A little sumthin'

Hampton's eye looked so much better today. The swelling is almost totally gone and there wasn't any discharge today. He has a few more days of bute and ointment and I think we'll be in the clear. He's also wearing a flymask for added protection. If the eye still looks good tomorrow, I don't see any reason not to ride him. But then again, it's supposed to rain. Of course.

Tired poneh

So while Hampton was chowing down, I rode Baxter. Boy was he fun today! I worked on shoulder in and some half pass, but I think I'm doing something wrong on the left rein. When I put my inside leg back (for shoulder in), he swings his haunches in. Maybe I am still weighting my right seat bone too much? Also worked a little at the canter. Did some walk-canter transitions and worked on keeping the canter uphill and slow.

He's not nearly as fit as Hampton, so by the end of 30 minutes he was breathing pretty hard. Poor guy. :)

Zippy was also good today. He has starting working in side reins and learning all about contact. Under saddle he wanted to argue a bit and seemed to think turning his head upside down was fun. Ugh. But after a while, he was going round and soft and I was really quite pleased with him. He doesn't have the best neck for dressage work - it's sort of connects really low - but he's trying.

Still on the hunt for a new trailer. It's one of those "right time, right place" things when looking for a good used one. Shouldn't be too much longer, tho. I'd love to hit up the April show at Come Again Farm and take both Hamper and Baxter. That's a big maybe at this point. May is Harmony in the Park in Edinburgh - which would be our first rated show of the season. I was aiming for the 4 year old test there ... but I'm not sure Hampton is ready. It's no big deal if we just stick to training level.

Of course all my plans could go right out the window if my job situation changes. eeeps.

(also, it'd be really awesome if some of my readers would click on my google or Amazon ads so a poor horse-lovin' gal can make a little extra cash ... yeah, I'm shameless)

Punch You in the Eye

Well, well well. Hampton's little wound near the corner of his eye has now decided to become an infected, swollen oozing issue. It's quite swollen right under the eye - an area that was not affected originally, although now there is a missing patch of fur there. It was fine last night when I fed him. But this morning it was a different story. This time I DID call the vet, who gave me some bute and eye ointment. Hopefully that will clear things up. So, no riding for Hampton for a bit. That means Baxter and Zippy get more attention this week.

bleh. poor horse.

Hampton: 0; Run-in shed: 1

I guess it's a good thing I planned on giving Hampton the day off today! I found him out in the run-in shed, shivering, and blood running down BOTH sides of his face and one front leg.

A quick inspection stopped my near-heart attack as I realized a call to the vet won't be needed. The wounds were not bad. The "incident" must have just recently happened as they were still oozing blood. I took Hampton in, fed him, changed his blanket and then doctored him up with ointment. His leg had just a scrape. One side of his face had a thin line about 3 inches long - like maybe he caught it on a nail or side of the shed? It wasn't bad at all. The last wound was very close to his right eye. Thankfully, the eye was not hurt. But it was a close call. It is the worst of the cuts and again looks like he ripped a small chunk of skin off somehow ... maybe on the shed? It doesn't look like a horse bite. He was a good boy and let me clean that one up and slather ointment on it. It had stopped bleeding by the time we even got to the barn.

I'm not sure if he got to playing with someone and just got tangled up in the run-in shed? Or he got cast? Who knows! I do know that in gross weather like this (36 and spitting rain and snow), that he will hang out in the shed a lot. I'm thinking he may have just gotten into a rumble. *sigh*

Oh furlough, how I luv thee

Since I am on furlough this week, I have been spending my days out at the barn. The weather has been mostly cooperative - although yesterday was soggy and today it's looking even more wet and miserable. Oh Indiana - you kill me!

Baxter and I. 

Hampton has been doing well. When I lunged him Wednesday (I do still lunge him once or twice a week to help him warm up), his right hind looked weak again. It had been looking so good lately. I'm not sure what happened. The mud in the pasture is super sucky - and I do mean literally sucky - so perhaps he tweaked himself or it has just put a strain on that leg. He's not lame, it's just an obvious weakness. I made yesterday's ride pretty easy on him. Big circles, some leg yield. We even did some leg yielding at the canter. That went pretty well - after he figured out how to organize his legs. The first time I asked he tripped and almost face planted. While the footing isn't slick, it was sloppy and a little deep in areas so I'm blaming that, too.

Since it's extra crappy today he'll get the day off. And so will Baxter and Zippy.

I really need to STOP riding with my cell phone in my sweat shirt pocket! It has fallen out 5 or 6 times now - from Hampton's 17.1-hand back, into the wet sloppy sand. And it keeps ticking! Guess I have to give it credit. But really, I need to remember to either have it in a zipper pocket or leave it in my car.

