Denali here. My mom has mentioned this thing called a "blog" to me on several occasions. I thought it had to do with food, who knew?
I wanted to set some things straight. Wild Pony Beast? What kind of blog title is that!?
(Mom in: I didn't realize I was going to ACTUALLY continue the blog)
Okay, okay...that makes SOME SENSE, but delicious snacks would be a better choice. OR Most beautiful horse in the world....
What's up with Ninja horse? Why did you tag that? If you were 16hh and asked to live in a hell hole you'd re-model it too!
(Mom in: Denali, I moved you as soon as I got back from Denmark. I didn't realize what that barn was like.)
Hummm... okay... What's this talk of selling me? Just because I have a bad day doesn't mean that you should say you're going to hang a 4-sale sign on my butt. I'll hang a 4-sale sign on your butt if you don't bring me more carrots!
(Mom in: Denali we talked about this! I was frustrated with you, I said I was sorry!! I bought you a 25 pound bag of carrots!! Where did those go?)
Carrots? What carrots? You lie!
(Mom in: Sigh...Denali, you remember, the huge carrots that you loved SO much that you pinned your ears at everyone you saw eating one.)
WELL THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN EATING.... I mean... what carrots?
(Mom in: INSERT EYE ROLL HERE)
Sunday, January 31, 2010
...and this little pony went to market...
...and the EVIL WITCH went HA HA HA all the way home...
Pretty horse hu!? That is Comstock Glory another horse who was given a "forever home" with the EVIL WITCH (I'd like to use other words, but I try to keep my swearing at a minimum, key word: TRY.) I met her owner at the track last year, he is also a jockey. Comstock Glory bowed a tendon racing, and the EVIL WITCH said that she would rehab her so her daughter could use her because her daughter REALLY WANTED a gray mare. The owner (who I'm not going to name here, SUPER nice guy!) waited and waited for the EVIL WITCH to pick her up (she kept delaying it.) Finally she showed up, picked up Comstock Glory, and drove her straight to the Enumclaw auction. I know that he's been looking for her ever since, but is afraid of what happened to her. The same thing that happens to lots of TB's who wind up at the auction. They get sold for 75-200$ and are sent to kill. I thought I'd honor her today and put her picture up. I'm really hoping that she is off in some pasture somewhere being loved on by a little girl. I just can't understand how people can do that? She didn't even give her a chance to heal properly.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
I'm too fat for my blanket...
I wrote an earlier post (so be sure to check that out) however, I keep singing the song "Fat guy in a little coat" Why? I'm not 100% sure, but I think it has to do with Ms. Denali outgrowing her super expensive Rambo Supreme blanket.
I don't mean Wow, you're a horrible horse owner and are trying to squeeze your horse into a too small blanket, I mean that Ms. Denali has packed on a few pounds (and by pounds I mean muscle) so her blanket is starting to rub on her butt and hip area.
I noticed it today while furminating her (best $70 I've ever spent http://www.furminator.com/resellers/XSearch.cfm.) There were a few spots that were not as shiny (OH NO! lol) and I figured out that it is just a little tight on the rump, and therefore wearing away some of the hair. Not the end of the world. It actually had me a little excited that she's gotten so much bigger since the END (note: END!!) of the EPM treamtents.
My little 1,200+ pound Thouroughbred....
I don't mean Wow, you're a horrible horse owner and are trying to squeeze your horse into a too small blanket, I mean that Ms. Denali has packed on a few pounds (and by pounds I mean muscle) so her blanket is starting to rub on her butt and hip area.
I noticed it today while furminating her (best $70 I've ever spent http://www.furminator.com/resellers/XSearch.cfm.) There were a few spots that were not as shiny (OH NO! lol) and I figured out that it is just a little tight on the rump, and therefore wearing away some of the hair. Not the end of the world. It actually had me a little excited that she's gotten so much bigger since the END (note: END!!) of the EPM treamtents.
My little 1,200+ pound Thouroughbred....
Vet appointment # 2,929
Well, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but it's doesn't feel very off. Ophie's mom had the vet out for an appointment so I decided to get Denali adjusted at the same time. I really liked the vet. She's from the big veterinary hospital, and more expensive, but very knowledgeable.
Denali was a very good girl for her appointment. The vet had me lunge her first before she worked on her. Denali was still lame, but not as bad as Wednesday. Her back was only out in a few spots by her pelvis, a marked improvement from this time last year. I asked the Vet a million questions about EPM and treating it. She said it is rare that it comes back, but that it is possible. She told me to not worry too much about it. I'm suppose to keep exercising her lightly until she is back to 100%. I passed this information on to Denali's lessor. I think she's so lame in the hind end from all the work she's been doing. She never uses her butt muscles, so I'm betting she pulled something while working over the cross rails or ground poles.
My favorite quote from the vet, "Don't' take this the wrong way, but what are two first time horse owners doing with OTTBs? "
I told her that technically I bought an Appendix ;o) I don't think that there is anything with owning an OTTB as your first horse, but doing so without having a trainer of someone to support you can be disastrous. (Remember this is all my opinion!) Denali had time off to be a horse, she is one of the smartest horses I know, and I have never fully regretted my decision (I say fully because there are days that I'm SO PISSED at her I want to pull my hair out.)
Here is my other question for you. At what point do you stop calling them an OTTB? I know some people who own 12 and 15 year old TB's and they talk about their OTTB, even though their horse has been off the track for 8 years and they only bought them AFTER they've had extensive re-training and then training in a specific discipline. Sometimes they are the second or third owner (after the track owner.) I also get annoyed when they complain that their horse freaks out because it is a Thouroughbred. That's not an excuss. I think that thoroughbreds are build differently, and have a different use early on in their careers, but if they are re-trained correctly they shouldn't have a problem. BUT, what do I know, right?
I turned Ms. D out in the arena after her appointment and proceeded to go pay and pick up some Bute to keep on hand (we got the powdered kind this time.) When I walked back into the barn I looked out into the arena to notice that Ms. Denali had opened up the doors on the other side the entire way (which opens onto a grassy patch and the other barn.) However, she was just standing in the arena with this look on her face that said, "Man, I really want that grass, but I know she'll kill me if I leave." I let out a little screech and called to Denali (I'm lucky, she comes to me almost every time I call for her) as I walked over to re-latch the gate. Geeze Denali, I know you wanted attention, but you could have just waited! I'm glad she didn't walk out of the arena. If she spooked that is where the owner keeps his arena tiller, usually spikes up, and THAT woudl be one horrible expereince!
I'm hoping the lameness turns out to be just soreness. Anyone else have this problem?
Denali was a very good girl for her appointment. The vet had me lunge her first before she worked on her. Denali was still lame, but not as bad as Wednesday. Her back was only out in a few spots by her pelvis, a marked improvement from this time last year. I asked the Vet a million questions about EPM and treating it. She said it is rare that it comes back, but that it is possible. She told me to not worry too much about it. I'm suppose to keep exercising her lightly until she is back to 100%. I passed this information on to Denali's lessor. I think she's so lame in the hind end from all the work she's been doing. She never uses her butt muscles, so I'm betting she pulled something while working over the cross rails or ground poles.
My favorite quote from the vet, "Don't' take this the wrong way, but what are two first time horse owners doing with OTTBs? "
I told her that technically I bought an Appendix ;o) I don't think that there is anything with owning an OTTB as your first horse, but doing so without having a trainer of someone to support you can be disastrous. (Remember this is all my opinion!) Denali had time off to be a horse, she is one of the smartest horses I know, and I have never fully regretted my decision (I say fully because there are days that I'm SO PISSED at her I want to pull my hair out.)
Here is my other question for you. At what point do you stop calling them an OTTB? I know some people who own 12 and 15 year old TB's and they talk about their OTTB, even though their horse has been off the track for 8 years and they only bought them AFTER they've had extensive re-training and then training in a specific discipline. Sometimes they are the second or third owner (after the track owner.) I also get annoyed when they complain that their horse freaks out because it is a Thouroughbred. That's not an excuss. I think that thoroughbreds are build differently, and have a different use early on in their careers, but if they are re-trained correctly they shouldn't have a problem. BUT, what do I know, right?
I turned Ms. D out in the arena after her appointment and proceeded to go pay and pick up some Bute to keep on hand (we got the powdered kind this time.) When I walked back into the barn I looked out into the arena to notice that Ms. Denali had opened up the doors on the other side the entire way (which opens onto a grassy patch and the other barn.) However, she was just standing in the arena with this look on her face that said, "Man, I really want that grass, but I know she'll kill me if I leave." I let out a little screech and called to Denali (I'm lucky, she comes to me almost every time I call for her) as I walked over to re-latch the gate. Geeze Denali, I know you wanted attention, but you could have just waited! I'm glad she didn't walk out of the arena. If she spooked that is where the owner keeps his arena tiller, usually spikes up, and THAT woudl be one horrible expereince!
I'm hoping the lameness turns out to be just soreness. Anyone else have this problem?
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Pony Power
Denali has been so calm lately, she's a totally different horse! There are a few variables that could be the cause of this.
A. She's being ridden consistently.
B. She's on new "calming" supplements (Ex-Stress, I LOVE IT!!)
C. EPM, she was this calm when it all started....
I read on another blog today about freaking out about something that turned out to be nothing... I'm hoping that if I freak out about this enough, that it will be fine. Last week I was working her in the round pen and she was stepping funny with her hind end. My heart stopped. I made her work harder and ignored it... Of course, my mind started running...
Last night I went and got her from her field. She was such a good girl walking in, she stopped to eat some grass, and I just gave her a little tug and she came with me. No fighting. No diving. Just listening. I love my horse.
I turned her out in the arena and she was walking SO FUNKY with her hind end, I noticed it right away. A girl from the barn (actually the one who got bucked off, did I mention that it was a diabetes black out?) noticed it too and asked me about it. I walked towards Denali and she started to trot, her trot looked normal. Then she went on her crazy rampage or running. She did this for about ten minutes and then I noticed that she was off on her right hind (my trainer thinks it's her left hind) regardless, she's off. I am hoping that it is on one side. She was tracking okay, and seemed to back up "ok." Still I really wish that she wouldn't do things that made me think that the EPM is back. I guess not "back" just not killed off. I figured that if I freaked out about it then it's not true.
