Yesterday I had Vera's teeth done. We were unsure when she last had them done, and I was unwilling to stick my hand in her mouth to check. My friend (the super-famous-wonder-vet) came out to do them for me (for free I might add.) It was weird to have a horse who stood perfectly still with so little sedation. Denali took at least three doses to be able to do her teeth, and it was dicey at that.
She was such a good girl. Towards the end the sedation wore off and she got a bit concerned. I just started petting her and telling her that she was fine, and she was. As long as I stood next to her, she was fine. It made me feel good that even though I haven't seen her in two weeks she trusted me.
After leaving the barn I started to miss Denali. I haven't heard about her in a few weeks so I decided to call and check on her. Poor guy that owns her now, I'm sure I drive him nuts. He is a really nice guy. I didn't keep him on the phone very long (don't want to wear out my welcome.) The conversation went something like this.
Me: "Hi, How are you? I was just calling to make sure Denali hasn't killed anyone."
Him: "She's been totally fine the whole time. Not one problem."
Me: "Denali? The bay mare?"
Him: "Yes, your horse."
Me: "Okay, that's good. I'll let you go."
I guess when Denali gets 40+ acres to run around on (and that's the small pasture) she does fine behaviorally. He still hasn't see her do anything neurological, which makes me ecstatic that the bazillions of dollars I spent on her (and blood, sweat, and tears) didn't go to waste.
My summer is filling up with random family coming to visit. I am excited, but am getting nervous about making it out there to see Denali. I need to nail down a date and plan a trip I guess.
Hope all is well in your worlds! Happy Friday.
Friday, June 8, 2012
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Lost and Found
I can't believe how fast time goes! I can't believe that it has been two weeks since I've even been to the barn, let alone ridden. Life got in the way. I went away for Memorial Day weekend with my husband, and them on Tuesday last week I woke up with the Plague. I don't remember the last time I got so sick so fast. It wasn't fun.
A few fun things have happened in the past two weeks.
1. Ophie's mom came back into town. We got to spend the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend hanging out and visiting Ophelia. Ophie looks good. We at at a place called "Jim Bob's Chuckwagon." It was delicious.
2. I won! You may remember me saying in January that I joined a gym. Then I also joined their biggest loser contest. Honestly I didn't try too hard towards the end (enter chocolate) but kept working out and going to the gym. I ended up losing 22.2 pounds in 3 months. While I was happy, I never thought in a million years I would win. So, I'm the overall winner for my gym. The other overall winner (male) from my gym won the city, and I will be surprised if he didn't win it all. He doesn't even look the same.
So those are my two exciting things. We've been fostering kittens for the shelter and they are adorable!! I haven't heard about Denali in a week or so. It's hard to not call and drive them crazy, but I don't have any worries. I just miss her pretty face. This is the first month that I haven't paid board or supplements in 4 years. 4 YEARS!! My bank account is confused. So is my credit card company. I think Smartpak misses me.
Tomorrow I go to the barn and Ms. Vera gets her teeth done. Maybe I will get back on her here at some point before the end of the month! School is out on the 22nd so I will have more of a life after then!
A few fun things have happened in the past two weeks.
1. Ophie's mom came back into town. We got to spend the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend hanging out and visiting Ophelia. Ophie looks good. We at at a place called "Jim Bob's Chuckwagon." It was delicious.
2. I won! You may remember me saying in January that I joined a gym. Then I also joined their biggest loser contest. Honestly I didn't try too hard towards the end (enter chocolate) but kept working out and going to the gym. I ended up losing 22.2 pounds in 3 months. While I was happy, I never thought in a million years I would win. So, I'm the overall winner for my gym. The other overall winner (male) from my gym won the city, and I will be surprised if he didn't win it all. He doesn't even look the same.
So those are my two exciting things. We've been fostering kittens for the shelter and they are adorable!! I haven't heard about Denali in a week or so. It's hard to not call and drive them crazy, but I don't have any worries. I just miss her pretty face. This is the first month that I haven't paid board or supplements in 4 years. 4 YEARS!! My bank account is confused. So is my credit card company. I think Smartpak misses me.
Tomorrow I go to the barn and Ms. Vera gets her teeth done. Maybe I will get back on her here at some point before the end of the month! School is out on the 22nd so I will have more of a life after then!
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Riding in the rain
I love the PNW in the summer. What I hate is when we get a taste of summer for a few days, and then it goes back to 55 degrees and drizzle. Boo.
Tonight I had a lesson with the owner of GWB. She hasn't seen me ride Vera in a few weeks. I sort of wanted to show her what we've learned. I am still saddleless, but a friend of mine was out and is letting me borrow her Custom VLX, so that is some stress off of me. It is a 17.5, so it doesn't quite fit, but it's close. I spent yesterday sitting in every saddle I could get my hands on in both local tack shops. Fail. I give up for now.
Vera spent her time in the cross ties pressing her butt up to the bars of my friend's over opinionated large red mare. It totally pissed off the Giant Red Mare, and Vera stood there, with a I swear a smile on her face. I laughed so hard at her.
