Skills

Look what i finally figured out after, oh? a year! Lol. I'm pretty excited!

The vet comes out tomorrow to give Denali her follow up appointment for her treatment of EPM. She was labeled a "Grade 1" by the vet over a month ago. The vet said with treatment she could improve 1 whole grade. She never was truly "affected" as many people read about. But Denali just misplaced her feet. I didn't think anything was wrong with her, but Denali backs straighter than ever now. She looks so good now! She's lost some muscle, but I just can't get out everyday.

I think I've mentioned it before, but Denali's meds were only $900.00 (for 5 weeks of treatment) vs. $1000.00 (for 4 weeks of treatment) from the vet. I got her meds from Allivet.com SO EASY!! And so cheap! Just to throw that out there for others who may need to buy meds!

Lease

So I made an ad! I put it on Craigslist last night. It's hard to write an ad about your horse. Here is her ad

http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/grd/1487496670.html


I've had a bunch or responses. I actually have one person who I like, it's so hard to try to find someone to ride your horse. To quote SprinklerBandit "Leasing out your horse is an interesting idea. I've thought about doing that with Izzy if I get to a point where I can't ride her enough, but the idea that someone else could do something stupid to her kind of scares me." (Another good blog if you want another good read.)

This is why I want the leasor to take lessons, solidly in the beginning. This is also why the lease is FREE. I want them to use their money to take lessons on Denali. I want her to progress with a lessor, and I'd rather they spent their money on lessons than with paying me. I'd keep her no matter what.

I'll keep everyone posted. I actually gave the one I liked this web address. We'll see if she responds once she reads any of my babbling!

Denali in Pictures

So, things are crazy right now, but I just wanted to post some pictures of Denali. She seriously is SO SHINY! Especially in the sun (when it does come out.) Maybe she's a vampire? I know that Ophelia would agree with that. I'm going to go order more Cocosoya oil as soon as these pictures are up! I 'm going to try to find someone to share Denali with me. I made an ad, but trying to find the perfect person to share your horse is hard. The lease is really cheap, and only covers the lessons that I want her lessor to take.

Anyway, our horrible attempt at taking photos!

Look at how long her tail is now!! Yikes! I almost forgot about it until I took it out of the tail bag!

Leasing Denali

About 9 months ago I put Denali up for lease. I had a very nice woman come out and ride her and she really liked Denali. I chickened out. We were at the old barn and it was crazy! I didn't want anyone riding her in the unsafe outdoor arena (no fence and a large highway down the hill.) I think I'm at that place that I am ready to find someone else to ride her. Especially since our trainer won't be back on her anytime soon. Denali has so much talent, more talent then I think I'll ever tap. I know people sometimes sell their horses when they have a horse with loads of talent and they don't. I don't think I could ever do that. When I have more time, I'll get more talent ;0)

She does so well for experienced riders. They all love her. I just want someone to ride her and keep her work ethic. I can ride her, but I am working on me, along with working on her. It's hard to think about "sharing" your horse, but she is amazing and would bring someone else a lot of joy. I'd love to find someone who would want to show her. We haven't gotten there yet, and we were (are) suppose to go in January. I keep putting it off because I'm terrified.

I started feeding Denali and have changed up her grain/supplements. She's getting around three pounds of grain a day. It is specially made by some place up north. I don't have the content on hand. She gets Trifecta supplements, vitamins, mare magic, Vitamin E, a little bit of corn oil, and now Cocosoya oil. I swear she's gained weight in the past four days. She LOVES Cocosoya oil! I still haven't washed my jacket, she kept licking me. I took her blanket off tonight and she was SO SHINY! I know it can't happen that fast, can it? It was impressive.

My hands are so cold from working at the barn. Brr...

Thanksgiving (What Are You Thankful For?)

I'm wondering what you're thankful for? I'm thankful for my amazing husband, horse, family and friends! It's been quite a year! (Hell, it's been quite a week!) A year ago I was in Denmark being super depressed that I couldn't have a "Thanksgiving" meal.

