On Fear and Riding

I realized yesterday, while riding Ashke, that I have lost my fear of what he might do. We are no longer warming up in the round pen, no longer walking around the arena on the lead line, nor am I feeling afraid of his reaction to being ridden. With the two exceptions early on, Ashke hasn't tried to throw me.

Yesterday, when he was bouncy and not wanting to relax and just trot, when he kept lifting his front feet off the ground wanting to canter, I just felt amused at his antics, not the scared, OMG-can-I-do-this rider that I was when we first starting working together. I have no idea when that changed.

Trust. It's a good thing. And I think it is mutual. Ashke seems happiest when I am working with him. I know I am happiest when I am working him. I don't worry about being kicked. The nipping doesn't scare me, I just have to be aware of his mood, because it happens more when he is stressed or not happy. And the bouncy horse action may just be him.

We will see how trailering him out to the energy-worker-reiki-vet works out tomorrow. I certainly hope he is not as stressed or scared as he was last time. Watch for photos, because I will be documenting it.

Draw Reins

I put draw reins on Ashke today. They are reins that run from the girth or buckle of the breastplate to the bit and then up to the rider. Their intent is to help teach the horse to lower his head and reach down for the bit. They are a teaching aid and shouldn't be used all the time (unlike some of the riders at the barn, who ride with draw reins all of the time). I didn't want to try the Pessoa system without Nicole, but I did want to work with Ashke in a way that would help him figure out how to engage his back and haunches to move himself forward.

It worked really well. I really think Ashke has been ridden with draw reins before, because he didn't even try to fight against them. He did engage his back and haunches much more than in the past, and he felt really springy at the trot instead of strung out. His propulsion was definitely driven by his haunches and he moved forward very well. He also acted out a couple of times when I asked for a trot and he gave me two or three steps at a canter before dropping back into the trot.

We worked in the round pen first. We worked through walk, trot, canter, stop and back. When we walked, he was on a loose rein, so he could stretch out and relax. The draw reins only came into play primarily at the trot. We worked in the round pen and then moved to the big outdoor arena, where we worked at a trot and canter. I only rode him about 30 minutes. I didn't want to exhaust him or to frustrate him to the point where he wanted to fight against the reins. I did want to work him long enough to start developing the muscles across his back.

After our workout, I took him over to try on a horse costume for Chris. She asked me if I would consider giving one of her therapeutic kids a ride on Ashke for her Halloween parade. She thinks that Ashke is calmer and more able than some of the other horses in the stable. I think that is quite the compliment. I would lead him and there would be two other adults on either side of him while the rider was on. She has a Snow Lord costume, which we threw on his haunches to see how he was going to react. He couldn't have cared less. He was just happy to be part of whatever was going on. He is such an amazing horse.

I've been thinking a lot about Ashke's emotional state and the possible effect that almost starving to death might have had. He seems very needy and grabby with his mouth. I've started the Ttouch with his mouth again, but don't think this is going to resolve until some of his issues are addressed. He will nip at my pants and then throw his head up, even when I don't react. I am trying to be consistent and patient, because whaling on him isn't going to help him, and he knows he's not supposed to nip. He seems to enjoy working with me and seems emotionally happier when he has a job.

I am stressed and worried about trailering him on Saturday, but am hopeful that the vet can give me some insight into both baggage and solutions. Hopefully, Callie will reassure him that getting in the trailer isn't that big of a deal.

Will Things Ever Get Better?

I don't remember it being so hard when I was a kid to have a healthy horse. It seemed like Queenie was always ready to go whenever I was. I remember one time when she had sore feet and needed shoes. Another time when she had equine influenza and we missed the State Fair. Other than that it seemed like she got pregnant, had babies, went on trail rides, went to shows, etc. and never had any issues.

Poor Ashke has had the following:

• Horrible malnutrition
• Lameness on front feet
• Tie-up on right haunch
• Colic twice
• Lameness in front shoulder
• Swollen back left fetlock to hock
• Nicks and dings from casting in stall
• Scrapped nose
• Scrap over eye
• Sore back
• Weak buttocks
• Weak back

I am beginning to despair of him ever coming right.

Cankle . . .

