrible! I ened up having to put a lip chain on him so he didnt hurt us or himself. Once we got that done I still needed to scrub his frog out wich wasnt fun either. He stood in the cross ties but he was dancing around. Again more corrections so that he would stand so I could work on his foot. By this point any strength I had in my hands and arms was gone! Normaly Lucas doesnt push my hands/arms because he knows that it is a very bad thing but he was doing it last night.

Then as im trying to hold the poltice in place and vet wrap his hoof he half rears and pulls his foot out of my hand. Well I lost it. There was no excuse for his bad behavour, ive wraped his feet many times and his feet are not bad enough that he cant stand on one or the other for as long as it would take for me to pick them out. So I yelled at him and hit him in the side with my elbow and jerked on his face a bit (I still had the stud chain over his nose) And then he stoped and was just fine for me to finish up with. I tied him up for 15 min while I finished up then let him go and eat.

Its times like these that I wonder where his brain goes sometimes. There was nothing bad or painfull with what we were doing but he got it stuck in his head that it was. And untill i corrected him severly he was stuck in that mindframe. I hate to say it but its like you have to beat him out of it. If your nice to him he just stays 'stuck'.


I took off the poltice this morning and turned him out in the indoor, where he squelled like a little pony before trotting off a couple of steps, he then stoped to roll. So he was getting to stay out in the indoor for the rest of the afternoon, with lots of pylons and balls for him to push around with his nose. I think that he was feeling better today. And maybe he was so bad yesterday just because hes board out of his tree...

Grounded

Well me and Lucas are restriced to hand walking only for a couple of weeks. Farrier came in today and spent an hour with the BO working on his feet. He put him back in the angled alum shoes that he wore all summer (well new shoes but same type) Cleaned out his frog that was thrushy.

Good news is that he thinks he has a couple of bruses that have turned into abcesses due to the change in shoeing (that 8 weeks between trims is still kicking us) The thrush in his frog is not helping either. He also thinks that he may have a slight strain to his sespensory lig. in his right foot due to the bad angles.

So a week of soaking both his front feet and scrubbing the foot with thrush with a suger and iodine scrub to get out the thrush.

Im so mad a the farrier I could kick him, but hes spending alot of time trying to fix him at no cost to me... So Im thinking that he'll be off untill atleast the end of January. He can still go out in the indoor (as long as he doesnt play) and we can still do a bit of walking every day, but the real chalange will be keeping him from getting to board while he heals. Thankfully hes in a stall with lots of traffic (next to the tack room and the closest cross ties) and the 'in training horses' will all start coming in soon as well, which will keep alot of activy in the barn in front of him.

No Change

No Change in the boy. Farrier is coming out early am tomorrow to put differnt shoes on and re trim his feet. Cross your fingers that it will work. :( Good news is that its happening now and not in May right before show season. The BO offered me the stud to ride if Lucas ends up being off for a couple of weeks. They want to put some more rides on him before then but said that there would be somthing for me to ride while he heals.

Well there is no heat left in Lucas' leg. He still isnt happy though. The farrier is comming again on Thursday to pull of his snow pads and corks and put him back in 'summer' shoes.

Carpool started today which will get rid of most of my short term money problems :) Im driving with really nice people so it should work out fine.

On the mend

So Lucas is much better today! I packed his foot last night and the BO took what was left of it off this morning. Although his hoof is still slightly warmer than the other there is a big improvement. And the general heat in his leg and gone down significantly and reduced to just a bit around his fetlock. Hes also sound at the walk now and at the trot in straight lines (just during our walk in the indoor) Hes still a bit hesitant about that first step, but is no longer bobbing his head at the trot.

We had a good 15 min walk which he seemed to enjoy, and talked to the barn owners as they picked rocks out of the new footing, and got rid of an old hornets nest. (it was -10 today so a good day to do it!) I gave him a few minutes to roll if he wanted to, and he came over and snugged with me and nuzzled my entire face. Its been a rough couple of weeks. My parents are helping me get rid of my student loan and credit card debit, so its been tough trying to work out a budget that will work while still keeping Lucas. I've only ever owned 2 horses, Lucas and Bart. I had to sell Bart when I went to university for the first time so having to think about selling Lucas to pay for the second round is killing me. Bart ended up in a good forever home but its still something that I want to avoid at all cost of doing to Lucas.

So it was nice for him to give me some 'kisses' while I contemplated our future. Its the next two months that will be hard.

Farrier came

And reset Lucas' front shoe. He didn't think that there was an abscess but it could still be possible. He does think that the shoe was pinching a bit (hes in bar shoes at the moment) So we are going to continue with the bute for the rest of the weekend, and poltic it as well, hes also on hand walking only for a bit (or supervised turnout in the indoor) just until we make sure that it isn't anything more serious. He was much better on it in the alley way so cross your fingers.

Were having the christmass party at the barn tonight so Ill pack his foot tonight so we'll see how that goes.

Farrier tomorrow, cookies tonight!

I went to the barn for a bit to visit with Lucas. He's still kinda sore and grumpy but less heat in the bad leg and no additional swelling. The BO have been giving him a very small dose of Bute over the past couple of days to keep him comfortable (one small scoop once a day). Its not alot but I hate feeding bute long term so... its enough that it keeps his legs solid, and cool and that hes ok to walk around but not so good that he wants to play and might hurt himself.

Although there was a new kick mark in his stall, and he hasnt kicked since he got shod last time so he might be felling a bit better.

And another day..

So the farrier hasnt come yet, so Im at home. The BO were going to give Lucas his low dose bute tonight while I stay home to try and finish christmas presents. I have to explain that there are no lameness experts localy. The local vet often can't tell if its a hind leg or a front leg. Shes good for stiches ect but not serious problems.

To get to a 'horse' vet we either would drive 2 hours to another province to a special vet clinic set up by a vet who 'came home' after working in the US for several years. Or we can go to yet another province to the vet college and see if they can help us. To go to the guy just back I would need to bring the ferrier to take his shoes on and off. If I went to the college I dont trust the vet they use there. (he just about crippled my best friends horse) *sigh*

Somtimes I hate living in a small area.

Im Back

Im back. The computer picked up a virus of some sort that completly re-routed my deask top. And I cant type fast enough on my smart phone.

Anyways Lucas got new shoes last wensday and is still not better. Its not unusual for him to be off for a day or two but this has been a week now. We've put him on low level bute for the past couple of days, and baby ambosal into the nail holes but nothing seems to be working. So I called the farrier this morning and he'll be coming out in the next couple of days to have a look at him.

