Not lame enough?

Isn't that a weird complaint?!

So, Last week I worked with Cass each day, except for Thursday. On Friday I rode her and she was really good. If I had timed it right I would've gone out with a fellow boarder to the track, but she was under saddle too long for that, so i called it quits.

Here is her deal. She's lame. But its really low grade, and only in 1 direction, and only at the trot. It doesnt get worse with work, nor does it get better.

What to do? Not lame enough for a nerve block. Not sound enough for me to be comfortable with working her consistently. I fear I will cause her unnecessary damage.

So, I'm putting her on a bute-less type herbal supplement called Ani-motion to see if that moves the needle at all.

She really seems to enjoy the work- she is so easy to catch, in fact comes right up. she's in enough of a routine that if she didn't like it, she wouldn't let me catch her.

The holding pattern continues...

And the testing continues

The quest for soundness continues for Cassie.

monday: tacked her up and longed- she looked perhaps slightly off on her bad direction- but really, was hard to tell. So, then i climbed on her to see if weight on her back would exacerbate it. She's definitely, uhm, not relaxed with a rider on her back- it took her about 10 minutes at a walk just to stop doing the humpy back walk- but did not buck or anything. i eventually got her trotting and she was sound looking & feeling. But man, is she ever crooked feeling!

tuesday: longe line with surcingle...and...sound- better than yesterday.

So, there we are: 4 days of being in work and pretty sound!

Soundness check

So, after 5 days of waiting, I decided on Saturday to check out Cassie's soundness with her newly shod hooves. This was triggered by my vet's email that said to put her back in work and see what happens. If she goes lame, we'll do a block. Basically, more diagnostics.

Saturday: SOUND. YAY! Both directions, no issues- she actually looked comfortable.

Sunday: I took it up a notch and tacked her up. Her lameness tends to be exacerbated by tack- anything that goes around the girth area- surcingle, saddle girth, anything. Doesn't seem to matter if it is a treeless, treed, bareback pad on top. So i tacked her up and off to the arena. She looked great. I could detect the weirdness she has when she moves with tack on, but overall, she looked very comfortable and not lame.

So today, we do it again. And the same for tomorrow. And so it goes.

I'm not longeing the heck out of her- i'm actually doing mostly walk and some trot for about 10-15 minutes total. If she's going to be lame, she'll show it in that time.

Fingers crossed!

Cabo is doing well. Irritated when i take one of his girls away...but he'll survive. At least he moves around a little bit when that happens! LOL.

Oh, I did say "girls." I have a new pony on trial for the husband...more about her when it becomes official.

And the results are...

Still pending. That is, of Cassie's lameness workup. Basically, she had 2 weeks off prior to the lameness eval (by request of vet) so by the time vet came, she was barely lame. Left front, and worse when tracking right. Not lame enough to do a nerve block- horse has to be lame enough for nerve block to show a distinguishable change, if it is going to. Hooves tested negative with hoof testers. Pulled shoes, and pad on left, did hoof testing again- still no response. Took xrays of both hooves. And here is where it gets interesting:

On the skyline view- the left front coffin bone appears to have some demineralization (degeneration) present. On the lateral view, the same bone has an osteophyte on the solar plane of the coffin bone.

Or so we think. Vet wants to be 100% sure so sent to radiologist who specializes in reading hoof xrays.

So that is the thought- nothing beyond it. Depending on what we get back from the specialist, we may well have to induce the lameness to do the nerve block.

I found a great farrier looking to work directly with the vet as a partnership to help my girl. I've given him all the info I have, and he's going to work on her today- see if we can't get her comfortable. He has rave reviews, and I like all the hooves I've seen him work on. It should be a good thing!

So for now....lame, but barely so. Hopefully that will change.

Quick Picture

Silly me- husband could not possibly come out to take pictures because the Lakers were playing, and apparently that is important. I know nothing about basketball, so I just let it go.

That said, i almost forgot to snap pictures. I was about ready to leave and then remembered. So i snagged him from his dinner (the horror), didnt even brush the kid, and boom, took a picture. LOL.

I'm setting the bar low for picture taking- the ones to come will be better!

Evaluation

One of the best ways to figure out how well your horse is going is to ride another horse and compare. More experienced or greener than yours- doesn't matter- your experience in the saddle will tell you what you need to know.