So, let's hear it! I ramble enough, and you kindly read it! (Also leave your blog addresses so I can read about you :) )

These boots are made for running.

This morning I went to the barn for Denali to get her shoe put back on. She spent about twenty minutes running around the arena like crazy. I figured it was okay since the farrier could just fix the other shoe if she clipped that one too. I was blowing out the aisle way when I noticed a different truck out front. I walked outside to see him watching Denali, who was showing off even more. She's such a ham. She'll do anything for attention.

"That's a beautiful horse."
"Yes, she is"
"Full of fire is she?"
"A little, let me get her so you can do her shoe."

His face was pretty awesome! I don't think he was expecting her, but like 99.9% of the time Denali was a perfect angel for him. I was a proud mom. She knows when she can be totally psycho and when she has to behave. I kind of get a kick out of when she does insane things in front of people. She has a bad reputation, but really is a kitten at heart (well, maybe a Puma.)

While getting her shoe done, our trainer (who just had surgery mind you) came walking down the driveway from her house with her walker. Denali was pretty sure it MIGHT eat her. She wasn't sure. I'm glad that my trainer (who should have been in bed!) noticed and yelled out to her. Denali, although confused, went back to not caring. Reminded me of this poster I saw at the 4-H show in August. I wish I knew what she was thinking sometimes...

Spent the morning making a list of what we need at the barn and then running the errands. It was fun, I LOVE shopping at feed stores and tack stores. I picked up Denali some hot pink bell boots to wear since she likes me to spend all my money on her.



She wasn't too thrilled at the idea of wearing hot pink.
Come on Denali, at least look at the camera!

That's better!

I also got the Cocosoya Oil in the mail. I am giving her 4 ounces a day now. I installed the pump and was trying to get it to work when I proceeded to COVER myself in cocosoya oil. No big deal right? Well, Denali thought I was a giant lollipop or some sort of moving salt lick. She LOVE IT. Me? Not so much. I'm excited to see what she looks like on it. I'm also adding tons of Vitamin E to help offset the effects of EPM. The vet will be out on Tuesday for another appointment. I can't even begin to think how much I've paid for her in the past two months. Ugh. I know other people have it worse, and for that I'm thankful for our good fortune. At least she can be treated. I couldn't imagine putting thousands of dollars into Denali and then losing her. I know someday I'll probably have that experience. Hopefully not for a LONG time.


It's November in the PNW (Pacific North West) and that means Rain, LOTS OF RAIN! That' actually NOT a lot of mud where I'm at. This is her right hind, her lump is on the side of her fetlock. You can sort of see it in the picture. It's slowly going away!

Earning teacher of the year....

This week is parent teacher week at my school. There are no students. That I think might be my favoriate part of teaching elementary school. If you're just tuning in, I taught middle school EBD (Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities) for 5 years before coming to the "dark side" elementary school EBD. I was terrified, I was upset, I was dumbfounded when THIS is where I ended up. I WAS NOT PLEASED. I hate small children, no offense, I didn't think I could deal with kids. Not happy. Not happy one bit. Althought, through the past 49 days (which I know due to my scoops of ice cream on my "Count to 100" chart in my calander time area) I have learned to love the little ones. I actually find myself sad when I put them on the bus on Friday afternoons. That is mostly because they get all crazy over the weekend, but they are cute and they do love me.

I went today (due to my lack of students and parents) to visit the kids I had last year at their new middle school. (Our middle school closed due to lack of funding.) Picture this. I have on no makeup, NONE. I look like a hot mess with jeans I plan on wearing to the barn in two hours, and an old hoodie that is a bit too snug on my evergrowing fat roll. My hair is a mess and my "curling" cream I put on it today decided that it would make it straight. Sigh... Oh well, I didn't care.

I got to the school around lunch time and sat with them in the cafeteria. Advice. If you ever are feeling extra crappy, and think you look like shit, sit in a middle school cafeteria. I think I was hit on around 10 times by different boys. I informed them all that:
A. I am a teacher,
B. You have really bad taste in women and
C. That's gross.