Im doing ok, just wishing that Lucas would feel better soon :(

computer died

Hey guys my computer got a virus and is out of commission for a bit... hopefully it wont be long

Pony rides

Well Lucas is feeling much better today. He got his back fixed last night and now all the heat is out of his front right as well. I took him for a couple of walks today in the indoor and his was much sounder today. We'll give him another day before starting some low level work done again on Tuesday. He was much happer today and walked around the indoor on his own (and had a good roll).

We had a young family in today at the barn. They were purchasing one of the weanlings and the little girl was 'in love' with Lucas. Since he was feeling so much better, we thought that he could handle her. So she got lifted on and the BO held onto her while I lead Lucas around. Once he got over his "OMG you are putting someone on me without a saddle??", and "A little person, on ME??" he was great. Then she and her mother fed him some apple, which he really liked! Next weekend is the barn christmas party so we did some decorating to get ready for it as well.

June 26, 2010 8:42 PM

Another video that i finaly downloaded off my phone. Just some trot work of the same session last summer. I just got back from the barn, Lucas got his back fixed so he should be ready to go next week. He had a bunch of stuff wrong but the chyropractor thought that it would be from my saddle mis-fitting, and him having a lack of good quality work.

New Shoes for Lucas, IV for me

Well I missed a couple of days due to my IV on Thursday night. It wasn't too bad this time. The IV itself is fine. The nurse is extremely nice, and its over and done in about an hour. Its what happens after that sucks. This time however I managed not to run a temp all night, and managed to go to work the next day. I was FROZEN about an hour after it got done though! I had to crank the heat and get layered in blankets to stop shaking. my poor parents were sitting in shorts and t-shirts to stay cool but I just couldn't get warm for hours. (the meds come right out of the fridge and go into me)

Lucas got new shoes late Wednesday night and he was still not happy on Friday night when I went out. He is extremely toed in on his front legs and gets corrective shoeing so that his legs/tendons stay correct. He was very good all summer on a 5 1/2 week schedule but since show season is over the farrier has slacked off and hes been friging around with the shoes Lucas wears to fix a few minor things that he didn't want to touch over the summer. So Lucas now has bar shoes (to support his heals) with 4 little studs for the snow. I ended up giving him a touch of bute last night because his right leg was still warm, but he should be fine by Sunday.

Meanwhile my mom is bitching about the gas bill, but then found out that my dad bought her the Christmas gift on it :) LOL

Video

Ok so Im going to try to post this video, it was taken at our first QH show this summer. Hes not pushing off from behind as much as I would like and he gets a bit to high in his head a couple of times. We like but dont like this bit at the same time. Hes hard to ride in it, but it makes our rides in our show bit and snaffle so much better. I have a trot video too, but its not uploading as well as I would like. Please ignore the fact that my shirt looks almost see though!

We did it!!!

I finaly managed to clean Lucas' sheath!!! And he only lifted his hind foot once! A year ago I wouldn't have even attempted. It finaly got to the point that it needed to be done, and thankfully he cooperated. I didnt use any soap just plain old baby oil gel. Sometime over the next couple of weeks when we turn on the hot water tank Ill get some soap and do a really good job but this should hold him for now.

Silly Pony

Went out to brush Lucas tonight as Im still recovering from yesterday. Nothing really joint related today just muscle sore today. I always let Lucas have a few minutes on his own without his winter blanket on right after I take it off and a few min after I put him in his stall. Just to let him scratch or shake or whatever.

Anyways tonight when I went to put his blanket on he was acting like a little kid. He was waiting at his stall door when I got his blanket off the rack to put it on him. But he decided that he might have some supper left that needed to be eaten first before the blanket, then he might want a drink out of bucket number one, then maybe a drink of bucket number 2 then maybe some hay... just completly ignoring me waiting with his blanket. Evently he just sighed and came over and stuck his head out for the blanket.

Thoughts and Confessions

So Ive been re-evaluating how I view/understand horses. Up until about 2007 horses were a tool, an object that you train and use to mold into what you want them to do. (This was after I was done training/teaching but I still thought that way) I thought communicators and the people that use them were nuts. If your horse didn't want to do the job you wanted it to do you sold it and bought one that would work, or put it in training until it learned the job. By any means necessary........

And then the CW incident that rocked the WP world... I looked at the photos and was horrified. I truly wondered how someone who was with horses every day could do something like that to another living being.

And then I started thinking about it. How was I any different? Ive tied horses around so hard they've popped ribs out of place. Ive ripped the side out of a 2 year olds face until she was bleeding, just to get her to round better. Ive ridden a 3yo with cinch galls so bad they didn't heal for the entire month that I had him in training, and I kept riding him. Ive left marks on horses sides from spurs. Ive tied up horses for hours.

I went to the QH shows, and watched the spurring and jerking that went on for hours, and said nothing. In fact at one point I was the person on the rail yelling at the kids to jerk more, spur more.

It makes me sick to think of what I have done.

Alot of things have helped me change my actions, some were local, some were futher away. The 2yo that I ripped the face off of never became a pleasure horse and lives 20 min away, I cry just about every time I see her. I started reading Mugwump http://mugwumpchronicles.blogspot.com/ I kept hearing an echo of my own thoughts when she talked about giving up training. And I started thinking that maybe winning wasn't that important if you thought that the means to get there were too much.

So maybe I'm trying to make up for it by spoiling Lucas. To make sure that he enjoys being a horse, and that he gets fun stuff to do. We don't work hard very often. At shows we're the ones out eating grass on his days off from showing. I try to use my dressage rather than my pleasure back ground when I ride. Hes been a horse who's had a pampered but hard, abusive life. Maybe me helping him will make up for some of the things I've done to other horses.

Saying goodbye

Well I sold my saddle tonight. The owners of the place where I keep Lucas bought it. Today was our one year anniversary of having Lucas in the barn, so I brought gingerbread cake to the barn this afternoon. So we were all having a piece when Lucas started dancing in the cross ties. Normally he doesn't like anything people related. Candy, cookies, mints he doesn't like. Well we gave him some crumbs which he ate up. Well then we gave him 1/2 a square. He loved it! And then he licked his lips and stretched on the cross ties towards us trying to get more. Hes so funny. Although he loves carrots and apples and horse cookies He's never been interested in anything else. So another new thing conquered!

But hes not spoiled!!! :)

I actually managed to do some serious riding this afternoon, did some transition work, figure 8's and some 2 tracking. No cantering yet, our indoor is small and we are in the process of fixing the footing so were playing it safe. I'm half thinking that I should be riding in my rowel spurs. Hes getting off my leg but not as well as I think he should be. Some of this is me, and both of us being out of shape. Also just rode him in the twisted wire this time, I wish that who ever ruined his mouth would never ride another horse. Hopefully I'll show it just it next summer after the first show or so. Hes still getting 'stuck' for the first couple of circles, I'm not sure if its me or him....