I did just that yesterday. I rode a friend's new mare, a green 12 year old. Cute cute cute, but when my friend said its like riding a brick wall, I didn't think much of it. Until I got on. Yowsa.

Cute & fast honest little mare- but has zero flexion in any part of her body, and one of the hardest mouths I've felt in a long time! But she just needs to be worked with, and would be really easy to turn around. She was easier to work with at a trot- i was able to get her soften faster at a working trot, asking her to go more forward than she wanted to, which tends to slow a quick horse down, and soften too.

I had to work for that ride- really really work. Mentally and physically. I then realized how far Cabo has come because in some respects, he started out like this mare. Very tense, probably due to his previous injury, stiff and unbending. Sure, he had some 'give' in his mouth, like he new how to be put into a 'headset' (which i DETEST and refuse to ever do and yet see it a lot out here, mostly in the western pleasure-gone-'english' variety of riders), but his body was not connected at all. So, even though we haven't done a whole lot of riding together, he has really come a long way in that time. Nice to see!

That brings me to my next rant. Its my blog so I can say it. I need to find a way to deal with this because one day my brain might just explode while riding. Here goes. I hate the way I hear "English" being used to describe the discipline. I'm sorry, there is a whole lot more to it than throwing on an all purpose saddle, a d-bit and posting on a tr-alking horse. Don't fiddle the nose down by sawing side-to-side because you no longer have a leverage bit. The western version of hunt seat riding, called "English" drives me bonkers, and is beginning to do so more and more.

And I hate answering the "oh you ride english? I do too." line. Cuz yes, i use an english saddle 99% of the time, even on trails. But no, I do not "ride english" the way you ride english. So don't ask me about my horse's headset, or how I can stand to be in an english saddle that long (a *gasp* dressage saddle, though that often goes unnoticed). I don't ask you if you ride "western" nor do i make claims that I ride "western" because I own a saddle with a horn. I realize there is more to it than making your horse's head touch the ground going as slow as possible.

Ok, rant over.

Click

2 lightbulb moments yesterday:

Cabo: I can stay nice, round, and supple even at the trot.

Cassie: I will not die if Cabo is taken away.

Wow, 2 good horses in one day...what will today bring? LOL

I am still smiling over Cabo's ride- he tried so hard yesterday and did so well. I could not have been more proud of my boy. No warm ups- just get on and go. Lots of walking for my hips, asking him to stretch down while i do that, and then flex every now and again. Some trotting- and WOW- what a trot!!!! Nice and soft and round. If he stiffened I'd just squeeze my outside rein and boom- soft again. He totally gets it now. Now with that understanding, I was able to start applying my leg a little, asking for bigger steps, and actually getting those instead of small fast ones. Still a lot to be done there, but the softness at the trot milestone is just wonderful. Love it!!

The Good and The Bad

The Good: Cabo. What a nice boy. He's really figuring out this new way of moving. It is scary for him every now and again, but his trust is building and he seems to enjoy himself too. We're working on being able to keep a steady rhythm while being soft and supple, and doing it for longer periods of time. He'll fall out if it- and speed up to gain his balance. Or he'll stop paying attention and throw his head up if he hears a noise, mostly at trot- but those instances are happening less and les. And he can do his whole walk with his head long and low, at a nice, swinging pace, really moving.

The Bad: Cassie. LOL. She completely remembers Cabo and has decided to be a total pill when I go work him. Right now they are in stalls part of a shedrow, and though she can SEE the other horses (I bring them in and then ride Cabo- otherwise she's out in the pasture by herself which is even worse), she acts completely herd bound to him when I take him away. Like, climb over the stall door, kick the walls, hissy fit. Bad girl.

Yesterday I left her outside with another mare while I took him in to work. She had a fit out there, could care less about the mare with her. Whatever. She has to get over it, and I'm just going to ignore her I guess... though it does tick me off that she makes such a complete mess of her stall. Oh well. And I'm sure it is not good for whatever condition she has that is making her lame.

Homeward Bound

Cassie came home last night. After a long talk with the trainer, vet, and running the numbers, I decided I'd bring her home to do her vet work. She traveled like a dream. When she got home I walked her around a little to familiarize her with the place- she took it all in- was so funny to watch! I took her in the arena and had her do a couple of big circles so i could see the lameness- ya, definitely there. Not as awful as i thought it would be, but definitely concerning...and familiar.

So, she's scheduled for a vet's visit on June 9th. Hopefully we'll be able to diagnose her quickly and find a treatment that will help, and hopefully get her back on the working horse roster.

