Riding

The Girls

I worked both of the girls today. Ah, sanity! I drove up and Isis knickered at me. Walking into the barn, both girls whinneyed for me. That was a treat: first time they have both called for me. I should have been sewing. Had to see the girls and play with them for a little while. Some times you just have to have sanity time… All of the troubles of the world fade...

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Rode. Life is good.

The kids were great tonight. Even with the threat of rain on the drive to the barn, it was dry at the barn. I worked Rajiyyah first with the surcingle and reins. For the first time she focused on me and paid attention. Very good workout. She was mellow and happy. Isis was next. I didn’t havemuch time before it got dark, so we briefly free lunged. She jumped the ground pole five...

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Worked Isis (finally)

I worked Isis in the surcingle and side reins. I need to clean her real saddle. The dressage saddle I’ve been using is too narrow now that she has regained some of her muscles. While I’ve briefly ridden her in the dressage saddle, it isn’t a good idea to do real work on her in it. It sits high on her whithers, which means my position is pushed back and puts weight on...

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I rode!!

Whee!!! I rode Isis for the first time sincer her surgery. Granted, it wasn’t much or for very long, but it was still sitting on her back… She moves so differently from Rajiyyah. Rajiyyah’s steps are more upright, more bounce. Isis reaches with her shoulder and strides out like a thoroughbred a full hand taller than her. So at the end of an excellent workout, I rode bareback. And found heaven =) Related...

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Kids and Jitters

The best way to quell pre-performance jitters is to go to the barn. While horses make some people nervous, they are my sanity. If I’m upset, just touching Isis is usually enough to calm me down. I dragged my dance instructor today to the barn. She didn’t mind because she also has horses. (In fact, her mare is my mare’s aunt.) We had about two hours before we had to head back to...

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Grey Wonder Mare, part 2

Today was a busy day. I went to the barn early to work Rajiyyah and then bathe both horses. Rajiyyah was awesome. I lunged her first with the saddle and bride. The horses in the adjacent paddock took off a few times because of a dog barking at the back of the field. Rajiyyah snorted and curled her tail over her back. She bolted half way around the lunging circle and then calmed...

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Rajiyyah

Rajiyyah has a new bit: a 4.5 inch double-jointed snaffle with a round, copper alloy mouth piece. I picked up the bit because she didn’t seem very happy with the full cheek eggbutt snaffle I was using. She loves this bit. She actually grabs it into her mouth when we’re tacking up. I had to wiggle the full cheek into her mouth. Not with this new bit. Today I used Rajiyyah’s show bridle...

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Incision Site Still Swollen

Isis still has quite a bit of swelling on the incision site. I’m going to have the vet out to check it hopefully tomorrow or on Monday. Isis is sore, which I suppose is to be expected. When I place my hand near the incision site, she lifts her back leg to threaten a “don’t do that.” She still seems to be eating the grain with the corn oil. Maybe this will work....

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Trailers, loading, and tension — oh my!

Last night I was a little worried about riding Isis on the trail. Would she listen to me? Would she pay attention and not freak out? We’d never ridden in a wide open space or woods, much less with a horse she didn’t know. Trail worries were soon replaced by trailering ones. Isis doesn’t load very well. Last time, it took several hours to get her to load. During the phone call last...

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