winter

Cranky Toddler Time

Amanda4 Comments

Last night, we had a great longeing session: Tris worked beautifully, and had some really nice reaching fancy trot. I left excited about our plan for work for the next few days.

I woke up this morning to a thick sheet of ice over everything, and more freezing rain coming down hard. I spent the first 2 hours of my day sprinting around settling work things and am now settled in at work glaring at the rain out the window. The odds that it will ease up in such a way as to make a trip to the barn possible are…not good. It will rain hard all day and the temperature will drop with sunset, about when I would head to the barn.

(for the record, Saturday is a regular part of my work schedule – so I’m not sulking about being at work – more at the weather that has made everything in my life more complicated.)

Mentally, I feel like at toddler throwing a full-blown tantrum in the middle of a grocery store. I love Vermont, I feel beyond lucky to live here, but I almost wish we would just get one or two really big blowout snowstorms, so I would be forced to take 4-5 days off and then have a more consistent schedule otherwise. This stringing together two or three good days, only to be foiled by the weather for two or three bad days, is getting really old.

dressage · winter

Getting in a short ride

Amanda3 Comments

Last night, I was bound and determined to ride. Though he had been worked at other times, I hadn’t sat on my horse in a week, and I hadn’t schooled him under saddle in a week and a half. I watched the weather all day, left work on time, changed into warm barn clothes, made a snack, and I was at the barn in a reasonable time frame.

I checked the thermometer there: 18 degrees. Cold, but not insurmountable. I tacked up with a quarter sheet and laid out a line of poles on the quarter line.

Actually riding was colder than I thought. We walked with a good forward energy and rhythm for about 10 minutes, over the poles each time around, and I mostly steered through my seat aids while keeping my hands in my pockets. Which was actually a good, useful exercise, as it forced me to pay careful attention to my aids and not over-correct. I have a tendency to ask for him to turn off my leg, over-ask, and then boomerang him back with the other leg, resulting in a weird wobbly line. Last night I played Goldilocks and he responded well, getting a good turn off the track, marching forward, and even changing direction a few times all while I kept hands in pockets.

I picked up the reins on the buckle for the trot, and we worked on forward and stretchy, with poles each time around, and then picked up the reins a little bit more. Nothing dramatic, nothing even like a frame, but I wanted to encourage him to reach for the bit even with a very light contact. He did beautifully, stretching down and staying forward.

After about 30 minute total of work, my feet were very cold, even with winter tall boots and two layers of socks (one of them Smartwool). I was a bit confused but I’d gotten some good work in. In all, a quiet, laid back, yet productive sort of ride. I was pleased with my plan and my execution of the plan.

I topped off Tristan’s mostly-frozen-already water bucket, threw him an extra flake of hay, and tidied up my things.

When I got back in my car, I checked the temperature again: 8 degrees. It had dropped ten degrees in the hour+change I had spent at the barn. No wonder my feet were getting cold! I immediately felt even better about my decision to plan a light stretchy ride without much aerobic exercise.

Then I went home and crawled under many blankets.

Uncategorized

Movie Review: Danny

Amanda2 Comments

Danny (1979)
(available for purchase on Amazon.com, or instant through Netflix or Amazon Prime)

This could have gone wrong in so many ways, and yet, ultimately it turned out right. It has the cliches in abundance: the poor girl who really cares about horses versus the rich girl who only cares how she looks, the talented yet broken pony, the Big Show, the mid-movie horse health crisis, you name it.

In the end, it’s a really sweet movie, and it really gets the horse stuff on a good level. It refrains from over-explaining, which means that it avoids the pitfalls of getting the nitty gritty details wrong, and in its generalities it rings true.

In short: Janie is a young girl who loves horses, and lives next to Longue Vue (yes, really) Stables, owned by her rich neighbor, apparently as his private farm. Neighbor’s daughter Andrea rides because daddy expects it, and doesn’t really “get” horses. Danny is the horse that was supposed to be Andrea’s next champion hunter, but is sensitive and ends up injuring a tendon, and so becomes Janie’s.

You already know the plotline of this movie from a thousand other horse stories, but it’s the way the movie treats everyone involved and especially takes its horses seriously, that really make it sing. That, plus the long, loving shots of 1970s fashion and horse equipment. Trust me, it’s great.

This was also reviewed by Horse Nation and by Lauren at She Moved to Texas, if you’d like other opinions.

reining · video

Stacy Westfall – Reining Without Saddle or Bridle

Amanda2 Comments

Here is something for More Joy Day for you to watch. It never fails to make me tear up. (In a good way! Happy tears!)