Cabo is doing great- he's such a little pony-pimp :) And now he has 2 girls in his field to play with. We plan on riding this weekend- hopefully all my chores and errands will not get in the way of that!!

Dressage Boy

Cabo man got himself a fancy new dressage saddle! I got it last night, and couldn't wait to try it on him. Beautiful fit- comfy for me, really helps my twisted hips. I can definitely feel the crookedness of my body in the saddle- which is good because now I can go about correcting it.

We've been working on the longe line as of late- learning how to power ourselves from the hind end instead of doing a fake headset and plodding along, or hollowing out and not really working correctly. Its been working, because when I got on yesterday, I could feel a difference in his carriage.

Now I have to get myself in the saddle. My goal is 3 times a week to start with- mostly stretching that hip. I really really really have to fix it- because it has gone from being just ugly to now being painful too. It seems as though it'll cramp at any movement. No good. Though, this morning I do not feel sore at all- which is a good sign.

No new updates on Cassie-la.

Potty Training

I'm going to start out with a funny story just cuz the other stuff I have to write about is no good.

I go to clean Cabo's stall yesterday, and the first thing I notice is that there is no pee spot. That bothers me, because every day there is a pee spot in the same place in his stall. I go in his stall, and I see he chucked his rubber feed bowl into the middle of the stall. But wait, its wet. The horse somehow peed directly into that bucket without getting it anywhere else. HILARIOUS! I can't imagine he did that on purpose, but we'll see! Nice aim, Cabo!

And now on for the Cassie update. She is not holding up- turns out the shoes were a temporary feel-good fix and now we're back to being lame. So I will most likely be picking her up this week and we will begin the Great Lameness Diagnosis w/ Dr. Hannah. Starting off with films and blocking and going from there. I could just leave her in training, but the board is so expensive, and I just can't justify it when my board is so cheap, which would leave more $$ for vet workup, and savings for going back into training, if able.

Joy.

All Better?

So Cassie's twinkle toe appointment had to be moved from Friday last week to Wednesday due to farrier illness. In that time, she progressively got more lame, so aside from getting a couple of baths, didn't do much.

Got a call from the trainer last night...and...drumroll please... Cassie was great for the farrier AND appears sound! *hand clapping* YAY! She will be worked this morning to test out her new shoes...let's hope she's better!

YAYAYAYAY

Headshaking Status: GONE

Just a little update for Cabo. I lunged him today with sliding side reins so he could move his head wherever- and he was perfect! Looks like the adjustment did the job!

Adjustments

I'm back! Time for a little update on the pony kids.

Cassie is doing really well in training. She's not proving to be an extremely quick study, but she IS trying and doing well. She has a physical setback though, which we are trying to work through. I've always known she had this high/low syndrome in her front hooves. The left front is high, the right is tends to run out long- and is bigger. Over the years I've kept her trimmed to be comfortable, as every time we back that toe, she goes lame. There was never much point in trying to fix it, as she was not in any sort of training, and her fear of strangers too traumatic for her to sit through a farrier session. But, I knew that once she was in regular work with either myself or a trainer, that the hoof would most likely need to be addressed.

At the beginning of training, she started showing some soreness. Farrier came out, thinking we needed a set of shoes, which i suspected would eventually happen. Farrier says that horse has great hooves- no need to shoe, let's just try trimming her up and more frequently. In doing so, revealed some heal "corns" that had old blood in them. She walked off sound. Over the next 2 weeks, she has gotten progressively more lame- the angle was changed too much.

Farrier thinks now that we should try shoes and pads- that perhaps her coffin bone has rotated so much over time that the only way to keep her comfortable is to pad her up. Seems to think that'll get her sound very quickly. The good news is that her hoof quality is so nice that shoes will likely stay on for a full setting (which will be nice since Faith always needed resets after 3-4 weeks, LOL)

If the shoes and pad doesn't work, she's probably not going to stay sound enough for work. Right now her level of work is pretty light- 4 days a week, 45 minutes at walk and trot, some cantering.

So, if this doesn't work, not sure if I'll pursue it much more. I can let her hoof grow out and just let her stay pasture sound. Or I can see if over time of consistent theraputic shoeing will help. I'm wondering if it is coffin bone or tendon. If her hoof has been long basically her entire life, shortening it up has got to change things in her body...so is it reasonable to jump right to the coffin bone? I'm betting xrays are in our future.