So Im a country girl, and...

I love music about 'real' farming, and rural life. I was hauling hay and petting cows not long after I could walk. My own family did not own a farm, however my Grandfather (my Moms dad) did. He was also a vet. I spent many weekends on that farm (it was only 10 min from my house) and the clinic, learned about life, the good and the bad, before I even went to school. The day I got my vacines to go to school, I fell in the parking lot of my Grandfathers clinic. My Dad ran me back in and one of the Vets doctored me up. I still have the mark, a small slit on my knee about 1/2 inch long.

Anyways my Dad was also the local artifical inseminator for cattle in the area (in fact at one point he was one of the only non DVM able to preform embro collection and implantation for cattle in eastern Canada) so alot of weekends were spent driving around with him on calls, visiting the farms around our county.

I learned alot about people, cattle and farming that way. And made some friends that are still friends to this day. And some that I fell in love with, then fell out of love with... A Canadian band recently released this video that I found through Facebook - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUAnfxt_x6I Love it, brings back lots of memories about being 18!


Oh and the 'fixed' saddle fits GREAT! Im going to ride in it tomorrow (as long as the snow doesnt derail my plans) I lunged Lucas this moring and he was full of beans, so I let him run for a bit then set up some trot poles, which he did great, so I think we might do some under saddle next time. And he jumped! Well kind of... I put up some of our X's and made a little jump about 6" high and he trotted over it really well. I guess he really does want to jump, the Communicator was right again! I dont think I'm safe to jump, but maybe one of the kids can take him over a couple this spring. But I can incorporate some jumping and bounces into our lunge work to break up the bordome for him.

So many times this week Ive been sad because I miss working in the barn and being healthy enough to jump, and ride a whole bunch. Maybe Im starting to feel better and the new meds are starting to work. But even my new drugs cost $27,300 a year. (better than the $52,000 of the last drug!) I cant make that kind of money in any kind of barn. I may not like my job, but it does pay for my drugs, and me.

So mad I could spit!!!

So when I bought the english saddle, last Feb, I was told it had a med gullet installed. When I bought the full gullet kit this winter it was missing the med gullet (as they are usually pre-installed in the saddles)

Ive checked the fit of Lucas saddle several times with the guide several times, even when I thought it was sitting a bit funny on him I left it because the guide was always saying that he should be fitting into the med gullet, untill recently when it went into the med-wide and that leads to the rest of the story.

So I opened it up tonight to put the Med-wide gullet in due to his weight gain.

But the gullet inside the saddle was white... but the med was suposed to be black.....

Guess what color the white gullet is...?


EXTRA-WIDE

No friggen wonder his back has been sore!!!!!!!!!!!

OMG I feel so bad for my poor pony!! And Im so mad at me and the store that sold me the saddle :( Well we'll try it on him on Saturday and see how it looks.

Saddle issues

So I think that Lucas needs an ajustment to his saddle. We have a collegiate convertible close contact that up untill this point we've both liked. However now it seems to be causing him problems. It seems to be pinching just behind his withers and its pivoting there and not settling down on the rest of his back. Hes just into the MW on the template so Im going to put that gullet in for the weekend and see if that makes a difference. (Hes' got the Med in now) We'll see.

More snow...

Blah! I hate snow. Mostly because most work days my drive into work is an hour of back country roads and highways with crazy french drivers. (not that I don't love the french but they drive like they talk!) So when I get up in the morning and there is snow on the ground forgive me for not feeling excited.

Normally Id be at the barn at this time of night but I decided to stay home due to, you guessed it, snow. However the new drugs that the doctor gave me on Friday seem to be working. I have allot more energy and managed to go to bed (and get to sleep) before 10pm all weekend. I even managed to be in bed and ready to turn out the light by 9pm last night!!! I know it sounds early but I get up at 5:30am and up until Aug I always got 7-8 hours a night. The past 2 months there have been some 1am nights and its really tough to get up in only 4.5 hours.

I saw both the RA and hormone doctors on Friday. Not much new from the RA doctor. She wants us to wait until Jan before we decide to do anything else but shes encouraged by decent blood tests results. The hormone Dr thinks that I should start some small amounts of thyroid hormone. She was pleased that she could no longer feel the lump, and its no longer producing excess hormone but the rest of my thyroid hasn't caught up to regular production. Another reason why I'm feeling out of sorts and low on energy.

I personaly love how she wants me to lose weight, 'oh just walk extra, or lift weights' Yeah my somewhat fused ankle and fused wrists would love for me to do that. If only it was that easy.

Winter is here.

Well most of the horses have either there winter blankets on on have grown a decent coat so it should be no surprise that today we are getting our first decent snowfall. Right now its just enough to cover the driveways in white, but we may get enough to even cover the grass tonight.

Went and rode Lucas this morning, he was decently good. Our biggest problem is me, I'm still very stiff and I find it hard to be coordinated so were taking it slow still. I got on him and walked and trotted for about 20 min. Mostly just thinking about keeping him going correctly in the direction I wanted to go and using his hind end to drive up underneath himself. The indoor is small so I need him to stay balanced in a shorter frame, where as he would really like to stretch out where he is most comfortable.

I'm working on my sitting trot as well as I tend to drive too much with my legs with I rise, mostly from habit I think but it wont hurt me to try and develop a stronger tighter quieter leg over the winter.

Almost a year.

Well its been over a year since I first tried out Lucas, and hes come a long way in a year. I no longer have to worry about anyone handling him in the barn, he's safe to lead in and out of doors. You can turn him out with lots of different horses (except for one mare that he's in love with we keep them seperated!) and he LOVES going outside now.

He still can be a little spooky in some situations. And he has some querks that I would not feel comfortable letting a rank beginger on him.. well let me change that, I think he would be ok with a beginner... not so great with someone who had a little bit of experence who thought they knew it all. I mean I just got on him last week after him having almost 2 months of no riding, and he was very good. Stoping his feet I can handle!

He loves to show, and is always better in the show ring than he is at home. I think he would be happy to be only ridden at shows, just too bad it doesnt always work that way. I ride him in a way more milder bit at shows than at home, hes always a bit of a jerk in it at home so we usualy save it.

At our first show I was crying all day because he was so bad, and we didnt even get all 3 gaits. At our last fun show we won our stake class with 20 horses in it.