I forgot what ragging hormones are like at that age. I do not miss that at all!! It was pretty funny though.

Going out to the barn after my last conference. A lot to do in a short period of time. I am eatting my lunch at the moment and should finish and get back to "work."

Yesterday I had a Kindergarten student's parent complain about her child being "bullied" by one of my kids. I told her that her son shouldn't feel too special because this particular student does it to everyone. :)

I do work hard. I promise! Actually, I become pretty anal and crazy about my job! Don't ever get me started about behavior modification, positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, etc. I LOVE IT! I can discuss behavior at lenght with anyone. I love changing behaviors, I love everything about it!

and by Friend I meant Trainer...

I called my trainer on the way home from the barn on Sunday to tell her I forgot to put away a blanket that I left out by mistake (the red cooler in the pictures.) She sounded odd on the phone and when I asked if everything was okay she asked why I was asking that... Odd. She told me everyone was fine and that she had to work something out and call me back.

Sure she did...she was on the way to the hospital in the back of an ambulance and probably didn't want to be rude.

That being said, guess who's working at a barn now? My trainer, who I love and refer to her as my "horse mom" didn't want anyone to know, not until she can tell people (so for my facebook friends Shhh!!! e-mail me if you have questions.) I think there are 4 of us who have taken over barn chores with other people thrown in here and there.

Think Good Thoughts!

Bad News

I was in the middle of posting my blog yesterday when I got a phone call I didn't expect. You may have noticed that my writing just sort of stopped and that was it... I had good reason.

I'll explain more later, but a friend of mine broke her femur riding yesterday and is in surgery now. She doesn't want anyone to know yet, so once other people know I'll tell the story here. Just asking for good thoughts sent her way!

November 22 in Pictures

Went out to see Denali tonight for the first time since Tuesday. I suck at being a horse mom. I've been feeling under the weather, I finally gave up and am going to the Dr. tomorrow. I wanted to at least let Denali remember that I love her even if I do suck at riding her. She (even with her Rambo Supreme with a hood) was COVERED IN MUD! She looked pathetic. I felt so bad. She even came up to me in the field, which doesn't happen in the winter usually. Her ears had dirt in them. How she did that, I have no idea!

Guess what else she did? I turned her out in the arena and was talking to our Trainer about my lack of proper horse ownership skills, when we heard what we thought was thunder. Not thunder, my horse running around the arena like a bat out of hell. It's pretty impressive. I don't have any video of it, which is something that I would have REALLY LIKED to have. She does AMAZING flying lead changes, and some crazy stops. I know that's hard to believe, so you don't need to. SOMEDAY I'll get it on video...someday!! Lol, I feel like I'm telling stories.

It was during this CRAZY running around that Ms. Denali proceeded to tear off her front right shoe. I saw something silver flying through the air. This is the first shoe she's lost in almost a year. That ended my plans for the day, although I wasn't planning on riding her anyway...


Decided to soak her right hind (the one that's been swollen for a few months) to try to see if that would help take down some swelling. She was a good girl for the soaking, but it probably helped that I put two flakes of hay in front of her. She didn't budge the whole time. I had to remind her a few times to keep her foot in the water/Epsom salt mixture.

































After ten minutes of soaking the lump on her leg looked a lot better. Not 100%, but a lot smaller. And now for a semi confirmation shot. It's not the best, but it's still a shot. I tried!

This video was from Tuesday night, but no mater what it's too dark. I tried.

Wind Storm

Wrote my blog this morning thinking that I wouldn't have a chance again to write a lot later this week, but I'm so excited/proud that I had to babble on here.

There has been HUGE storms here in Seattle. Imagine high winds/excessive rain two things that Denali doesn't exactly enjoy. I was suppose to have a lesson tonight but on my way to the barn my trainer called to tell me what the weather was like on the east side of the lakes (Sometimes it's TOTALLY different and only 20 miles, it's weird.) Ophelia's mom and I were already stuck on the 520 bridge so we figured we'd go out to see the girls for a little bit and skip riding. I haven't seen Denali since Saturday and I was starting to miss her.

