I was riding with happy tears.

yup. What I've always known, and here... you can see it with your own eyes!

My dressage pony is at the end of the rainbow.

Dusty was a little off. He went to the vet. Instead of subjecting his organs to Bute twice a day all that time I decided to go with an external anti-inflamitory called Surpass. It was applied to his hock, hip and stifle once a day for two weeks. Dusty had a good month off of work and he came back with amazing rhythm and forwardness. I had no trouble getting back on him. I couldn't wait actually.

I've been taking it pretty easy on him the last week. We're getting more adventurous with the places we roam around the property and I am learning a lot about his mind as he navigates new areas. He keeps his head about him. He's not a spooky horse, but inquisitive. The one time he shuttered in place was because the mare spooked. I can literally feel him putting his trust in me as we walk. I feel that he is saying "I dunno about this, but as long as your cool, I'm cool. Actually I kinda like it.... I don't have to work? I can just relax and walk? Can we just go slowly so that I can see everything?"

I get emotional when I think of the bond we have now. The training and the riding is one thing, but its the bond that completes it. I feel like sobbing with happy tears when I get to the barn and he whinneys up to me. It's everything I can ever remember wanting. I love this horse. I LOVE the DustyMan.

Yesterday he acted like a total ass to me while he was lunging. Instead of it being a stretch session it was an airs above the groud session because when he trips or he doens't like where his foot landed he gets really pissed at the ground. It only takes him once though, the next time around he finds his footing and balance.

The newest trick I've seen him do is rear straight up, and then jump off his hind legs too (and I'm yelling "DOOOOOD! YOU JUST HAD A MONTH OFF!!! BAHHHH."). Pretty impressive. He's even inpressed with himself as he does these things and canters off throwing his head around. This just ends up being a big mess because he gets so distracted. I have to chase him around to get him back then he gets mad that I'm chasing him around. In just a short time he will relax and start to stretch. As long as I stay calm.

When I got on him he felt stiff. I did lots of figure eights, transitions and 20m circles. No canter yet though. He anticiapted I was going to ask for it once and got rushy and evading so I switched the plan, he had to think. Good for him. I swear he can read my mind. The amazing sensitivity of riding a horse.

I rode him in warm up for about 20 mins and then as I felt him get softer I started to ask for a little engagement. He didn't want to give it, but he wasn't kicking out or trying to bite my inside leg. I opened up the outside rein more, played with the inside rein with leg and he stretched into it. It took a few circles but he did well. I did some lateral work. He changed into a floaty cloud and I sat his very forward trot with no problem. At this moment I realized what had just taken place. I was riding with happy tears. It was SO MUCH fun!

I changed directions and he was good on the other side too. I immediently got off. He got lots of praise, a whole apple, five sugar cubes, and a warm shower.

I'm gettting ready to go to the barn now. I can't wait!

United Flight 158

I was greatly effected by a post that a friend that I used to work with posted on her MySpace blog. So I stole it. She said:

"So as some of you may of heard already, my plane almost went done on the red eye home from California Friday night. 15 minutes into our flight the our engine blew up and the cabin filled with smoked. The lights barely stayed .. flickering and sirens screeched in my ears. It felt like the plane was skidding. For what seemed like forever but only was about 10 minutes, I honestly thought that was it- I was going to die in a plane crash. The woman next to me continually told me that I must take Jesus into my heart because if we crash we are going to die and the Lord is the only free ticket out....She began praying with others near her and singing gospel music to calm herself. A baby was screaming and the view of those near the wing was a ball of fire then a 20foot orange flame (so big that it was all they saw looking out their window) My mind was blank and all I could repeat was that I was scared. It's a feeling I had never experienced and still is giving me the chills.

