Crazy maritimers...

So with hurricane Irene making its way here I'm somewhat laid up on the coach fighting though what I'm assuming to be the changes in the weather.

In typical maritime fashion tomorrow (as in hours before Irene is expected to make landfall in the maritime) our family (my dad's side) is scheduled to to go 'brown' river rafting on the Shubenacadie river. Its a river that joins the Bay of Fundy and as the website states "The incoming tides of the Bay of Fundy enter the "V" shaped Cobequid Bay, as the tide progresses into the shallowing and narrowing river, the water begins to "pile-up". This phenomenon creates what is known as a "tidal bore", The tidal Bore represents the lead wave of the incoming tide. Behind the tidal bore, tidal rapids form. The Tidal Bore itself can range in size from a few inches to up to 10 feet! The tidal rapids range in size from 3' to 16' in height. "

The best part, Dad booked this weekend at the first of the summer knowing it would be an "extreme tide", and that was before the hurricane.........

I will only be going on this trip as a van driver, but I have a feeling that they (meaning the rest of my family) might not be going in the water either! Last year at about this time we had a hurricane, but all it did was nock out some power, and some trees but we are a decent distance from the ocean.

On the Lucas front, I've had several interesting phone calls including one from Maine so keep your fingers crossed for him. I went out this morning and lunged him as he was going to stay in for most of the day (too hot for a black horse to be outside!) and gave him a good brushing.

Still alive

Hi everyone,
Im still alive, and each day its a little bit easer to work on selling Lucas. I have come to accept that I havn't liked riding Lucas for a while. I loved it when we got 'it' but I havn't had fun riding him in a long time.

Id also like to thank everyone for your coments and concerns. It has helped. Although, like Becky, if I could take RA into a dark building and shoot it, I would.

We got some sale videos done up last night, one of the kids (well she's 16 but still a kid!) to ride Lucas and I just started shooting. The past two people that have ridden him have made me realize that this is the correct decision. Hes gone extreamly well for them. Im not too proud to admit that my riding ability has been holding him back from how well he can look.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9l0qWNbHRg

I wish I had something nice and fun to write about but I dont really. My sunburn I got on the weekend blistered and I think it is now infected (thanks lovely immuosuppressents). So Im slathering myself in Bag Balm and crossing my fingers, if it doesnt get better soon im off to the hospital. Im going to the barn every day and doing chores (C and D are away at a horse show) but Im too hot and tired out to do much with Lucas other than brush him. The people that tried him out this week plan on coming back for the son to ride him but are having some scedualing issues due to him going back to university.

Im not crying everyday, but I havnt started looking for a new horse either.

Mixed Feelings

Well someone came and tried Lucas out last night. It went really well, which bothered me and made me feel better all at the same time. She had a great ride and Lucas went extreamly well for her. I think that I am doing the right thing even though it still hurts. He has so much potential, it would be a waste for him just to do showmanship with me.

But I am seriously going to miss him.

The only way I got though it was by thinking that it was someone else's horse that they asked me to sell.

I know its the right thing for both of us.... Its just hard.

A tough decision

Im sorry I havn't posted much things have been a little crazy here at home. And Ive had to make one of the most difficult decisions of my life so far.

Lucas is being put up for sale.

Although its killing me to do it, and breaking my heart in the process, I just have to admit to myself that he is just to much horse for me and my RA. He goes wonderfully for everyone else in the barn but I dont have the strength or consistency to keep him going correctly. Heck I cant get a left lead canter on him some days, and then someone else gets on and its fine. He has lots of miles left in him and would be an excellent horse for someone, just not me anymore.

My best friend brought it to a head when she asked me if I was keeping him for myself, or just because I was making up for his mistreatment before I bought him.

I wont be getting out of horses completely, and will keep riding and showing Lucas until he sells (heck with the way the market is, I could be still showing him next summer.) This week has been tough enough and its only going to get worse... please cross your fingers I can find him an excellent home

Anyone looking for a HUS horse?

You want to act like a 2yo you can get treated like a 2 yo!

And that is how things went tonight. Lucas went to boot camp last night but it got called off on account to thunder and lightning. C and D kicked us out of the barn so that they could turn off the electricity!

I lunged Lucas hard tonight, and in his bridle which I hardly ever do (and tied him around just a bit). Lucas started off being a dink but D talked me and Lucas out of it and got us working again and trotting forward. Hes acting like a baby so hes going to be treated like a baby, hard work and lots of bending. It basically comes down to the fact that Lucas needed his ass kicked again, and more than likely will need it kicked again tomorrow. Its a pain, but we seem to have this continuing circle. Ride him and beat him up for about 5 rides, ease off some, have 2 months or so of good riding, bad behaviour starts escalating, beat him up again.

My friend seems to think there are a couple of reasons for it. If the work is too easy he would like to have even easier work, so he acts up trying to get his way. And he only knew discipline until he came to us. If he is in a hard, almost abusive work, he doesn't need to think, just react to what his rider tells him to do. I think with me hes thinking way too much on our everyday ride.

Bad and good.

Lucas is a tool.


He had a good lunge, we did some walk work and then he just refused to go forward. We haven't had a 'stuck' moment in a couple of months. So I got him moving again, and he reared. He hasn't done that since March/April before D got hurt.

D was right there and grabbed him and lead us both around for a bit while i got my nerve back and he checked Lucas out to make sure nothing was pinching or rubbing him that would cause him pain.

Then he told me to get off, he was going to ride him.

D has only ridden 2 horses about 10 times each since he got the go ahead from his doctor. Both are quiet beginner safe horses so that he could work on his arm, and gain some balance back.

I was more scared for D at this point than myself so I did try to talk him out of it but he was insistent that he was going to get on to fix it. I held the off side stirrup so that he could get up on Lucas. (The arm that he broke was the arm that he uses to pull himself up, and that is still a little rusty) And away he went.

D put Lucas to work, and it was much like the first ride D had on him back in January. Lucas pulled out all the stops, spins, bucks and rears, and D stuck to him and pushed him though it. It was like he never stopped riding. He did get a bit loose at one point when the horses in the field next to us took off and so did Lucas, but he stuck with him and put him right back into work.

Once he got to a 'good' place with Lucas I got on him and did some trotting, and transition work with him. He was still in a really pissy move but at least the behaviour was better.

D could hardly walk (using leg muscles he hasn't used in 4 months), but was extremely happy that he was able to ride Lucas though it.

Im going back out tomorrow night when the older kids are having there lesson to ride him again. This way C and D will both be there as well as some good quiet horses who will be working hard to keep him motivated.

I just dont know what to do with him anymore. He can be such a dick when I try to ride him some times, and other times hes fantastic....