Got to the barn and it was PITCH BLACK. The power had gone out. It reminded me of how horror movies start. Ophelia's mom and I grabbed flashlights and walked out to their paddock. Denali has a Rambo Supreme blanket with reflective tape on it. As soon as we flashed the lights the poor things took off running around. We figured they assumed we were aliens. We walked into the paddock and started walking towards them. I yelled Denali's name loud enough so she'd hear it and the sweet things stopped running and stood waiting for me to get to her. She was so good (this is the horse who would jump 10 feet in the air at any sudden movement 6 months ago) and let me put her halter on. Walking in towards the barn she had her head up higher and she definitely looked nervous, but kept looking at me sighing. I know that sounds stupid, but it felt really good.

Let her run around the arena to kick up her heels (after the lights came back on) with Ophelia. They were so cute! I almost think that they do synchronized running. They'll roll the same way, run and turn almost as if they practice it. It makes me sad to think that someday down the road Ophelia's mom and Denali and I will go our seperate ways and the girls won't have each other anymore. That's not for a few years so I'll worry about that later.

Exciting news? We made Denali back tonight and she almost looked normal. Her legs went straight back, the way that they are suppose to! I think the meds are working! Fingers crossed!!

I really appreciate everyone's comments! Read my other post from today because I really want to hear what you think about feed and horses. Also :) is it a bad thing I want 4 more followers to make it an even 25 (yes I realize that 25 isn't even) ? Probably... ;) Thanks everyone!

Diet

The following is my OPINION. Don't be mean if you feel different.

I thought I'd talk about diet today in horses. It's such a crazy thing if you think about it, how little things added to the diet can help make or break a horse. I'm still only a year and a half into horse ownership, and honestly only about 11 months into realizing HOW important diet and supplements are for a horse. I know that some horses live their whole lives on a few flakes of hay a day and they're super healthy and happy.

Thoroughbreds are fed a diet of alfalfa on the track, it goes through them quickly and gives them the energy they need to perform the way that they do. I'm still not sure who to believe in the "hot" issue. Some research I've read said there's no change, and others say that it makes them hot. I lean towards the it makes them "hot" and puts extra water weight on. (Again this is my experience and my opinion only!!)

Denali is on a diet of Timothy/Orchard grass. She gets around 6 flakes a day, two in the morning and four at night. They're huge flakes. In addition to this she gets about three pounds of grain in the morning, and two pounds at night. In her grain she gets vitamins, Trifecta supplement, mare magic, and a probiotic (when I remember to buy it.) The BO also throws in corn oil for some more fat content. Since her bout of EPM, I am going to add Vitamin E to her diet to up her daily ration over 5000 IU. The vet is getting back to me about how much I should be giving her. I've seen good things about adding extra Vitamin E to horses with nerological problems, the vet wasn't so sure. I am going to also add Cocosoya oil to her diet. (Thanks for the tip!)

Any ideas? What do you feed your horse?

Secret Mission

After buying an OTTB, you'd be amazed at how many people are involved (and love) the breed. While at the track this past April I met a woman who rescues, rehabs, and retrains OTTBs. I told her how I got Denali, we exchanged e-mails and have talked off and on since then. Her rescue is about two hours from Seattle, and I just never made it down there. A few weeks ago I gave her a little donation to put towards a new rescue that was a last minute addition from the auction. I wanted to come meet the horse, and we planned on a date. Things changed and we didn't make it down. The weather started getting crappy, so it was either yesterday or next Spring.

Ophelia's mom, her SO, and myself drove to the little town of Elma to see Second Chance Ranch http://www.secondchanceranch.org There is only one word to describe Katie and the horses at the Ranch - Amazing! There are around 40 horses on the property and they all look awesome. I loved hanging out with them! Ophie's mom SO, went into pony overload, he had a great time. There were a few that I really wanted to take home. One was named Eva Rose, and she looked like a smaller version of Denali. She had the same sweet face. Another horse, who has wobbles, was probably the sweetest thing ever! (That's a hard statement to make since I really wanted to bring them all home.) There was a Dutch Warmblood named Ollie who's profile online said he was 18.2. I honestly have never seen a horse that big!! He was HUGE! His head was the size of my torso.