But right now i'm hoping the silver bullet solution will work on Friday.


And now on to Cabo. He's doing well. He's had a couple of weeks off, but yesterday I got back and started working him again. He also got an adjustment done, out of the blue, as my body worker was at the barn for another client. Before I left, I noticed that he had been shaking his head a lot and sneezing, but i forgot about it completely. With the bodyworker, i was mostly looking for a check on his back, since that has been his main problem. When she was done she said his back was perfectly fine- strong, just a couple of front ribs out, but that he was REALLY out at his poll. I was super excited about his back- I think it is safe to say that 2 years later, he's fully healed. It was only when I was driving home that I realized the connection between his head shaking/sneezing and being out at the poll. So I'm excited to see if that adjustment fixed the problem.

So there ya go. Let's hope the farrier work works for Cassie. I may have myself a beautiful pasture pet in the near future. Such a bummer, but at least I have Cabo to play with! Here's to hoping he'll stay sound *knock on wood* LOL

Well Done!

I got the chance to see Cassie work with the trainer yesterday! I had a few odds and ends to bring up to her prior to my departure so headed up there. The trainer waited to work with her so I could watch. Prior to, she got treated to another beauty day which included another bath (she's definitely not yellow anymore!), and a hair cut! She already looks like a million bucks (hmmm...maybe buck is not the right word when used in a sentence describing Cassie, LOL)

Anyway, she did great in the cross ties- stood very solid for polos, and for bridling too. They saddled her in the roundpen- and yes, she definitely was nervous. I think she holds herself tense, and while she is still for the saddle, she blows once she can get away. Once she becomes more comfortable with the trainer and the assistants (a new one yesterday, which rocked her world again), she'll be fine for that initial saddling. All the same, I'm very proud of her because she's come far enough to allow others to work with her.

Trainer was great- btw. Very patient, and rewarding. So was the assistant. Cassie had nothing to fear, and soon calmed down. And gosh, when she calms and moves in a relaxed way- she's beautiful.

Trainer did mounting exercises from BOTH sides(so happy to see a dressage trainer do mounting from both sides, hanging from the saddle while being walked around, touching her all over- she did everything I did with Cassie, which is great reinforcement). She finally mounted up and had her assistant walk around. Trainer asked me if she knows halt, and I laughed and said take a deep breath and sit, Cassie stopped dead. Over and over again. Trainer then tried trot while on the longe, and practiced halts- had a good laugh- halt is Cassie's favorite. She sits on that bum. Must be the western horse in her coming out. Trainer eventually walked and trotted off the line too. Cassie got nervous a few times with the new rider on her back- but trainer was very good, patient, light, and balanced- everything you want for a young, terrified equine.

I think she's perfect for Cassie- she's everything I was looking for in a dressage trainer- the perfect balance of what Cassie needs. I'm so excited for us! Cassie is going to turn out great. What's even better- I had the pleasure of watching Trainer work with a more advanced horse- and she's an awesome rider. Beautiful. YAY!

Training Update

So, I got a call from the trainer yesterday.

Me: "Hello?"

Trainer: "Uhh, Allyson?"

Me, heart in stomach: "Yes?"

Trainer: "Hi its Trainer. I'm calling you about your mare, Cassie."

Me, heart sinks further into stomach: "Oh Hi, how are you?"

Trainer: PAUSE...."Good." Another long PAAAAAUUUUUSSSSSSSE, "I've been meaning to call you but I figured I'd give her another day of work before I do."

Me, to myself: O Crap in heaven...O no O no O no

Trainer: "She's doing really good, actually"

Me: PSYCH!!.... then *sigh* ...outloud, "Oh really?"

Trainer: "yes, I can see what you mean about her sensitivity and need to bond with someone. She was pretty darn scared of me yesterday, and she didn't like the girth too much- she bucked a lot in the round pen and zoomed around in circles."

Me: "Yea, that sounds like a scared Appy Mare. She'll come around, she just needs to trust you first."

Trainer: "She's already doing better today. She stood rock still for the polos, was able to walk at the end of the longe line, and I got on and walked her around today. She also got a bath, so she's all cleaned up."

Me: "Awesome!"

Trainer: "I'm going to take it slow with her, if we're walking and trotting by the end of the week, I'll call it success. I don't want to lose her trust."