We've been fooling around in the indoor, once Im done lunging him, I turn him loose and let him get some buckes out. Lately hes been showing me how well he can extend when hes not in a HUS frame. It should be intresting to try some more dressage work with him this winter. I do ride him in a higher frame when doing most of our 'work' but really only because his HUS frame is so easy that I need to keep him light. He wasnt fit enough last year until almost Aug to even think about true collection/extension. I dont know what he was doing at the last place but it must have been just about nothing.

Starting more drugs as well, a mild anti-depresent for the sleeping issues, and more than likely some Thyroid hormone as well. Hopefully it will give me some more energy if I could get a good nights sleep.

Finaly got to ride!

Yippie!!! I finaly got ot ride today! Only for about 10 min but it felt much better to get that first ride under my belt. I lunged him for about 15 min then managed to get on without too much trouble. Hes still a pain when I try to get on. Steping backwords when ever Im just about ready to get on. So I walked him a couple of trips around then tried to get him to trot but he was being a brat. He just kept doing his stop and stomp his feet routine, so I took a minute and relaxed then just walked a few more circles then managed to get him to trot when I finaly relaxed.

So we troted a couple of circles each direction and then I got off. Im a bit sore and tired but not too bad. Hopefully Ill get to ride him again this weekend for a bit.

Troy Green might be coming to a friends barn in Feb so Id like to be good to ride for an hour by then. Lucas should be fine its me Im worried about.

Year end awards.

We had our year end awards night last night. Lucas won a cooler for high point preformance halter. We also got back our professional photos and Im putting a few on this post.


I love this one:

Standing up for halter at the last show:

Troting:

And Lucas in his new cooler:

Were also dealing with ALOT of rain. Its kinda crazy here. Mainstreet in the city that I work in is flooded. Roads are closed and alot of accidents due to the water sitting on the roads.

grumble grumble

I am sick and tired of being sick and tired... Ive only ridden once in the past month. And 75% of the time its all I can do to get though the day and get to the barn. Its hard to find the extra energy to actually ride him.

Im on infusion 3 (4 next friday) and they said it would take atleast 6 before I would see any difference. So hopefully by Jan.... sigh... I just dont know what to do.

Selling the saddle

Well I guess Ive decided to sell the western saddle. Lucas doesnt like it, and its never fit him propperly (the only horse it doesnt fit) I've got some attachement to it though, I bought it when I was still training full time and Ive held onto it even when I thought that showing halter horses would be all I would be able to do.

Now however, Im not sure what to do. Do I buy another training (western) saddle? Do I just give in and buy a dressage saddle? I have to admit I do find riding easer in the english saddles, not as much support but less leather to fight against. It might even be easer to warm up in a dressage saddle then move to my Close contact for the shows instead of trying to warm up in my western then move to the CC...

And if were thinking about showing dressage in any shape or form in the next couple of years......

Animal Comunicator

Animal communicator and Lucas

I had a phone conversation with her on Saturday. She was really good knew about Lucas' eye and which eye it was, how much he enjoyed showing, and how he likes having his picture taken. So this is roughly what what we talked about....

Sad that the show season is over, missing me and the time spent together. Thinks we can win everything, need to go to Florida to show. That we work really well as a team, I need more self confidence though… I should chant “we are winners, we are winners! And we are going to win!” Thinks we are ready for bigger shows. Thinks that we should go to Florida for the winter then go to congress next fall. Loves his job and me, thinks we are a great team and are good therapy for each other. Very proud of how well he did this summer. Thinks we had a great season, would like to keep showing.

Right eye, blurry between shoulder and eye. Needs lots of right contact when that side is on the rail. Because it is blurry it is distracting for him. Needs more contact to steady him sometimes he thinks he sees something and gets scared. Feels better when I take control. Pelvis is twisting right side is the worst. Legs are telling him something different that what my body is. Stop crossing feet/legs making pelvis twist.

Hates the western saddle. Fucking bad. (algthough she said that most horses dont swear Lucas did) The saddle is too stiff in the left shoulder, I am discombobulated when riding in it please stop. Sell the saddle. Left struip is stretched making me sit croocked.

Likes to jump, I need to stop thinking about him getting hurt last winter, think about having fun going over the jump. Exhale, stop holding your breath. Wont nock a rail as long as I stop thinking about it.

Loves being outside would like to be outside more (which is why he is kicking in his stall). Would like a pet goat. Exercise ball when in the indoor looks like fun. Wants a mineral block, not a salt lick, a MINERAL block.

Liked Jeff. Disciplined but had a great sense of humor very loose and long legged.

Really likes the barn and the people that run it. Always happy and everyone who comes to the barn is happy. Lots of good conversations. Thinks that I need to sing more and be less self conscious.

Wants to streach more, needs it now that hes not working as much. Some times he likes patterns. Would like to find a good direction to move in. He likes showing but thinks that I might need more. Thinks western is silly, lots of standing around, attention paid to how you look in a funny way.

Thinks dressage might be fun, and that I would look good in a top hat. There is a dressage training center in Wellington, hint hint. He is a real crowd pleaser and the idea of doing dressage appeals to him.

Lucas loves his job, wants to go to bigger shows , thinks we could do it if I gained some confidence. Thinks that we work well as a team and that I am a great rider. Wants to go to Florida.

Loves the royal / colbult blue and silver. Thinks that ‘Lucas’ is too serious but Ducas is too goofy.

Something is wrong with the truck that makes the trailer shake more. Old trailer better (bonnys? Jeffs?) Knows he’s going to the show so he tries to be good about trailering. Trailer makes him dizzy. Acupressure on dip below ear massage tip and edges of ears. Take a bit of grass in a zip lock bag to feed him when we get to our destination makes him feel better.

I dont really have a topic!

So I went and rode tonight, first time since the show. Ive been to the barn to brush him and clean his sheath (which he didn't like during but I think he felt better afterwords) but Ive got a serious lack of energy. So I tacked him up and lunged him for 5 min. then got on. We just did some walking and trotting, he was a bit of a dink, (which is typical) but nothing too bad. Ive got to try to keep riding him or else he'll be really stupid when I'm healthy again.

I get my IV again tomorrow, hopefully I'll feel better on Friday than I did last week. I'm just so tired of feeling crappy. I'm taking drugs so that I can sleep though the pain but then it messes with my mood and my reaction time (which makes it even harder for me to ride...) *sigh* but if I cant sleep, I cant work. And if I cant work then I cant keep Lucas.

Picture

The new picture at the top of the page is from the last show, a friend managed to capture it! This is the barn that Lucas lives at.