I did learn a lesson-don't walk through a herd of thoroughbreds with a treat bag. No one nipped, no one kicked, no one did anything "rude." They were very well behaved, but they did follow us around like puppy dogs! One of the horses had a cut on his shoulder, and I found it hilarious that when Katie was leading him towards the tack room to clean it, all she said was "Coming through" and everyone stopped what they were doing and moved out of the way. Even if that meant leaving their delicious lunch.

If you have an extra $5 or $10 dollars lying around, there's a donate page on the website. :)

I had a lot of fun visiting the horses. The one that I "helped" was in foster so I didn't get to meet her, but that was fine. We're going to plan a trip back down this spring to do some volunteer work. I told a friend that I was going to look at horses, but I couldn't bring one home because my husband would kill me. She said, "well the barn's not technically home is it?" Funny.

So enough rambling. I took off work today to go take my BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst) which I studied for a lot LAST November (I finished my program last August) but since then not so much. I had a mini nervous break down the other day when I was trying to study for it. I'm not going to pass, and that's fine. I don't need it for my job. It's funny though, I've told NO ONE what I'm doing today. Work thinks I have a doctor's appointment. HA, then no one can ask me how it went.

I am going to up Denali's intake of Vitamin E. I've been reading some good articles on horses with EPM and adding Vitamin E to their diets. Still not 100% convinced that she has EPM, but oh well, blood work can't lie and the drugs can't hurt her.

Have a great Monday! I only have 4 days of work this week, then I'm done! Well, I need to go to work Monday and Tuesday, but no kids which in my head means no work.

Thanks for following our crazy journey!!

Change of Plans

So my semi-secret trip today had to be changed, so I should have pictures of it tomorrow or Monday. I'm excited to talk about it. Until then...

Went to the barn today and drug my feet the whole way there. I had talked to my trainer about wanting to get a better seat and that I don't think my confidence is going to improve until I KNOW that I will stay on and can handle her. I'm such a huge chicken. A chicken and her Thoroughbred, that should be the title of my blog.

Anyway, after doing everything possible to slow my arrival I got to the barn and moped about. I finally went to get Denali. There's just something about her, I don't know what it is. She does not see me for days and still as soon as she hears me she nickers and screams and comes running to me. I feel very loved.

We went back on the lounge line for our lesson. I felt so much better! I looked funny and confused the little barn girls, but I felt good. I didn't realize how much Denali reacts just from my seat. I can't ever relax my hips enough to use them properly. I kept squeezing my butt checks together and each time I did it she took a step backwards. It was pretty funny and I am pretty impressed. So until I feel better, it's back to the lounge line. Actually, I'm just going to pretend that I never have seen a horse and we'll go from there. :0)

Denali went from her 2000 lb dose of her EPM meds to the normal 1200 pound dose. I don't see much different with her. I hope something changes. Denali does have some gross dandruff/fungus type stuff on her forlock. I put some MTG (Mane, Tail, ?? -- Smells like bacon) on it and hope it will go away.

Okay, need to rest up for our trip tomorrow. I can't wait!!

Magic Pant FAIL

enSo the pants may keep my ass in the saddle, but they don't keep me from freaking out. Lesson 1. Rode Denali on Wednesday night and about had a heart attack. I honestly almost died. It was horrible. She was fine, and my trainer told met that it was the best I've looked. She figured out what I'm doing wrong with my legs and we're going to work on it next time. I just need to keep riding.

Denali must be feeling some effects from her meds. She went TEARING around the arena for about 10 minutes, nothing like her video, like...well.... a race horse ;0) She was whinnying and screaming. She's also in season so she was just a hot mess (as my middle school students use to say to me.)

