Thanksgiving scare!

My Thanksgiving starting out a little more exciting than I had planned.

The BOs had left for the day to visit family so I was the only soul out at the farm. I'm glad I went to feed and check up on the horses because I found Lilly, my bestie's Walker mare, in the midst of a colic episode out in the field.

Lilly is always perky and miss sunshine. She poops rainbows.

When I walked out to get Hamps, she was lying down in one of the run in sheds. But she got right up. This is not unusual for her, as I frequently find her sleeping. I haltered Hamps and started leading him back toward the barn. When I turned around, Lilly was back down. Hmmm.

I walked over to her and she was lying weird against the side of the shed. She didn't even pick her head up when I walked up to her. This was alarming as she is normally annoyingly friendly and perky.

I had to cluck and wave my arms at her to get her to stand up. She didn't appear to be sweaty or breathing hard. I led Hampton into the barn to feed him. Again, I glance back at Lilly and she is still in the shed holding up one of her front legs. This is something she sometimes does off the farm. I think she does it out of anxiety of stress. I have NEVER seen her do this in the field at liberty.

I feed Hampton, come back out. She is down AGAIN. And is flat out on her side. I trudge out to get her and almost have to drag her in. She is normally one you have to "half halt" so that she walks at your speed. Her head is down and her ears to the side. She looks uncomfortable.

Time to call her owner, who is in the middle of Thanksgiving lunch.

I ask permission to give her a bit of banamine. I spend the next 15 minutes walking her around. She appears a little tight in her back end, but otherwise her vitals are normal and she isn't trying to lie back down.

Finally - poop!! I do a happy dance and report poop to the owner. It looks normal, and I keep walking Lilly. She accepts a treat and wants to eat grass. She started to perk back up pretty quickly.

I suspect a mild gas colic and after an hour or so I let her go back out in the field and watch to see what she does. She goes back to the herd and appears normal. Later in the evening her owner reports Lilly is her normal happy self.

Thanks for the Thanksgiving scare, Lilly!

In better news, Hampton and JJ enjoyed their Thanksgiving apples, sugar cubes and love.

Hampton nommin' while I nervously watch Lilly.

JJ was happy to see his Sugar Momma!!

Choices

Good grief that working student topic blew up didn't it?

But we have a saying in journalism: If you don't piss someone off, you aren't doing your job.

I love the fact that the topic has so many people talking. No matter their opinion, I really enjoyed reading them all - on here, and on Boyd's site and the Chronicle Forums. Also, Kelly wrote a nice related post at Dressage Pony.

I'm sorry if I sounded whiney or "poor me, I haz no monies!".

It comes down to choices. And a bit of luck. And good timing.

I was a working student/groom of sorts for a Morgan show barn for several summers through high school and college. I worked long, hard days. I did get paid ($200 a week), but I was in school and lived with my parents. (And also ate their food).

Then I made the choice to go to the University of Findlay for an equestrian education. I was sure I wanted to pursue horses as a career. I spent 2 years there.

After two years, I made another choice. To transfer to another school and get a "real" degree so that I had something to fall back on in case I got hurt with horses.

After graduating, I made the choice to accept a job at a newspaper. I chose journalism because I like it. I followed my heart and not my brain. I really had no clue how little the industry would offer me. I had ABSOLUTELY no clue the entire industry (and economy) would crash and burn 6 years later.

I made the choice to stick with a newspaper job because of the job security (until recently, anyway), health insurance, benefits and all that good stuff.

In 2009, I chose to sell my horse. Then I chose to buy another one.

The reason I am where I am is a direct result of the choices I have made. I should never have purchased my big truck. I should have never moved out of the original apartment I found when I moved here. Following Phish around in 2009 and racking up tremendous debt on my credit card was the most fun I think I have ever had. But not a wise thing to do. Those were bad financial choices. 


I am really great at being indecisive. And by not making a choice, I make a choice. This character flaw has influenced every single area of my life.

The situation I am in is a direct result of my own choices. No one made me a victim. It's up to me to make the changes. I'm trying!