Fun Show! and last show :(

Well we had our fun show at the barn today. Lucas was great, we didnt do well in showmanship because I didnt braid or band, oh well! We won the english pleasure stake (had about 15-16 horses) And he was awesome! He listened and didnt get tense at the loud sounding horses coming up behind him. We then won the Sr Equation, and Sr Pleasure but got second in road hack.... Lucas was tired and I didnt want him to think that he needed to find another gear in the show ring I like the ones he has just fine!

He was getting grumpy and tired but he went and did the class anyways which was what I really wanted to get out of him. That I am the boss, and I dont ask much of him just to do just 4 under saddle classes!

I had my new IV on thursday, ran a temp all night and stayed home sick on friday. Still have a bit of a head acke but much better than last time!!

Im very happy with how Lucas has devoloped this summer. At the first of the summer he was extreamly stressed at our first show and came apart. Now Im worring about if his quality is staying conistant! We'll have a couple of months of easy riding ahead of us, Im hoping to get Lucas a bit more broke for neck reining so I might be able to do some western stuff at the fun shows next year. :) Then we'll start fitting up come Feb/March for the next show season.

Thoughts on Lucas

So I was reading some of my old posts about when I first bought Lucas and this came up...


"Other than that my ride went well the other night. Still lots of transitions, keeping him thinking and moving. Then stoping and really 'resting' hes always waiting and a bit nervious when we stop I want him to realize that when we stop to take a break, we really need to relax and take a break! Hes still leaning onto the bit going to the left but now Im balanced enough, that I pull him in a circle to break him from leaning."

I though about how far hes really come. Hes ok standing around now when we take a break, he doesnt worry when I put a new peice of equipement on him. Hell last night I lunged him while they were fixing the judging stand, with the skill saw, and hammering, he was fine. He was more upset about the man walking around in the field next to the arena wearing hunter orange! And even then he was just fill of it!

Oh and my friend got an animal communicator out to read her horses and got alot of intresting feedback. Im going to have her out to do Lucas sooner rather than later. I swear somedays hes listening to me. I told him we needed to go for a ride and he stared at me for a bit untill I admited that I needed to ride him, I know that he already knows everything! Then he turned away and let me continue brushing him!!

Last AQHA show

Well I recoved from the new drugs enough to go to the horse show. The Sunday before we left I could hardly move, and we left on a Wensday. I managed to get Lucas ridden on Wensday night and got him preped for the braider... who didnt show up.... I got up at 6 and he still wasnt braided. Did I mention the fact that he was in Halter that morning?

I got him Lunged and fed and found the braider to get his braids done. The poor kid was just about sick she was so sick but he needed to get done... We won our halter class (the only ones again) and I let him take a nap before our riding class. We've been doing a lunge, for about 10-15 min then a 10 min warm up then a bit of a break (sometimes 5 or 6 min in his stall or I get off him to walk him over to the ring) then right into the class. We got a 5 and a 6 out of seven, hes been anticipaging the right lead canter and I had my left leg on him to the last possible minute and he got the wrong lead. We had a quick and quiet transition back to the trot and then onto the correct lead but we got caught.

2 days later we did our show day over again for the last time this year. Did the halter and won again, which means he ends up with High Point open preformance halter gelding. Did our warm up and went into the ring. I tried for a slightly quieter ride and it worked untill we changed direction, I started anticipating the lead and he started being bad and stoped in the ring. I got him going again but it happened. Everything that beat us is going to the world show and or Congress. It was dissapointing only to get a 5th and 6th but the top 4 or 5 horses were really top class! (including a tom powers top 5, and a couple of world qualifiers)

We have a fun show left to to at the barn this comming weekend. I also get the IV on thursday night :( Hopefullly Ill be feeling good enough to ride firday night or atleast Sat in my classes... Atleast I have 2 in hand classes even if I cant ride (grooming and conditioning, and showmanship)

OH! I forgot to mention that Lucas old owner showed up at the show and thought that he looked awsome. She was really happy to see how happy and helthy that he was. His old trainer also told a mutual friend that he was really happy to see Lucas with somone who apreciated him and enjoyed him.

August

Well the lump is still there, they are going to re-check it in November and then decide. My aunt now has one and is dealing with the wing nut doctor in town without getting refereed to an endocrinologist.

Lucas is doing good hes had a couple of weeks with only light work, hes had some back issues, Ive had some RA issues, and the owners of the barn have been on the road, so when I don't have to do chores there isn't someone around so that i feel safe riding. The don't need to be watching me but I need someone on the property just in case.

We had a hurricane on Saturday so the horses all stayed in until yesterday just in case (and the power was out so the fence wasn't on!) I went and rode yesterday morning, and he was stupid, but so was I. I knew that he hadn't be out much, it was really windy and he hadn't been ridden in a while. We just did transitions, turns on the haunches and just making him focus.

Its back

The lump on my thyroid.

They did a scan last week, and its still there and still producing extra thyroid production, my left side is still working a bit but has just about shut down to avoid producing too much thryroid. This also means that my pituitary gland will have just about shut down again in hopes of keeping my thryroid production down to a normal level. Hopefully they will give me another dose of radiation to try to shrink the lump even more.

It seams like I just get my health under control, and things start working and then my health blows up.

As it is I'm starting a new RA drug around the first of Sept... about a week and 1/2 before the final show. There is a $2500 HUS stake but I'm not sure if well go in. I know Lucas would be good, but me not so much.

Our first 1/2 AQHA point!!

Well we have had a couple of tough weeks. About a week after the last show my left knee blew up to about double the size it should have been. I let it go for a week before getting into see my doctor, and she injected it. All in I ended up loosing about 2 weeks of riding time. On the 24th we went to a local show where we won halter, got second in showmanship, and won our HUS class! We went into the English stake, but there were over 20 horses in it and he really had a problem with getting boxed in. We handled it, and got though the class but didnt place.

Last weekend we went to the AQHA show, and won our preformance halter under one judge giving us half a point!! However after we won that class we had no competition the next day... which kinda pissed me off. I put the numbers up in there class but they cant help me out when I start to do well?

Our first HUS class wasnt bad but I had a bit too much contact and only placed under one judge. The next show day was awsome!! I think I finaly figgured out that we need a good lunge, 15-20 min of walk trot canter work to get us working together, a 5-10 min break for water for both of us then right into the class. It keeps us both confident, calm and happy. We placed 4th under one judge and 6th under the other! The judge we placed 4th under placed the breeder of 'Hunt coats required' on his personal horse, another girls Congress finalist and an All-arounder that has gone to congress as well above us. Not bad company!!!

I emailed Lucas breeder about his halter 1/2 point and she was very excited for us, and cant wait to see pictures of him in halter.

Our first AQHA show!

