Stiff, and how I love Oscar

Well I was feeling even crapper (is that a word) on Monday so I went to bed early.  Tuesday was better so after work I headed out to the barn and got ready to ride. 

First off for all the training barns Oscar has been in, he HATES blankets sometimes.  You really can't tell when or if he will try to destroy them, but when he decided its done, its done.  Since September he's ruined a rain sheet, and yesterday his nylon sheet.  C won't let me put winter blankets on him yet, last winter was the first in 4 years that he wore a blanket for most of the winter so she wants him to have a decent hair coat just in case he decides that he would rather be naked half way though the winter!

Anyways after we had discussed the ripped sheet, I got Oscar tacked up.  He's done very little since last week and he had lots of energy on the lunge line.  Its hard with all of the mud lately for them to do much more than occasionally trot around so I like having this time for him to work out the 'kinks'.

So after we got him warmed up (and I did some streaches) I got the mounting block over and attempted to get on.... and he swung his hips out of the way so that he was too far from the mounting block.  Well I had let him moving around last time slide, so it was partly my fault, but I got down and made him work a little bit on the ground (turns on the haunch/forehand) before setting him back up at the mounting block.  And he was fine at that point, but that was the way the entire ride went.  A little bit of resistance then he would give in and move on to the next issue.

I could feel my body get stiffer and stiffer as the ride went on though, but Oscar kept on trucking for me.  He's only "comment" was to pin his ears when my upper body and hips got too stiff, which was a visual reminder to me to loosen up. 

I can completely see why Lucas was getting so frustrated with me, where as Oscar just keeps going on auto pilot, Lucas would be trying to figure out what I wanted, and would get frustrated when he couldn't figure it out.

I feel bad that I was always sending him horribly mixed messages though my body, but at the same time I couldn't help it.  And both Oscar and Lucy managed to do there jobs and block out my movements/stiffness that didn't mean anything.  I guess that's what makes good therapy horses as well.  Some horses can forgive a riders movements that are not directed twords them, and some can't.

Limits and when to push them

So I went back out and rode again today.  Things are going good.  Oscar and myself have a good working relationship, I ask for something, he hesitates just long enough to make sure I'm ready and then he does it, until he can feel me get wobbly.  At which point he stops waits for me to get sorted out then he resumes his task.  He doesn't get mad or upset, C and I think that hes laughing politely in his head at me.  While Lucas seemed to think my bad moments were holding "us" back, Oscar seems to think that its a game to stay underneath me while I figure out my balance issues. 

He also ran to the gate today when I called for him.

However after our first ride I haven't loped on him since. My balance and core body strength is getting much better and I knew that it would have to before I would be comfortable loping.  Its just taking that step again to actually doing it.... Oscars jog is lovely but the downfall of an extremely broke pleasure horse is a horse with not so great hocks.  They are fused, and do not hurt him but they make his lope "bouncy" and hard to sit to. 

So I am going to ride a couple of times over the weekend and this coming week and I decided that if I can t do it on my own by Thursday/Friday then D is going to give me a bit of a lesson and help me get loping.  D thinks I'm doing just fine on my own and that I know the limits of my body and I should listen to them (most of the time) but I think that I am ready for this step I just need a little push.

Summer comes to an end, and I have a horse to ride.

This year I'm happy to see the end of summer. It was hot, full of upheaval and I only got to show once.  Normally this would really disappoint me but, I wasn't ready to show anything and I think it was good for me to realize that and accept it.

Now that September is here, we are onto new challenges! Oscar is officially mine to ride!  I'm covering half his board while his owner is away, and that gives me access to ride him as much as I want over the winter.  I went out and rode him this morning and had a good if quiet ride.  (Although I much prefer quiet over exciting!)  We are still getting to know each other and figure out each other out.  He hasn't gotten much turnout over the past couple of weeks but after a 10 min lunge session he was perfect and quiet and ready to go.