Me: "I'd do the same thing- gain her trust first, and stay safe."


So, pretty much what I expected would happen, happened. Cassie needs to know you before you attempt any acrobatics with her. IF she doesn't know you, she will act like a complete idiot- zooming everywhere, total wild horse-OMG-I-don't-know-how-to-do-any-of-this, type drama. The second she realizes you dont have a fork and knife in ur pocket ready to dine on her, she calms down and will give you some try. If you work with her fairly, then she'll really start to give- like 200% I can't wait for the trainer to call me and tell me what a change she's made. It'll happen, I predict, next Wednesday. :)

I'm going up there today to bring some belongings up to her- I can't wait to see how she is doing!

Fat Boy: Perspectives

So with Cassie gone, I needed to find Cabo an equine companion for the next couple weeks until the new horses arrive.

A friend of mine just got a new horse. New horse is skinny-ish. Not emaciated, but definitely needs groceries.

Decided to turn Cabo out with new horse in the arena to check compatibility. They were fine. the sniffed noses. they explored the plexiglass windows together, they rolled. All was good.

Except while watching them, I realized Cabo is HUGE. You know, I must have a complex- i think of myself as too huge, and think of the horses as never-too-huge. They take a breath and I see a rib and I go "OMG" WTF? Forest or trees?

So it was on Monday when I dropped Cassie off the trainer says "well, it looks like she hasn't missed a meal in awhile"...and then watching Fat Boy aka Jelly Bum next to Slim Mare I saw him for what he is: FAT. The comparison was shocking. He looked like a war tank next to her. I think he is still a hunkalove, but c'mon...not that much love!

The boy gets hay, super supplement, and bioflax ultra. Time to cut back on the hay, and increase exercise. Sorry, dude, party's over.

First Day of School

Yesterday we brought Cassie to meet her trainer, and her new farm. :) She did really well- loaded great, unloaded (though took about 200 baby steps backwards to the edge of the ramp, LOL it was really funny to watch- so cautious)

Went in her stall and happily started munching on the hay. School starts today- muhahah :)


I'm going to go up there on Friday ish to check in on her and to bring up her fly sheet and other things she may need while I am gone.


Good luck, Cass- be a good girl!!


As a result- Cabo also got "worked" yesterday- I had to take advantage of the weather. So we walked around the track and in the arena- just putzed around the farm. He's fat- the boy needs a job.

What's with the Cold?

So frustrated. Junk for weather. Junk for time. BUT getting stuff ready for Miss Cassie. Like today- I resisted the urge to buy new brushes and washed the ones I have. Man, new brushes would've been really fun. I also washed her groom tote. I consolidated Quik Silver shampoo into 1 bottle since I had 3 half filled ones laying around. I wiped off the show sheen bottles, and grabbed some mane n tail for more frequent washin's. I washed her solo comb, but i think I need to attack it with a grime buster and a toothbrush- that one is particularly gross. But expensive, so no getting a replacement.

In a little bit I'm going to wash the plastic tote that will carry all her stuff.

I also managed to find SafeChoice and started her on it today.

My friend had a new sheet that she let me buy off her- perfect so now I can send La's to get cleaned, waterproofed and repaired.

I even cleaned her bridle. Still have to clean the bits. If anyone is looking for a rockin' leather conditioner, use Effol Leather Balm. It smells weird- sort of like powder, which is out of place in an environment that smells like shit. And they dont really mix well. But you get used to it- and then the smell becomes addicting. And the balm does an awesome job. Way better than leather therapy. Compared to this Effol stuff, Leather Therapy is junk. How do I know? The other day I used it on my new-ish western saddle- still creaky and dry leather, needs to be broken in. But the leather was really thirsty. So I used the balm stuff and today checked in on my saddle and WHOA MOMMA! Totally different saddle- super soft and loffly. Product approved.

Ok that is enough rambling for now. Nothing else is new or exciting.

Preparation Station

So, Miss Cassie- La is definitely going to training on the 20th. She's got to bring with her polos, her bridle & bits, grooming brushes, show sheen, shampoo- all the stuff to bring out the fancy show horse that she is inside, LOL.

So yesterday during my errand running, i picked up some of those things that she will need to bring with her. This weekend i'll be assembling her "overnight" bag, LOL. Why is it that i have several sets of polos that are missing a wrap? Is that like the equine version of losing socks in the dryer?