Well were home! We ended up having a great show, other than getting screwed over in our halter class. My former boss asked us to enter aged geldings (where I knew I didn't have a chance) but failed to inform me that I then couldn't enter performance geldings (where I did have a chance!)

He warmed up well the night before, other than being a bit of a dink with all of the rain we were having as it splashed down all around the arena. Lucas' former trainer was going to be around all weekend to let me know what he thought of him, but he didn't get to watch our warm up. So the next day we went into our halter class (which I explained above!) good thing was that the former trainer came over and told me how well he looked.

We went in at lunch and rode in the warm up with the former trainer. He gave me a tip or two but there were way too many horses to get anything done. So when we were done the warm up Lucas went back into his stall for a bit until they got closer to our class. I then warmed him up a bit outside then took him into the class (our Sr hunter under saddle)

He was great! We had a nice steady ride with all three gaits in both directions which was a relief! AND we ended up placing 6th under one judge! And we ended up 7th over all :) There were 10 horses in the class (with several pro riders and horses) so I was very happy with that result! Former trainer said I played it safe, and I agreed! But it was nice to get a good solid class under our belt.

So on Sunday we got ready again (it was a 4 day split combined), had a great showing in performance halter geldings, 2 seconds under both judges! There were only 3 in the class but it was still great!

My friend had come up for the day so when halter was over she lunged Lucas to get some of his beans out. (and saved me a little bit of energy in myself). We skip ed the warm up because it was too busy and allowed Lucas to relax for a bit. I took him out to the outdoor about 30 min before our class and although he was moving well, he was a bit of a dink. I had planed to put my hunt cap on before the class but elected to stay with the helmet just because he was a brat. Oh and my class ended up having 14 entries!!

So I said to myself "use it or lose it! prove that you're back." I had found this quoate the day that I left for the show on one of the RA groups I belong to on facebook...


"Through my illness I learned rejection. I was written off. That was the moment I thought, Okay, game on. No prisoners. Everybody's going down."- Lance Armstrong


So that's how I rode.

It was not graceful. I bounced. I jiggled. But Lucas flew.

I did not know the horse that I rode into the ring.

When I asked for more reach he gave it. When I asked for even more, he gave even more. When I twisted the wrong way in our trot to canter transition (I could barley sit his trot) he steaped up underneath me, caught me and cantered on. It was one of the best rides in my life, and the best I've ever had since I got sick.

We had a bit of a fumble into our walk our first direction, it wasn't really prity but it happens. I looked up to see the trainer I rode with 2 years ago half smiling at me over the rail. I smiled back and he just shook his head while still smiling. Considering that he didn't have any horses/clients in the class it was nice to see him there, checking on me.

We finlay got asked to line up and once they handed the cards up to the office I got off Lucas. It hurts my hips to sit still on him. A lady I know from the barn I used to work at ended up standing next to me and Lucas and asked if I was still on some of my drugs, I simply replied back that "if they test me I'll fail" as they had just announced which horses would be selected for drug testing. Her daughter has RA but other than getting on her moms horse for a walk around, she has never ridden since she got diagnosed.

One of the girls from the former trainer of Lucas won the class, most of the placings were more toward the all-around horses. The two top-ten congress horses either didn't place or got 5ths and 6ths under one judge, so it was a tough class. Out of the 14 Lucas ended up with a 9th place over all!

I got Lucas settled for a bit then went out to dinner with some of the girls, then when we got back I gave Lucas his reward. He got to eat grass while I took out his braids :)

All in all it was a good show. Some people weren't happy that I was back with a good horse but the majority were extremally happy to see me again and to see me riding again. It was nice to catch up with everyone and see how all the kids have grown that I helped start on there QH show carrier. All of the parents commented that this year all of the kids that I had started have finaly seem to have come back to being friends again. They had all gone to different trainers, schools ect but this year all seemed to have come back together to cheer each other on no matter which barn they show out of.

Cont.

So we went into the next class. We got though the first direction, and was ok. He was a bit behind the bridle but atleast we were ok, during the second canter he freeked so I ended up troting the rest of the class.

Disapointing but better it happened there than at the AQHA show.


Last night a local trainer came to do a 4-H clinic for the kids at our barn. I managed to get a lesson with her before the clinic for the kids started. I basicly was 'asking' him way too much so he was getting away with murder because he knew I wouldnt be getting after him. I also wasnt asking for enough hip when I was cantering and his lope wasnt as good because of it. We did a bit of showmanship as well working on keeping my hand further from my body and closer to the halter to keep my comands more consise.

First Show

Well we finaly did our first show last week, and it didnt go exactly as planed. Lucas warmed up extreamly well on friday night, he was soft and listening, and I had several people comment on how much better he was going from the last time they had seen him. (with his previous owners/trainers)

On Saturday I lunged him early and he got a couple of buckes out (which he always does when I lunge him without tack on) then let him have a nap before our showmanship class. The pattern was one that I had acually used to judge before so it was easy to remember! Our biggest problem was me not breathing, and then rushing though the pattern. Our trot to 360 was a bit off in the start of our turn because I didnt give him a moment to position himself for the turn. We ended up placing 6th out of 17 which I was very happy about! Not bad for our first class together, and my first time doing showmanship in a long time!

Our next class was right after the lunch brake so I took Lucas back to the barn, got changed got him tacked up and took him out to warm up. I lunged him for a few minutes, then got on to do some transition work. He wasnt bad a bit distraced but it was blowing hard, and there were alot of distractions. We went into the class and thats about where it fell apart we made it ok though the first walk and trot but fell apart at the canter and I almost came off. I managed to make it around the second direction but it wasnt prety.

My best friend took Lucas when we came out and started lunging him while I got re-composed. I really didnt want to go back for the next class but i knew if I didnt I would regret it.... more soon I promise!!

Long time!

Well I feel bad I haven't posted in a while. Lucas was having some on and off lameness issues, that originally we thought were due to the mud fever that he had on his hind legs, then a musselsprain then we didn't know what to do. The first night he came in lame we suspected an abscess, but we tested his foot with hoof testers (the barn owner does some farrier work) and nothing. It took two weeks of him getting better than worse several times... I had a message therapist ready to come the cryropractor is coming out on the weekend and the farrier came today. The closest equine vet is an hour and 1/2 atleast trailer ride, the local vet is only good for stitches or putting a horse down, so a vet for an odd lameness is not my first call. We did start him on antibiotics on Friday just to see if that would help some of the swelling in his leg if it was from the mud fever.

So the farrier came out today and did manage to find an abscess in the leg that he was off on. He said that another day or two on the antibiotics may have brought it out on its own but its good that he found it. And now Lucas is sound! So our first horse show is in two weeks, and we've lost alot of time. I rode him for 10 min today just to see where we were at and he seemed good. hes a little hesitant to rock back on his hind legs but I can understand that.