I had the great privilege of seeing this same freestyle in person at the Equine Affaire Fantasia in 2006 at the Big E in Springfield, MA. That was the first I had seen or heard of her, and she completely stole the show.

If you haven’t seen this video, turn the sound way up and grab some tissues.
horse cookies

MORE JOY DAY!

Amanda6 Comments

Happy More Joy Day!

Have you shared some joy today? Even something small? Small things send ripples. Every little bit counts.

If you’ve done something for More Joy Day, come back and comment on this post, and I’ll share your joy even further.

Finally: I’ve been experimenting with horse cookies over the last few weeks. (Read more about the various recipes under the horse cookies tag.)

On this, More Joy Day, I’d like to offer 10 bags of assorted flavors of my cookies to randomly selected commenters on this post. If you’re commenting to let me know what you’ve done to spread joy, that’s great! You’re entered. If you’re just commenting to get some horse cookies, that’s cool too!

I’ll include some human treats in the bags, too. The more joy the merrier!

Here’s what other people have been doing today:

area 1 scholarship committee

Area 1 Scholarship Write-ups Posted

Amanda4 Comments

The Area 1 USEA Scholarship program is one that I’ve been absolutely thrilled and honored to work on. It’s been a tremendous success in its short two-year span, and I’m looking forward to a third year of work.

The write-ups for last year’s recipients were just posted on the Area 1 website, and I couldn’t be prouder of all of them. They run the gamut from kids to adults, from amateurs to professionals, from BN riders to upper level riders.
I think I speak for all the committee members when I say that it really is a privilege to share so many hopes and dreams as we review applications. I wish we were awash in cash and could hand scholarships out to everyone. But our resources are limited and we try to share them as best we can.
So go, read these inspiring stories, and if you’re in Area 1 (or you ride & compete frequently in Area 1) apply in 2014!

(Spoiler alert: one of them, the little girl who used the scholarship money to make her last season with the pony she was outgrowing, made me cry both in reading the application and in reading her follow-up report.)

Uncategorized

More Joy Day – tomorrow!

AmandaLeave a comment

Remember, remember, the ninth of January – it’s More Joy Day!

Tomorrow I’ll open up a post to say what I’m doing to spread the joy. If you do something, comment on that post and I’ll share it with the world, ok? Ok!

From my post last week:

I propose we also have a horse blog More Joy Day. So, on January 9, share the joy. Post a photo, feed your horse a peppermint, tell the world about a great blog you read, donate to a horse rescue, host a giveaway, give a lesson pony a spa day, bring cookies to your trainer/barn manager, sweep the aisle, pay for someone else’s coffee at the shop…you name it. Do something, anything, to bring more joy to the world.

adventures with the vet · winter

The Eye(s) Report

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After getting the call that Tristan’s eye was a bit puffy and swollen, I canceled my quiet evening plans (I had recipes all picked out and everything!) and headed to the barn to check on him.

I quickly learned two things. First, his eye really wasn’t bad at all.

Though, before we start, I’d like to make something clear. As with any medical situation with a horse, you should know two things. First: know what your horse’s baseline is. That means following Pony Club guidelines and knowing your horse’s average temperature, respiration, heartbeat, and other bodily norms. Pay close attention even when they’re totally fine because that’s how you calibrate your instincts. Second: DO NOT mess around with eye injuries. Don’t. Don’t ever look at your horse’s eye and say “hmmm, that’s definitely weird, but I’ll let it slide for a few days and see what happens.” Many injuries, even bad ones, will hold in stasis for a few days while you observe; eyes can go south in a matter of hours and you do not want that on your conscience.

I am making a judgment call about not scheduling the vet because I have nearly a decade of experience with this horse and the things he does. I have treated a wide variety of eye problems with him specifically, and I have both a very good baseline and a clear timeline of progression. If his eye gets worse in any way, the vet will be out faster than you could finish reading this post. Okay? Okay. On to the pictures.

A little puffy, a little weepy. He was acting totally normal, and blinking a hair more rapidly with his left eye than with his right when I moved my hand near it. The white you see is the reflection of the flash – there was no cloudiness or other abnormality in person. The tears coming out were clear and thin and draining easily.