We mostly jogged around, did some rising trot and played with Oscars 'buttons'.  Its still kind of strange riding a horse that isn't Lucas.  I keep expecting Lucas reactions, and becoming a bit surprised when I don't get that response from Oscar.  He is also about 15.3 so is quite a bit shorter, is way more of a western horse that Lucas ever thought of being, and has some reining training.  So our turns on the haunches are a lot faster than I am used to!

I had to take this picture at the cottage today, I left my boots outside to dry off (my feet sweat!) and I was struck by the differences in my family's summer pastimes.  They like the boat and the beach and I am much happier with the horses.

Video

Got some little videos of the 3 year old that we are taking to Maine (shes only 2 points away from qualifying for worlds in Halter, not that she would go, but its all about being 'qualified')  This was her first under saddle class with that many horses in it.



Second is a quick video of Lucas and his new owner (doing so well!) showing in there first under saddle class western.

Nervous, Scared, and Excited

Well my lesson on Lucy got canceled.... kind of.... Lucy got tangled in a fence last summer, and has been mostly sound on light work.  C and D were hoping that with shoes (she had been barefoot) she would improve enough for me to ride her regularly  (The injury was to the coronet band, and is currently growing out though the hoof).  Although the farrier thinks that they shoes will help with the weakness where the injury is, he needed to fix a couple of mild issues at the same time, so Lucy is on a bit of vacation until she adjusts to the changes.

However one of the kids is lending me her horse Oscar so I will get to ride after all!

And there is a possibility that if I like him, and he likes me that I will be able to lease him for the winter!  His owner is going to Newfoundland for university and her parents have approached me about leasing him while she is gone.  He is a 12 year old AQHA with a western pleasure background.  Several owners and trainers tried to get him 'perfect' for AQHA western pleasure but he isn't built correctly enough for what they wanted to do. However he has a wicked flying lead change, excels at patterns, and knows trail.  He would be fun to play with for the winter so cross your fingers it works out.

I'm a little nervous as he will only be the second horse that I've ridden since I bought Lucas, but I'm looking foreword to a much smoother ride.  And a bit worried about my joints, but I have 2 full days to recover.

Rain!

Finally we got a bit of rain today.  Not enough, but it should hopefully keep every plant from dieing on us.  Thankfully most farmers got an excellent first cut of hay, but now while last year they were on there 2nd cut of silage most don't dare cut another crop until there is some water in the ground.

The doctor gave me a steroid shot on Monday in hopes that it would calm down the inflammation a bit until the IV drugs fully kick in.  All it seemed to do was make my arm sore!  Cross your fingers, I booked a 'mini' lesson on Saturday (a lesson until the pain gets to bad basically) with Lucy that I'm looking foreword to.  Its been a couple of months since I've been on a horse, I need a fix!

I went out to the beach on Saturday and spent the night at the cottage, and my Dad took me and my Mom out on his new boat in the AM.  Its about 12 feet long, and the waves were big, so we were only out for about 15 min.  I don't think that boating is something that will take the place of horses any time soon!!

I went out to a local show on the weekend that all the kids from the barn were going to.  "I" took Lucas so I got to see him again.  It was nice, he did remember me and seemed happy to see me.  (he nickered and pricked his ears when I said "hi buddy" like I used to when I saw him when I would first get to the barn).  The coach has figured out all of his buttons but "I" is still working on them.  She had an ok showmanship pattern but you could just about see Lucas shrug his shoulders half way though the pattern with a look that said "if you aren't going to ask for a pivot correctly, I'm just going to turn a circle!".

Her equation pattern was rough but she got it done, and he is NOT an easy pattern horse.  She was doing great in her second riding class, until she got too close to the rail (which Lucas hates) and he slightly spooked into the inside of the ring, she lost her balance and came off.  Lucas tried to get underneath her but she was too far gone but he stopped and waited for her to get up.  "I" was bruised, but ok, and was looking foreword to the next show.  (Kids are invincible!)

Lucas and his new owners coach

Moving on...

Well I guess I'm back on the ground again.