The RA is not good right now. The left wrist has stopped hurting but the the right has started now and that's what I use to move the mouse at work,,, not good. I see the doctor next week so hopefully she can give me a joint injection to keep the pain down.

Forgot

I forgot to mention that I had finaly worked up the nerve to email Lucas' breeder. She sent me an email back saying that she was happy to hear that he was ok, and at a good spot. I also found on facebook the last owners of his full brother and we've been chatting back and forth which is nice.

Hes my horse

Although Ive bonded with alot of horses during there training, or when I looked after them I am finaly a horse's person. I dont mean that in a 'he walks all over me' kinda way but when I went to the barn last night Lucas left the round bale and his buddys and walked over to me so I could catch him. He knew more than likely he was going to go to work, but that there would be carrots waiting. Its nice for him to want to be with me even if Im the 'work' lady.

We rode 3 times last week, and 3 times this week, and Im really starting to feel comfortable in my english saddle. Our first show is at the end of May, and Im showing in showmanship, HUS and the HUS stake. Hopefully we'll do well, I'd like first place but for our first show I'll be happy with us working well together. The canter is great the walk is good and the trot is improving so hopefully we wont do too bad. Still working on getting him to lift and drive at the trot but thats coming... and my legs are starting to get stronger!

English Saddle!!

Well on Sunday, my friend came over and did a video of me riding in my English saddle (for the second time...) which was much better than I thought it would be. Im still a little wobbly occasionally during the transitions, but once were going it is OK. Lucas looked good under saddle, I need to allow him to move out during the walk, and I need to let go of him a bit more at the trot (are we seeing a trend??) but other than that we wern't too bad for not having much eyes on the ground.

The chiropractor was out that night and Lucas only had to have a slight adjustment on his sciatic nerve, and only one rib out! He also had a vertebrae pushed in slightly (under the saddle but not a pressure point on either of them) which puzzeled him, until he put both the rib (which is the 1st or 2nd rib) and the vertebrae together. Looks like someone tied him under with just a knot tied in the reins that if he resisted could have pressed into his back and done damage there and to that rib... sigh... On a good note he was very pleased at both the quality of his feet, his weight gain and on how much muscel hes put on.

I rode in my western saddle on Tuesday night, and then in my English again last night (yes two days in a row!!) I managed just to lunge for about 5 min each direction just to warm him up before getting on last night and he stayed good! Today Im off due to the IV drugs but I hope to get out to ride or lunge tomorrow. Karen Evens Mundy is doing a clinic in the area on the weekend that me and a couple of people are hoping to get too, hopefully I'll get a couple of good ideas to work on.

WOW

Sorry Ive been away for so long!! I just finished up the government year end yesterday. It was an absolute shit show. Our computers did not load correctly on April 1, then when they did load, they missed stuff so I ended up having 2 days with nothing to work with, and had to do everything within 2 days (although we ended up running into the 3rd/4th with alot of things not getting to me in time) On the up side, its done!!

Lucas has been very good. We rode in my english saddle just before the end of the month, and it went good, he moves much better in the english saddle. Ive been riding him atleast once a week and managed to get in 2 rides the 2 weeks before year end.

He is due for his trim/new shoes so hes not as correct when hes due, but his canter to the right is very good. We were cantering squares today (cantering to a half halt and an almost piviot/periout then cantering the next side of the square) This really gets him back on his haunches and opening up his sholders. Cantering to the left isnt as good/easy expecaly when hes due, but the consistancy is coming much better.

I had him out to lunge in our new out-door ring on thursday (yes we can finaly go outside to ride!!) and he was fantastic! He walked up to the ring (to an area of the farm he hasnt been to before) We had a walk around then we lunged, he was calm, cool and moving great! That makes me feel alot beter about how hes going to behave at the shows (Ive never taken him anywheres so although he knows how to show I need to know how hes going to handle it and how to best prep him) And today we rode with 2 of the kids to see how he handle the trafice and he was good as well! I cant wait for show season!!!

RA

I didnt realize that Ive forgoten to post!! Lucas has been good. We had some very good rides over the past 2 weeks. Then last night he was an ass and I didnt even get on him, just lunged him. Im stressed though, we are finishing our goverment fiscal year end in just over 2 weeks and the first 2 weeks of April will not be fun. Then because Im stressed my RA is bothering me again. Its a never ending circle.

Finaly figured him out

Well I think I finaly figured out Lucas. Today we only did troting and walking and cantering. No leg yeilds, no hip in, no pushing him to round though his ribcage more than what a 20 meter circle would do.

And he was great. No stoping, no flinging of the head, no stomping of the feet. He just went and did his job. Maybe we will be ready for show season after all. Maybe instead of trying to make him into what I want I need to ride him the way that works. I really need to get some leg muscle in order to do all the rising trot I need to do though!

National Champion!!

Well I havnt posted in a bit. Im in the middle of a big flair up of my RA, so Lucas has been on a 'lunging break'. I rode him last weekend and he was very good, he rides better when there are a few people around (or maybe it relazes me more!)

In other news, ApHCC released its national list. Sassy was National Champion Amateur Mare (tie) all ages! She also managed to come in reserve for the Open 2-year old class that I showed her in. She also finished her Amateur Superior as well! This was great news, a great way to end my 'professional' career.

Its kinda kept a smile on my face all day. What ever somone may say about me or my riding, or my training, Ive now proved them wrong. I trained a National Champion, what have you done?

Im going to post a picture of Lucas as well to show how much weight hes gained and how well hes looking.

Here comes the chiropractor

The chiropractor came out today. On the side that Lucas has been the worst on (rushes though doorways) he had 6 ribs out of place. He had 2 on the other side as well. They were most swollen where my leg would be when I was riding him. He commented that he was amazed that Lucas was letting me ride him. He thought that the pressure of my legs must be really bothering him but he was a trooper for putting up with it.

Hes done work on Lucas before, and though that he looked the best than he's seen him look in years. That he was carrying enough weight had put some muscell tone he thought I was doing all the right stuff with him. He sujested some streaches to do to improve the musclle tone along his back but thought that it would improve in time.

He also said that my saddle fit!! the rigging rings had a bit of a twist to them (which were also pressing onto one of the ribs!) but he thinks we can get that strightened out. He of course liked my friends Wanger better, but thats ok I'll buy one eventuly but Im glad I just dont have to buy one right away. Liked the fit of the english saddle, loved the olgovy half pad (bonus points) and though that he should be ok being ridden in any of the 3.