 

Look at what I found when I got to the barn today. Cankle. Ashke had a dark smudge on the outside of his back left fetlock, which was swollen from hoof to above the hock. Instead of starting him in the Pessoa, we backed off and spent 45 minutes or so icing it with the hose. Water was cold. The swelling dropped immediately out of the hock and cannon bone. He was still a bit swollen at the fetlock and pasturn when I put him away. Nicole shared her Bute with me (anti-inflammatory, pain med) which I need to purchase next time I see the vet. We gave him one gram with his carrots. It's peppermint flavored so the boy is very happy, if still swollen.

We think he either nicked himself in his stall or maybe ticked it during turn-out yesterday with Callie and Stoli. When it was wet it was easy to see the bruise on that side of his fetlock so we are pretty sure that's what happened.

In good news, I found the stable of my dreams. It's amazing. A huge indoor arena, three round pens, a crosscountry course, three outdoor arenas, box stall with a run, free blanketing, turnout, fed four times a day (8, 12, 4, 8) and access to hundreds of miles of trail. It's located at the base of Table Mountain and you can ride directly off the property onto Table Mountain. A block down the road is access to Van Bibber Creek trail which goes for hours, so for a hopeful endurance horse it would be perfect. They also do summer camp there, they have a swimming pool for the use of boarders, and a lot of open land so it would be great for T. The trainer there also does riding lessons for $40. Whoop. There it is.

I'm in love. I talked to Nicole and we are going to go out and tour the barn with the barn manager on the 20th.

Back Again . . .

I rode yesterday with Nicole. She is really amazing on horseback and has a great feel for the horse. I really respect her opinion and her ability to see what is going on.

Ashke was stiff and tense for our ride, which was inside and lasted over an hour. I could not get him to relax and stretch himself out, drop his head or use his back. Nicole rode him while I watched and said he was really tight and tense. She recommended losing the martingale, since it changes the communication between the horse and rider, and work on getting Ashke to lift his back and use his butt.

I'm not sure how to make that happen. I know what it should feel like and when I rode Queenie, we just rode around and around until it happened. However, with Ashke, there are some physical deficiencies that still need to be addressed. Although he has gained strength and muscle in his back since I got him, it still needs time and work to be completely healed.

Nicole suggested the Pessoa system, something her vet recommended with Rhythm, and which helped Nicole develop Rhythm's topline. I told Nicole that I didn't know how to use the Pessoa system, not understanding what I was trying to do, and was worried about hurting Ashke, so had chosen to not try. Nicole offered to work with me on Sunday and try the system with Ashke. You shouldn't use it for very long, since it is difficult on the horse, but we will try it for twenty minutes or so. Riding Ashke isn't strengthening the correct muscles the correct way, so hopefully this system will give me the tools to make things better for him.

When I unsaddled Ashke, Nicole checked his back and he was very tender. I asked her if she thought I should stop riding him for a while and she said no, but by using the Pessoa system intermixed with riding I should be able to ease the strain on his back.

As far as the new stable goes, it's not happening yet. The place in Arvada/Golden was a wonderful location with lots of riding potential, but the care for the horses was subpar. There were no shavings in their boxes, the pens outside were small and cramped and fetlock deep in mud and manure, and the horses didn't look good. We didn't even talk to anyone. It felt like the owners had crammed as many paddocks as possible onto the property. There was a woman galloping her Arabian around the outdoor arena and the Arab looked like Ashke did a month after I got him. It did not speak well of the care the horses were getting. And he wasn't the only one. Most of the horses didn't look bad off, but they were missing the robust good health that Christensen's horses have.

That was Friday early evening. On Friday, late evening, I received an email with an attached memo. And received a shock. The barn has asked Chris and her Miracles Therapeutic Riding group to leave at the end of October. In hand with what has been said to T about his behavior, they are changing the focus of the stable. I think, just my gut reaction, that they plan to turn this stable entirely into a training barn for Gary. I expect, at some point, to either be asked to leave or to be forced to find another stable.