Stepping back and looking at things, though. I really do live the dream. I do what I love every day (ride horses). I have an amazing horse that I adore. We are both healthy. I still have a job. I have a very different life than many of my friends (I don't have a hubs, kids or anyone to answer to), and that's ok. That's their choice and this is mine.

I still have many more choices to make.

"Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice."

"The history of free men is never really written by chance but by choice; their choice!"

A different league

It's probably clear that I have an unhealthy, stalker-like obsession innocent school girl crush on Boyd Martin.

Imagine my delight when he announced he is in need of a working student - in Aiken!

I could quit my job. Move to Aiken. Bring Hampton. Ride everyday! Stare at Boyd ... learn from Boyd and his crew. Work with great horses. Improve my riding. Get out of Indiana! Start a new life. Steal Boyd from his gorgeous wife. You get the drift.

BUT.

Cost of bringing Hampton would be $35 a day. So, only about $1,050 a month. *FACEDESK*

Oh but there is shared housing, at a cost.

Doesn't sound like the position is paid in any way except for education.

And with the long hours, how the hell is someone supposed to pay for life's expenses? There is no time for a part time job. And let's be real, my current FULL TIME job would barely cover Hampton's expenses alone.

Education is priceless to me, I get it. But there is still REAL LIFE to consider. What kind of person would really be able to accept this position? ... a student who has parents who will pay? Someone with a large trust fund? Even without a horse, how does one earn money to eat?

This is just my bitchfest at working student positions (some of them). They are impossible for me because while I'm willing to work my ass off, I have to be able to still buy a toothbrush every once in a while. You know?

It basically comes down to the fact that this sort of thing is just simply out of my league. *shrug*

Rant over.

'Push away those baby blues'

Thanks to frigid, gale-force winds earlier in the week, I am afraid we have not been very productive in the dressage department. I did ride, but I gave up after 20 minutes and our workouts consisted of just big, forward trot and round. It's difficult to be productive when all I could think about was my frozen face and how awesome a hot shower sounded.

CAF in september.

BUT! This weekend we did some jumping. I set up a single jump consisted of two barrels (on their side, thanks) and ground poles on either side. My goals were to apply leg to the jump, keep my shoulders back, maintain rhythm and turn with the outside aids. Hampton did his part and easily picked his way through the placing poles and over the barrels. I normally do not like to do much jumping without instruction, but I felt this was a pretty simple exercise that I couldn't screw up too badly. It was super fun and I was able to find a nice balance over the jump by actually closing my eyes and letting Hampton jump up to me. He was pulling me to the jump and I praised him for that. He just keeps getting better and better!

... which brings me to more news. Amy and I are once again scheming. This time, a lesson at CAF. I'm pretty amped about this. It's not until December but time flies. I'm hoping to work on grids since that is something that's impossible for me to do at home because we don't have enough jumps.

I have started to teach Hampton how to bow. I know, I know. I have never been a "trick" person but I think that Hampton really has the personality for it (and by personality, I mean that he is a whore for treats) and it will be a fun thing to do to keep his brain engaged in the winter months. Actually, in about 10 minutes of work he has already figured out to lower his head between his front feet while I pick up a leg. So I imagine he will have it down after a few more sessions. It's cute, and also I think it's a great stretching exercise - especially for the shoulders and neck. :)

... and here is some Blind Melon. It's been a Blind Melon day for me. (thus the blog title) So here you go. Enjoy the raw genius that is Shannon Hoon.

Another SDTDEDDA award!

This one will leave you speechless.
Today's Such a Dumbass They Don't Even Deserve a Darwin Award title goes to:

2011 Season Summary

February: We venture to CAF for Hampton's first show. There is some tension, but he behaves and we earn a 64, 64 and 62. And 3 blue ribbons.

It was not warm at CAF in February.

May: Another CAF show. Hampton was tense, wiggly and squirrly pretty much the entire time. Judge says I am a "tactful" rider after Hampton spooks at his own shadow and bucks during canter transitions. I do get an 8 for my rider score!! However, our test score was 61%. 3rd place. Next test does not go much better. 59%.

Obedient pony at May CAF show ...

