Sunday Visit

Quick trip out to the barn today, Becky came over with a girl who currently works at her boarding barn to interview for a grooming position. Tom is no longer with us, so my Mom is trying to find someone before she goes to show at Thermal. I groomed Werther and Wesley, Werther's scratches are greatly improved. I was going to take some pictures with my camera but the battery died. It was nice to spend some extra time with Wesley, I don't want him to feel like Werther takes up all my attention. I worry about Wesley with his melanomas too, his condition is stable right now, but I don't know for long that will be it could be years or only weeks. When I rode Wesley he really took care of me and gave me a lot of confidence, I just want to make sure I return the favor. He is going in tomorrow to get this tumor biopsy done so they can make a vaccine from the tumor cells which they inject into him and is supposed to help reduce the tumor size. We had some more leads on Dressage trainers, Dr. Sarah recommended a person, and a woman my Aunt Karen used to ride with gave her a name as well. Debbie was also going to ask a trainer who works with the Leatherdale's, a local high end breeding barn. 

Back in the indoor

It is cold and wet here in Minnesota so we were back in the indoor today. Yesterday was really busy so Werther got the day off. We had to wait awhile to get started because Mom was having a lesson with Andre on Spike. Since we did not get going right away I struggled at the trot, Werther was very sluggish. I did several walk trot transitions and that helped a little. When I was getting ready to canter, Andre came in with T.J. to do some lameness evaluation and that distracted Werther a little as T.J. is his pasture mate. I started out on the left lead instead of the right, because Werther had more difficulty with that lead last time. Werther did not pick up the canter in the first corner of the short side, but I kept after him and he got on it the second corner of the short side. I did the rest of our normal canter work and Werther was very good, he had no problems picking up the right lead. I let Werther walk while Mom and Tom watched Andre trot T.J.. After T.J. was done trotting I asked Werther to pick up the left lead again which he did really well. I did a few more canter trot transitions and I was really happy Werther was still responsive after having more down time than usual. 

Hack

My older sister Katie and my niece Lily are coming in to town today so I had to go to the barn early this morning. That means I had to go catch Werther only a few hours after he had been turned out. T.J. was happy to see me, but Werther was not. Werther trotted a couple of circles around me before giving up and letting me catch him. Even though Werther could not see any horses from his stall he was very good, not frenzied as he was on Friday. I took Werther for a hack in the outdoor ring with my Mom riding Tryst. Werther was very good at the walk and trot, not at all distracted by the baby like he usually is. I really think I made a breakthrough with the canter transition. When I first asked him to pick up to right lead, he kept doing a hop step like he was going to break into the canter but then going back down to the trot, so I kept hands forward and used my stick until he broke into a canter about a quarter of the way down the long side from the originally corner I had asked him in. It was a very good forward canter, I even practiced doing trot canter transitions on the straight line going both directions. I feel like today was the first time he was actually listening to me instead of just agreeing to along with me. I wish Andre had been out there to see but she came out on Vinny just as I was walking out Werther. One more horsey thing tonight is the annual Minnesota Hunter Jumper Association Meeting. Mom, Tom, and Andre and I are all going, Diane Carney is going to give a talk on high performance hunter classes. 

Mud King

So when I got to the barn yesterday, I didn't see my horse, but this mud creature stood in his place:


So needless to say, I put him in the grooming stall with the vacuum and got out every curry bush I own. Tom told me that Werther and Wesley were playing very hard outside, bucking, rearing, ect. I think they were fighting out out to see who would be the king filth, Wesley is the reining champion. Although Werther tried his best, he did not beat Wesley, when I took Wesley to college with me in VA he would be orange about 90% of time from rolling in the red clay mud. After vacumming Werther, I moved him to my grooming stall on the other side. There Werther could not see the other horses that were in, but he could see the horses outside. Werther has always been very social but today he got really amped up. Werther put his head up like girafee, whinnying, pawing, and his whole body was just vibrating. So I decided to stick Werther on the lunge line, he did not buck, but he ran pretty hard. I wasn't really sure if I should get on him or not, if I didn't have CP I don't think I would have had any qualms about it, but with my disability I have to be very thoughtful about the situations I put myself in, and make sure I am not taking any unecissary risks. So I called Andre to see what she thought, and she said not to get on and she would ride him the next day. So I spent the rest of my time out at the barn giving Werther a bath, it took two soapings to get the majority of the dirt out, but he still was not close to show ring clean.

Hack

Very quick trip out to the barn today, I had an appointment. The guys got Werther ready, and took care of my stuff after I turned him back out. I am grateful that we have such good grooms who can really help when you are in pinch. I would never be one of those people who has a groom tack up their horse for them everyday, I like grooming and spending time with my horse too much. It was a little bit chilly today so I wussed out and rode in the indoor. Werther was really relaxed and happy today, I think he really enjoyed himself on his trail ride with Tom yesterday, they went across the road and went on some of the hunt paths. Werther's walk and trot were routine, and we did really well with the canter transition. I was really patient in making sure that Werther was really balanced and listening to me and as a result I got the right lead on the first try. When I went to ask for the left lead he sneaked up to an extended trot in the first corner, so I made him stop and back up a few steps. That really got Werther's attention and the next time I asked he picked it up from a walk. After we both caught our breathe I finished up the ride by doing some sitting trot without stirrups, focusing on keeping long and wrapped around him, and feeling my balance and staying in his center.

Hack

Today was very quick at the barn. The weather today was a little chilly and windy (:gasp: real fall weather) but I decided to ride outside anyway. I am dreading when the cold sets in because I am worried that Werther will become quickly bored with the indoor. He was pretty good, I had a little trouble at the walk and trot.

Our pony baby, Fiona is turned out in the paddock next to the outdoor ring with her mom Jingle Belle, and Werther really wanted to go over and see Fiona, she is dark chestnut with a white stripe on her face, she could be his mini me. Werther wasn't being bad exactly, he would just slow down as much as he could get away with and stare at her every time he passed. Our small pony Victoria was in the ring with Werther, so at least he had a friend to shame him into kind of working.

The canter transition was good and bad. When I asked for it the first time on the left lead using the walk trot transition exercise Werther picked it up right away, but I think I let him get too relaxed in between changing directions and picking up the other lead it took me three times to get the right lead. Then I walked and went to try the canter transition again that direction and I could not get him to pick it up. I feel kind of bad coming to this conclusion, but I think after my initial walking in my hacks, I cannot let him relax. I have to change things up more and keep Werther constantly listening to me, so I get the response I want.

When we were leaving the ring our groom Tom came in riding my Mom's horse Spike. Spike was wild his head was up in the air like a giraffe. It made me nervous leaving the ring because I was afraid Werther was going to pick up on Spike's energy, but thankfully he was oblivious.