Denali has been doing a lot of work, more than she's done since this summer so I'm hoping she's just sore. Sigh... The vet is coming out on Saturday to look at Ophie (Chiro adjustment) so I'm having her look at D too. It has been over a year since Denali's last (and probably first) adjustment. She wasn't very out then so I didn't put that as a priority on my list of things to take care of.
Here's hoping my crazy horse owner mind can convince myself it's A. I imagine this is how children are... you freak out over your first one's every sniffle, bump, and bruise...with your second you don't care as much.
A. She's being ridden consistently.
B. She's on new "calming" supplements (Ex-Stress, I LOVE IT!!)
C. EPM, she was this calm when it all started....
I read on another blog today about freaking out about something that turned out to be nothing... I'm hoping that if I freak out about this enough, that it will be fine. Last week I was working her in the round pen and she was stepping funny with her hind end. My heart stopped. I made her work harder and ignored it... Of course, my mind started running...
Last night I went and got her from her field. She was such a good girl walking in, she stopped to eat some grass, and I just gave her a little tug and she came with me. No fighting. No diving. Just listening. I love my horse.
I turned her out in the arena and she was walking SO FUNKY with her hind end, I noticed it right away. A girl from the barn (actually the one who got bucked off, did I mention that it was a diabetes black out?) noticed it too and asked me about it. I walked towards Denali and she started to trot, her trot looked normal. Then she went on her crazy rampage or running. She did this for about ten minutes and then I noticed that she was off on her right hind (my trainer thinks it's her left hind) regardless, she's off. I am hoping that it is on one side. She was tracking okay, and seemed to back up "ok." Still I really wish that she wouldn't do things that made me think that the EPM is back. I guess not "back" just not killed off. I figured that if I freaked out about it then it's not true.
Denali has been doing a lot of work, more than she's done since this summer so I'm hoping she's just sore. Sigh... The vet is coming out on Saturday to look at Ophie (Chiro adjustment) so I'm having her look at D too. It has been over a year since Denali's last (and probably first) adjustment. She wasn't very out then so I didn't put that as a priority on my list of things to take care of.
Here's hoping my crazy horse owner mind can convince myself it's A. I imagine this is how children are... you freak out over your first one's every sniffle, bump, and bruise...with your second you don't care as much.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Posting a Horse for Sale/Wanting a Horse (BYB'ers and Irresponsible Owners)
From Craigslist in Cincinnati (I wish I could take credit for this!)http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/rnr/1572465276.html and the text if the link expires....
I have been mulling over the Craigslist ads for some time now, keeping an eye out for a decent horse for my mom, and maybe to find someone to lease my older gelding. I have been apalled at some of the things I have seen on here. Those of you not of the equine community will read this and think I am bat-shit crazy, those of you posting the ads I am complaining about with call me a bitch, and those of you who are actually responsible with your horses, care about finding them good homes and care about buying quality stock will *sigh* and just nod your head sadly in agreement. First off: Quarter Horse Sellers-If you are selling a big, muscle-bound halter horse, include its HYPP status. No one wants to pay $10,000 for your N/H Impressive-bred piece of crap standing on double ott feet that could drop over dead a week after purchase. There is no such thing as an asymptomatic HYPP horse, just one that hasn't had a fit yet. Ask any responsible vet that is familiar with the condition. Or just do a little research. I have seen and heard of HYPP horses that have never shown symtoms drop over dead in their late teens. Don't believe me? There is one buried at a certian horse camp in Hocking Hills, I was there when it happened. The rider was nearly killed. Oh, and there is another one buried near 21 horse cave. Dropped over dead on the trail. And one at the bottom of Buckskin Falls. Stop selling them to people that don't know any better, or better yet stop breeding them all together. THIS IS GENETIC, stop breeding the positives and problem solved! And while I'm on the Quarter Horse subject, not everything is a barrel prospect. They need a certian conformation to successfully run barrels and not every horse has it. Second off:
Gaited horse people-I don't know why, but you seem to be the biggest offenders of this type, and it shames me as I am gaited horse person. Quit riding yearlings! No one with half a brain is going to buy a colt/filly started under saddle that young. Especially if you have posted pictures and written proof that some fat ass has been putting "tons" of trail miles on the poor thing. You are almost guaranteeing lameness at an early age, and a trip to the kill buyer with the state the horse market is in. And not everything is gaited, even if it is full-blooded and especially if not full blooded. Stop advertising horses that aren't gaited as gaited just because of the breed. Let us know if that TWH is pacey (and especially if it is trotty) before we drive 50 miles to try it out, because we will notice! Not all of us want to go through the trouble of corrective shoeing and retraining to fix the problem.
BYB'ers (Back Yard Breeders)-JUST STOP BREEDING!!! Any stallion that you are selling for under $5,000 is not stallion quality! Geld it, train it, hope it finds a good home. Having balls does not make it breeding quality. Same goes for the mares, it seems that any lame mare is a broodmare prospect, no matter what the conformation defects, genetic defects or how ugly. Have you been to a low-end auction lately? Some are turning away horses better that the ones you are trying to unload for $300 because there are so many the kill buyers can't take them all. Don't believe me? Head up to that shithole auction at Sugarcreek and take a look around. Check out the videos on YouTube about Sugarcreek while you're at it, or any of the other auctions just like it all over the nation. Just because you think your horse is sweet and cute and has pretty spots doesn't make it valuable to everyone else. Your horse will wind up on a double-decker headed for Canada. Then on a Frenchman's dinner plate.
And in general-Use common sense. Get your horse in good condition before you try to sell it. Some of these horses look like they are near-death. Wormer is cheap, use it. Feed your poor creature, it is hungry. If the horse has a big belly but you still see ribs and a backbone, that is not just how it is built or old age, IT HAS A PARASITE INFESTATION!!! Your vet would tell you that, if one had ever seen your horse in that condition. It is slowly starving to death. Horses do die from parasites. Google it. I know you have internet, you posted you poor looking horse on here. And while your at it, float their teeth, clean their sheaths, and have their feet trimmed. This is basic care. Hooked teeth, penile infections, slipper toes and quarter cracks are not normal. Not to the rest of the horse world at least. It is neglect, and it is illegal. You can go to jail for it.
Now, about those pictures...Why do you want to advertise your irresponsible parenting skills! Small children without helmets on young studs (or any horse for that matter) bareback is dangerous! I don't care how gentle you think they are, they are PREY ANIMALS! They have prey animal instincts that will never be bred or trained out of them. They can spook, bolt, rear or buck for no reason. It happens even to the best trained police horses, why do you think it will never happen with your untrained yearling? Ever hear the widely-publicized story about the 6 year old girl whose 20 year old dead-broke horse who the family had from birth spooked at a barn cat it had seen every day for years and reared up, flipped, and killed the girl? In front of her mother, who had the horse on a lead. And she was wearing a helmet. Didn't matter, she is dead. Google child killed by horse. There are hundreds of stories just like it. I'm not saying children shouldn't ride, I think it is great. Just be responsible about it.
And those ads...Learn how to spell. Learn proper grammer. Learn proper capitalization. If this is beyond you, write the ad in Word and use the spell-checker, then cut and paste. Don't post an ad that looks like a 12 year old wrote it. And if you are 12, get an adult to help. Also, it is an ad, not a text message. Make it presentable, for God's sake. Posting a poorly written and punctuated ads makes you look like an illiterate dumb-ass. It doesn't make people want to but your horse, unless it's out of pity. If you need a good example, check out the ads for the Quarter Horses in Monroe posted by whom I suspect is a certian preacher from a certian non-denominational church with a certian statue facing a certian highway. They are the big muscle-bound horses QH's with tiny 00 feet and no HYPP status listed. THEY write decent ads (and post nice pictures by the way).
Finally, just be honest. If you love your horse as much as you always say you do in those ads, give it a fair shot at a decent home by disclosing any behavioral problems, medical problems or vices so people who are actually willing to take those problems on are responding. If the horse is lame just say so. There are people willing to take lame horses, I have placed several myself. Be honest about any vices. We can tell if it is a cribber, especially when the front teeth are worn to the gum and your fence is held together with duct tape. We will know the toothless old sway-back isn't 8 years old, and we will know the sweet mare doesn't shoe well when she tries to kick our head off for touching her hock. Be honest about the horse's training level. Be honest about the medical history. We WILL find out. Most of us with experience will find out just by looking at the animal. Vices, illnessess and lameness do not rule a horse out of a good home. Some people just want pasture ornaments, or something safe for the kids and are usually more than happy to take on a horse that would otherwise wind up in the kill pen. We do have hearts.
And last off...Kudos to those of you that are posting good ads and being honest about what you have to offer! Kudos to those of you responsibly selling well-kept animals and doing your part to see they find good homes! Keep up the good work, keep setting the good example! I'm off my soapbox now...
Happy Trails!
I have been mulling over the Craigslist ads for some time now, keeping an eye out for a decent horse for my mom, and maybe to find someone to lease my older gelding. I have been apalled at some of the things I have seen on here. Those of you not of the equine community will read this and think I am bat-shit crazy, those of you posting the ads I am complaining about with call me a bitch, and those of you who are actually responsible with your horses, care about finding them good homes and care about buying quality stock will *sigh* and just nod your head sadly in agreement. First off: Quarter Horse Sellers-If you are selling a big, muscle-bound halter horse, include its HYPP status. No one wants to pay $10,000 for your N/H Impressive-bred piece of crap standing on double ott feet that could drop over dead a week after purchase. There is no such thing as an asymptomatic HYPP horse, just one that hasn't had a fit yet. Ask any responsible vet that is familiar with the condition. Or just do a little research. I have seen and heard of HYPP horses that have never shown symtoms drop over dead in their late teens. Don't believe me? There is one buried at a certian horse camp in Hocking Hills, I was there when it happened. The rider was nearly killed. Oh, and there is another one buried near 21 horse cave. Dropped over dead on the trail. And one at the bottom of Buckskin Falls. Stop selling them to people that don't know any better, or better yet stop breeding them all together. THIS IS GENETIC, stop breeding the positives and problem solved! And while I'm on the Quarter Horse subject, not everything is a barrel prospect. They need a certian conformation to successfully run barrels and not every horse has it. Second off:
Gaited horse people-I don't know why, but you seem to be the biggest offenders of this type, and it shames me as I am gaited horse person. Quit riding yearlings! No one with half a brain is going to buy a colt/filly started under saddle that young. Especially if you have posted pictures and written proof that some fat ass has been putting "tons" of trail miles on the poor thing. You are almost guaranteeing lameness at an early age, and a trip to the kill buyer with the state the horse market is in. And not everything is gaited, even if it is full-blooded and especially if not full blooded. Stop advertising horses that aren't gaited as gaited just because of the breed. Let us know if that TWH is pacey (and especially if it is trotty) before we drive 50 miles to try it out, because we will notice! Not all of us want to go through the trouble of corrective shoeing and retraining to fix the problem.