Obviously we were able to land, cause I am still alive. The pilots turned around and coasted back in on one engine into San Francisco. United now has cause all 240 passengers a lot of anxiety and grief and have giving us the option of $100 or 20% off our next ticket. Which I imagine NONE of us will fly with them again! We weren't able to get a flight home until Sunday, so moooore money was spent on hotels and cab rides. But United doesn't care. From the moment I stepped in their line to check in on our way out there, they were understaffed and sloppy. It was one thing after another with their service, so this just topped it. I will NEVER fly with them again. If you search my flight you will find articles, mostly the same. They obviously make it sound like no big deal and didn't get a description from anyone that was on the flight. They sugar coated it and lied!" -machel44

Bless their hearts.

I've been watching the Equestrian games at my leisure on the NBC website. It's really fabulous, I can't even stay in my chair watching Anky FLOATING around the arena! So, thanks for such awesomeness NBC.
My friend suggested that I watch this...

Modern Pentathlon (Excuse me, WHAT is this?)


I'm thinking this is where the trouble starts. I have trouble with my diagonal while posting. This chic has trouble with her two-point position. At least I HAVE a post. Bless her heart.


owh YES! look at this! Her body looks like she wants to slow down but what are her legs saying? Bless her heart. Is that a new "Natural Horsemanship" way to halt?

Lets get a better look at that.

Note to self: Don't confuse CREW practice with riding lessons.


The point in which the horse says "FUCKOFF." Proceeds to run right into the wall. Bless his heart.

Horses don't want to run into walls.


"I can do this. You can't. LatAhhh." clippitty-clop, clippitty-clop.

NEXT!...



OH GOD.

(roaring laughter)

"HEY!"

Did ya'all see that?!?!?!"

Congratulations to all Olympians! You're all sexy beasts. I know, I watched the opening ceremonies.

Baller

Looking for photos of Baseball players for artwork and stumbled upon this:
Baseball players had a great sense of humor in 1911 - I guess?

We arrived at the clinic perfectly with me behind the wheel.

Dusty did a fabulous job of getting to the vet, getting checked and back home. He was PERFECT. He thought for a second about getting on the trailer but I just kept thinking what Leggs told me "There is no problem here." and urged him on. I stood and never looked back at him, tugging on the lead and clicking. He hopped in within seconds. I put polos on him so I felt better about the step-down.

He got really wide eyed when he was in there and I was shaking. I didn't want to touch him too much because of it, but I was praising him. I never done this alone before, I couldn't even help but be a little nervous.

The last time I took him out of this trailer I let him turn around in it to get out he almost ran me over while doing it so I was a little concerned about getting him out. We arrived at the clinic perfectly with me behind the wheel. As I went to get him out I just kept thinking "we are DOING THIS this way. There is no problem here." He backed up to the step and thought about it. And thought about it. And thought about it. I was telling him "back" and clicking. He got to the edge and placed his foot to take a step and got wide eyed. I just kept talking to him. He questions, but I think he trusts me enough to do what I ask. Within minutes he stepped out having no idea where to put his feet, but he did it! I felt pretty proud. Good horse.

He was fabulous when he got out of the trailer. Not crazy nervous but more inquisitive. He wants to check everything out. I loved that when the air conditioning came on outside the building he didn't even flinch. Wants to meet the dog, see the other horses, never even flaring his nostrils. During the X-rays he stood completely still. It was like he kind of knew to stand still because as soon as they took the shot and were done he then turned his head to look at them. He was a total gentleman the whole time.

He got back on the trailer pretty quickly after his exam. Upon arriving back to the barn however, he really didn't want to get out. It was a good 15-20 minutes of me telling him that I'm not buying it because he already did it once today. Every step he took backwards I praised him, he kept looking back. After forever he was on the edge and soon as his foot was hovering in the air I urged him back. He did it. Finally. I guess he just has to learn where to put his feet to do this. Even though he is really nervous about certain things as long as I stay reinforcing and calm and give him time to process and learn he will do anything for me. I have to remember this in the saddle.

Caution: Precious cargo

It really wasn't that hard. Leggs told me it would't be. And she was right. About trailering and also about what she said about Dusty's "off-ness". She's ALWAYS right.

