Keep On Riding

Well It still hurts a little to ride.

Friday I rode Jessie its been a while and I thought I would just try it out.  And I wanted to go to the dam to check if there was pussy willows.  Well got her ready and went out and walked was OK then we trotted a bit that was not bad as long as we kept it slow and controlled.  Then thought we would try a lope.  Not good.  But what a good girl Jessie is.  I had one hand on the reins which were a mile long and the other was out trying to balance me and find a comfortable spot which there wasn't one.  She coulda done anything, a step to the side woulda made me fall off.  But nope she just kept going.  Till she was tired and so was I so we slowed to a trot.  then a walk.  Then we turned back before we got where I wanted to go cause I was too sore and didn't wanna not make it back.

And when we come home I seen my herd of black and white ponies hanging around :)  So adorable.

Then yesterday was horribly miserable and windy so did nothing, but today was super nice and even though I was tired I sucked it up and rode Razz.  Had no plans, just gonna ride her around in the area outside my arena cause the arena is still decomposing sod pieces and rough and she doesn't like to leave the yard alone and I didn't want to fight her.  But to my surprise, after getting on with a pail cause she is too round lol, we did one circle and she waned to leave so I let her see where we would go.  We walked down the road, I know it was because she knows the other horses are out in that pasture but that's fine, they were being good at the far end just eating.  I could see Bailey watching us, no surprise she is always aware.

  We made it to the texas gate (half mile) and I decided that was enough for me.  I turned her around and she wasn't sure we should go back.  But we did in the ditch beside the fence and about half way back the other horses started coming up, no big deal we just kept going but when we got to the gate it was too much for Razz she didn't want to ride away from them.  OK so no biggie, I just got her stopped and calm and got off, let her stand a bit and we walked the last 5 minutes into the yard.  Was a good ride, I am super proud of her for leaving on her own and leaving her buddies when she didnt want to, and not being stupid when they were loping up towards us.

I kinda wanna desensitize the pasture horses to not come up when they see a rider, They are good at it in their winter pasture but new field and they just aren't sure yet.  But I think they will figure it out soon enough, all that work for no reward haha.  But its tough cause I do like them to come up in the mornings so I can look at them.  Ah well we will figure something out.

Slippery When Frozen

I went to go riding last Tuesday since I had my trailer all hooked up from the clinic and it was pretty nice out.  Well started my truck and on the way over to it I slipped and fell.  It was in slow motion.  I kept thinking I was gonna fall and hurt my hip and then I fell and it wasn't bad and just as I was thinking whew Im gonna be alright just a scare....WHOMP!!!  I hit my head pretty hard.  It was in a weird spot too, beside my ponytail high.  I didn't quite now how that happened.

Well instant headache and so back to the house I went.  Put on some peppermint oil (which worked half well, the blinding pain was gone but still had a headache.)  Neil said my tea smelled good, lol I told him it wasn't tea.  I stayed inside the house the rest of the day and was feeling pretty good till bedtime.  Everyone was worried about me having a concussion but Im about 99% sure it wasn't and Neil home in case I had trouble and nothing.

The next morning I was super stiff.  I was a little surprised but probly shouldn't have been.  Then though the day I felt a little better.  so I had plans to go riding on Thursday if I felt good and then I went to the bed I woke up super sore again.  So I stayed home and then after a bit I got wondering if maybe I got a bit of whiplash cause I am not sure unless I I tip my head back.  I wish my Chiro wasnt on vacation.  But I went for a walk today and unhooked my trailer and feel alright so I will be fine till he gets back.

Then planned on Monday to be back at it cause arena was booked all weekend for a trick riding clinic and my sister was moving Sunday.  So we went to help my sister and I hurt myself again.  We had just got there and were loading up the stock trailer and I picked up a step stool and then couldn't move.  Oh great my hip went out again.  Thought it be fine in a few minutes so I sat and rested.  Well my back was spasming and it wasn't good.

 So I waited a little longer, just got stiffer and stiffer and if I moved was excruciating.   Well I was pretty useless watching everyone else move and when they were done we stopped at the drumheller hospital and the doctor said it was a pulled muscle and would be very sore for a few days then keep active while it's healing.  Oh and take Tylenol tohe with the pain.  That was frustrating as they gave me a shot of morphine and it didn't help at all.  Well was feeling discouraged and in pain but at least was gonna heal.

The next day was not much better.  I couldn't get up and when I did get up I couldn't support my own weight.  Luckily Neil was around and helpful. But he's not that big he can't be carrying me around so not a lot of movement, I dreaded having to go to the washroom.