Anyhoo- I also had a hot nut to condition my saddles- so got some more supplies, and last night, when about tack cleaning and conditioning. my hands, despite scrubbing, still have the conditioner smell on them.

Cabo also got braided last night. his mane has gotten unruly- flip flopping from side to side, mostly at the top. So I plaited them...and he looks like a child's pony right now, LOL.

Other things to do prior to the 20th:

• slow transition to Safechoice, as that is what she'll be eating.
• clean and fix her turn-out sheet so she doesn't look like the Slumdog of the barn.
• more conditioning work
• wearing tack
• maybe even hop on a couple times to remind her of her pre-training skillz.

Lots to do!

Ponying 101

The last of the beautiful weather was yesterday. What a depressing thought. I hope it comes back soon.

In any case, I decided that I still needed to do something with the equines, and myself- and I really didnt feel like going for another jog. So I decided to teach them how to pony and be ponied.

I dont know if Cabo has ever ponied before- but he did yesterday! LOL All that rope twirling and flinging paid off- because he didn't care at all when the rope was hitting him on his scary right side.

Cassie, I think has been ponied- probably when she was with Jon, because she knew what she was doing. She didn't take too nicely to swapping sides and being led from her right- something to work on because I think she should follow from both. In all fairness, I really dont lead her enough from the right- so she'd be equally as stiff on the ground too.

All in all, I think it was a great exercise for both horses. Cabo seemed to really like being boss man- I had him going walk/trot- and he really liked to go withuot too much attention being paid to him. Cassie liked to follow along- so it suited her as well. It suited the rider because she had so much to think about that her riding, based on the mirrors, was actually pretty good, LOL.

The great news is that my western saddle fits Fat Boy pretty well. Nice even sweat, no pinching shoulders. I need to ride in it more to break it in.

The not-so-great part of ponying was that Cassie is the bigger horse. Technically I should pony off of something that is stronger than her- but oh well. If she were really rank I wouldnt have tried it. Cabo was funny though- at one point, during our attempt to pony her from her right side- she stuck, and Cabo couldnt figure out how to go forward. So we had to go around, effectively disengaging her hinds and fronts a little for her to unstick her feet, rewarding when she moved. Just took a little creativity- not pure muscle.

After our 101 session in the arena, I took them out and went for a walk outside, right where we jogged the day before. It was getting chilly by then, so we went for one lap- but both horses did awesome. Had to cross water, pass barking dogs and a dude weed eating- no issues.

Tonight they won't get any work because I have to work late and go to a dinner- so it'll be all I can do to run up there to do chores.

But Thursday is another day!

Jogging Partner(s)

Another gorgeous day yesterday. Definitely needed to take advantage of it- which was easy to do because when I got to the barn i found my stalls cleaned thanks to my friend- what an awesome surprise! So...what to do? Build off of yesterday, I guess.

I know some people won't like this, but I don't care. I took my horses jogging with me, LOL. I'm sure its unsafe as heck, but they both lead well, and I felt relatively safe, so whatever.

So we went for 3 miles or so. Cabo thought he was dying. He didn't want to keep up. He thought it was dumb, and a waste of a lovely day. Cassie, on the other hand, loved it. I mean really, really loved it. Like if horses could be jogging partners, she'd sign herself up for that job. She didn't want to stop. And afterwards, she was all sorts of engaged- waiting for the next thing to do. It was very cute.

Today I am going to get on Cabo and see how he feels about ponying Miss Princess. Sorry Cabo, you DO have to get exercise. Sorry, bud. LOL.

Learning To Dance

This weekend was gorgeous in the PNW. 70 degrees and sunny- it just convinced me to stay a little longer.

I got to witness inspiration on Saturday at my friend's dance competition. Even though I laughed at her, dance competition is a lot like horse shows- so as funny as it all was, I got it. There was one thing I did see, though, that I haven't seen at a horse show in a long time.

At the table directly to our right, was a woman instructor who had 3 young girls with her- ages 7-12 I'm guessing. Her name is Lynn and she's from Dance Workshop. I sat there in awe of her all day- as she took each of those girls into their dance heats- between ballroom, latin, american rhythm-spinning and twirling- laughing and smiling- making the experience so positive and fun for those kids. Honestly, the woman must love her job- and if she doesn't- she sure fooled me. She's everything you'd want in an instructor and more- her passion and genuine love shone through every single move. The kids lit up, they had a great time. It wasn't about competing, it was about having fun out there.

