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.