BYB'ers (Back Yard Breeders)-JUST STOP BREEDING!!! Any stallion that you are selling for under $5,000 is not stallion quality! Geld it, train it, hope it finds a good home. Having balls does not make it breeding quality. Same goes for the mares, it seems that any lame mare is a broodmare prospect, no matter what the conformation defects, genetic defects or how ugly. Have you been to a low-end auction lately? Some are turning away horses better that the ones you are trying to unload for $300 because there are so many the kill buyers can't take them all. Don't believe me? Head up to that shithole auction at Sugarcreek and take a look around. Check out the videos on YouTube about Sugarcreek while you're at it, or any of the other auctions just like it all over the nation. Just because you think your horse is sweet and cute and has pretty spots doesn't make it valuable to everyone else. Your horse will wind up on a double-decker headed for Canada. Then on a Frenchman's dinner plate.
And in general-Use common sense. Get your horse in good condition before you try to sell it. Some of these horses look like they are near-death. Wormer is cheap, use it. Feed your poor creature, it is hungry. If the horse has a big belly but you still see ribs and a backbone, that is not just how it is built or old age, IT HAS A PARASITE INFESTATION!!! Your vet would tell you that, if one had ever seen your horse in that condition. It is slowly starving to death. Horses do die from parasites. Google it. I know you have internet, you posted you poor looking horse on here. And while your at it, float their teeth, clean their sheaths, and have their feet trimmed. This is basic care. Hooked teeth, penile infections, slipper toes and quarter cracks are not normal. Not to the rest of the horse world at least. It is neglect, and it is illegal. You can go to jail for it.
Now, about those pictures...Why do you want to advertise your irresponsible parenting skills! Small children without helmets on young studs (or any horse for that matter) bareback is dangerous! I don't care how gentle you think they are, they are PREY ANIMALS! They have prey animal instincts that will never be bred or trained out of them. They can spook, bolt, rear or buck for no reason. It happens even to the best trained police horses, why do you think it will never happen with your untrained yearling? Ever hear the widely-publicized story about the 6 year old girl whose 20 year old dead-broke horse who the family had from birth spooked at a barn cat it had seen every day for years and reared up, flipped, and killed the girl? In front of her mother, who had the horse on a lead. And she was wearing a helmet. Didn't matter, she is dead. Google child killed by horse. There are hundreds of stories just like it. I'm not saying children shouldn't ride, I think it is great. Just be responsible about it.
And those ads...Learn how to spell. Learn proper grammer. Learn proper capitalization. If this is beyond you, write the ad in Word and use the spell-checker, then cut and paste. Don't post an ad that looks like a 12 year old wrote it. And if you are 12, get an adult to help. Also, it is an ad, not a text message. Make it presentable, for God's sake. Posting a poorly written and punctuated ads makes you look like an illiterate dumb-ass. It doesn't make people want to but your horse, unless it's out of pity. If you need a good example, check out the ads for the Quarter Horses in Monroe posted by whom I suspect is a certian preacher from a certian non-denominational church with a certian statue facing a certian highway. They are the big muscle-bound horses QH's with tiny 00 feet and no HYPP status listed. THEY write decent ads (and post nice pictures by the way).
Finally, just be honest. If you love your horse as much as you always say you do in those ads, give it a fair shot at a decent home by disclosing any behavioral problems, medical problems or vices so people who are actually willing to take those problems on are responding. If the horse is lame just say so. There are people willing to take lame horses, I have placed several myself. Be honest about any vices. We can tell if it is a cribber, especially when the front teeth are worn to the gum and your fence is held together with duct tape. We will know the toothless old sway-back isn't 8 years old, and we will know the sweet mare doesn't shoe well when she tries to kick our head off for touching her hock. Be honest about the horse's training level. Be honest about the medical history. We WILL find out. Most of us with experience will find out just by looking at the animal. Vices, illnessess and lameness do not rule a horse out of a good home. Some people just want pasture ornaments, or something safe for the kids and are usually more than happy to take on a horse that would otherwise wind up in the kill pen. We do have hearts.
And last off...Kudos to those of you that are posting good ads and being honest about what you have to offer! Kudos to those of you responsibly selling well-kept animals and doing your part to see they find good homes! Keep up the good work, keep setting the good example! I'm off my soapbox now...
Happy Trails!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Day 1 PT/OT
Not much more exciting happened today. If you read the Fugly blog that is exciting! Hercules seems like a wonderful horse! I'm glad they found out who owned him last, although I think it's really sad that she took him to the auction and asked to send him to slaughter. Become a friend of his on facebook!! (I made his page, although I also passed on Admin rights to Cathy and Katie :) )
Had my first day of PT today. They stuck electrodes to my knee for 20 minutes. It was the weirdest feeling, like mini-charlie horses. It felt good though! I have lots of work to do in the next three weeks. The muscles in my RT hip are not as strong as they are suppose to be. Mostly due to my lack of using my right knee. (I'm not complaining, I just think it's interesting.) I am going to start to do Pilates to build up my core strength so I can be less one-sided when I ride. I'll start at the hip, then work on the knee.
I read something today that I thought was BRILLIANT!! I wanted to have a saddle fitter come out to see how well Denali's saddle fits, but plastic pad that she uses would just FREAK OUT Denali. When she was out in November, I thought it would be a good idea, but the pad she uses wouldn't work at all. Too much noise for Ms. D. Anyway, back to my brilliant idea. I read somewhere about putting chalk on hte underside of a saddle then riding in it to see if it hits anywhere on the spin. I know it can't tell pressure points, or other things that the saddle fitter could tell you, but it could give a little insigh right? Has anyone tried this?
Had my first day of PT today. They stuck electrodes to my knee for 20 minutes. It was the weirdest feeling, like mini-charlie horses. It felt good though! I have lots of work to do in the next three weeks. The muscles in my RT hip are not as strong as they are suppose to be. Mostly due to my lack of using my right knee. (I'm not complaining, I just think it's interesting.) I am going to start to do Pilates to build up my core strength so I can be less one-sided when I ride. I'll start at the hip, then work on the knee.I read something today that I thought was BRILLIANT!! I wanted to have a saddle fitter come out to see how well Denali's saddle fits, but plastic pad that she uses would just FREAK OUT Denali. When she was out in November, I thought it would be a good idea, but the pad she uses wouldn't work at all. Too much noise for Ms. D. Anyway, back to my brilliant idea. I read somewhere about putting chalk on hte underside of a saddle then riding in it to see if it hits anywhere on the spin. I know it can't tell pressure points, or other things that the saddle fitter could tell you, but it could give a little insigh right? Has anyone tried this?
The Letter
This is my post from this past June. I sent this letter to those who are seen here. I am going to try to get the names of the horses who were sold at the auction by the HORSE TRADER to include in this letter AGAIN. I only had one response, but MAYBE they'll do something if they get more letters. I can get the addresses posted on here too if anyone else wants to write letters.
I took out the woman's name but other than that it's exactly the same as when I sent it out. I thought maybe it would give other people an idea of what they could write to help stand up for horses.
The Horseman’s Benevolant Protective Association (HBPA)
Frank McDonald, President
3702 W. Valley Hwy North
Auburn, WA 98001
Dear Mr. McDonald,
My name is (Chicken who doesn’t want her real name on her blog), and I am the proud, owner of Denali , (Reg. Name: Storm City Slew) an OTTB who has brought a joy to my life that I didn’t know was possible. I am writing you this letter over my concern of how I bought “Denali.”
I attended the Enumclaw Auction in July 2008. I came across her standing in the corner of her small pen chewing on her lead rope. Something about her made it impossible for me to leave her. I talked to her owner, Horse Trader, who told me she was a 3 year old appendix, who she was “selling for a friend.” She said she was ridden by the “owners” kids down by a river. It didn’t matter to me; I loved her and couldn’t leave her in that horrible place with the chance of being sent to slaughter. She was healthy, and a good weight, the perfect addition to a feed lot.
The next day I went to visit “Denali” in her quarantine pen when I noticed she had thrown a shoe. I picked it up and was shocked it was so light. I grabbed a friend to help my hold her so I could check for a tattoo. Sure enough, my 3 year old Appendix was a Thoroughbred. There are multiple databases with information on racing Thoroughbreds – it didn’t take long at all to find out her registered name and who her trainer was at Emerald Downs. When I talked to him, he was shocked and horrified that I bought Denali at the auction. He had given this horse to Horse Trader because she told him it was for her kids and that she would have a good, safe home. I asked him when he had given Horse Trader this horse – it was ONE day before she landed at the feed lot. Clearly, she is taking advantage of her position at the track and intentionally deceiving trainers and owners who mean well by their horses.
The trainer gave me tickets to come watch a race and I attended with my husband. While we were there I saw the woman who sold me my horse. I was even more confused when I saw her talking with a jockey. I put two and two together and realized that the woman, Horse Trader is the wife of Jockey Horse Trader’s husband..
