Riding again!

Holy Guacamole, I can't believe it has been so long since I last wrote on here. I did get to the barn both days of last weekend, but you wouldn't know it from this blog. Last Saturday Erin told me she had spoken to the vet, who said if Skye's leg was in good shape after being in the pasture 24 hours without a wrap, I'd be good to start riding again. Still the walking only conditioning rides, but good gracious, it's a start. So Saturday I groomed her and grazed her, and left with instructions to let her spend one more night in the stall, unwrapped.

Sunday her bump looked stable, meaning it had remained the same smaller, bonier lump. I groomed her and  did some "listening" work in the round pen which didn't involve lunging her (on vet's orders, I'm to keep away from small circles for a while). Then after putting her up, I got out Reebok for a little while. He did okay, meaning not as well as he had been, but still lunging in both directions, backing up nicely when asked and respecting my personal space.  I had hoped to make some real improvements, but I settled for getting him listening to me for short periods.

I did make some good progress with the dinkies (miniature donkeys) though. Since moving into the bigger pasture behind the round pen, they have gotten the idea that they are Wild Dinkies of the American West or something and have not been as friendly (or perhaps they always thought they were Wild Dinkies of the American West but did not have the wherewithall to prove it in the paddock/mini pasture they were in). In any case, they had been staring at me from a distance, then walking a roundabout way to see me, then turning away from the apple and carrot cookies like high society snobs. But Sunday I brought carrots, and after a much shorter period of staring at me suspiciously, they came over and each took one. I snapped a carrot in half and the sound made them trot away on their precious little donkey hooves, but when I didn't chase after them they came back. All three took a carrot, and Bravo did his thing where he puts his little black mouth close to my face so I will breathe in his nose. (I know this from watching them, and the horses, with each other.)

Proof that Zulu is warming up. He would like
for me to point out that the halter is faded red, not pink.

But this week was Hell. I started my new job, requiring me to be gone all day (and away from the barn!) every day, and I had to teach the paralegal class 2 evenings this week. When Thursday rolled around, the only day giving me a chance to go down there in the early evening, it was raining.  So in addition to the stress of the work week and the second job, I couldn't even access my de-stressing mechanism. The whole working for a living thing so interferes with my favorite activities. There really needs to be some way around it.

Finally, Saturday arrived and I allowed myself to spend a long time at the barn. I got my girl and had just finished grooming her when Erin asked me if I would ride Bon Jovi to straighten him out a little. He was acting up a little by tossing his head with a beginner on him, and needed to ridden by someone who could make him do what he is supposed to, and but her back was hurting too badly for her to do it. So I got to ride that big beautiful boy a little. He did the head toss with me for a bit, but I essentially ignored it and pushed him around the ring with my legs.  He gave up his antics and was ready for riding again. Triumph. I would like to ride him again, as ever since my adventures with Goliath at the Greenway, I have a weakness for big black horses.

My good friend Goliath, who occupies a big Tennessee Walker-shaped place in my heart.
He later picked up that bag and threw it away from him
after discovering it held no carrots for him. It was worthless to him
apparently.

Then I rode Skye! Yes, that's right, I actually rode my own horse. She was perfect about being tacked up, and then was perfect in the ring. I stopped her a couple of times to back her (perfect) and to get her to give to the bit a little (okay) but overall I wanted a relaxing time in the ring that's what  I got. Such a good girl.

When we were finished with our short ride, I put her in her stall and then worked with Reebok.

Oh, that was a bit disappointing. He totally crowded me while being led, and while I was working him in the round pen. I swished the dressage whip at him, and he didn't care one bit; he'd barrel right into it. He seemed very confused, like he had forgotten all we had gone over. He was very distracted, and once again back to whinnying several times in a ten minute period. Sigh. So he is feeling herd-bound again. I had hoped having Skye right there watching would help, and maybe it did. In any case, I did get him going around me each way for a short period and got him to back a few steps. Then I just loved on him in the round pen for a while so he would at least have a positive feeling about being with me and feel safe being away from his herd. So no great progress, but maybe it helped him from backsliding more. Patience will be the name of the game.

Zulu again, since he usually
gets so little mention in the press.

Dinky Duty went swimmingly though! I called to them as I went out to their pasture. I called "Dinky Doodles!" and they looked at me with their big liquid eyes then started walking toward me with some degree of purpose. That's victory. (When I mentioned this to Dave later, he said no self-respecting animals would answer to "Dinky Doodles." This from someone who has been called and somewhat answered to "Sugar Plum Fairy". It was an ironic term, used by an au pair but still. Yet another reason why Dave should refrain from comment about the animals.) They came up and took their carrots with great solemnity, as eating carrots is a serious business for them. Then I touched all three of them. As usual, I traded a carrot for a pet with Echo, gave Bravo a long rub on his back and butt, and even stroked Zulu on the nose. This was the big victory as I have never touched him before. As with Reebok, I hadn't realized how far I had come with them until they regressed a little. But I still think I will win them over.

Today, Skye was lying down when I went to get her. While I know this is normal, my heart always sinks into my belly when I see it. As I came up and called her name, she stretched her head back to look at me upside down. Then she waited until I was about 10 feet from her to get up.  But she did get up gracefully and strolled over to me, and stuck her nose right in the halter. I tacked up without incident, and she was perfect under saddle. Once again, we could only walk, but I used my legs to steer her around some obstacles in the arena, so I feel like we did some work on our communication anyway.  Right about the 25 minute mark, I could feel her getting bored, so I got off, untacked her and put her in a stall while I put her tack away. After an apple and some apple cookies, I put her back in her pasture, and for the first time in a little while, she hung out with me at the gate. I know she was hoping for treats, but considering when she was on the combination stall/round pen rest she couldn't wait to get away from me, I'm taking it as progress.

It's enough to make me nervous. She was just napping though.
She's even lovely when she naps. Not that I'm susceptible
to that sort of thing.

Dave was gone all day today, so I didn't get Reebok out, but I did a few minutes of Dinky Duty. This time they were waiting for me by the gate by the time I got there, and did a little dinky swarm wanting their carrots. Once the carrots were all gone, they hung with me for a while, sniffing me and staring at me in that thoughtful way. I think they have decided to trust me again. Closer and closer.

A swarm of dinkies. Be not afraid.

I'm dreading a week away again, but I'm hoping I can get down there at least once in the evening this week. I'm counting the days until daylight savings time so I'll have hours of light after work.