Happy Friday!! I'm hoping to go look at horses tomorrow. I'll explain that next time :)

Movie Night

At the tack sale on Sunday, where I bought my magic pants, I also bought a DVD of 4 horse movies, National Velvet, International Velvet, Black Beauty, and The Story of Seabiscuit. I'm sitting here right now watching International Velvet after watching National Velvet last night. My one comment on the movie is that you'd think that the writer would have maybe watched National Velvet and noticed that "The Pie" was a chestnut with four white socks and a beautiful blaze, NOT a bay. Sorry, that's a stupid complaint.

Today being Veteran's day, I don't need to go to work. That makes me VERY excited. I was really excited about sleeping in, but the husband woke me up at 8 to let me know he was going to let me sleep in. Sigh. Needless to say that was the end of sleeping in.

Denali's leg is still swollen, so I'm going to try to do a nitrofurzon-epsom salt sweat wrap. I've heard it really helps, I'm still trying to figure out how do do it in order to keep her sane and it dry. She hates stall rest and it's muddier than anything outside. Seattle's winter is here. It started raining on Saturday and it hasn't stopped yet. I HATE RAIN. We get the weirdest weather patterns here due to the mountains being so close to the sound. The clouds form , but can't make it over the moutains so it just dumps...and dumps...and dumps...

Also, Thanks for following the blog!

Magic Pants!

I hadn't planned to go to the barn today, but this morning my trainer called me at 9:30 (something that NEVER happens) and my first thought "something's wrong." Well, luckily nothing was wrong and she was just calling to tell me she found a really nice tack sale.

A few hours later Ophie's mom, Ophie's mom's SO, and myself went to the tack sale which was at an amazing H/J barn. I found two pairs of schooling breeches for $15.00 along with a hanger for my tack locker. I was pretty excited.

Went to the barn and decided that I wouldn't be a chicken so I took the wild pony beast (Otherwise known as Denali) out of her field and groomed her up, threw on a pair of my "new" breeches and took Denali into the arena and hoped up. I rode her for about 3 minutes when she decided that she saw dead people and needed to take off at a dead run. I really thought that I was coming off, I even almost lost my iron, BUT thanks to my new magic FULL SEAT BREECHES my ass didn't budge! I ran Denali into the wall and then gave her a good pet for stopping then went back to the working trot.

I only rode her for about 10 minutes total, but since I was the only one in the barn, and I had Denali doing everything I wanted her to do I called it a success and hopped off. I'm not even sitting here writing this still cowering in fear. I feel hopeful! Hell, last time she did that I came flying off. I love my magic pants.

And now, for some video of my wild pony beast. Take note of her stupid boots she has to wear when she's going to run since she keeps gashing herself.



Notice that she WAS running and THEN she saw the camera. She's such an attention whore. She cracks me up sometimes. (That's Ophie she's turned out with.) This was day 2 of medication. She actually got excited when she saw the tube of meds. It must taste okay. I also give her lots of treats once she swallows them.

I'm going to pull out my hair...

Guess who has two new gashes? One on her front right and the other on her left hind. Right now the only "good" leg is her front left. The only one swollen is her left hind. I bought some stuff (which I forget what it's called) to put on the swollen leg. It's suppose to help with the swelling. I hope it helps soon!

She looked depressed today, but it's been CRAZY weather in the Seattle area, so I feel depressed too. It's probably NOT her, just me over worrying again.

Got Denali's meds last night. Gave that to her today too. She wasn't impressed. I can't imagine doing this for the next month. Ugh. Thank god for her trainer.