Naughty little &%*^ !!!

June: I drag Hampton to an area 4-H open show. The atmosphere is chaotic to say the least. Hampton does a lot of talking, but behaves. It was his first time in an arena with at least 20 other horses. Maybe 30% of them were in control. We enter a few walk-trot classes against the Wenglish 4-Hers. The next weekend our barn hosts an open show and we enter Hunter under saddle, hunter hack and halter. Looking back, these types of shows are so great to bring young horses to. (Cheap, close and plenty of insaneness to look at). Hampton is pretty much unflappable now.

back to my Findlay hunter roots.

July & August: Lessons & trail riding

September: CAF show and our first attempt at a combined test. I also take JJ, my favorite QH who is a reining horse but moonlights as a dressage poneh. Hampton scores a 65 (a personal record for me at the time), a 62 and we win both the CT and the event derby! JJ also has good scores for his first show and first dressage tests. Good boys!

I love Come Again Farm.

October: Octoberfest at the Hoosier Horse Park. We blow our previous scores out of the water earning 2 scores of 67% and one 64 (I went off course ... ugh). We also win the combined test Green As Grass and make our debut in the jumper ring. Annnnnd it's our first time schooling cross country! Hampton is a super star the entire weekend. I bruise my butt out on cross country but otherwise I think I rode really well - especially in our dressage tests. Hampton meets Steady and they instantly form a Bromance.

Job well done Porkchop!

I have not set any goals for 2012 yet. I think I will just listen to my horse. My goals for 2011 included competing in the USDF 4 year old tests. Frankly, only now do I feel that Hampton is ready to compete in those tests (pretty much 1st level). I could have pushed him earlier in the year to reach that goal of mine, but for what? So that I could say that I did it?

The horse is much happier if I let him develop at his own pace. I'm so thankful I have a happy, sound, healthy pony. I have always tried to be fair to him and I think he has rewarded me for those efforts. So for 2012 I plan to take it one show at a time. And frankly, I really want to focus more of my time and money on education (lessons, clinics, etc.) and perhaps not go to as many shows. But we'll see. My job situation will likely not be the same. I may even live somewhere else.

Yay for uncertainty in the near future! *nervous tick*

Smoke on the Hampton

Hampton was smokin' this afternoon.

He felt 100% better from yesterday. It was just an off day. He is certainly allowed. :)

I did still stick to my plan of only walk/trot even though he started off feeling amazing. We worked on trot -almost walk-trot transitions, leg yields (super!), shoulder-in (sweet baby jesus!), lenthenings (bam!) and some haunches in (improving!). I was so proud of him. He felt like a legit second level horse the way he was trotting around. I almost squealed with delight ... but there were people around and so I kept a lid on it.  I'm pretty sure we have said goodbye to Training Level tests.

I'll test the canter tomorrow and see where we're at.

I have a feeling that Hamps needs his teeth done. He's really been hanging on the right rein lately. I realize this could totally be me, but I've also noticed him dramatically moving his jaw from side to side sometimes when he's eating. You know how when you get something stuck in your teeth and you sort of move your tongue and jaw around to dislodge the offending food? I've seen him do this frequently.

The problem is that due to some barn drama, the previous vet has been banned from the barn. That vet is the one who brings in this fantastic dentist twice a year. Well, I missed Super Dentist for the fall. Banned Vet called the BO and offered the services, but BO said no one here needed it. (I wish she would have ASKED ME) ... So 1) It is partially my fault for missing Super Dentist's visit because I should have been more in charge of Hampton's care instead of relying on the BO who has in the past scheduled dentist visits for boarders ... and 2) Super Dentist won't be back until spring. Meh. I'll also have to take Hampton off the farm to see Super Dentist.

So that has turned into a clusterf*ck. I could always have the vet take a look, but Super dentist is fantastic .. the best I've ever seen and has done such a good job with Hamps thus far.

I guess I'll keep an eye on things. Hopefully he can wait until spring.

... lastly, remember to hug your horses. Catherine Haddad lost her Grand Prix horse, Cadillac. That's two great horses gone this week. So sad. :(