Tuesday was a little less pain, could actually roll over in bed without too much trouble and then got up and could walk to the bathroom and back without help!!! I had to lean on the wall a bit but wow never thought that would happen.  So I made an appointment with the chiro for today and rested more.  

This morning got dressed in bed kinda awkward but doable and then off we went.  Turns out my pelvis was out.  That got rid of the sharp pain but now it just aches.  So more rest with mini walks and I go back Friday to make sure it's still good.  Here's hoping...I am getting bored laying in bed.  Tried to sit in my chair in the living room but it's too painful yet :(. Only so many books, magazines, videos one can do until I get restless.  

Race Day

There is a marathon in Drumheller every year, I never have gone to it, had no desire to go to it.  But what I never realized was there was also a half marathon, a 10K and a 5K.  Well after talking with friends, I figured surely I can run 5K even if I haven't been doing a lot of running this year, even if I have to walk half of it, well I told Neil and he decided he wanted to try and just walk it to see if he could, so we entered.

It started at 8 so we were there by 7 to get registered, no preregistering for us, lol and that was nice, sure a lot of excitement going on down there, they even had a warm up lady for us to get us going.  We started and I started slowly jogging and it was all good till about 1K and I just wanted to fall down crying my shins hurt so much.  The route went by the seniors home and I was super temped to just stop and sit with them and watch the rest.   I was kinda angry I been resting like I was told and I had lots of air and energy coulda gone a lot farther but now I could hardly move.  Neil come and passed me and so did a lot of other people.  It was all I could do to keep going, I walked awful slow and stretched till about 3K and they felt a little better so walked a little more normal and even made it back to a jog for the last half K.  It was awful, I come in with a time of 47:45, Neil with 45:59.  The first guy crossed at 23:23 haha no way I could ever do that but that was a lot slower than I wanted, I was pretty upset.

But at the finish line was a guy handing out water and medals and fruit and all along the route was cheerers and it was kinda cool.  I would so do it again when my shins get better which I am gonna have to be more proactive about healing them up but I have till next fall to go in this one again.

Getting Back On

So today I finally got back to the barn to go riding again.  I really wanted to go yesterday but it was so windy and I heard there was snow in Drum and roads were crappy so I stayed home.  But today it was -17 and I didn't know if I was gonna ride cause it was so cold.  But since the sun was shining I thought I would see anyways and I was going to town to pick up our beef anyways so going right by and it just seemed wrong to not stop.

So I got her out, she was happy to see me and come to the gate as always :)  I sure like that.  And I got her all tacked up and we went to ride.  I got on at the mounting block, lol.  Walking was good, and then I tried the trot.  That actually was good too.  I am sure my form was a little off cause I know I was leaning forward a little so I did not hit the back of the saddle.  So since I was feeling good I thought I would try the lope.  I figured it would hurt a little and boy did it ever, but I managed to make it one lap and then it was quitting time for me.  Whew I coulda quit after one step, but that woulda been unfair to Jessie I did not want her to think she was being bad so I made a lap in one direction only.  I did a little more trotting and noticed she was kinda sticking her head out to the right side, specially when going left, so I made her bend to the left a few times and she did that fine so I don't know what was going on there.

Until I pulled my saddle off and she was silly when I brushed her and so I checked her back and it is sore right behind her withers.  My first thought was her blanket but it has a neck so it cant pull behind there and so I wonder if it is either my English saddle not fitting right or else it happened when I fell off.  But after next Thursday I will get the Energy lady out and hopefully she can figure out something or I will need to find a chiro or massage therapist for her.

Spring Work

Been working Magic and she has a hissy fit and we kinda went backwards a little I think, but we might be on the right track again.  I had to know it would happen, specially since I just talked to her previous owner and said how good she was doing, then she goes and proves me wrong.  Maybe it was me, maybe I shouldn't have plans when I go work with her.  But all I wanted to do was catch her and let her eat some grass outside her pen.  But I walked in and right up to her as usual and she was good, then I scratched her and as soon as I touched her mane she freaked out.  So I went back and she was fine till I touched her mane again.  (not really just her mane, but where her mane grows, just set my hand on top of her neck)  So forget all that and we had a roundpen session and I was hot and she was hot and after about 2 hours we got back where we started at.  So I quit.  And the next day she was really good, so don't know if it was a bad day or what but  I did not like it.  And worst of all I got a blister than peeled off, looks really gross but don't hurt that much.