Lucas left on Friday, and the new owners coach rode him today in a class, and won. I did manage to get a video and will post it tomorrow when I get home. I'm happier today than I've been in a while. He looked good being back in the show ring.

We have crazy weather here today and all of the farm critters are a little 'off'. One more day of farm sitting. Chilly is good and I'll try to attach a picture (I'm on my phone)

And we say goodbye

I got my IV this afternoon, not as bad as we expected, running a little bit of a temp but not nearly as sick as I was with the Orencia.  Although I'm glad I skipped lunch just in case :)  My dad picked me up at the clinic this afternoon, and because I wasn't feeling so bad I decided to go out to the barn and say good bye to Lucas.

I let him go and have a roll, then I got him all cleaned up and got his tail brushed out.  He looks like a million bucks, and he should make his new owner proud when he steps off the trailer tomorrow.

Sooner rather than later

Well its starting to look like Lucas will be on his way on Friday.  "I" and her parents have gotten in touch and have arranged the down payment and set out a payment plan for him for the next couple of months.  However the down payment will be made on Thursday, not the end of the month like we thought.  Which means that Lucas is leaving on Friday for the show that C and D are going to and will be picked up by "I" and her coach at the show.

Its kind of good, the remainder of his board money will pay off D and C's part (contracts, adds ect) and I wont be out of pocket for his shoeing in two weeks.  It does mean that I have less time to say good by, as I have my IV on Thursday night and they will be leaving on Friday while I will be working.

The happy / sad issue remains.  Happy he's going to someone who will appreciate him, and use him, sad that he's going, and with it a huge part of my life over the past couple of years.

C suggested today that I used the week I booked off in August and go to the USA with her to a couple of Appaloosa shows.  Its something that now that Lucas is off my 'books' I can afford to do.  I had half planed to go to a horse show locally (I had booked the time off before I stopped riding) but this would give me a chance to have my first real vacation since Congress in 2008.  So we'll see if I can get the time off work, and go from there.

Ajusting

So although I shed a few tears yesterday, I'm feeling much better about the decision today.  Every time I start feeling a little sad for myself, I remember how excited "I" was when she found out that she was going to be his new owner, and the grin on her face when she cantered him for the first time.  I'm still sad for me, but I'm happy for Lucas and "I".  

"I" has just turned 16, and this will be her first horse, she's been leasing a horse (which is one of the reasons Lucas is staying put until the end of the month, she had to give notice on that horse) and showing a little but is excited about how much Lucas can teach her over the next couple of years. 

Her coach sent me a message on facebook yesterday thanking me for helping them make "I"'s dream come true.  She said that it was all she talked about on the way home and is really excited.  They live about an hour and a half away so close enough I can go and see him, but not so close that I would worry about seeing him all the time.

I'm kind of excited about having a little more spending money now that I wont be paying for Lucas upkeep, it will be nice to be able to buy a new pair of pants for work without plotting for weeks about it. 

The plan is now to keep playing with Chilly and see how the IV goes next week.  I don't want to buy again right now.  This has been a year of heart break and disappointment.  I'm not sure if I ever want to go though that again.

And he's sold.

We still have some details to work out and he's still mine until the end of the month but he's found a new home. She's a 16 to looking for her first horse. Her coach road him first, then she got on and he was awesome for both of them. She's really excited an although I'm a little sad I know that it's going to be a good fit.

:(

Well the nice people have decided to pass on Lucas, they figure that as much as they like him they want more of a western horse, which I cant blame them for.  We have someone coming up on the weekend (possibly but I wont belive it untill they drive into the drive way) to try him out.  So fingers crossed again.  I know the trainer/coach of the kid who is a good horseperson.

I'm covering for another girl at work while she is out, and its making work really long and dificult, so Im off to bed early.  C and D are off to the USA this weekend to check on there Goodbar stud prospect so I'm back at the barn again this weekend. 

hips are good!

I forgot to mention that when I saw my family doctor on Friday he had my x-ray report from the end of May.  Turns out there is no permanent damage done to my hips yet!  All of the pain is muscular, which still hurts but my joint is clean and does not need anything but a better drug to take away the swelling.