Here is my question. How can Horse Trader, a licensed professional and agent, be allowed to do this? I love going to the track now and watching the horses run. It makes me sick to see her there, knowing that unlike every other professional I have met at Emerald Downs she is willing to send the horses that make her a living, to a gruesome, violent fate – just for a few more dollars. It is people like Horse Trader that give racing a bad name.
Even sadder is that by getting to know trainers and owners, I now know that Denali isn’t the first Emerald Downs Thoroughbred to be taken to auction under false pretenses, and unless something is done, she won’t be the last. Before I bought my horse, I thought that horse racing was a horrible sport. I thought that the horses were used up and then thrown away. After meeting Denali’s track trainer, and others I realize that the best kind of horse is an OTTB. They are loved on and given better care than most expensive show horses. I had no idea, and I don’t think that many people do. It’s sad to think that she is allowed to lie to trainers and “promise good homes” and take these horses who have given everything on the track to an auction, where they often go to slaughter.
I still have Denali's auction tag hanging in my house with Horse Trader 's name written on the back. It reminds me how close she came to being crammed into a trailer and shipped off to Canada. Her new dressage trainer boasts that she is one of the smartest horses she's worked with, and is always impressed with how quickly she catches on.
Suffolk Downs and MEC have taken the lead in ending cruelty to race horses after their career ends. New York trainer, Paragallo, is in the news for starving 117 race horses. We all know that there are a few bad apples in every sport. It is only when a racing agency or authority does not hold offenders accountable that there is public concern. I would like to see Emerald Downs hold the Horse Trader Family to a higher standard. Whether or not you agree with sending horses to slaughter, know that the majority of the population DO NOT agree. And I would venture to say that after watching these magnificent athletes compete - not ONE of your guests would want to contribute to an industry who sends them to slaughter.
Please consider disciplinary action toward Horse Trader and Horse Trader ‘s husband to show your contributors and audience that you do demand ethical behavior while they represent your race track. Additionally, for a small bit of justice to all of the defenseless horses she has done wrong by.
Thank you for your time. Please don’t hesitate to contact me should you want more information.
Sincerely,
Chicken who doesn't want her name on the blog.
cc:
Ron Crockett, President, Emerald Downs
Jack Hodges, VP, Emerald Downs
MaryAnn O’Connell, Director, HBPA
Also, I didn't mention in the letter, but when HORSE TRADER saw me at the track she totally offered me ANOTHER horse! I wonder if that horses owners know what she's doing! I'd love to get pictures of her at the auction selling horses. She's related to Ron, the auction guy, and I was told that it wasn't illegal with the response I got. I'll try to find that too. Illegal, no, Wrong? YES!
I took out the woman's name but other than that it's exactly the same as when I sent it out. I thought maybe it would give other people an idea of what they could write to help stand up for horses.
The Horseman’s Benevolant Protective Association (HBPA)
Frank McDonald, President
3702 W. Valley Hwy North
Auburn, WA 98001
Dear Mr. McDonald,
My name is (Chicken who doesn’t want her real name on her blog), and I am the proud, owner of Denali , (Reg. Name: Storm City Slew) an OTTB who has brought a joy to my life that I didn’t know was possible. I am writing you this letter over my concern of how I bought “Denali.”
I attended the Enumclaw Auction in July 2008. I came across her standing in the corner of her small pen chewing on her lead rope. Something about her made it impossible for me to leave her. I talked to her owner, Horse Trader, who told me she was a 3 year old appendix, who she was “selling for a friend.” She said she was ridden by the “owners” kids down by a river. It didn’t matter to me; I loved her and couldn’t leave her in that horrible place with the chance of being sent to slaughter. She was healthy, and a good weight, the perfect addition to a feed lot.
The next day I went to visit “Denali” in her quarantine pen when I noticed she had thrown a shoe. I picked it up and was shocked it was so light. I grabbed a friend to help my hold her so I could check for a tattoo. Sure enough, my 3 year old Appendix was a Thoroughbred. There are multiple databases with information on racing Thoroughbreds – it didn’t take long at all to find out her registered name and who her trainer was at Emerald Downs. When I talked to him, he was shocked and horrified that I bought Denali at the auction. He had given this horse to Horse Trader because she told him it was for her kids and that she would have a good, safe home. I asked him when he had given Horse Trader this horse – it was ONE day before she landed at the feed lot. Clearly, she is taking advantage of her position at the track and intentionally deceiving trainers and owners who mean well by their horses.
The trainer gave me tickets to come watch a race and I attended with my husband. While we were there I saw the woman who sold me my horse. I was even more confused when I saw her talking with a jockey. I put two and two together and realized that the woman, Horse Trader is the wife of Jockey Horse Trader’s husband..
Here is my question. How can Horse Trader, a licensed professional and agent, be allowed to do this? I love going to the track now and watching the horses run. It makes me sick to see her there, knowing that unlike every other professional I have met at Emerald Downs she is willing to send the horses that make her a living, to a gruesome, violent fate – just for a few more dollars. It is people like Horse Trader that give racing a bad name.
Even sadder is that by getting to know trainers and owners, I now know that Denali isn’t the first Emerald Downs Thoroughbred to be taken to auction under false pretenses, and unless something is done, she won’t be the last. Before I bought my horse, I thought that horse racing was a horrible sport. I thought that the horses were used up and then thrown away. After meeting Denali’s track trainer, and others I realize that the best kind of horse is an OTTB. They are loved on and given better care than most expensive show horses. I had no idea, and I don’t think that many people do. It’s sad to think that she is allowed to lie to trainers and “promise good homes” and take these horses who have given everything on the track to an auction, where they often go to slaughter.
I still have Denali's auction tag hanging in my house with Horse Trader 's name written on the back. It reminds me how close she came to being crammed into a trailer and shipped off to Canada. Her new dressage trainer boasts that she is one of the smartest horses she's worked with, and is always impressed with how quickly she catches on.
Suffolk Downs and MEC have taken the lead in ending cruelty to race horses after their career ends. New York trainer, Paragallo, is in the news for starving 117 race horses. We all know that there are a few bad apples in every sport. It is only when a racing agency or authority does not hold offenders accountable that there is public concern. I would like to see Emerald Downs hold the Horse Trader Family to a higher standard. Whether or not you agree with sending horses to slaughter, know that the majority of the population DO NOT agree. And I would venture to say that after watching these magnificent athletes compete - not ONE of your guests would want to contribute to an industry who sends them to slaughter.
Please consider disciplinary action toward Horse Trader and Horse Trader ‘s husband to show your contributors and audience that you do demand ethical behavior while they represent your race track. Additionally, for a small bit of justice to all of the defenseless horses she has done wrong by.
Thank you for your time. Please don’t hesitate to contact me should you want more information.
Sincerely,
Chicken who doesn't want her name on the blog.
cc:
Ron Crockett, President, Emerald Downs
Jack Hodges, VP, Emerald Downs
MaryAnn O’Connell, Director, HBPA
Also, I didn't mention in the letter, but when HORSE TRADER saw me at the track she totally offered me ANOTHER horse! I wonder if that horses owners know what she's doing! I'd love to get pictures of her at the auction selling horses. She's related to Ron, the auction guy, and I was told that it wasn't illegal with the response I got. I'll try to find that too. Illegal, no, Wrong? YES!
Monday, January 25, 2010
Ugh. She makes me sick!!
A friend of mine with connections to the race track called my yesterday. Guess what? Another Thoroughbred who was suppose to have a "forever" home wound up at the feed lot. She didn't even bother to take her to the auction first. Guess who the "forever" home was suppose to be with? The same person who sold Denali at the auction. That puts the total to 5 horses that I know of, and I don't even know that many people!! Ophelia was one, Denali, a Vet, and two Jockeys. Tell me this? If they KNOW she's doing it then why is it that everyone at Emerald Downs continues to go about their business and pretend like nothing happens? I HATE HER! I wonder how many horses have gone to slaughter thanks to her? The best part of the whole situation? Her husband is a jockey and she is his manager! I'm not one to out names on here, that's not the reason for this blog. It's for me to ramble... http://www.emeralddowns.com/?cat=6&id=2070&type=news Opps?! I'm not sure how THAT got there! Denali must have gotten on her "Pony PC" at the barn.
I wrote a letter to Emerald Downs about her, I posted it here last April. No one contacted me back, but I didn't think they would. When I got Denali, her trainer was SO nice. He invited me down and showed me around the track just so I wouldn't think that everyone is evil, and he was right, not everyone is evil. BUT the fact that she KEEPS DOING IT and nothing is done about it really upsets me. SHE is EVIL! When you take the horse STRAIGHT TO THE FEED LOT you aren't even giving it a chance. Those horses are what give you a job. You don't even have the decency to try to give them a life? What else frustrates me is that owners give her their horses, they have to know what she's doing with them!! Those that know and still do it are equally guilty in my book. Shame on you! It is people like you that make give racing such a bad name!
I wrote a letter to Emerald Downs about her, I posted it here last April. No one contacted me back, but I didn't think they would. When I got Denali, her trainer was SO nice. He invited me down and showed me around the track just so I wouldn't think that everyone is evil, and he was right, not everyone is evil. BUT the fact that she KEEPS DOING IT and nothing is done about it really upsets me. SHE is EVIL! When you take the horse STRAIGHT TO THE FEED LOT you aren't even giving it a chance. Those horses are what give you a job. You don't even have the decency to try to give them a life? What else frustrates me is that owners give her their horses, they have to know what she's doing with them!! Those that know and still do it are equally guilty in my book. Shame on you! It is people like you that make give racing such a bad name!
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Rain, Rain, go away....
No, that's not a scary looking creature, that's Denali. It was raining all morning and I had 0 motivation for doing anything, much less working Denali. I didn't feel too guilty since she's been worked almost everyday since the new year. Wow, I really suck at taking pictures, hu? She is really MUCH cuter that these horrid photos!The funny thing about taking photos of Denali is that she is convinced that the camera is a treat. I can hardly ever get a nice picture of her. They always turn out like this. Look at that cute nose though! Man I love that nose!!