How many instructors in the horse world emulate that? Seriously, they may SAY they do- but at the show- do they really walk the walk? I am reading Temple Grandin's book Animals in Translation- and in it she reminds us that real horseback riding is much like dancing- its a relationship. That rung really true for me this weekend. How many of our instructors are dance instructors like Lynn? Maybe they have to be less jovial and more powerful because of the risk of adding a few 1200 lb animals into the mix- I don't know. But if I were a parent, I'd sure try to find an instructor as close as identical to Lynn O. from Dance Workshop. Heck, I'd probably send my kids to her just for the experience of having someone so influential in their lives- who cares about the subject matter. Learn to dance right from the start.

Anyway, that was my Saturday. The horses didn't get much TLC that day- but they did enjoy the weather- and got to get their new summer coats nice and dirty. So much for having a white horse.

Sunday started off with dress trying-on and my MIL's. Punjabi dresses- Sari's, etc. very complicated stuff, and I had a good laugh. We're going to Canada this coming Saturday to get my own outfits for this wedding- I've never been to Canada, so I'm excited. On that high, I took the horses out for a mile walk in the sun with the fiance- it was so nice!!! Hopefully I got a little tan, gonna work on it again today, LOL.

The Trance, and What To Do About It.

Over the years I have learned to adapt my style of working to whatever horse I have in the moment. As a kid, I used to ride other people's horses and be a crash test dummy for the schoolies-in-training. High school and college was very much the same. Even though I didn't recognize it, I knew how to adapt even back then.

Now that I am older, I can realize those adaptations. I first started recognizing it with Faith. Then Frank. Then Cassie. Then Cabo. The woman of many faces-doing what the horse needs in that moment. And sometimes, missing the mark. By a long shot.

One thing I have not yet figured out how to solve is Cassie's sleeping quirk. I learned she had this the hard way. She's always been pretty good about giving to pressure- and there was relatively low drama when teaching her how to tie. Except when I experienced her Freak Out of 2008. Basically, it goes something like this: I tie horse, I groom and fiddle around with horse. I stop and chat with barn folk. Horse goes into trance like sleep. Some outside factor wakes horse up. Horse panics & pulls- breaking anything and everything in her path. Yikes.

I didn't see the situation properly the first time. I thought she woke up, found the end of the rope, and then panicked because she was trapped. But the second time I witnessed the same scenario I was paying more attention and found that the order of events were out of whack. She wakes from the trance, panics, moves around- forward and back- and then finds, in a panic, that she's tied. Then she breaks it.

The thing is, when I keep her mind engaged- which means I jiggle the halter every now and then to keep her awake, she's fine (this is something I have to do when I groom her- because grooming puts her to sleep). She finds the end of the rope, she gives. If she's awake and something scary pops up, she gives. She panics coming from out of her trance.

The more I get to know her, the more I see it even when she's not tied. If she's in her stall and she's snoozing- she wakes in a low grade panic- which usually involves her head flying up in the air- and if she's not careful, she'll bang it on something.

In the pasture- she does the same thing.

So what does that mean? Is the trance a medical condition?

Seeing as I haven't found a clue how to help her, I've made the concession to use the tie-blocker ring when I'm working with her for long periods of time. It is just safer, and less expensive in the long run as I really don't like having to replace hardware at other people's barns

But yesterday, I was explaining to a friend, who was with me, Cassie's issue. We got to talking for a good period of time with Cassie "tied" with the blocker ring. Cassie goes into trance mode. And sure enough, when I woke her- a gentle finger tip on her shoulder- she woke startled. She must not have been in a very deep trance because her level of panic was pretty low-grade, and she came to with less fear than I've seen in the past. But, at that point, my friend saw it with her own eyes.

Then it dawned on me- can I help her by allowing her to go into a semi-trance and then gentlty waking her up each time, like I unknowingly did yesterday...the idea to slowly condition her out of a panic response? Or is this just a quirk we have to live with?

20 Days and Counting

31 days from now I will be married. Yikes. So much to do, plan, buy, and avoid. These past 6 weeks have been a complete blurr. A lot has happened, both good and bad, and I'm sure the next month will reveal even more.

But this isn't about me...or is it? Well, it is. Because I am her own worst enemy. She thinks she can only work with me. I can't work with her right now. Little things, yes. But big-push yer button stuff...not a chance. I will not risk going to Las Vegas in a body cast, which will most likely be the case if I press on in this half-arsed fashion.

