Riding = Healing

You would think that the last thing I would want to do right now is play with the horses, but somehow it is the exact thing I need to do most. I guess it makes sense - it has always brought me peace - why would now be any different? Somehow, being out in the barn, grooming, riding, mucking, all just relaxes me and helps me feel well. I was even able to talk about Sweetie on the phone to Julie who sold her to me without breaking into tears because I was leading Sammie around on a horse. Sometimes you just have to trust that it's okay and do what feels right.

So today I went out to the barn and finished trimming Rocky's feet. I did the front two yesterday and the back two today. I groomed him and noticed how well the hair has started growing back after his bout of pigeon fever (icky stuff - won't describe it here). He had been so lame the past few months before the abscess drained that I wasn't sure how he would be. Okay, I have to talk about it a little - the abscess builds a thick wall of muscle/soft tissue around it, and his body is in the process of breaking down the excess tissue. Unlike most pigeon fever cases where the abscess is at their chest/base of their neck, Rocky's was huge under his R shoulder. It made him very, very lame and stiff. He still has a spot on the front of his R hock that is swollen (we have taken x-rays and found nothing wrong with the bones). We are hoping that the swelling will go down/resorb soon on its own, but it may also decide later to drain - I hope not, tho.

Poor Rocky's mane had been neglected for a while so I trimmed it - nearly a foot of mane fell to the ground. (Reminds me that I wanted to do that with my own hair, but am still procrastinating for some reason). I know that western riders like the long manes, but for me, manes should be neatly kept. :)

So I put the longe line on the halter and took Rocky out to the ring to longe him to see where we were. I somehow had forgotten how much groundwork I have done with him, and love how I just point a direction and he goes out on the circle for me. The first time I asked him to trot, Rocky jumped into a buck and cantered around the circle. Not what I was expecting him to do, but oh so typical for him. It's like not a day has passed since the last time we longed together, but in reality it has probably been nearly a year. So I asked him to walk and trot and he is always so quick to come back down to a halt. So smart, just like his Momma. It crossed my mind that he is 16 this year. GEEZ. And Rocky has been with me from the moment he was born. I'll gladly take another 16 years with him, God willing.

He looked pretty sound - not perfect, but not obviously lame somewhere, and I knew I wanted to ride him - so I did. Normally, at that point I hear little voices about being afraid of "What if I fall" and how I need to be responsible for the kiddos and stay safe since no one else is around. But today, it just wasn't there. I knew what I needed to do, and the fears had melted away. Not sure why, but they were gone. My internal monologue changed to, "Well, maybe I will fall, maybe I won't. But I won't know if I don't get up there and ride" and to "the best way to get back into shape for riding horses is to RIDE, duh!"



We had a wonderful ride at the walk and trot both directions. Rocky still felt a little strange at the walk (from being lame for a few months with pigeon fever) but the trot was actually pretty even. No head bobbing or unevenness that I could feel. Weird that I could feel it at the walk. And then I thought, "Well, the best way for him to build muscle back is for me to ride him!" And thought about how Sweetie and I were so successful showing the year that I rode her several times a week and showed almost every weekend. It was part of our routine, we were both in excellent shape, and if I want to do that again, I need to be riding like that again.

Rocky is very smart just like his Momma, but generally much more laid back. Well, unless he is in new surroundings, then he is mostly sensible but definitely more energetic. It's the warmblood in him, for sure. I am embarrassed how dusty his bridle was, but I won't let that happen again! Riding brings me peace and mental well being. I can't afford not to be riding. :)

All tacked up!

I've worked with Crystal a few times this week, and each time we go into the ring and do some bonding, and then groundwork, followed by longing at the walk. Last night we started at the trot as well, but just for a few seconds. The rescue has an adopter curious what Crystal knows, so I tacked her up for the first time today. I introduced her to the saddle and let her sniff it, and she moved around a bit. But when I went to put the saddle pad & saddle on, she stood very well and seemed familiar with it. We went into the ring and did our "routine" and she did not seem at all phased by the saddle on her back. In fact she continued to make steps forward in our bonding, seeming even more relaxed than the previous session. I stand at her shoulder/girth area and ask her to turn her head towards me without moving her feet - and as soon as she "gives" I immediately release. She keeps getting better, allowing me to turn her head each direction a little further each time. She even knows to turn towards me when I outstretch my hand and wait for her for a moment before I ask more firmly.

We trotted both directions making a few cirles each way, and it was more continuous and steady than it was yesterday. I think having a lunge whip instead of trying to use the end of the line as a motivator worked much better. I never touch her with it, of course, but you have a longer reach with it to extend your energy.

I then took her over to the mounting block. I did this yesterday as well, and yesterday when I would ask her to move forward so that I would be at her withers area, she would walk forward and then turn her body/rump away from me, so that if I had been trying to mount, I would not have been able to reach. She again started that way today, but I stayed relaxed and after a few asks and lots of petting, she walked right up to me and put me in the perfect "mounting position." I did a lot of petting and flapping the stirrups/flaps a bit, as well as some jumping up and down on the mounting block with my hands on her withers/the saddle, all of which she tolerated with no indication that it bothered her at all. She watched me, and even turned her nose around to me to see, but kept her feet still and seemed prepared for me to mount up if I had wanted to. I put pressure in the stirrup with my hand and still she stood well. I got down and up again on the mounting block and continued with the same sort of thing, rubbing and scratching her neck/chest and telling her what a good girl she was. If my husband had been home, I probably would have gotten right up on her, but just in case I will wait until there is another adult around before I do that (and it wouldn't hurt for her to gain 50 lbs or so before I try, but I'm not sure I can wait that long. Her ribs are nearly covered, and she seems so willing!)

We got back to the barn and I took the saddle off, but picked up a bridle just to see what she would do. And that sweet mare put her head right into the caveson, and actually opened her mouth for the bit on her own! Sweet girl! So she definitely has been ridden - how much is yet to be determined, but she gives every indication that she knows quite a bit. She moves so easily away from pressure, understands "whoa" by voice on the lunge line and stops every time, and she has stayed so relaxed about everything throughout! I can hardly wait to get up in the saddle and find out how much she knows.

But patience is a virtue (so I'm told) and we'll continue our little routine until things are ready.

Crystal is becoming more and more affectionate - she loves to be groomed - and she knows that I will find all of her itchy spots. I've been grooming while ground tied so she can move around a bit - and she always moves just a little here and there to get me to curry the perfect spot. But she never leaves. She just stands there. It is funny when I let her out of her stall to go out, she does the same thing. I step back and she steps right up to me and waits for me to scratch her chest and withers and rub on her neck. I think she would stand there all day if I would keep scratching. :) But as soon as I loop the lead over her neck, she knows it's time to go out and off she goes!

This mare is going to make someone a lovely horse, and I already know I will miss her. I wish she was about 8 inches shorter and she would be the perfect pony for Sammie. But 16hh is just too high off the ground for this mother's heart when it comes to my baby girl. :) When she's a teenager, no problem, but at 4 years old, well, I'm sure you understand. :)