I gave her one of her favorite treats (Nature Valley Granola Bar) and then took this picture. I was walking away when she pretty much tried to run me over. I hit her really hard, and the following happened in SLOW motion. She stopped, started to pick up her feet to kick, realized what she was about to do, stopped and turned back towards me with this look of "Oh shit, I almost did a VERY bad thing." She gets pretty aggressive when it comes to treats. She needs to learn that you can't run people over to get food. Much better though, when I first got her she would charge at you if she was eating and you'd take any steps towards her.
Happy Monday everyone! Ugh... I hate Mondays!
Saturday, January 23, 2010
And the dirtiest horse award goes to....
Denali!! Congratulations!
I went out to the barn today to hang out with the horse. I took four ibuprofens this morning, but made the mistake of kneeling on the floor at my house trying to find something under the bed and I've been paying for that ever since. I was going to ride, but since the knee was swollen, I thought I'd follow the Dr's orders, at least for today.
Denali's lessor was out today with her parents. I set up a baby jump for them and they looked pretty good. Denali has never been much for jumping. I actually joke that the safest place in the arena when Denali is having one of her "moments" is standing right next to the jumps because she'll never come near them. I've jumped her a few times over little jumps. For a while she'd stop and poop right before the jump. Evasive-yes, hilarious? hell yes! She's gotten over taking a crap when she's near a jump (I joked that jumps scare the crap out of her.)
After their ride, I let Denali roll in the arena. Making her extra scummy. She needs a bath REALLY BAD! She only ever rolls on her right side, and never the whole way over. I guess I can't say she doesn't EVER roll on her left side, but I don't remember the last time she did. I remember hearing somewhere that means they are out of alignment, but then again I don't remember where I heard that, and many of the people I use to associate with weren't the best horse owners (I didn't know that at the time.) Thoughts on horses rolling the whole way over??
There are lots of things I'd like to do for Denali. Chiropractor, massage, etc. However, her EPM treatment took most of my horse budget so new things and fun things need to be put on hold for now.
Speaking of that. I have a Natasha Kieffer Dressage Bridle for sale. It has a crank nose band and a sparkle head piece. It's really pretty, but it's also really big. It would be perfect for a Warmblood. It's just too big for Denali's head, which is saying a lot since she is big. I bought it for $140 so it's best offer. It comes with leather reins, but they're not Keiffer. If you want the Keiffer cloth reins they were used a few times.
Enough of my shameless selling. (I also have shipping boots, red :)
I am hoping for a nice warm day. Denali needs a good scrub! She loves baths so that's a plus! She's been SO CALM since I started her on the Ex-Stress. I know that supplements don't cure everything, but even her lessor agrees that she's a different horse. Not just calm, focused. I also think that the extra Vitamin C she's getting (C for Consistency) helps. She's been getting worked daily for the past two weeks. Today she was acting really tired and lazy, but I think that is just her way to deal with not wanting to work.
Denali is good at faking injuries. I once led her into the barn with her off on the right hind, then after I took her back outside (without riding her since she was off) she was off on the left hind. Needless to say we went back inside and rode and she was fine. Can't say she doesn't have a personality!!
Friday, January 22, 2010
Dear Jerk
Dear Jerk,
I totally understand why you targeteted my car, I mean who WOULDN'T want a 1998 Subaru Legacy. They are a high ticket item! The parts alone would probably get you at LEAST $10.00. Although, you obviously changed your mind and decided that the car wasn't for you, you did decide that my nice GPS would go nicely in your junk wagon or POS car that you drive. OH, no wait, you're probably going to sell it to fuel one of your habits. Thanks for leaving me the garbage, that will come in handy. It makes me feel really good that you went through ALL MY STUFF. I hope that you found what you were looking for. As for me, if I EVER see you TOUCHING my car...well let's just say my ability to hold my temper isn't very good. Have a good fucking weekend.
Sincerely,
Me.
Seriously? I really feel that I'm on some tv show that I don't know about. My laptop was attacked by a virus that TOTALLY shut it down. It turns on and off, but nothing else works. My husband took it to work to try and fix it. I hope that worked out! THEN I walk out the door of our house to my Subaru with doors open and my GPS missing. Sigh. I loved my GPS, it got me from poing A to point B without needing to stop for directions.
I totally understand why you targeteted my car, I mean who WOULDN'T want a 1998 Subaru Legacy. They are a high ticket item! The parts alone would probably get you at LEAST $10.00. Although, you obviously changed your mind and decided that the car wasn't for you, you did decide that my nice GPS would go nicely in your junk wagon or POS car that you drive. OH, no wait, you're probably going to sell it to fuel one of your habits. Thanks for leaving me the garbage, that will come in handy. It makes me feel really good that you went through ALL MY STUFF. I hope that you found what you were looking for. As for me, if I EVER see you TOUCHING my car...well let's just say my ability to hold my temper isn't very good. Have a good fucking weekend.
Sincerely,
Me.
Seriously? I really feel that I'm on some tv show that I don't know about. My laptop was attacked by a virus that TOTALLY shut it down. It turns on and off, but nothing else works. My husband took it to work to try and fix it. I hope that worked out! THEN I walk out the door of our house to my Subaru with doors open and my GPS missing. Sigh. I loved my GPS, it got me from poing A to point B without needing to stop for directions.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Healthy as a Horse
Who came up with this saying? Seriously! I can't think of the last time that Denali was "healthy." In September she got double barrel kicked and had a hematoma the size of a cantaloupe on her girth line. In October she was diagnosed with EPM and she's still coming back from that. Her lump on her leg that she got in September finally started to go down and guess what she did now?! Somehow, she got a six of seven inch gash on the inside of her front right. It's not really that bad, but it is swollen and warm. Sigh. I'm hoping she gets this injuring herself thing out of her system.
I'm thinking about buying bubble wrap and just covering her in it. 38 followers! That makes me excited! Now I'm going to be greedy and say I want 50. Is that bad? I like the motivation. :)
I'm thinking about buying bubble wrap and just covering her in it. 38 followers! That makes me excited! Now I'm going to be greedy and say I want 50. Is that bad? I like the motivation. :)
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Pictures
I didn't make it to the barn today. My kiddos at work were SO HYPER that I needed to come home and sit in my quiet house and do NOTHING to feel semi normal. If it wasn't for the hour commute I would have gone to the barn, but I didn't want to fight traffic.
I applied some of my crazy Thoroughbred training techniques on my kids today. I took them out and they ran laps. They love doing it, and sure enough they were "good" (in quotes because good in my room is not what other teachers consider good in their rooms) for about 5 minutes. Seriously, non-stop-talking for the past 8 days. Oh the joys.
While enjoying my quiet night at home I found some pictures of Denali from this past August. I don't think that they are posted anywhere, so here they are. It was quite funny. Denali was running around and wanted to come back in from the arena. (She looks SO UGLY in this picture!)
She obviously got bored so she started to nibble on the FAKE flowers that are set up with the standards. I noticed it through the camera lens and reprimanded her (but not soon enough for her to NOT eat the red flower.)
So of course like any good Thoroughbred she had to pout in the corner. She's pretty funny with all her emotions, I'm pretty sure she has been squinting at me lately when she gets pissed.
Then Denali's trainer went out and was explaining to her that she can't eat the flowers. Denali seemed to understand.
And for good measure (since I'm adding random pictures) below is a photo I took of her the day after I brought her home from the auction. I love her hair! It stood straight up! Probably from being thinned at the track. She is SO CUTE! She looks like such a baby!! She was 4 in this picture and she'll be 6 (yes, yes, I realize that TECHNICALLY she's already 6) in February.
I applied some of my crazy Thoroughbred training techniques on my kids today. I took them out and they ran laps. They love doing it, and sure enough they were "good" (in quotes because good in my room is not what other teachers consider good in their rooms) for about 5 minutes. Seriously, non-stop-talking for the past 8 days. Oh the joys.
While enjoying my quiet night at home I found some pictures of Denali from this past August. I don't think that they are posted anywhere, so here they are. It was quite funny. Denali was running around and wanted to come back in from the arena. (She looks SO UGLY in this picture!)
She obviously got bored so she started to nibble on the FAKE flowers that are set up with the standards. I noticed it through the camera lens and reprimanded her (but not soon enough for her to NOT eat the red flower.)
So of course like any good Thoroughbred she had to pout in the corner. She's pretty funny with all her emotions, I'm pretty sure she has been squinting at me lately when she gets pissed.
Then Denali's trainer went out and was explaining to her that she can't eat the flowers. Denali seemed to understand.
And for good measure (since I'm adding random pictures) below is a photo I took of her the day after I brought her home from the auction. I love her hair! It stood straight up! Probably from being thinned at the track. She is SO CUTE! She looks like such a baby!! She was 4 in this picture and she'll be 6 (yes, yes, I realize that TECHNICALLY she's already 6) in February.
Dumb knee!
Just got back from the doctors. She gave me hell for riding and I'm not SUPPOSE to ride until after I'm done with Physical Therapy (8 more weeks!!!!) I think they should just give me really good drugs instead! Either that or I need to be more stoic when they poke and prod my knee. I think I'm going to define riding as doing it right, so the doctor has nothing to worry about if you think of it that way. Stupid knee. Maybe I'll just ride without stirrups. Then there's no pressure. OR I could ride bareback, if Denali starts walking around and I just had wanted to sit on her then I'm not riding right? It's a training issue with my naughty thoroughbred right ;0) ? Ugh. Dumb knee.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Horse Noses
I'm convinced that there is nothing better then the tip of the horses nose! I just want to hold Denali's face and kiss it!
Now that I have that out of my system. Went out to the barn today to lunge Denali. Got her from her field and put her in the cross ties. She was such a good girl! Stood perfectly still (small things that make me happy!) I was going to let her run around before I lunged her but decided to pick her feet first. Got to the last one (front right) and when I put her foot down my hand was covered in blood. D now has a six of seven inch cut on the inside of her leg. It's not deep and it was almost dried, but I cleaned it out and covered it in antibiotic cream just in case. She did a good job of standing still while I messed with her leg. If it's not one thing it's always another. It was a little swollen so I put her away early.
I love my horse, the best thing ever! (I need to remember this when she pisses me off!!)