Yea, I don't believe I can teach her much at 1-2 times per week. It's like asking an illiterate kid to go to school on the weekends and grasp learning how to read. Sure, the kid may get it after a couple years of attempting to learn only 2 days a week, but it could be done much faster, and better. And so it is with horses.

In the midst of planning mehndi night, rehersal dinner, and dress shopping, I've also been trainer hunting. And I think, as of yesterday, I found one. A really good one. One I like. One I can afford. The stars have aligned.

So, in 2.5 weeks Cassie shall be going into dressage training for a couple months. My goals for her: more solid foundation at w/t/c. Rhythm. Balance. Accepting the bit, the beginnings of contact.

That's all for my goals for the horse. She'll be in full show-training. So she'll get better at clipping, bathing, wrapping, etc. All the skillz the pony-kids need under their belts to keep 'em in good graces with people.

I'm excited for her. Its better than sitting in a stall and pasture for the next 2 months while I sort out my life happenings. Last year I put her on the back burner after backing her. And I regret doing that. I had a great experience that summer, and some horses got really good experience. But mine did not. And seeing as they consume the majority of my income, this year I am putting my focus on what is my responsibility.

I am excited for me too. I know I am doing the right thing for her, and for me. While I do my thing, she'll be doing hers, and when I get back, we'll learn together. Lessons. Oh thank goodness. The wheels are off my bus and they need be put back on. I will kiss the ground the trainer walks on if she can help me fix my wandering left leg. I wish I could say I aspire to be the strong rider I once was- but I know that is ridiculous. Baby steps.

You're Fired!

Oh for pete's sake. My horses....bah. If it isn't one, its the other.

So with this move, I hired a dude at the farm to turn out the horses 6 days a week. The pasture is quite a distance from the barn, so, taking both at the same time is a really good idea. Except when your horses decide they don't like their handler and act like complete turds, causing lots of pain and fear.

Cassie was up to bat. She decided she could show Mr. Handler how horses bolt once lead to pasture...bolt with the rope halter on... still attached to the leadrope. Oh yea, and also bolt when strange dogs run up from behind. Nice, Cassie.

Cabo, while generally a very good boy, can just be an idiot sometimes. I love him all the same, he's just a spook every now and then. And he's decided to spook when Cassie is an idiot.

Insert sarcasm: its awesome, really, when the handler texts me and says my horses are nuts and he won't turn out anymore...after 4 days of fun. Not even taking them out one at a time. He's done.

So, I start turning them out in the morning...no issue at all. We walk calmy to pasture, and the release- Cassie was excited but one correction and she stood like a good girl. WTF? I can't fix what isn't broken.

They totally worked that guy.

In a panic, I call another friend who I know could use extra cash, and offer the job. And ya know what? The horses are fine- no issues have been reported, and I warned her of the idiotic tendencies they have seemingly developed.

Let's hope they won't fire the new hire. They are SOL if they do- cuz I dont know of anyone else who'd be available to do the job.

Moved!

OK, I admit I have serious web issues. I've gone from blog style to forum style, and back again. Playing in the forum style was fun, but ehh, I'm over it. So back to blog style where I can talk about either horse or both without having to update multiple threads.

Who knows, in a few months maybe I'll revive the forum. LOL.

So, aside from the virtual move, the horses have moved locations as well. Primary reason was to get more training real estate for Miss La. She's big, she's oafy, and she's lacking in grace. For me to continue with her and feel safe doing so, and for her to be less be otchy about it, I found a place with bigger spaces in which to ride.

Its also self care, and so huge savings. YAY.

So...self care...umm I didn't have time as it was, now I'm cleaning stalls too? Well, yes. The good news is that my horses are neatnicks and so it takes about 20 minutes to clean the 2 stalls, buckets, and throw hay. Not a big deal.

And here come the cons:

Not sure I'll be able to stay through the winter- may be too wet. My horses must have turnout- I won't stay at a place where they are kept in 24/7.

Distance: 18 miles door to door. 42 from work. Lots of freakin' traffic. Ew.

So, not so bad, really. The facility is really nice. And for those who board, you know there is always a fatal flaw- be it price, turnout, food, distance, whatever. At this point I'm used to it, and my horses don't seem to care. In fact, I'll bet they wish the traffic would be thicker so I can't get there, LOL.