D, C and my best friend had a big discussion at the horse show with out me (I was home barn sitting) and they think I should get a weanling and do the lungline with next year.  Personaly I'm thinking about not buying anything for a long time.  Selling Lucas has been a heart breaking process, and I dont think Im willing to do that at this point again.

Lucas is only my second horse, and my first horse was leased out for my last year of high school (was riding and showing 'flip' horses for my coach) and first year of college.  When his lease person decided she wanted to buy him it wasn't a huge deal, she was a very nice lady who got along with him very well.  He was already more her horse than mine at that point anyways.  Once that lady got out of horses he moved on to be a pasture pet at a farm.  It was the best ending for him.  I only hope that I can find the same type of situation for Lucas.

New Video of Lucas

Of Lucas and Dean





He looks so good when Dean rides him.  He was super lazy as well.  Oh well, hopefully this will attract a new home for him.  I went out and helped D with chores this am (C is judging a show) and then D rode him for me.  I managed to get my car clean this weekend as well.  Chilly had the week off because she is growing so much (she's almost level this weekend but was an inch and a bit lower in the withers last week).  Lucy is getting her feet done next week and I'm going to try riding her, there is a chance I could show her at the end of August if I can get both of us fit enough (and my hips can handle it). 

The weekend

So I finally took some pictures on the weekend!  It was a good weekend, but a long one.  I'll caption all of the photos with who is in what.  I took off on Saturday and went to the horse show for a bit so I took pictures of the lovely province that I live in.  First off is Chilly, looking cute, wanting her supper!

Chilly

Lucas on Saturday morning waiting for me to bring him breakfast

Lucas helping to keep the grass trimmed around the paddocks.

Loading docks for the salt mine, this is (I think) the same boat I got to get on when I did my work term at the mine.  This is in Pugwash.

Drive on the way to the show, great views on the drive!  This is Wallace Bay

Going over a bridge

Lucas eating grass again... he works really hard!

Some of the kids at the show

Chilly standing like a big girl, tied to the wall.  She shot up in the hind end this week so shes back on a bit of a mini break for a bit.  No need to press her so we'll let her grow a bit until she gets more even as it was hard for her to stay balanced when shes this downhill.

Update

So it's been a while but I have some updates. I saw my Rheumatologist on Tuesday and got some bad news, I knew it was coming, but it still wasn't great to hear it.  The drugs aren't working.  My hip pain isn't just the muscles, its the muscles complaining because the hip joint is getting worse.  I knew it was bad but I guess I was trying to blame it on the muscles.  I got sent down for x-rays and got twisted and pulled in all sorts of directions while they tried to get some good shots.  By the time we were done that I was hurting, I couldn't deny it at that point.  The stuff they were doing shouldn't have hurt me if it was just general muscle pain.

However the new drug cannot be given at home, it has to be given in a clinic with several nurses and a Doctor in attendance.  I'll be going back to the same clinic that I was at before with the Remicade, but its just so had to coordinate work and doing the IV's.  Especially if I wont be able to drive after the first couple of times (they load you up on gravel, and the drugs don't make you feel great) AND I have to get it done during work hours, AND I'll miss the next day of work, AND my parents will have to drive into the city the first couple of times to come and pick me up.

My best friend is wonderful and offered to have me stay at her place after words, but the first couple of times until I know what its going to do to me I would rather be home in my own bed when its over.  So that should be starting just at the first of July.  I have a meeting at work next week with my bosses to duscuss time off, and hopefully giving me access to the work files from home so I can do a bit of work even if I have to take several naps during the day.

This weekend I stayed at D and C's and barn/dog/cat sat for the weekend.  All of the critters were great, and it was SO nice to go out to the barn in the morning and feed breakfast in my PJ's!  Both Lucas and Chilly got worked a little bit, we got a delivery of steel for the new run-ins, and I had a nap with a cat cuddled up to me.  My allergy's were so bad it was awful, but it was nice to snuggle with animals for a whole weekend.