Now that I have that out of my system. Went out to the barn today to lunge Denali. Got her from her field and put her in the cross ties. She was such a good girl! Stood perfectly still (small things that make me happy!) I was going to let her run around before I lunged her but decided to pick her feet first. Got to the last one (front right) and when I put her foot down my hand was covered in blood. D now has a six of seven inch cut on the inside of her leg. It's not deep and it was almost dried, but I cleaned it out and covered it in antibiotic cream just in case. She did a good job of standing still while I messed with her leg. If it's not one thing it's always another. It was a little swollen so I put her away early.
I love my horse, the best thing ever! (I need to remember this when she pisses me off!!)
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Sunday
Ugh. This weekend started off with such promise! My husband and I spent yesterday looking at trucks, I sent an e-mail to the one dealership with exactly what I wanted along with the price range we were looking at. I got a phone call from a sales person who said he had a truck in our price range. Liar.
Needless to say we got the truck we wanted, but it also was 6,000 dollars more than we wanted to spend. Don't get me started on the dealership. I think we should have walked away. The truck was a good deal, but more than we wanted to spend. He told us that the price would be 16,100 out the door. He failed to mention that DID NOT include our down payment of 3,750. They also added another year to our loan to keep the payments down. Ugh. At one point I went into super bitch mode, but I don't think it helped us much. We did get the 100,000 mile warranty for half the price. I'd rather have had another two thousand dollars taken off. At one point during the paperwork signing I asked to speak with the manager (because the numbers we were quoted and the numbers we were paying were MUCH different.) The finance guy kept going and didn't get the manager, so I walked off and got him myself. Not that it helped much (and it was 9:30 am and I was showered and looked homeless) but I felt better.
Meet the New Truck. It's a 2007 Ford Ranger with 29,000 miles, we paid 20,000 total for it, but I keep going to kelly blue book, and it prices at more than that before taxes/title/license so I don't feel so bad, but wow am I still pissed off at the salesman. I've never bought anythig that costs that much in my entire life!! It's still just a shock. My friend just bought a new dressage horse that was priced at $28,000 dollars so at least I can get parts for mine if it breaks down. (Although he IS amazing!!)
We went to another dealer yesterday and the guy was SO NICE! No pressure what-so-ever. He had the same truck, but it was not a 4 door. We wanted a 4 door. I wish he would have had what we wanted (it was a Toyota Dealer) so he could have gotten the commission.
The little girl from the barn is out of the hospital! She didn't break anything!! How amazing is that? Her face was black n' blue before she left in the ambulance so she defninently hit hard. She said she's doing okay. Lots of black n' blue marks, and lots of pain, but nothing serious! It was a crazy experience.
I wanted to go ride today, but with the morning taken up by truck purchasing I didn't get a chance to ride. I did stop by to watch Denali and Megan working, but we were driving back from the mountains (in the new truck), and wanted to get home. Long day!
I also wanted to say thanks for following the blog! It gives me inspiration to write my ramblings down. Also, if you have a blog ad it to the comments so I can have some new reading material!
Needless to say we got the truck we wanted, but it also was 6,000 dollars more than we wanted to spend. Don't get me started on the dealership. I think we should have walked away. The truck was a good deal, but more than we wanted to spend. He told us that the price would be 16,100 out the door. He failed to mention that DID NOT include our down payment of 3,750. They also added another year to our loan to keep the payments down. Ugh. At one point I went into super bitch mode, but I don't think it helped us much. We did get the 100,000 mile warranty for half the price. I'd rather have had another two thousand dollars taken off. At one point during the paperwork signing I asked to speak with the manager (because the numbers we were quoted and the numbers we were paying were MUCH different.) The finance guy kept going and didn't get the manager, so I walked off and got him myself. Not that it helped much (and it was 9:30 am and I was showered and looked homeless) but I felt better.
Meet the New Truck. It's a 2007 Ford Ranger with 29,000 miles, we paid 20,000 total for it, but I keep going to kelly blue book, and it prices at more than that before taxes/title/license so I don't feel so bad, but wow am I still pissed off at the salesman. I've never bought anythig that costs that much in my entire life!! It's still just a shock. My friend just bought a new dressage horse that was priced at $28,000 dollars so at least I can get parts for mine if it breaks down. (Although he IS amazing!!)
We went to another dealer yesterday and the guy was SO NICE! No pressure what-so-ever. He had the same truck, but it was not a 4 door. We wanted a 4 door. I wish he would have had what we wanted (it was a Toyota Dealer) so he could have gotten the commission.
The little girl from the barn is out of the hospital! She didn't break anything!! How amazing is that? Her face was black n' blue before she left in the ambulance so she defninently hit hard. She said she's doing okay. Lots of black n' blue marks, and lots of pain, but nothing serious! It was a crazy experience.I wanted to go ride today, but with the morning taken up by truck purchasing I didn't get a chance to ride. I did stop by to watch Denali and Megan working, but we were driving back from the mountains (in the new truck), and wanted to get home. Long day!
I also wanted to say thanks for following the blog! It gives me inspiration to write my ramblings down. Also, if you have a blog ad it to the comments so I can have some new reading material!
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Baby Steps
That my faithful readers is an ambulance at my barn today. More on that later, but there is a rainbow in the background. Talk about a way to ruin your confidence you finally built up!
Got to the barn around 2 o'clock. I swear that one of two things happen: A. Everyone is at the barn, or B. No one is at the barn. Today was an option A. I called Denali's leasor on the way out. She said she wouldn't come out because I was going to ride. I reminded her that I haven't ridden in two months and when I did get on I'd be on for 10 minutes, tops.
M and I were with Denali in the cross ties when I heard the worst noise ever! I stopped and listened while it registered, then took off running to the arena. Ophie's mom was already out there with one of the barn kids. She's a sweet kid, 16, and was she in a bad state. Apparently she got bucked off her horse. It's been a while since I've had first aid, but the thing about not moving the person has always stuck. Her helmet was cracked so we had one of the many people there call 911. The poor thing, she thinks she broke her pelvis and maybe some ribs. I hope that's it. No one knows if she lost consciousness, she definitely wasn't with it when I got to her. We started asking her questions until she started answering them correctly. She remembered nothing, and that seemed to really agitate her. We told her what happened, she was worried about her horse. Good kid.
We kept asking her questions, name, color of her her hair, color of her horse, horses name, when we ran out of questions we could think of we started asking her about other horses. I asked her my horses name, she knew it, I asked her who Denali's nemesis is (her brother) and she laughed and said "which one." So hopefully she's okay.
After the ambulance left, Denali was being a naughty girl on the lunge line. I hate when other people are riding and she's being a pill. I'm so afraid she's going to barrel into one of them. She eventually calmed down, and Megan does a wonderful job with her. Megan rode her for a while and D is doing really well. And now for the moment that you've all been waiting for:
I was pretty happy, I got her on the rail, and collected. Two things that I've failed to do in the past. My leg looks horrible! I'll work on that.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Urge
Every once in a while I've been getting the urge to ride. It only lasts for a few moments and the urge is always gone with fear taking over. It's so funny I think. I've ridden out her spooks, and they are nothing. I'm afraid It was actually a year ago that my horse obsession turned to fear. No amount of writing would explain how she acted. She was WILD, she was angry, and she was depressed. I had no excuse not to ride her so I did. The fear never went away, it would creep up at the most unexpected times. In the car on the way over, when she'd spook on the way into the barn, while lunging. Then I got hurt and I couldn't ride, hell for three weeks I couldn't even walk.
Lately, the urge has been happening, but it's different. I don't think I'm afraid anymore. When she freaks out on the lunge line I don't get mad or scared, I make her listen. Long story short, I am going to go out this weekend to ride my horse. I got this burning in my heart urge last night, but it was 9:30 and I know that going out to ride Denali at 9:30 would make her not very pleased. We'll see how it goes!!
Sorry for the lack of photos. My computer is at the shop and it's been gone for a week now. I miss my computer!! Actually, I was looking at my photos of Denali and noticed that I don't have any of me riding her.
Goal 1: Ride the horse
Goal 2: Have someone document riding the horse.
Lately, the urge has been happening, but it's different. I don't think I'm afraid anymore. When she freaks out on the lunge line I don't get mad or scared, I make her listen. Long story short, I am going to go out this weekend to ride my horse. I got this burning in my heart urge last night, but it was 9:30 and I know that going out to ride Denali at 9:30 would make her not very pleased. We'll see how it goes!!
Sorry for the lack of photos. My computer is at the shop and it's been gone for a week now. I miss my computer!! Actually, I was looking at my photos of Denali and noticed that I don't have any of me riding her.
Goal 1: Ride the horse
Goal 2: Have someone document riding the horse.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Bad Day
I hate when I wake up crabby. It makes bad days worse.
1. My first graders have apparently formed a gang and are beating kids up on the playground.
2. A year ago, on of my students was murdered. It was horrible. (She was 17) The trial took place and the scum who did it only got 13 years because the witnesses fled the country. I hate gangs.
3. My kiddos are being SO NAUGHTY today!!
Ugh. I hate days that suck and I have no time to go see Denali. Horse breath cures everything.
1. My first graders have apparently formed a gang and are beating kids up on the playground.
2. A year ago, on of my students was murdered. It was horrible. (She was 17) The trial took place and the scum who did it only got 13 years because the witnesses fled the country. I hate gangs.
3. My kiddos are being SO NAUGHTY today!!
Ugh. I hate days that suck and I have no time to go see Denali. Horse breath cures everything.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Bad Owner
I wasn't suppose to go out to the barn yesterday, but ended up getting a ride with Ophelia's mom. I am afraid I am going to drive Denali's leasor bonkers! I swiched boots, changed the martingale, and pretty much watched the entire ride. Here's my public appoligy!
Sorry Megan!
I won't be able to make it back out again until MAYBE Thursday night.
Denali was a peach, a perfect angel!! We let them run around the arena before hand (even before Megan showed up) and when Ophelia didn't want to come I took Denali out of the arena. She had a little spook when Ophie took off running, but it wasn't anything like before.