We looked at another stable on Saturday night. It is the one Chris is moving to, and I wanted to see if it would work for Ashke. The stable has a lot of potential, but needs a lot of work, which the barn manager is planning on taking care of, but the process is slow. It has maintenance issues, no lighting, no offstreet parking, no solid tie racks, no heated water, no outdoor wash rack, no real tack rooms and one interior cross-tied grooming stall. I loved the indoor arena, but there is not really any off premises riding available. And no Nicole. J said, "Lot's of potential, but not the right fit."

Good news, however, at the current stable. Ashke may be able to move into a stall with a run. And horses on both sides of him. He is once again, completely isolated, without a horse on either side. And he will be able to stay on turnout five days a week, at least, and seven days when Marit gets out to turn them out.

Slip Sliding Away . . .

Last night I made it out to see Ashke. It was the first time out since Monday. I groomed him and saddled up. I have gone back to the original cinch I purchased with the saddle, because I almost lost both the saddle and the blanket on Sunday riding at Bear Creek. I ended up making a latigo tie with the second strap on the cinch to get it tight enough to stay on. The original leather cinch is much easier to get snug and I like how it fits his barrel. I think I am done with the polyurethane cinches. They weren't as effective as I had hoped. So now I am riding with the thin pad and the original cinch I bought when I got the saddle. A great big circle.

When I was walking Ashke down the aisle at the barn the rhythm of his steps sounded funky to me. I worked him a little on the lunge line and then swung up. He was really stiff in the front and slightly favoring his left. I only rode him for fifteen minutes or so. His butt loosened up in that time but he was still favoring his front leg. I let T ride up and down the arena one time and then we put him away.

I'm not sure where the pain is coming from. There seemed to be a bit of swelling on his left shoulder, right where the line of the sheet was, so we left the sheet off of him for the night. (Bad idea. He was shivering this morning when he was fed. Grace shut his window and we are going to take his winter blanket out to him at noon. Wasn't expecting the snow we got last night.) I rubbed his shoulder and leg with liniment, which he hates! but which usually has the same effect on him that using icey hot on my sore muscles has on me.

We will see how he is feeling tonight. I think I will have the feed upped for him during the winter. I want him comfortable and well fed this winter to help banish the fear, loathing and pain of slowly starving to death that he went through last winter. And I want to be able to ride and work him without him losing any of the weight he currently has.

Looking . . .

So. I am looking at moving barns. For a couple of reasons, but primarily because of the complaints of a couple of boarders directed at T. There have been complaints of his energy level, the games he plays while out there and just him in general. No one has said anything to me. But they have been talking to other people at the barn.

How do I feel about it?

I think that if we aren't welcome, we can certainly take our business elsewhere. In fact, I am going to visit a farm in Golden on Friday. I figured the best way to evaluate the features is through a pro and con list:

Pros:

• The new place would be closer to my work once our offices are moved, which is expected to happen the end of October. I might be able to check on Ashke during lunch, be able to do his shoes during my lunch break, and check on him on the way home, if need be.
• They have a full bathroom facility complete with shower which would allow me to shower and change after riding if I needed to. And you can use the indoor bathroom and sink rather than using a port-o-john.
• The indoor arena is much larger and treated with a product that helps reduce dust. It also doesn't appear to have the drainage issues that the current indoor arena has, which would make working Ashke feel a lot more stable and safe.
• There is access to trails directly across the street from the barn. If the canal is ridable, then there might be increased trail access without having to ride on the road.
• The cost for a stall and turn-out is a bit less than what I am paying now.
• There is a vet on site and a nutritionist who will work with individual horses to create a complete balanced diet.
• The stalls are 12 x 16 vs 12 x 12.
• There is access to bike trails across the street. J and T could geocache or we could ride together.
• According to the barn manager, there are a lot of boarders who trail ride, either from the barn or trailering to a nearby location.
• He might have a stall next to other horses, instead of being isolated like he is now.
• The barn is close to Jackson and might make it easier for L to ride with me.

Cons:

• I would have to move Ashke and get him settled in a new place. That would be really stressful for him.
• I would no longer be able to work with Nicole.
• Ashke would go from seven days of turn-out to four.
• We would have to start all over getting to know people.
• T would no longer be able to see Jake at the barn.

To be honest, the biggest con I am dealing with right now is not being able to ride with Nicole. I respect her so much and really enjoy interacting with her. It will be really difficult to possibly lose that connection.