Today is my husband's 30th birthday. I want to first wish him a very happy birthday! He's a wonderful guy and I'm very lucky!
Yesterday we had our second "training" lesson with Ms. Denali. I wasn't sure if we were going to actually get a lesson in because my trainer was just starting with another owner and her young QH. I decided I'd work on the lunging we did yesterday, and if my trainer had time then we'd work and if not then no problems.
I got Ms. Denali groomed and ready. Did a little trim job on the mane. Her mane grows SO fast, it's ridiculous! We went out into the areana and my trainer was doing flag work with the young QH (he's 3.) Joe thought that the flag was on fire, so of course Denali was convinced she was going to die.
It was the best lesson I've ever had with Denali. Ever.
My trainer flapped the flag and I lead Denali around the arena. I picked a spot, and focused and confidently lead her around. She was like leading a fire breathing dragon. She was so worked up! I wish I had a picture with her head in the air, and her tail straight up, but I don't. Boo. I kept getting yelled at (not yelled, but you get the idea) to not look at her, but it was so hard because she looked so neat prancing around. I got my head back on and lead her around the arena. She slowly calmed down and started to relax, at one point I told her "good girl" and apparently her entire body relaxed and she let out a huge sigh. I heard the sigh, but did not see her relax. I was too busy being confident and not looking at her. My trainer was very impressed with us. It was a good feeling.
At one point, my trainer took the flag outside and touched things that Denali and Joe hate (i.e. the trailer) I wasn't paying attention and Denali jumping forward to brace herself and landed on my foot. My trainer asked me if I wanted to stop, I said, "Nope, I'll walk it off." Nice bruising though right? :) It's a much prettier color today!
At the end of the lesson I gave some slack on the lead rope and my pony just followed me. She didn't try to run me over or lead me. She followed me. When I'd stop, she'd stop. When I'd turn and face her butt and simply say "back" she'd back up. It was AWESOME! Lol, oh the simple things in life!
Now for the bad news: After our lesson I took Ms. Denali outside to eat some much deserved grass. As I was leading her I noticed she was walking funny. I asked my trainer to watch me lead her and she had a very VERY noticable limp that was not there when I brought her in. :( Her right hind is very swollen and hot. It looks like tendon. I ran cold water on it for ten minutes then wrapped it with a polo wrap to help with the swelling. I mixed up a "dinner" of Bute and Rice Bran. She was only using 3 legs when I left. Poor baby! I'm at work now and have been getting Text Message updates. It's still hot, but the swelling went down.
In other news, I signed up for a 5 week weight loss/weight lifting course! It starts at 5:50 am, so not too excited about that, but excited to get buff, AND loose 30 by 30.
Anyone else find it ironic that BOTH Denali and I are off of the left hind?
5 comments:
Poor Denali! Hope her leg heals fast.
And your foot looks like mine last year (same side too!). There's a boarding stable within walking distance of me, so I though I'd offer to help out since I can't exactly work right now and I really need the exercise. Plus learning about horse care = yay.
Anyway, I was helping to turn the horses out in the evening, and I was leading an OTTB with the barn name of "Really" (because he's big and was apparently a huge 2 yo. I'm 5'5" and I can't see over his withers...) who is the tallest horse there. Sweet a guy as can be.
I got him into the field, and was waiting on the other two to get down there, and I wasn't paying attention to where his feet were in relation to mine... He realized what happened when I was going "ow ow ow" and got a little startled. But, eh, wasn't his fault, so I just laughed at it and petted him and limped off to pop the toe of my boot back out. My foot was a lovely shade of blue for a while.
The nail on my big toe hasn't grown since. >__>
Jingles that the heat and swelling will go away quickly. Glad to hear the lesson was productive even though it was a bit crazy.
I HATE getting stomped on…It’s always my fault of course. The last few times I’ve been lucky and sucked my toes up into my boots quickly enough that they only get the boot not my toes lol.
I like when you said “She was like leading a fire breathing dragon.” That’s EXACTLY how Pinecone was last night. He never acts like a TB unless I’m leading him out of the barn. He gets so worked up, his head is really high and he is spooky of everything, unless he is saddled up which is weird. I joke that he has flash backs or post traumatic stress when he is lead around in the yard. Yesterday was especially traumatic lol, we put on his shipping boots, and loaded him in the trailer. He was shaking and his heart was racing when I lead him up to the trailer yesterday. I’ve never seen him like that. When I brought him home last year he was a saint getting into the trailer. I’m crazy in my thinking but I think he thought he was going to a race track or he was going away from me.. I know it’s crazy to think that…I always think when he is acting weird its memories from the track, but he did spend 5 years of his life on the track so he has to have memories of things that happened there. He’s not spooky otherwise though. It’s just when he’s outside of the fences and barn that he gets nervous. Walks around the yard are in our future for sure!!
Lol..sometimes I feel like we have the same lessons and same fire breathers! You are so much braver than I...if Laz stepped on me I probably would have A. Cried or B. Cried.
GREAT work with Miss D! It's funny how some horses, like our OTTB's are just meant to be happiest when following. SO Important to be brave for them.
Happy 30th to your hubbie..welcome to the club.
Glad the lesson went well, so sorry to hear about the random swelling in her leg though! That is odd. Having dealt with more tendon issues than I'd care to in my life with horses, standing wraps are something to consider using to aid in compression. Polos really arent for injuries at all in my book.
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