In other news, guess who rode my horse? My trainer. Her Dr. told her she could ride again, and even though she's still using a crutch, up she hopped and away they went!
I had a dream last night that I was running. Today I woke up with a pulled quad. Funny.
Sorry Megan!
I won't be able to make it back out again until MAYBE Thursday night.
Denali was a peach, a perfect angel!! We let them run around the arena before hand (even before Megan showed up) and when Ophelia didn't want to come I took Denali out of the arena. She had a little spook when Ophie took off running, but it wasn't anything like before.
In other news, guess who rode my horse? My trainer. Her Dr. told her she could ride again, and even though she's still using a crutch, up she hopped and away they went!
I had a dream last night that I was running. Today I woke up with a pulled quad. Funny.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
and I'm back.
Denali = Super Amazing under saddle today. Cool, calm and collected. She was on the bit almost the entire time, she was using her hind end, and SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL! Her leasor lunged her and then rode her for a while. I hopped on and took her for a little spin (shhh!! Don't tell my doctor) she was a perfect angel!! She has such floaty movement and I forgot how much fun she is.
I did buy some vitamins for her yesterday and added them to her supplement bags. I have all of nutritional numbers at my house, and after going through the numbers decided to add a little more magnesium and some B1 vitamins to her diet. I found a GREAT supplement that is just those two things with no fillers. It is called EX Stress, and is suppose to be a calming agent. I'm NOT saying that she was the perfect, focused angel today because of it (it's been 1 day) but it would be fun to think right?
Supplements are interesting. I mean, people have owned horses for hundreds of years and magically they did fine. Plus, when you add things like vitamins, if you add too much (depending on what it is) it won't hurt the horse, but then again it won't do anything! Just like humans it will come right back out. Then there are other things that can poison your horse if you give them too much, which is scary. If there were one area of horsemanship I had to say I did the most reading about it would be supplements. Denali doesn't have access to a field of grass to eat during the day, so as a result I know exactly what she's getting. That is the one thing I would change about her boarding facility. It would have bigger fields for her to run in. The fields are bigger than most, but still.
Yesterday when I was making up her supplement bags I spilled some of the Ex Stress on my vest and thought "shit" that's a waste. I didn't think much of it other than it is BRIGHT ORANGE! It looks exactly like the mix for Mac n' Cheese. Anyway, I went out to grab her from the arena and she started furiously licking my vest, every drop. I figure that's a good sign.
Well, my computer has been dying so I think I'm going to finally break down and go drop it off at the store to see if they can fix it. Oh! And I didn't get 2,000 dollars for my car.... I got 3,000! I took a picture today, I'll post it later!
I own a pretty cool horse.
I am late to the barn right now, but decided to finish this first. I wanted to give the leasor some time to work with D without me hovering around. D needs to learn trust her, and she can't do that if I'm standing right there.
I went to the barn yesterday to work with Denali a little bit on the ground. I haven't done it in a LONG TIME since I busted up the knee. I figured I had enough strength in it to brace myself when she flipped out. She stood perfectly calm in the cross ties, and I picked all over her. She doesn't budge at all, except when I massage her, she'll move to where she wants it. She gets moved back, and doesn't like that part.
After grooming her she did her maniac running around the arena, but not nearly as long as she has been doing it. I helped around the barn while D did her thing. Every time she saw me she'd nicker and run up to where she had seen me last. She hasn't done that for a while.
I decided to get the dreaded plastic bag. The thing that she was CONVINCED was going to kill her yesterday. We walked to the middle of the arena. She braced. I said the magic word, "HO" and she let out the biggest sigh, relaxed and stood there. While I flapped that bag ALL OVER. I put it on her back, I put it on her neck, I put it on her head, I touched her legs. Nothing. She would go from watching me, to watching the bag, to watching me.
It's funny, I KNOW that no one can go up to her and do that. I didn't realize how much she totally trusts me. I thought about that the night that the barn went pitch black in a storm and I had to go find her in a field with a flash light, she wasn't happy, but she stayed calm.
I need to remember that if I stay calm, she stays calm. It's easy to forget when she's being the super bitch she can be! I love when people think I'm over reacting to her, then they meet her, "Oh, you weren't kidding." I like that about her though. That and her hatred of small children, unless they bring food.
We were doing lots of ground work and handling, then my trainer broke her femur, then I hurt my knee (January 26th I go back, fingers crossed for riding.) So she's back to her unhandled wild pony beast ways. (See why I changed my blog name? That and she wasn't an appendix.)
I was reading about twiddling ears, and since I started to notice it more recently, some research (I'm either researching for work or for horses) said it can be caused from neurological parasites. I was reading it on my Ipod, so I don't have the link, but I'm wondering too if it is a permenent result from having EPM. I just need to keep an eye on her to make sure she doesn't relapse. That's my biggest fear. She's working back to being her buff self. There was also a bunch of other reasons. I'm going to adjust her bridle to make sure nothing is rubbing on her.
I went to the barn yesterday to work with Denali a little bit on the ground. I haven't done it in a LONG TIME since I busted up the knee. I figured I had enough strength in it to brace myself when she flipped out. She stood perfectly calm in the cross ties, and I picked all over her. She doesn't budge at all, except when I massage her, she'll move to where she wants it. She gets moved back, and doesn't like that part.
After grooming her she did her maniac running around the arena, but not nearly as long as she has been doing it. I helped around the barn while D did her thing. Every time she saw me she'd nicker and run up to where she had seen me last. She hasn't done that for a while.
I decided to get the dreaded plastic bag. The thing that she was CONVINCED was going to kill her yesterday. We walked to the middle of the arena. She braced. I said the magic word, "HO" and she let out the biggest sigh, relaxed and stood there. While I flapped that bag ALL OVER. I put it on her back, I put it on her neck, I put it on her head, I touched her legs. Nothing. She would go from watching me, to watching the bag, to watching me.
It's funny, I KNOW that no one can go up to her and do that. I didn't realize how much she totally trusts me. I thought about that the night that the barn went pitch black in a storm and I had to go find her in a field with a flash light, she wasn't happy, but she stayed calm.
I need to remember that if I stay calm, she stays calm. It's easy to forget when she's being the super bitch she can be! I love when people think I'm over reacting to her, then they meet her, "Oh, you weren't kidding." I like that about her though. That and her hatred of small children, unless they bring food.
We were doing lots of ground work and handling, then my trainer broke her femur, then I hurt my knee (January 26th I go back, fingers crossed for riding.) So she's back to her unhandled wild pony beast ways. (See why I changed my blog name? That and she wasn't an appendix.)
I was reading about twiddling ears, and since I started to notice it more recently, some research (I'm either researching for work or for horses) said it can be caused from neurological parasites. I was reading it on my Ipod, so I don't have the link, but I'm wondering too if it is a permenent result from having EPM. I just need to keep an eye on her to make sure she doesn't relapse. That's my biggest fear. She's working back to being her buff self. There was also a bunch of other reasons. I'm going to adjust her bridle to make sure nothing is rubbing on her.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Twiddling the Ears
Denali's lessor is a saint. I pulled into the barn yesterday and heard this horse SCREAMING. I looked in all the stalls and couldn't figure out who it was, I figured that I'd check on D and Megan first then go say hi to the horse, wherever they were. Guess who? Ms. Denali was being a ROYAL pain in the ass. She was being super naughty for Megan. I guess she was trying to kick when she was in the cross ties, and was being a freakazoid all around. I told Megan to hit her when she's being naughty, but you know that feeling of handling someone else's horse, at least for me, I'm always afraid I'll hit them harder than the owner would want. Seriously, HIT HER when she's being a bitch, you can't hurt her. I gave her a good wack, probably the first one she's gotten from me in a while.
Denali's young still, and doesn't know Megan that well yet. There was no one else around, so I'd guess she didn't feel safe and was scared. It was also poring down rain. Althought, Denali does like to find reasons to freak out. She needs focus. Something that I know, but not something that I'm good at doing
There was one thing she was doing a lot of, and she does it quit a bit when I'm around too, she twiddles her ears. Yesterday it was a lot more than I've seen, but she does do it. My trainer said it was nothing, but me (being hypocondriac owner) wonders if it could be something else.
I also have been giving her Mare Magic to help her stay calm, but I'm wondering if I should give her something else. Mare Magic is 100% natural which is what I like about it, but I am thinking about trying something else. Ideas?
Off to do some work at school on a Saturday. Megan, thanks for dealing with the Wild Pony Beast!
Denali's young still, and doesn't know Megan that well yet. There was no one else around, so I'd guess she didn't feel safe and was scared. It was also poring down rain. Althought, Denali does like to find reasons to freak out. She needs focus. Something that I know, but not something that I'm good at doing
There was one thing she was doing a lot of, and she does it quit a bit when I'm around too, she twiddles her ears. Yesterday it was a lot more than I've seen, but she does do it. My trainer said it was nothing, but me (being hypocondriac owner) wonders if it could be something else.
I also have been giving her Mare Magic to help her stay calm, but I'm wondering if I should give her something else. Mare Magic is 100% natural which is what I like about it, but I am thinking about trying something else. Ideas?
Off to do some work at school on a Saturday. Megan, thanks for dealing with the Wild Pony Beast!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
3 Wishes
I didn't go to school today. I had two appointments for my knee. No surgery, and with physical therapy they said I probably wouldn't need it. Good News.
What does one do with her extra time after going to the doctors? The barn of course. I was a bit apprehensive of going out since the last time I saw the girl she about riped my hands off.
I took Denali a bag of apples. Where did they come from you're wondering? My students all refused to eat them at lunch and brought them back to the room for me to give to her. I tried talking them into eating them, but to no avail.
I went and got her from the pasture and worked on leading going back into the barn. She gets kind of pushy sometimes, and tries to lead me. She seriously was the dirtiest horse! I was impressed! Mud CAKED ON. I groomed her on Sunday, pretty impressive as to how dirty she gets in 3 days.
I put her bell boots on and turned her out in the arena where she proceeded to run like crazy. She was bucking and galloping all over. She did this for 35 minutes. 35 MINUTES! I didn't think it was ever going to end. She was then COVERED in sweat. She then proceeded to roll. I'd really wish that she'd roll the whole way over. I hear it's the same thing as chiro work. She is so buff. I started calling her Arnold tonight.