I added some pictures, I said I would take more this weekend and I even tried to get one of Chilly but she's still kind of scruffy so it will wait until she gets a hair cut!

Lucas eating breakfast outside on Saturday morning.

The cat is not on the couch, she is on me, and that doesn't count as being on the furniture.

Work vs Barn

Seriously I really wish some days I didn't have to go to work in an office building during weeks like this.  No bugs, lots of sun but a cool breeze so you don't get too hot.  I'm even looking foreword to doing the chores on the weekend.  And I know the minute it hits 28+ degrees I will be very happy for my air conditioning at work but a girl can dream right?

So everyone is off to the big tri-breed (Apps, paints and a couple of AQHA classes) show this weekend.  Lucas and I are staying home and looking after the farm.  All the show horses except Lucas and Roxy (the little kids palomino that I showed a couple of years ago) are going so I will only have those 2, the halter mare and her baby, the Radical Hour stud (who's getting some serious work done because he needs some exercise to get his mind off breeding and back to work) and Chilly.  I'll have 10 horses outside but they just need water top ups and keeping an eye on them for mishaps.  Not so bad at all and I should have time to get some horses lunged too.

I did get Chilly out on the weekend and she was very good.  She's still very insecure about being without another horse in the ring, but we are trying to get her to buddy up with humans instead of another horse this time.  (We recently sold her turnout buddy and she has been upset about it, Lucas helps, but hes not the buddy that she is missing).  Shes quite tall already, taller than Max was when he left, but she's still only just a yearling.  C and D hope to take her to a show later this summer to get her out and around so she can get used to the activity as a baby.

I have a lead on a possible horse to lease next winter.  One of the kids is leaving to go to school in Newfoundland and her parents are letting her keep her horse.  She's offered him to me to ride before but I don't like riding other peoples horses when they aren't there... Hes a semi-retired WP horse that didn't quite make it in the big show ring.  I'll be trying him out later on this summer to see if it would be a good match, and it would help her parents out with some of the horse bills while she's off at university.

I'm off to the Rheumatologist tomorrow AM cross your fingers that she has good news and doesn't want me to start on another different biological.  I just need more energy, oh and for my back and hips to like riding again...

Trading off

So I've decided to stop lessons for a bit.  I realized that I was starting to hate going to the barn on Saturdays (which was my lesson day).  I usually ended up fighting with him and he wasn't getting his body worked effectively, and I usually ended up in pain.  So today I asked D if he would ride Lucas once a week, instead of me paying him for a lesson, to pay him for that.  And D offered me a trade.  If I could work the yearling Chilly a couple of times a week we could do a trade off for him putting some riding on Lucas.  I always love working with the babies so that's not much of a challenge for me.  Chilly is out of Lucy and by the Radical Hour stud, I've led her a fair bit, and she knows how to tie, and lunge a bit but needs some polish to sell her or show her.

Back to school... again?

Thank you everyone for your comments on my last post, its really given me a lot to think about.  Would I be happy on a push button western pleasure horse?  Or should I be waiting until I can afford to show at the level where I can get some serious competition?

Although its something that I've been thinking about for a while, now that I've been helping my Mom more and more with her Masters in Education I'm starting to think that maybe its something I give a try.  There is an extremely good (recommended by my Aunt who is an Accounting Professor) distance program out west that will except my credits in full from the NSCC, and I could enter 3rd year of my BComm after one prerequisite Law course.

Now that I'm not planing on showing, I have lots of time this summer to study and work on something hopefully this will provide some direction in my life.  There is also the fact that finishing my degree will make it easier to find work even as my health deteriorates. I have been talking to my boss about it at work (continueing my education that is) and I'm crossing my fingers that at some point work might even help out with the costs, but until then Mom and Dad have offered to foot the bill (with some of Lucas' sale contributing as well once that happens).

So I have an email into the admin staff on a few questions about timlines, deadlines, and money, but they say that you can begin most programs at the first of the month, so I hope to begin in July.  At first I'm just going to take the Law course first and see how that works, and build on that!