Feb.

Well Im finaly starting to feel alot better. I had a horible cold all week, but other than a stuffy nose Im just about back to normal. Lucas has been on his own most of the week. Weve been getting some -30Degrees C weather and I really didnt need to be out there felling like I did. I went out on Wensday and brushed him, then I went out tonight and took some pictures and lunged him for about 15 minutes. He seems to be completly sound again. Hes still a bit more swolen in his chest but only slightly and it isnt hot at all anymore. The cryropractor is comming out on Sunday so we'll see what he says about the saddles. I havent had a chance to ride in the wanger yet... I hope to tomorrow so well see what happens...

Hummm

Looks like I need to get some new pictures as well. Lucas has gained a bunch of weight and muscle tone from the picture on the right...

Day by Day

Well I saw my rhumatoligist on Tuesday, she confirmed that my wrist is fusing. We talked about changing more meds, problem is that the new meds will take up to 9 months to get working and my not provide the same releif, let alone less. There is a new Med in the USA that should be aproved in Canada by the summer that she thinks might be an option but we have to wait untill it is aproved.

BTW Im currently taking about 10-15 pills a day, between RA meds, meds to protect my body from the RA meds, and vitamins to supplement (because some of the RA meds affect my absorbtion of some vitamins) This is in addition to the IV I get every 5 weeks of Remicade (that usually takes 3 hours to get.)

Anyways it was not a good week, my wrist was sore from her pokeing at it, and I kept thinking how much longer will I have some sort of normal function? How long will I be able to keep working? How long will it take for me to have to be put into a Home because I can no longer care for myself??

Lucas is hurt as well, he tried to follow the ponys lead and jumped into the roundbale feeder. (made of wood) However the pony could turn around and go out the low side. Lucas couldnt and tryed to jump out and scraped some hide off the front of his hocks. It also apears that he got kicked in the chest the next day as hes a bit swolen there. It doesnt seem to hurt him too much but the swealing was affecting his movement so he got another week off. Maybe he did it so I wouldnt be temped to ride when Im hurt as well?

Old friends.

Well on the weekend I visited with old friends that I knew from the last training barn I worked at. They have sence moved out, along with another family that has three horses. Two of those horses and me worked together a fair amount I had started the roan gelding, and did some maintance work on the older black gelding.

They both came over to the gate when I called to them and stoped for a snuggle, it was nice to see that they remembered me and were 'happy' to see me. Sometimes I only see the horses who I've trained negative expressons when they see me, that I worry that none of them liked me, but those two who I worked with a fair amount were glad to see me....

Saddle fit issues

Well I have a Billy Cook trainer (O.K. version) and it has fit every horse its ever been on. The horse cryropractor loves it. Lucas does not!So I gave him a week off with light lunging and lots of turn out and his back was normal on thursday.

I went to a trade show today and bought a sports medicin pad to help, and my friend has lent me her Wanger trainer to ride in for a week untill the cryropractor comes on the 6th of Feb to assess Lucas and my saddles.

My friend broke her leg on Tuesday when she was line driving her two year old. The line was too long and got wraped around her leg. It sucks, somthing your always told to watch and just a stupid accident. She's got to wait for 2 weeks before she goes back into see the orthopedic specialist. Shes in a huge brace and is on crutches but other than being bored and worring about if she'll get to show her horse under saddle this year.

Hes not a 'My Little Pony'

Well I didnt even write about the last ride I was so disapointed. He was awfull. Didnt want to do anything I asked him to, spooked at everything was just a general jerk. I thought it might be saddle issues, pain issues (he was due for a trim and he does get a little ouchy around that time) or me issues. I think the main issue was that he was bored and wanted to work as much as I did (none in my case!)

Anyways I went and rode him last night again, making sure I lunged the crap out of him, that he was really working before I got on him. And he was much better last night, I think were starting to figure each other out. I just cant baby him hes not ready for that and it doesnt do any good, he just tries to take advantage of it.

I also sacked him out last night with a coiled lunge line (just softly, more movment than anything actally touching him) It didnt go so well at first, he freaked baked up than jumped sideways. Then he just kinda 'zoned out' just kinda like 'get it over with already' so I patted him, told him he was a good boy all the time still spinning my rope around. He was better by the time I stoped, but not where I would want a 9 year old to be... he acted like an untouched horse. One of these days Id like to get an animal communicater to see if we could find out whats really going on in his head. What happened at the trainers when he came to Canada...

Its finaly hit me.

I am...

...an amateur. *sigh* there I said it!

I kind of hit me today. I was thinking last night how, although Im happy with Lucas' preformance under saddle (rode again last night more about that later) I keep thinking that he should be moving along faster, I mean come on, its been over a month.

Thats when it hit me.

The last time I rode a horse on a semi-perment basis.... I was training horses full time. I was riding every day, I was fit and had alot of time to work with the horses. If the horse needed more than an hour it got it.

I dont have that luxury any more! I only get to ride at the most 2x a week. Im out of shape, and I have a time limit on my barn time now (If I want to get to work awake in the morning anyways!)

Although the RA and school has kept me out of the saddle, before that I was riding horses at the top of there game. Now Im looking at Lucas and where I want to be, (and where both of us USED to be),, how long is it going to us take to get there?




Other than that my ride went well the other night. Still lots of transitions, keeping him thinking and moving. Then stoping and really 'resting' hes always waiting and a bit nervious when we stop I want him to realize that when we stop to take a break, we really need to relax and take a break! Hes still leaning onto the bit going to the left but now Im balanced enough, that I pull him in a circle to break him from leaning. He needs to be tied around, but Im worried that hes not able to do it vs. not wanting to do it. My brothers girlfiriend is a massage theripist (really she is and shes good!!) she does horses for 'fun' shes not trained on horses per say but has ridden from a young age and knows the horses muscle groups. Anyways Im going to get her out and see what she thinks. I really think that my western saddle doesnt fit... the one horse it doesnt fit... and I bought the horse *sigh* lol

Out with the boys!

Went out and rode yeasterday, had a good ride worked on getting Lu off his front end and keeping him guessing. I finaly got him to the point where I could hold him with both hands while pushing him into the bridle. Only a few steps but he didnt fight it. It seams that his used to left or right contact but not both hands to lift and collect. Anyways he handled it better than when my friend was riding him so thats a good thing.

Today he finaly got to go outside with the other show geldings. He ran around then stuffed his face in the round bale with the other colts. It went really we considering that we dont know the last time he was turned out in a group. The closest thing we can think is that when he was a baby still on the breeding farm. We know that hes only had privet turnout from 2004. He was bored by himself I think it will be good for him to play with the boys.