Baxter just keeps getting more fun each time I ride him. If I ever get enough money to take 2 horses to a show later this year, he will go along and be my First Level poneh.

My saddleseat days

On Saturday, a friend and I are traveling to Illinois to visit out old trainers (we used to ride Morgans together "back in the day."). They train mostly Saddlebreds now and do have a few Morgans left. I'm amped to visit with them and see on the Skadaddlebreds work. It's such a different world to me now, even though I grew up in it. I do still appreciate the beauty of the horses and they ARE fun to ride ... it's just more about running damage control when you ride them, rather than the focused, goal-oriented skills in dressage.

In non horse-related news, I also have two job prospects on the table right now. One in Colorado and one in South Carolina. They both sound pretty good. :) Both would be a big move for me, but I'm ready for it.

Show photos :)

Thanks to my friend Steph for taking these. :)

Yipee! I remembered my test and didn't fall off! :)

Walking to the show ring ...

Hampton's all like "Um, what just happened to me?"

Box of Rain

It's gross and rainy today and I have to work this evening so pretty much all motivation has been lost to go ride. Meh. So here's a roundup of progress this week. (I'm still waiting on my friend to send me photos from the show ... I'll post those when I get 'em)

HAMPTON

We had a lesson on Tuesday in which my instructor really challenged both of us to step up our game. Lots of bending to the right (one of our "issues" right now), keeping the canter uphill, 10-meter circles, shoulder-in, many leg yields and the First Level shallow canter loop were some of the exercises we did. Our leg yields have, for reasons unknown to me, improved so much over the winter that my instructor was somewhat shocked and raved about how proud she was. That made me feel great! Last year, Hampton would yield sideways but he would shuffle over with minimal crossover. Now, he glides over with awesome crossover and is light off the leg. I do not know what I did but I'm happy with it! I also need to work on our halts. They tend to be sloppy and not always square. This is my fault for simply neglecting them. It's easy points in the test and there's no reason I should screw them up.

He has been good the rest of the week. The canter is really starting to improve as he gains strength. In fact on Thursday I was able to do counter canter. The big ring is large enough that counter cantering around one end is just enough of a challenge but still do-able for a green horse. It's not something that I am going to concentrate on at the moment but I wanted to see if we could do it. He still needs the canter half halt to be better before we start doing more advanced work. But I am so proud of him!

ZIPPY

Ok, this guy is turning out to be a sweet, sweet soul. It is obvious that he just needed a calm, confident leader. The snorting and spooking in the barn has stopped. He stands quietly tied and to be groomed. The only real issue with him is he still is somewhat difficult to bridle. I have to wonder if it's his wolf teeth (I can easily feel them). I told the BO and the dentist comes in April. Otherwise, this "white stallion" as I call him is now walk, trotting. He is light off the leg. His steering is now 100% improved. Light in the mouth. He's not spooky and has smooth gaits. He is going to make a super, super schoolie. Next up I am going to teach him to canter.

BAXTER

The first time I rode Baxter, there was lots of cussing and spinning in circles. He loves to run through the right rein. And when I say RUN - I do mean bolt and levade sideways at Mach 10. He got me one time. I don't believe I've ever crossed he length of that arena so quickly! I even had his head pulled to my knee - doesn't matter to him, he was running sideways. I got him stopped ... ok the fence on the other end of the arena got him stopped ... and then made him work. Next time I rode him I felt him begin to bulge through that right rein and I CLOCKED him hard in the mouth.

That's when I got his number.

Since then he has been super fun to ride! Shoulder-in, half pass, leg yields, half steps - you name it. He is well trained and knows a lot. But he is a punk and will take advantage of a rider if they do not make it clear that his punk ass behavior will not be tolerated. He is going to be so good for my riding since he is so SO opposite of Hampton. While Hampton can be stiff in the body, Baxter is an outright squirrel. Hampton can be a little dull at times; Baxter is HOT and sensitive. You have to give the correct aids or he will not do what you want. Hampton will keep on trying and guessing even if you are screwing up.

I am a lucky, lucky girl to have these three boys to work with right now. :)

OTHER NEWS

So, my horse trailer isn't really worth fixing. I'm selling it.

BUT ... I am getting a new one. Let the trailer shopping begin! I am hoping to get one by April. March wasn't looking good for shows anyway because of my work schedule. So my plan for March is to train train train. Then see about some shows in April.

I hope everyone else is doing well. Spring is almost here!

Equine ER: Life of an Equine Vet

Someone was doodling around on You Tube ... ok it was me ... and I stumbled across this series of short clips. They are really pretty interesting and at times funny. You may have to go to You Tube to watch them as for some reason Blogger cuts them off. Grrr.