And today (2 days later) looks so much better and still don't hurt much.  If the blister hadn't peeled off I'm pretty sure it would be healed by now, but I guess that's how it goes.

And I won a contest on Facebook and got the awesome reins from Fuzzytastic reins, although I should save the pic for our Sunday stills, but I might get them in use for it :)  

Neil has been fixing fence cause we get our bulls tested on Friday and they need to go in a different field, closer to the house so we can keep an eye on them.  They got in with the heifers yesterday so hopefully no disasters next spring.  They will be west of my north (Bailey, Kals, George) horses and an electric fence between them.  It works quite well just having the fence electrified on that side cause the cows will be on the other side of the horse pasture so even if the bulls see them they cant do anything about it.  And we got a bull delivered yesterday, he is already tested and good to go. And the company finally come picked up the haybine Neil traded for the Bobcat RTV (we call him Bob, lol)  Neil also finished seeding and got all that put away.

And we picked June 4th for branding so will be kinda busy between now and then.  Not sure about the branding date cause I really wanted to got to the show on June1-3 but then brand the next day could be kinda busy.  Of course we don't start till 4 ish so I have most of the day and a lot of the stuff can be made ahead so I will see how it will work.  I am hopefully picking up my trailer this week then its off to as many lessons as I can get to before then.  I am obviously not showing this weekend :(  but I may go down and watch a bit if Susan wants to come with me.

Doctoring

Well I went Wednesday and had another look at Jessie and her cinch sore and underneath her belly there are more spots where the hair has been rubbed off, but not so much that it has galled.  And it doesn't seem sore.  Wonder if I got something on the cinch that is causing this. 

Well I didn't ride, but I thought the other day her feet smelled kinda like thrush so I also brought over the coppertox and dosed her front feet.  I can't actually see where there is any rottenness but since it is kinda wet out I figure it can't hurt anyways.  I really like having my horses on pasture this time of year cause there is usually very little mud and their feet don't get packed full, but she is in I guess a big corral with maybe a little grass at the one end but mostly all worked up and turned into dirt.  So I have to clean her feet all the time.   I don't know if she is more susceptible to stuff like this or just bad luck all at once.  I don't remember ever having a cinch gall before except on a horse I got back from training, and only one horse had thrush on me (Razz last summer).  I hope this is the end of it cause I like to just ride, not deal with stuff all the time.

(oops kinda left the floor green)

I'm sure she thought I was crazy when I just caught her and brushed her and cleaned her feet and put stuff on her sore and fed her and turned her out.  I probly would have rode but the arena wasn't worked and it was sooo hard and so then I feel like I can never stop.  We heard from a guy last weekend he says if footing is bad at a show he just goes home cause it takes a seasoned horse about 3-5 shows to stop decently after going to a show with bad footing.  Wow that seems like a waste to go to those shows if you are gonna wreck the ones after it, made me think a lot about ground and stuff.  The footing at the clinic was amazing!  Even after all day 15 of us and 2 turnbackers riding and working cows in the same area the ground was not packed!  Amazing how different ground makes the arena so much nicer.  Where we ride it is pretty well just worked up dirt which is fine as long as it is worked regularly.  And probly fine for everyone else cause they are mostly just riding for fun and some kids lessons.  I feel sometimes like I am so picky about the place I board at, but I keep thinking of the things I would do if it was my place (which I shouldn't cause it works for them)  But sure makes me think of how I want my place to be.  Someday.

Wednesday

Well Wednesday is not gonna be wordless this week cause I am feeling really bad right now and need to share.  I went to ride last night and as I was brushing Jessie I noticed she has what looked like a cinch gall.

 It is kinda in a weird area though and I wasn't sure what was going on, so I put my saddle on anyway just to see where is hits and it doesn't.

 I wonder if I pinched it or if it just rubbed.  I am thinking I may need to go back to my cotton cinches.   I always was suspicious of the neoprene but everyone was using them and I never had a problem before.  But I know I have never had trouble riding all day in the cotton ones so I think I will go back to that.  I did ride her a little since I was there and it wasn't really touching the sore but she wasn't overly cheerful so we quit early and I put goop on it.  I am thinking I may bring over my ranch saddle today and try it, I think the cinch sits in a little different spot and hopefully wont irritate it.  On Sunday morning she was being really grouchy to all the other horses and I thought she was maybe going into heat but now I wonder if she was just sore.  I took her back to the stall and unsaddled her and left her a couple hours and then resaddled for cow work afterwards, but she seemed to ride fine.  Now I am paranoid about stuff.  Hope she gets better soon and I don't do it again.