Sometimes being right isn't all its cracked up to be

 My bad thoughts about my right ankle (that I originally broke in 2003) were proven correct in my MRI last week. 

There is little to no cartilage left, and significant damage done to the bones due to the lack of cartilage. This means that we start the process of either fusing or replacing the joint. There are very few doctors that will replace ankles (or fuse them) in the maritimes, so its good that we are starting the process now while I am still able to function *almost* normally on a day to day basis. 

The good news is that the new ankle 'joints' are lasting up to 15 years and the technology can only improve while I wait. 

For now nothing changes, any surgery will be at least a year away (rough estimate from Dr. O) as I can function reasonably well on a daily basis at this point. And although the above is bad, all my other joints have significantly decreased swelling, and all my lab results continue to improve. I'll use the time until the future surgery to loose more weight so that I'll be ready when the time comes.

In horse related news Oscar and I went on a 'trail ride' in the outdoor last night.  I was down in the dumps a bit because of the bad news from the doctor, but I still have a bad cold, so I lunged him outside then we walked around the outdoor and over and around the trail obsticles that were still set up just to get us both moving.  We even saw a fox (Oscar wasn't spooking from it but way too interested for me to try and reach for my camera to try and take a picture!) and some Canadian Geese.  

D rode Chilly on Monday and was going to wait for me to come out tonight and he would ride her again so I could see, but I'm sick with a cold.  However he is very happy with her behaviour and eagerness to learn.

Chilly update

Well D rode chilly today!  He also drove her around and told me I had done a great job on her ground work and getting her going.  He got on her without any one else in the ring, which left Chilly slightly confused (You could see her brain working " but Sam normally leads me around with someone on my back?" ) but she stayed calm and thought about what he wanted before she moved.  D said he could feel her thinking about what he was asking her, processing it, and then doing what he asked.  There was no fear, just her wanting to please him. 

He only stayed on for 5 minutes while they sorted each other out and got used to each other.  He'll take her over for the most part now so they can bond a bit more and he can feel her out before riding her.  He was very happy with her and excited for her future.  Chilly also got her feet done on Friday, and is much more balanced in her current growth spurt.

Lucy also came in today to go out with the other pregnant mares, it was raining today so it didn't happen but she got to stay in the barn for the day, and get brushed and pampered a little bit.  She liked the attention but I don't think she liked us commenting on how big her baby bump is!  Shes the biggest (around) in the barn and they are all due about 2 days apart.

Oscar got outside in the morning before it started raining too hard and managed to roll and get completely covered in mud...for a horse that doesn't like getting brushed he sure likes getting dirty!

I love Oscar, but

I hate his lope.  Its so stiff and bouncy that both of us end up stiff and sore from doing too much of it.  I know he is ride able at the lope, I have seen his owner do it.  And I'm sure that I might not be doing too bad, but it feels awful.  The best thing lately has been to almost be willing to go to a hunter half seat when he gets really bouncy and use my legs to balance on him instead of my seat.  Its working, and shortening my stirrups a hole helped too.  Anyone else have any ideas?

I had my MRI on Monday for my ankle, and my appointment with Dr O is on Tuesday of next week.  Please cross your fingers that they can hopefully figure out why it hurts all the time.  Its starting to drive me nuts.  I feel good, I want to do stuff, but it hurts.

Chilly is fine :) shes growing up in the front end again and is almost level again.  We are hoping to have D start riding her a couple of times a week starting next week, shes ready for a job.

Congress update

So far for 2013 the maritime exhibitors have 2 congress champion titles, and 4 top 15 placings.  (oh and the Novice WP champion from the East Region) Not bad for a region that only attracts under 60 horses to it shows...

Update Oct 22, 2 more reserve titles a top fifteen and 2 more finalists!

Update Oct 26 another finalist, a reserve and another congress champion!  

Placings have been in everything from performance halter, Hus, pleasure, showmanship, equatation, barrels and poles!

Clinics and learning

So I went to that clinic on the weekend.  I did only go for one day, and I learned from watching the clinic with my former (and first) coach, but it really disappointed me.  A lot of the riders were suppose to be riding at a very high level, but I watched him fix proper bend though the horses body though a serpentine.  A girl in a double bridle couldn't get a canter to walk transition.  He was also very judgmental of anyone not doing dressage.  He wondered what western people did once they got their horse broke, " I mean you ride them when they are two then they are trained by the time they are three, then what?".  I didn't feel like telling him that we still do a lot of the stuff they do, just with a loose rein!

