The past week had good news and bad news, and I just realized when I sat down to write that I haven't written for 9 days. I was out of town, then worked a "double day" to make up for it and get ready to get done for the Christmas holiday and the rest of the year, and - cue scary music - was struck down by a virus from Hell. But I am back, full of resolutions to write more regularly with high hopes that I will have more riding to write about.
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| Waitin'. |
I was missing my girl something terrible this week and finally got out there Wednesday mid-day. The barn was hoppin', which is unusual for that time of day, but one reason was because Erin was giving a trail ride and was also waiting for the vet to get there. I was already feeling pretty sick and had planned on it being somewhat of a drive-by visit, but when I heard the vet was on her way, I got my girl, stuck her in a stall and sat down to wait.
Once Dr. Hobbs was there and had taken a look at Black's eye, she told me to take Skye to the round pen so she could see her move. She asked me to work her off line (at liberty) so Skye would have more room and move more freely. I hadn't worked her at liberty in the pen ever, remembering how tense Skye got with the trainer, but decided to wing it, hoping all the reading I've been doing about round pen work would kick in.
Well, what kicked in was Skye's AWESOMENESS! I unhooked my long lead line and pointed to the right, indicating I wanted her on the rail going clockwise. Girlfriend went right out there and started walking, her inside ear cocked to me and her right eye on me. I told her walk on, and she did a nice working listening walk, and looked very sound. Then I told her to trot, and she trotted right out, perfectly. When she sped up a little too much, I said "easy" and she took it down a notch. And the best part was she looked pretty sound. I had Skye walk again, took my eye off her, bend over a little and backed up slightly. She turned in went right back out, with her ear and eye to me waiting to be told to trot. I told her and she picked it right up. Damn, that girl made me look like Clinton Anderson. I was so proud of her. She was so in tune with me and just listening so well.
And it gets better. She wasn't really lame at the trot going counterclockwise like she has been. Dr. Hobbs thought if there was any tenderness it was the left front foot, not the left hind foot, but thought she looked much much better, and that her trimming and shoeing was now where it needed to be. All good. When I stopped and indicated for Skye to come in, she came in and let me rub her forehead and gave me the big sigh. I left her there to go talk to the Dr. Hobbs at the rail, but she followed me over like a big dog. Dr. Hobbs gave me a big smile said what a good girl Skye is. She is. She is so amazing she can make an amateur like me look like she knows what's she doing.
I told her about the ouchy back problem, so she took her over in the sun and ran a needle case over her back looking for soreness. At one point Skye did move away from it, but the vet said she didn't see any real reason for concern. She did tell me to start with 10 rides at a good walk in the big arena and/or on soft ground to get her legs a little stronger, then move to trotting just on the straightaways. I'm not to work in round pen or to do circles, as they stress the joint that I'm trying to strengthen.
Of course, that evening I got really sick and ended up staying in bed full-time Wednesday night through Saturday morning. Saturday I was still tired, but we managed to get out there to get some pictures of the boys with Skye for what will now be a New Year's card. Dave hadn't seen Skye for a while, but fell back in love with her again, as she looked as beautiful as ever and, even though she was in a bit of a grumpy mood, was pretty sweet with him. He has seen her do some frightening things, so having him see her being her normal good girl self is pretty good.
Today I managed to get out there very briefly, and it was like a ghost town. She met me at the fence for a rub, then stayed by the fence when I went in the tack room for cookies. After doing a little dinky duty (to the extent allowed by that cookie thief, Munchkin), I went into the pasture to give her some cookies.
Since she didn't meet me at the gate, I managed to get over to Reebok and give him a few cookies. He is such a sweetheart. My new nickname for him is Sweet Meat (since he had been destined for slaughter). She ambled over for her share of cookies, but didn't shoo him away and even stood for him being given another cookie in her presence. I'm not sure if this was from respect for me since I was feeding or a special dispensation to him (also possible, as he gets away with stuff that she won't let the other horses think about, like drinking when she is drinking), but I'll take either one. Ginger and Chloe came over, hoping, but Skye swung her big head at them and gave them the stink eye. No cookies for them!
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| Mistletoe. Christmasy name, Billy-Goat-Gruff beard. |
It rained last night all night, so I'm hoping it will be drier this evening, and maybe even sunny tomorrow to dry the ring up so I can ride my girl.
Best of all, this was the very first Christmas where the little girl in my heart didn't have to be sad that she didn't have a Christmas pony!
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