Tuesday, June 20
Jun. 20th, 2023 11:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gottawonderToday I am grateful for:
Though still showering a bit, the rain is tapering off. Overcast and cool, but pleasant.
A short phone conversation with my Mom.
Another with Sister E, who seems to be doing okay. The never ending task of packing/sorting to move is mostly what she is working on.
I did some cleaning before I went to see River. I vacuumed, I tidied in the cat room, I cleaned the mouse enclosure, and I pulled a few weeds at the edge of the garden.
Then I went to see River. His rain sheet was wet, but it appears to still offer some protection as he wasn't shivering today.
I think he was just super happy to come into the barn and then the arena and be dry for a while.
He was in a good mood, anyhow. Our ridden work was a little better today. I worried less about trying to collect as R said it wasn't a factor in the equitation class. So, I focused on having some light contact, but getting him to relax and move out with good rhythm.
He still needs to work on transitions, as always, but was less worked up about it today.
Then we worked on the Liberty pattern, and that went reasonably well.
Then I just sat with him for awhile, and let him relax. There is a big gym mat that we use as an obstacle, but it also works as a kind of therapy for the horses to stand on, as it engages all the little muscles for balance. They seem to like spending time on it, and River loves it, so I gave him some time to just enjoy himself.
He really blissed out on it for a while, and you could see that he was deliberately standing on one hind leg and then the other, and swaying back and forth. It likely works as a stretch.
I don't always have enough time in the arena just to hang out with him before the next lesson or other rider needs the space.
It was very peaceful just to sit with River as he relaxed, with the rain on the roof.
I came home and let everyone out for a while.
I talked with my Sweetie, who is back at his job location. He went to see how much damage took place at the beautiful park where he's been biking after work.
A fair bit of it burned, and there was some destruction to the bike paths from heavy machinery pushing back the trees. At least the rain has contained if not completely put out the fires.
He figures that some of the park will be okay.
I pulled weeds out of an area by the house that I hope to mulch soon.
I learned about the "tree of heaven", which is now considered an invasive species in Europe and America.
It is a very fast growing and vigorous tree that suckers (forms new clones from it's roots) almost indefinitely, taking over any area where it is not cut back.
It originates from China, but was brought to other parts of the world as an attractive specimen for gardens, was used extensively in streets in New York, and is the species of tree in "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ailanthus_altissima
Though still showering a bit, the rain is tapering off. Overcast and cool, but pleasant.
A short phone conversation with my Mom.
Another with Sister E, who seems to be doing okay. The never ending task of packing/sorting to move is mostly what she is working on.
I did some cleaning before I went to see River. I vacuumed, I tidied in the cat room, I cleaned the mouse enclosure, and I pulled a few weeds at the edge of the garden.
Then I went to see River. His rain sheet was wet, but it appears to still offer some protection as he wasn't shivering today.
I think he was just super happy to come into the barn and then the arena and be dry for a while.
He was in a good mood, anyhow. Our ridden work was a little better today. I worried less about trying to collect as R said it wasn't a factor in the equitation class. So, I focused on having some light contact, but getting him to relax and move out with good rhythm.
He still needs to work on transitions, as always, but was less worked up about it today.
Then we worked on the Liberty pattern, and that went reasonably well.
Then I just sat with him for awhile, and let him relax. There is a big gym mat that we use as an obstacle, but it also works as a kind of therapy for the horses to stand on, as it engages all the little muscles for balance. They seem to like spending time on it, and River loves it, so I gave him some time to just enjoy himself.
He really blissed out on it for a while, and you could see that he was deliberately standing on one hind leg and then the other, and swaying back and forth. It likely works as a stretch.
I don't always have enough time in the arena just to hang out with him before the next lesson or other rider needs the space.
It was very peaceful just to sit with River as he relaxed, with the rain on the roof.
I came home and let everyone out for a while.
I talked with my Sweetie, who is back at his job location. He went to see how much damage took place at the beautiful park where he's been biking after work.
A fair bit of it burned, and there was some destruction to the bike paths from heavy machinery pushing back the trees. At least the rain has contained if not completely put out the fires.
He figures that some of the park will be okay.
I pulled weeds out of an area by the house that I hope to mulch soon.
I learned about the "tree of heaven", which is now considered an invasive species in Europe and America.
It is a very fast growing and vigorous tree that suckers (forms new clones from it's roots) almost indefinitely, taking over any area where it is not cut back.
It originates from China, but was brought to other parts of the world as an attractive specimen for gardens, was used extensively in streets in New York, and is the species of tree in "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ailanthus_altissima