While I was waiting for her to cool off I was talking to my trainer in the aisle way. I was saying to her how much I missed the one boarder Sarah. About two minutes later guess who pulled in?
I laughed at my skills and then wished, "I wish for a million dollars, not even a million, I'd take a few thousand." I then went to grooming Denali in the cross ties.
A few minutes later my phone rang (I'm NOT even joking.) It was the insurance company. They got the estimate for my car and said they wont' pay to fix it (It honestly isn't that bad, the hood has a dent and the plastic is broken out of the headlight) and instead will pay me 2,200 for my car. I can keep the car, but they suggest I take collision insurance off since they are paying out, and won't pay out again on a car that was considered "totaled."
I seriously at this point was laughing so hard and started making random wishes. I wished that my IA's (Instructional Assistants) would start talking, I wished that Denali and I would start working together as a team, along with the typical healthy life, world peace, etc.
I got home and my one IA had e-mailed me and the other IA about an incident at work that should have been handled differently. Not exactly what I was expecting, but it is communication.
It was a weird, weird night for wishes. I guess I used mine up!
If you could have any three wishes what would they be?
What does one do with her extra time after going to the doctors? The barn of course. I was a bit apprehensive of going out since the last time I saw the girl she about riped my hands off.
I took Denali a bag of apples. Where did they come from you're wondering? My students all refused to eat them at lunch and brought them back to the room for me to give to her. I tried talking them into eating them, but to no avail.
I went and got her from the pasture and worked on leading going back into the barn. She gets kind of pushy sometimes, and tries to lead me. She seriously was the dirtiest horse! I was impressed! Mud CAKED ON. I groomed her on Sunday, pretty impressive as to how dirty she gets in 3 days.
I put her bell boots on and turned her out in the arena where she proceeded to run like crazy. She was bucking and galloping all over. She did this for 35 minutes. 35 MINUTES! I didn't think it was ever going to end. She was then COVERED in sweat. She then proceeded to roll. I'd really wish that she'd roll the whole way over. I hear it's the same thing as chiro work. She is so buff. I started calling her Arnold tonight.
While I was waiting for her to cool off I was talking to my trainer in the aisle way. I was saying to her how much I missed the one boarder Sarah. About two minutes later guess who pulled in?
I laughed at my skills and then wished, "I wish for a million dollars, not even a million, I'd take a few thousand." I then went to grooming Denali in the cross ties.
A few minutes later my phone rang (I'm NOT even joking.) It was the insurance company. They got the estimate for my car and said they wont' pay to fix it (It honestly isn't that bad, the hood has a dent and the plastic is broken out of the headlight) and instead will pay me 2,200 for my car. I can keep the car, but they suggest I take collision insurance off since they are paying out, and won't pay out again on a car that was considered "totaled."
I seriously at this point was laughing so hard and started making random wishes. I wished that my IA's (Instructional Assistants) would start talking, I wished that Denali and I would start working together as a team, along with the typical healthy life, world peace, etc.
I got home and my one IA had e-mailed me and the other IA about an incident at work that should have been handled differently. Not exactly what I was expecting, but it is communication.
It was a weird, weird night for wishes. I guess I used mine up!
If you could have any three wishes what would they be?
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Ugh. Seriously? WTF!
I have had it with today, I want to go BACK to bed and have a re-do.
1. I wrecked my car and it was totally my fault.
2. Denali was taken over by the devil tonight and continually freaked out on the lunge line. I almost sprayed 4 sale on her butt before I left. At one point she turned out and started to run backwards, right towards my trainer...my trainer with the broken femur. I have rope burn all over my hand and consider myself an idiot.
Hope everyone had a better day than me! I seriously have the worst luck EVER!!!
1. I wrecked my car and it was totally my fault.
2. Denali was taken over by the devil tonight and continually freaked out on the lunge line. I almost sprayed 4 sale on her butt before I left. At one point she turned out and started to run backwards, right towards my trainer...my trainer with the broken femur. I have rope burn all over my hand and consider myself an idiot.
Hope everyone had a better day than me! I seriously have the worst luck EVER!!!
Saturday, January 2, 2010
New Year, Same Me
I started out doing really well!! I went out to a horse rescue and volunteered yesterday. One of the horses just came in and has a score of 2/9. He looks horrible. He's been there for three weeks and is doing better. We groomed him for about an hour while he happily ate his food he was given. I feel so bad for horses who's owners suck. It's amazing what can happen when you actually feed them!
Then Ophelia's mom and I went to lunch. Sigh. I have a HUGE weakness when it comes to the chips they give you when you are seated. NO WILL POWER. I only ate about 8 of them. I did order a diet coke, and I must say it was the BEST DIET COKE EVER!! Then Ophelia's mom mentioned (after I drank every drop of my delicious diet coke) that her's was diet. SIGH. So not only did I drink COKE, I ate chips. I did order off the healthy menu. I did OKAY the rest of the day.
Then it was off to the barn. The farrier was there doing their feet, so no lunging for the girls. (I'm nice for a day or two so they don't get sore.) I brought Denali in to groom her and she was a good girl. Some people are proud of their horses for a good ride, Me? I'm proud of her for standing still in the cross ties. She did try to nip me once, which is a new thing. I bopped her in the mouth and I swear that she squinted at me. It was this look of, "I want to bite you so badly right now, but I know I can't." My trainer saw it too and laughed.
I guess the girl who is leasing her has been out a few times. That reminds me, I need to e-mail her to see how it's going. I haven't heard from her since before Christmas. My trainer said they had a good lesson. I was VERY tempted to go ride her today, but I decided that I should wait until my knee is 100% better. That's hard. I now WANT to ride my horse.
In other news of my life (because I know you all love reading it SO Much *kidding*) we're going to move. We live in a bottom half of a house and the upstairs neighbors have twins who are 2. They are loud, our house is dark, and pretty much we can find something bigger for the same amount that we're paying here. 800 sf in Seattle? It's $1000.00 plus utilities. It sucks! Denali's board is $450.00 (almost half our rent, but don't remind my husband.) We went today and saw an AMAZING place, it was HUGE with tons of storage. It also had my three requirements: washer, dryer, dishwasher. We told her we were interested, but then after talking about it we decided to tell her no. It was a hard decision, but it wasn't in the BEST neighborhood and I am alone every summer while the hubby works in Alaska (for new readers he's an archeologist.) I just want to live in a place where I'm not afraid at night. I'm a HUGE baby. I'm 6 feet tall and could PROBABLY take most people, but still. I'm a huge chicken. We're going tomorrow to look at another house, it's more than we want to spend but it looks amazing.
We haven't told our landlords yet. I wanted to tell them, my hubby wants to wait. We're going to let them know before the weekend is over that we're looking. It's weird because they sort of feel like family, and that we're letting them down. I just want more room. My neighbor/landlord DID think that my cross country skis were his and cut them in half to make a sled. He told my husband, NOT me. I'm PISSED! (I'm a pissy person in case you haven't noticed.)
Thanks to everyone who has become a "follower." It's nice to know how many people MIGHT be reading my babbling.
Off to play Mario Brothers Wii with my husband. If you want marital strife, buy the game. We fight non-stop while playing. It's SO FUN!
Then Ophelia's mom and I went to lunch. Sigh. I have a HUGE weakness when it comes to the chips they give you when you are seated. NO WILL POWER. I only ate about 8 of them. I did order a diet coke, and I must say it was the BEST DIET COKE EVER!! Then Ophelia's mom mentioned (after I drank every drop of my delicious diet coke) that her's was diet. SIGH. So not only did I drink COKE, I ate chips. I did order off the healthy menu. I did OKAY the rest of the day.
Then it was off to the barn. The farrier was there doing their feet, so no lunging for the girls. (I'm nice for a day or two so they don't get sore.) I brought Denali in to groom her and she was a good girl. Some people are proud of their horses for a good ride, Me? I'm proud of her for standing still in the cross ties. She did try to nip me once, which is a new thing. I bopped her in the mouth and I swear that she squinted at me. It was this look of, "I want to bite you so badly right now, but I know I can't." My trainer saw it too and laughed.
I guess the girl who is leasing her has been out a few times. That reminds me, I need to e-mail her to see how it's going. I haven't heard from her since before Christmas. My trainer said they had a good lesson. I was VERY tempted to go ride her today, but I decided that I should wait until my knee is 100% better. That's hard. I now WANT to ride my horse.
In other news of my life (because I know you all love reading it SO Much *kidding*) we're going to move. We live in a bottom half of a house and the upstairs neighbors have twins who are 2. They are loud, our house is dark, and pretty much we can find something bigger for the same amount that we're paying here. 800 sf in Seattle? It's $1000.00 plus utilities. It sucks! Denali's board is $450.00 (almost half our rent, but don't remind my husband.) We went today and saw an AMAZING place, it was HUGE with tons of storage. It also had my three requirements: washer, dryer, dishwasher. We told her we were interested, but then after talking about it we decided to tell her no. It was a hard decision, but it wasn't in the BEST neighborhood and I am alone every summer while the hubby works in Alaska (for new readers he's an archeologist.) I just want to live in a place where I'm not afraid at night. I'm a HUGE baby. I'm 6 feet tall and could PROBABLY take most people, but still. I'm a huge chicken. We're going tomorrow to look at another house, it's more than we want to spend but it looks amazing.
We haven't told our landlords yet. I wanted to tell them, my hubby wants to wait. We're going to let them know before the weekend is over that we're looking. It's weird because they sort of feel like family, and that we're letting them down. I just want more room. My neighbor/landlord DID think that my cross country skis were his and cut them in half to make a sled. He told my husband, NOT me. I'm PISSED! (I'm a pissy person in case you haven't noticed.)
Thanks to everyone who has become a "follower." It's nice to know how many people MIGHT be reading my babbling.
Off to play Mario Brothers Wii with my husband. If you want marital strife, buy the game. We fight non-stop while playing. It's SO FUN!
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