Wednesday, August 24
Aug. 24th, 2022 10:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gottawonderToday I am grateful for:
That I am somehow able to function on the small amount of actual sleep I have been getting this week. It is something one has to accept when you are an extreme night owl, but must have people working in the basement.
They come in the morning, around 9 am or so, which is not dreadfully early, but I sometimes don't fall asleep knowing that they will be coming (they can let themselves in without coming into the part of the house where I sleep, they are still separate). Then, they naturally make quite a lot of noise.
My sleep after they arrive is not really sleep, just sort of lying there listening to banging until I have to pee. Then I get up.
Oh well. Such as it is. I am still happy to see progress.
Today it seems they were mostly working on reinforcing the main floor of the house from underneath. As I mentioned, he saw some weak points that required shoring up.
I checked in with him and his wife when I got up, and got the update of what was getting done, and if there was anything I needed to do.
As it turns out, he is an anti-vax person (his wife is not, she was rolling her eyes behind him as he talked about his concerns, that must have been interesting for them), and I did my absolute best to be honest to my experience, yet as neutral as one can be towards his views.
I literally visualized Ratty's syrup-covered anti-doinkery shield; thank you for lending it to me.
Having navigated today's awkward social situation, I then hied myself to the riding barn. We filmed an entry for another virtual show.
After being disqualified in the last virtual show for not having a shirt with a collar and long sleeves, I barely remembered that I needed one this time. I didn't have much on hand, and nothing that looked like an official "show shirt" (maybe I need one?) but I found a nice shirt that didn't look like a blouse or a man's work shirt, and that is as good as it gets for today.
River did really well today. He was really tired from the hot weather, and it was dusty, but he mustered up an effort for me.
We filmed the pattern twice, and neither one was anything to be ashamed of. We've only been really working on riding this pattern without a bridle for a few weeks, some dabbling here and there before that.
While my seated trot still needs work, I thought that we did well, River had a pleasant look on his face, we look relaxed together, and he did not try to graze or talk to his friends or otherwise be distracted.
All in all, I am pleased with this entry, whether or not we win. It was a big effort for us, and I am pretty happy with the amount of control and partnership we have in it.
https://youtu.be/f21-YcYzuJk
After our lesson, R asked if I could spend some time with her and the current rescue project (Phoenix) so that he gets to experience different handlers. It was very enjoyable, and he is not traumatized (he was an unhandled two year old rescued from someone who had too many horses and no food for them). He is very sweet and generally trusting, and very willing and curious.
It is so different working with Phoenix, because he is already giving to pressure very easily, which is where River's core issues have always been. I spent weeks and weeks just getting River to drop his head to pressure on the halter. His normal response was to get tight and resist, or toss his head and back up.
Then I came home and let everyone out into their pastures for a while.
Today I learned about the March on the Pentagon, in 1967 in protest against the Vietnam War. Apparently part of the plan was to try and levitate the Pentagon which would totally work if everyone dropped acid and really tried hard? This is where the famous photograph of the protester putting a flower into the muzzle of the gun of a guard originated.
"Abbie Hoffman vowed to levitate the Pentagon[7] claiming he would attempt to use psychic energy to levitate the Pentagon until it would turn orange and begin to vibrate, at which time the war in Vietnam would end.[8] Allen Ginsberg led Tibetan chants to assist Hoffman.[7]
Some protesters tried to rush inside the Pentagon but were prevented. Tear gas and rifle butts were then used to beat back the crowd. Protesters faced down troops with bayonets for hours, around midnight troops chased most protesters away.[1]"
Abbie Hoffman was a well-known social activist.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_on_the_Pentagon
That I am somehow able to function on the small amount of actual sleep I have been getting this week. It is something one has to accept when you are an extreme night owl, but must have people working in the basement.
They come in the morning, around 9 am or so, which is not dreadfully early, but I sometimes don't fall asleep knowing that they will be coming (they can let themselves in without coming into the part of the house where I sleep, they are still separate). Then, they naturally make quite a lot of noise.
My sleep after they arrive is not really sleep, just sort of lying there listening to banging until I have to pee. Then I get up.
Oh well. Such as it is. I am still happy to see progress.
Today it seems they were mostly working on reinforcing the main floor of the house from underneath. As I mentioned, he saw some weak points that required shoring up.
I checked in with him and his wife when I got up, and got the update of what was getting done, and if there was anything I needed to do.
As it turns out, he is an anti-vax person (his wife is not, she was rolling her eyes behind him as he talked about his concerns, that must have been interesting for them), and I did my absolute best to be honest to my experience, yet as neutral as one can be towards his views.
I literally visualized Ratty's syrup-covered anti-doinkery shield; thank you for lending it to me.
Having navigated today's awkward social situation, I then hied myself to the riding barn. We filmed an entry for another virtual show.
After being disqualified in the last virtual show for not having a shirt with a collar and long sleeves, I barely remembered that I needed one this time. I didn't have much on hand, and nothing that looked like an official "show shirt" (maybe I need one?) but I found a nice shirt that didn't look like a blouse or a man's work shirt, and that is as good as it gets for today.
River did really well today. He was really tired from the hot weather, and it was dusty, but he mustered up an effort for me.
We filmed the pattern twice, and neither one was anything to be ashamed of. We've only been really working on riding this pattern without a bridle for a few weeks, some dabbling here and there before that.
While my seated trot still needs work, I thought that we did well, River had a pleasant look on his face, we look relaxed together, and he did not try to graze or talk to his friends or otherwise be distracted.
All in all, I am pleased with this entry, whether or not we win. It was a big effort for us, and I am pretty happy with the amount of control and partnership we have in it.
https://youtu.be/f21-YcYzuJk
After our lesson, R asked if I could spend some time with her and the current rescue project (Phoenix) so that he gets to experience different handlers. It was very enjoyable, and he is not traumatized (he was an unhandled two year old rescued from someone who had too many horses and no food for them). He is very sweet and generally trusting, and very willing and curious.
It is so different working with Phoenix, because he is already giving to pressure very easily, which is where River's core issues have always been. I spent weeks and weeks just getting River to drop his head to pressure on the halter. His normal response was to get tight and resist, or toss his head and back up.
Then I came home and let everyone out into their pastures for a while.
Today I learned about the March on the Pentagon, in 1967 in protest against the Vietnam War. Apparently part of the plan was to try and levitate the Pentagon which would totally work if everyone dropped acid and really tried hard? This is where the famous photograph of the protester putting a flower into the muzzle of the gun of a guard originated.
"Abbie Hoffman vowed to levitate the Pentagon[7] claiming he would attempt to use psychic energy to levitate the Pentagon until it would turn orange and begin to vibrate, at which time the war in Vietnam would end.[8] Allen Ginsberg led Tibetan chants to assist Hoffman.[7]
Some protesters tried to rush inside the Pentagon but were prevented. Tear gas and rifle butts were then used to beat back the crowd. Protesters faced down troops with bayonets for hours, around midnight troops chased most protesters away.[1]"
Abbie Hoffman was a well-known social activist.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_on_the_Pentagon
no subject
Date: 2022-08-25 06:31 am (UTC)I had to use the shield as well, today. It's getting quite a workout, but, hm, that's what it's here for!