For comparison. He’s alert, which means both his eyes are open and looking at me as much as they are capable of. You can see that his left eye is a bit squintier than his right, and you can see the track of the discharge from his left eye. But you can also see that it’s really not that far off normal.
The barn will keep an eye on him today, and if he’s basically back to normal per their observation then I won’t go out tonight. If there’s any remaining puffiness I’ll head out and triple-check, and tomorrow morning will probably be our make-or-break for the vet. Based on his usual modus operandi, though, I strongly suspect it will be 99% cleared up by the end of the day today.
The second thing that I learned at the barn last night was that I was totally right to have decided against working him.
About 7 degrees per this thermometer, which is a) inside the barn and b) on the outside wall of the heated tack room. So that should tell you something about actual outside temperatures!

adventures with the vet

In which Tristan proves he still knows how to terrify me

Amanda2 Comments

There is no adrenaline rush quite like seeing the barn’s name on your cell phone screen as it rings. And the first few seconds of cheerful pleasantry when you really want to yell OH MY GOD WHAT HAPPENED IS MY HORSE DEAD?

Nope, not dead. But his left eye is a bit swollen and weepy. Not swollen shut – just with some puffiness top and bottom. He is totally blase about the whole thing, per the barn worker who called. She flushed it with saline (I don’t envy her that at all, he is Not Happy about having his eyes flushed) and reports no cloudiness or overt sensitivity.

I can point to you the precise moment he got something in it, too: yesterday, in the indoor, rolling around. See, when Tristan rolls, he shimmies up and down his back too and then he lays his head on the ground, one side then the other, and drags and griiiiiinds it into the dirt. I’ve never seen another horse roll quite like that. Add to that his general tendency to have weepy eyes anyway (I had his tear ducts flushed some years ago to see if that was the culprit and nope, zero change) and it’s not uncommon for him to get a little something in his eye, especially if he’s in a sandy space like an arena or a dry lot.

There have been times when I’ve called the vet in for emergency appointments due to his eye. In one memorable winter he had emergency vet calls on Friday nights twice in one month. Those were bad: swollen shut, weeping and crusty. They took a few days of flushing, hot compresses, and preventive antibiotics. He was also quite clearly a little miserable.

So after many years, if he does this – comes in a bit swollen, a bit weepy, but otherwise unbothered – I don’t call the vet unless there is a progression. I flush, and if I am fussed enough, do a hot compress or two.

Of course, I had just decided not to go to the barn tonight, but I know myself too well – if I don’t head out and check on him I’ll be a big ball of anxiety all night. Ixnay on the relaxing evening spent organizing stuff and baking…

chores · longeing · winter

Winter Mocks Plans

Amanda6 Comments

First – Hannah put up some terrific photos & video of the GMHA sleigh rally – go and check them out!

After a gorgeous day on Sunday, I arrived at the barn to do chores on Monday morning to find the vilest weather possible: mid-30s and raining. All the snow and slush had frozen solid overnight, and the water was pooling on top of the ice. It was impossible to walk with any speed. The assistant barn manager and I spent nearly an hour chipping gravel from the frozen pile at the back of the barn, shoveling it into a wheelbarrow, and then scattering it in front of the barn to try and create a path with some traction to get to the paddocks. About three quarters of the way through, the rain picked up and started blowing sideways and we reached the joint decision not to turn them out anyway.

But it was a damn fine path nonetheless.

I put Tristan’s waterproof sheet on him, grabbed some hay, and put him out in the shed paddock you can see in that picture anyway. He hung out in the shed, and I checked on him every 20 minutes or so to make sure he wasn’t too cold or wet or generally disgruntled. All the other horses got a turnout rotation in the indoor to stretch their legs while we did their stalls. Tris managed about 2 hours outside before he asked to come in, and he got cozied up with a cooler in his stall with some hay for a little while – and then he got his turn in the indoor to keep the baby company.

SO FLIPPING CUTE.

Baby Greta was so happy to be out of her stall she bucked and farted her way around the indoor, and Tristan even put up some antics, cantering around and following her and making some leaps through the air. I wish I’d thought to get a video of it!

When stalls were done, I settled in with a snack to watch a jumping lesson. Prince heard the crinkle of my cheese & crackers wrapper and opted out of focusing on the job at hand.

Whoops.
Then Tris got longed with his chambon and his rubber butt-thingy. I tightened up the chambon so that it would actually kick in if he flung his head into the air and after some cranky flailing, he settled in to some beautiful stretchy work. I really do like the chambon: it’s the sort of thing that doesn’t trap him into a particular way of going, but reminds him without harshness when he’s dramatically bracing. He was even starting to soften in the canter!
Tonight, the plan was to ride and incorporate poles at walk and trot, but when I checked the weather forecast this morning I discovered that we’re not predicted to get into double digits, and the wind chill is far, far below that. I’m still a bit torn but it looks like the smart thing to do will be to stay home, since it’ll be too dark to hack (my preferred too-cold activity) and we won’t get any productive work done in single digit temperatures. Booo.