They did A LOT of pushing the horses hips out, which is different from us western people who push the hips in.  And despite how 'intimidating' we are to our western horses he admitted to putting horses in their stalls or arena loose bitted up in side reins for them to "figure it out" when he cant get them to do it under saddle.  How can you complain about some trainers when you do the same on your own.  I don't know.  Using side reins, or tying your reins to a saddle (in my case often with more slack then I use with side reins) is ok when used properly and for short periods of time.  However I still think that it helps build resistance when used too often or for two long.

In my pony news, Oscars mom had a great vacation and got to ride every day.  Chilly is doing well, and doing awesome with the driving.  I rode Oscar on Tuesday and Thursday and on Thursday I even got to ride Hottie.  Hottie is a 16.2 hh 4 year old that they have been really taking their time with.  My friend Melissa rides her most of the time and shes really really quiet, but very green.  It was fun to get on a new horse though and figure her out.  And my no stirrup work is paying off and I fell more secure on Oscar and on Hottie as well.

A little set back

After my glowing post last week things went a little down hill. 

Chilly is now an entire hand (4 inches) shorter in her front end than her hind.  And it happened in about 2 weeks. For that reason I've backed off a little bit with her.  She'll go back to driving some on the weekend but its not fair to her to push the riding when she is so growthy at this point.  We did cut her mane off though, and she now looks like a real grown up horse.

I took Oscar out to ride on the weekend and he was dead lame.  Turns out the Barbie horse he was turned out with kicked him really hard on the inside of his stifle.  It was really sore for a couple of days, and his leg swelled up a bit, but by Tuesday he was sound at all 3 gaits and we went for a little ride on Wednesday.  He was back to 110% on Thursday night which was good as his owner comes home today for the weekend!  He still has a bit of a cut, but it will heal with time. 

I've decided to kick up the intensity of our rides, for me.  Lots more rising trot with 2 point and sitting mixed in to strengthen my legs and improve my balance (and rising trot is much harder than sitting so it will help my fitness as well).  Last night was the first night, and the legs are a little tender tonight!  I'll appreciate the hard work when it comes time to ride Chilly this winter though.  I'd ridden Lucy without striupps but it will be harder on Oscar, hes is extremely rough to ride. 

I'm off to watch a dressage clinic on the weekend at my old coaches place.  Should be a fun learning experence, I'll bring back a report!

So many things to say!

Here we go!

Chilly is amazing.  We've be lunging and driving her, and C has been on her while still on the lungline.  Teaching her to go in a circle, stop, back up, and go.  Monday night after her 'ride' (we lunge for 10 min, and C gets on her for 5) C looked at me and said "do you want to get on?".  I'm a big believer in not putting too much weight on babies but I couldn't resist.  I grabbed my helmet, boots and moved the mounting block up to her.  Thankfully all of my mounting block prep work paid off and I was able to step off the mounting block and swing my leg over her without her even blinking.  It was so cool!  I haven't ridden a young green horse since before I even got diagnosed.  Shes a big baby though.  Already she's taller than Lucy, and is using the same girth set up as Oscar.  She was very unconcerned that I was now on her back, and C was leading her around and she let me rub her all over as we took a couple of trips around the ring.  C led her the entire time and our indoor isn't very big, but I was so happy to be on her back.

Last night I took advantage of the warm (er) weather and took her out for the first trip to the outdoor.  Lucy, as you'll remember, took several times outside to get used to that ring.  Chilly stuck like glue for the first trip around, then slowly relaxed and moved more and more back to her normal leading position.  (I like them to follow slightly behind and on a loose rein)  We walked over the trail obstacles set up, and even sniffed the bridge all over and put her front feet up on it.  She wasn't ready to walk across it, but she wasn't afraid to touch it or put her feet on it, just not all feet at the same time.  We then had a light lunge, where she acted like she got worked in this pen each and every day for the entire summer.  She has all of the best parts of both sides of her family tree.

Oscar is doing good,  he even whinnied at me last night when I was at the barn.  I think he just wanted his supper, but it was nice to hear him trying to get my attention.  Our ride on Tuesday was good we're finally figuring each other out again.  I've been working him in more of a dressage frame, trying to get him to lift his back and strengthen his back and hips, and hes really getting into it.  I was asking him to extend and come back to a regular trot and he was really getting into it!  We also did some shoulder in, and hip in, all stuff to keep both of our bodies and minds working together.

I got my IV tonight so I had time to write this all down, were also getting some pro photos done on the weekend of our family so hopefully I'll have some of them to share next week.