One new cool note. The barn manager had out a saddle fitter. She hooks all these cool things to a pad and it tells you how well your saddle is balanced and how well it fits your horse. I opted to NOT do it since I'm afraid she'd tell me it didn't fit properly (she hasn't had a problem) and then I'd freak myself out until I bought a new one. I don't have that kind of money. ANYWAY, I own a Harry Dabbs Dressage Saddle. I traded my old (key word) Kieffer to a random lady for this "new" saddle that she said she never used. I felt really bad when we traded, but it was her idea and the Harry Dabbs saddle fit Denali where my Kieffer did not. WELL. I've alway been skeptical about if it was real or not, since it doesn't look like other Harry Dabbs saddles I've seen. Anyway, I just asked her if she had ever seen Harry Dabbs saddles (since I never see them in the store around here) she said "yes, they are some of the nicest saddles I've worked with." I asked her to look at mine to help me to determine if it was real or fake (which is what I've always suspected.) She was shocked at the condition of my saddle (really it looks new) but she said it has been reflocked. Guess when it was made? In the 70's! How cool is that? I have a vintage saddle! That's pretty cool I think.

How long...

I wonder how long until I stop having mental melt downs. I went to the barn and got Denali tacked up for one of her training lessons. Took her to the arena and waited for our trainer. She was helping my friends BF tack up and I got bored so I grabbed his helmet and hoped up on Denali. I got her going long and low, then she spooked and that was the end of me. I stayed on for a little bit, but then hoped off Denali once I got her going the way she should go.

Why am I such a huge fucking chicken.

I really piss myself off. More then usual. If I could just get over my confidence issues, and my fears I think I could really ride. BUT of course I always freak out and end up frustrated and angry. I don't now what my problem is. UGH. I thought about taking a lesson on a different horse, at a different barn, with a different trainer to see if I could work through my issues elsewhere. Maybe I need to get drunk before I ride.

Sitting at Work

What do I do at work when I am totally exhausted? I look at my blog and try to figure out how to make it look "cool" not that it really matters. I look at some of these bloogs with a cool header and think "hum..." how do I do that? What I'm really trying to get at is I appologize for always changing how this looks and especially when it's a real eye sore.

I miss the sun

It now gets dark at 4:50 now. I don't get out of work until 4 o'clock and even then I'd argue that it's "dark out." I miss the sun. I miss the warm weather. I miss the long days.

Seattle has a term that I've never heard anywhere else that the local weathermen use:

Sun Breaks

They use "Sun Breaks" as part of their daily weather update, "Today will be cloudy with some sun breaks." I think it's funny. I also find it hilarious that my students all say "sunny" when I ask them what they think the weather will be like for the day (during calendar time.) Finally I asked them today, while the clouds rolled in, "why do you say sunny when there is no sun?" Their response, "Because if we keep saying sun maybe it will come back out." Have I mentioned how cute my kids are?

Haven't seen Denali since Sunday. I rode her for a little bit, she did great. I got the 'okay' from the vet for the online Rx. Hopefully she'll get it soon and start treatment.

Hope all is going well with everyone!! Soak up some sun for me!!

Pony, Pony, Pony

Went out last night to quickly see the girl. Gave her her treat ball and let her just be a horse for a little bit. She was shaking while she was trying to eat her treats, my husband got upset (it's the first time he's made it out in two months) when he saw her. "When are you getting the medication? Why can't the vet hurry up." It made me glad to realize how much he does love her. The Vet said she was fine to ride. Her rating is only a 1 on the Neuro testing. Denali is tight in the tendons, so I think part of her shaking is from stretching down to eat the treats. She's always done it, so I'm interested to know if it is from the tight tendons or if it is from the EPM. Hum...

I ordered her medication last night from an online pharmacy. It was a lot less than the vet quoted me. I still don't have a Rx for it yet from the Vet. I am hoping that she'll give it the "okay"

Today I went out to the barn, but thought that drinking 2 bottles of wine on my own last night would be a good idea, so I didn't ride very long. Denali's trainer rode her for about forty five minutes. I rode for about ten minutes. She was very forward and smooth. Her swollen leg is still swollen. (Left hind fetlock.) It looks really bad today. It has some scabbing on it, so I assume still that she stepped on herself (which she's started to do-hence vet out) She's not off at all, and it was x-rayed clean two weeks ago. I wish I knew what I could do t get the swelling down. Ideas? The Vet said it could be permanent. When she's worked it goes down a little. She'll start stocking up because she doesn't run around much in her paddock in the winter.

Happy November!