Wednesday, September 11
Sep. 11th, 2024 11:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gottawonderToday I am grateful for:
A cooler day, and a teensy (not that useful, but enough to clear the air a bit) amount of rain in the evening.
Waking to luscious kitty snuggles.
I did dishes and a bit of laundry, and also used a square end shovel to scrape weeds growing from our brick path. It doesn't kill them, but tidies it up nicely.
Then I went to the barn. River and I had a lesson today. The cooler weather was good for River, who seemed to have decent energy levels today without me having to do a lot of "cheer leading" first.
We worked on practicing, then recording some patterns for the online competition. The pattern was weaving in and out of a line of pylons, and first we did it at Liberty (which went very well), and then the second time we did it ridden, with a bareback pad and the neck rope. A lot more challenging, as River wanted to just trot in a straight line and not do all the bending. It is VERY CHALLENGING to do a line of pylons at a trot without a saddle or a bridle, as everything pretty much has to come from your seat, but you're trying desperately to hang on while changing directions, so it's hard to use it well. We had to break it down a bit and then do it gradually with a bit more trotting but lot of halts and walks and things to bring him back to being mindful that there is a rider there. We did get a good recording that we will submit.
So, that was a good lesson.
One of the other boarders (the Sunday rider, who I have not seen much this summer) has a mare who requires a lot of care and maintenance because she has metabolic issues that cause intermittent lameness and difficulty maintaining good body condition. Her owner does a lot to care for her, as does R and her husband K.
This past week her lameness is a lot worse, and you can see that her whole body is tight and sore trying to compensate. R hasn't been able to use her in other lessons (she has a deal with the owner) and the owner hasn't been able to ride her either.
R and her husband have been trying to do extra things to support this mare like walking her gently by hand, some stretching, but it's hard for them to find the time. The owner only comes out twice a week, and lately it seems like she's not even spending much time there on Sunday, because I never see her any more, she's always gone already (she used to be there for hours, now I don't know how long she stays for).
So, I offered that we could work with THIS horse during my Friday session where I stay and basically act as a social element for everyone during the girl with health issues's lesson. I don't have to work her hard, if she's sore, I can just as easily do gentle hand walking and stretching with her, and just give her attention.
We discussed a clinic coming up about fascia release for riders, and I'll likely do that one. It's in October.
I came home and chatted with my Sweetie about his visit with his family. Today he managed to go to a climbing gym there, and then they went to his sister's house for supper and Cribbage. Their daughter and thus his niece is engaged. His sister is doing well from a recent surgery.
A cooler day, and a teensy (not that useful, but enough to clear the air a bit) amount of rain in the evening.
Waking to luscious kitty snuggles.
I did dishes and a bit of laundry, and also used a square end shovel to scrape weeds growing from our brick path. It doesn't kill them, but tidies it up nicely.
Then I went to the barn. River and I had a lesson today. The cooler weather was good for River, who seemed to have decent energy levels today without me having to do a lot of "cheer leading" first.
We worked on practicing, then recording some patterns for the online competition. The pattern was weaving in and out of a line of pylons, and first we did it at Liberty (which went very well), and then the second time we did it ridden, with a bareback pad and the neck rope. A lot more challenging, as River wanted to just trot in a straight line and not do all the bending. It is VERY CHALLENGING to do a line of pylons at a trot without a saddle or a bridle, as everything pretty much has to come from your seat, but you're trying desperately to hang on while changing directions, so it's hard to use it well. We had to break it down a bit and then do it gradually with a bit more trotting but lot of halts and walks and things to bring him back to being mindful that there is a rider there. We did get a good recording that we will submit.
So, that was a good lesson.
One of the other boarders (the Sunday rider, who I have not seen much this summer) has a mare who requires a lot of care and maintenance because she has metabolic issues that cause intermittent lameness and difficulty maintaining good body condition. Her owner does a lot to care for her, as does R and her husband K.
This past week her lameness is a lot worse, and you can see that her whole body is tight and sore trying to compensate. R hasn't been able to use her in other lessons (she has a deal with the owner) and the owner hasn't been able to ride her either.
R and her husband have been trying to do extra things to support this mare like walking her gently by hand, some stretching, but it's hard for them to find the time. The owner only comes out twice a week, and lately it seems like she's not even spending much time there on Sunday, because I never see her any more, she's always gone already (she used to be there for hours, now I don't know how long she stays for).
So, I offered that we could work with THIS horse during my Friday session where I stay and basically act as a social element for everyone during the girl with health issues's lesson. I don't have to work her hard, if she's sore, I can just as easily do gentle hand walking and stretching with her, and just give her attention.
We discussed a clinic coming up about fascia release for riders, and I'll likely do that one. It's in October.
I came home and chatted with my Sweetie about his visit with his family. Today he managed to go to a climbing gym there, and then they went to his sister's house for supper and Cribbage. Their daughter and thus his niece is engaged. His sister is doing well from a recent surgery.