I haven't been able to ride him for a few weeks now. It's a soundness issue. Tracking left (the racetrack way) he looks rather odd in the trot, and is not wanting to canter. I wish I could put a video up here. His stifle area looks "loose", not right. The vet did the usual flex tests and he did not like the hock/stifle flex at all. I was trotting him out and I could feel through the lead that he was not moving right. Not sure if this is the reason for the kicking out or not. He was responding negatively to all of the physical tests but the X-Rays showed nothing in either the stifle or the hock. The vet couldn't get a good X-ray of the stifle because the machine couldn't go through his muscle. (? that's what they told me). He's pretty sore all over. The vet didn't want to do chiropractic on him until she comes to check him in two weeks. She was feeling out his stress spots and he was RESPONDING.

I have noticed that he will repeatedly scratch the same spot on each of his sides, near his hips and then sometimes roll. He always shakes off after the roll. Even though I have been told "well, the bugs..." I just think that this means something. There are no bug bites near where he scratches. I could've sworn that one day he was trying to tell me that there was something going on there.

So he's getting another two weeks off with turnout. I am going to put some thing called Surpass on his leg ( I guess) with bute every other day. I really don't like to use Bute on him at all. I wonder if theres a homeopathic version of it. I can start to put supplements in his feed...when I find out what supplements he needs.

I can call a vet who specializes in lameness.

I got to ride one of my favorite school horses the other day and I haven't been on her in a while.



It went rather well, except for the part where it was so hot and humid I got really dizzy and weak and thought I was going to pass out.

I didn't need the draw reins on her this time and had way more control of the energy she has. She really feels like she's floating when she's collected, its so awesome. Her canter is the best canter I've ever ridden. She didn't try to smash my leg into the poles of the arena this time either. I could tell right away as soon as we entered the arena that she was starting a conversation with me about who the boss is of this ride. I like that I could feel that and I knew what to do at the right time. Yes, I have a problem riding with my hands like that.

all my friends that ride (that know him) say he's VERY lucky

I was grooming Dusty the other day and as the curry passed his withers he turned around and looked at me like this.


So I curried a little harder...He started making faces I've never seen him make, SO FUNNY! Look at his top lip! He's loving it.


LOL. LOOK AT HIM!
If I think that on his neck is from sweating, is that sweat itch? Looks like rain rot (?). He was COVERED with this when I got him. Which is pretty much ONE YEAR ago right about now. YAY!

On a side note, remember when I said that I have to make him "put it away" around me? Well, its getting not so easy. I tap it with the brush while saying "put it away" (trying to voice train him)...He barely even cares. I practically have to whap it. Not surprising that my horse is so sexy because all my friends that ride (that know him) say he's VERY lucky *wink*wink.
Yes, I just bragged about the size of my horse's weenie.

hard to wait

Tomorrow morning I have to take my horse to the vet. Alone. Well, Him and I.
I have never done this before and although I'm a bit nervous the way I learned to drive a stick-shift was when I HAD to drive the Audi to work while living in ATLANTA. SCARY ATLANTA. I had only driven this car once before in the parking lot.
I was teaching riding at the Girl Scout Camp, and I was GOING. I left the apartment complex so nervous my foot wouldn't stay on the clutch.

I got flipped off four times on the bypass, but I did it.

so I'm doing this. I got this. My dusty man is going to be very cooperative and happy because he is getting chiropractic! There has been good talk about the new Vet in town that is fresh out of school.

I'm wondering how other horse owners feel about calling the vet. How long do you wait? One, two, maybe four days before you call for non emergency things?

Do your vets get irritated when he comes to your barn for what he thinks as not a big deal? As horse owners, is it hard for you to play home equine veterinarian?

funny stuff.

I have a DSL connection through my phone line. I just found out that I do not even need to have phone service anymore to get the DSL. So, I disconnected the land line.

I was just standing here next to the phone and so I picked it up. There was a dial tone. So I dialed. It was ringing. Leggs said "Ellloh".

The funny thing is that when ever I needed that line before canceling it, I couldn't connect a call for ANYTHING. It just said "baah bAH BAH" and told me "Could not complete your call" EVERYTIME. Even local numbers.