We were 15 seconds late for our lesson. Opps. So much for getting there early. I ran into a few friends while we were walking to the arena. Positives about having a barn full of friends. Negative of having to walk 200 yards to the arena.
We did a lot of walk/trot, walk/canter, transitions. I totally suck at keeping steady contact with the inside rein, and I have developed a horrible habit of opening my hands up, and dropping contact. Vera tried the llama neck a few times, and it was the first time since pre-accident, that it made me mad and not scared. She was a bit lazy and so we worked on going forward without me constantly harping on her. More discussions than normal, but I think it was because I was making her work harder than normal.
At one point my I made a comment about buying Vera from her owner in cupcakes. My trainer laughed and said she's a great horse for me now, but that I will quickly outgrow her abilities. I had to laugh. I'm glad she has enough faith in my that I will actually improve and advance. I don't know what I want to do riding wise right now. I love dressage, but I don't know if I want to compete with "the big girls" (as I say to my friends.) I think I'd be perfectly happy having a horse to just enjoy spending time with. We'll see. I'm going to keep leasing and perfect my cupcake making skills just in case. It sounds like no one has been inquiring about her and since she's leased out, and getting regular work, no one is worried about it. Wheww...
Our ride ended with some nice transitions and I called it a day a few minutes early. She was doing so well, and I wanted her to remember that bending and turning = breaks. Plus, a friend of mine was bringing her fire breathing horse in to lunge. I'll have to take a video. I forgot what it was like to have confidence.
I took Vera up to the barn to "get undressed" and she did her normal, poop in the aisle way. Sadly, it's been a bit runny, and even sadder? My tack box was sitting right next to her. Now I have a poop colored tack box which I was too tired to tackle. (Tired = grossed out.)
I love my barn and I love Vera!
Tonight I had a lesson with the owner of GWB. She hasn't seen me ride Vera in a few weeks. I sort of wanted to show her what we've learned. I am still saddleless, but a friend of mine was out and is letting me borrow her Custom VLX, so that is some stress off of me. It is a 17.5, so it doesn't quite fit, but it's close. I spent yesterday sitting in every saddle I could get my hands on in both local tack shops. Fail. I give up for now.
Vera spent her time in the cross ties pressing her butt up to the bars of my friend's over opinionated large red mare. It totally pissed off the Giant Red Mare, and Vera stood there, with a I swear a smile on her face. I laughed so hard at her.
We were 15 seconds late for our lesson. Opps. So much for getting there early. I ran into a few friends while we were walking to the arena. Positives about having a barn full of friends. Negative of having to walk 200 yards to the arena.
We did a lot of walk/trot, walk/canter, transitions. I totally suck at keeping steady contact with the inside rein, and I have developed a horrible habit of opening my hands up, and dropping contact. Vera tried the llama neck a few times, and it was the first time since pre-accident, that it made me mad and not scared. She was a bit lazy and so we worked on going forward without me constantly harping on her. More discussions than normal, but I think it was because I was making her work harder than normal.
At one point my I made a comment about buying Vera from her owner in cupcakes. My trainer laughed and said she's a great horse for me now, but that I will quickly outgrow her abilities. I had to laugh. I'm glad she has enough faith in my that I will actually improve and advance. I don't know what I want to do riding wise right now. I love dressage, but I don't know if I want to compete with "the big girls" (as I say to my friends.) I think I'd be perfectly happy having a horse to just enjoy spending time with. We'll see. I'm going to keep leasing and perfect my cupcake making skills just in case. It sounds like no one has been inquiring about her and since she's leased out, and getting regular work, no one is worried about it. Wheww...
Our ride ended with some nice transitions and I called it a day a few minutes early. She was doing so well, and I wanted her to remember that bending and turning = breaks. Plus, a friend of mine was bringing her fire breathing horse in to lunge. I'll have to take a video. I forgot what it was like to have confidence.
I took Vera up to the barn to "get undressed" and she did her normal, poop in the aisle way. Sadly, it's been a bit runny, and even sadder? My tack box was sitting right next to her. Now I have a poop colored tack box which I was too tired to tackle. (Tired = grossed out.)
I love my barn and I love Vera!
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Thursday Lesson
I was in such a fluster over my lack of saddle that I forgot to really mention my lesson on Thursday. I think it's probably important (for me, not really anyone else) to keep track of good things, especially since I like to focus on the negative all the time.
Our lesson was with the other trainer again. I really like her as a person, but LOVE her as a trainer. She's actually gearing up to try out for the Paralympics this summer in London. Trials are in Gladstone this June. If you'd like to make a donation to one of the people who help me stay sane you can do that here. If you ever wanted to jump on someone's band wagon, now is the time! She leaves next Friday. Even if you just share her story on FB, that's helping. I'm still selling bracelets to help raise money.
Back to the point of this post...LESSON. Ms. Vera was a saint. She was so good while I put pads and such on her back trying to figure out the right combination of stuff to make the saddle fit her for our lesson. I thinks she fell asleep while I got on her. I was so excited about the saddle that I didn't even thing about being nervous. Winning. I plopped (not in a good way) down in the saddle and instantly knew that it didn't fit me. Boo. We got work right away and attempted to walk on a straight line with our head NOT in the air. Success. She still likes to play torpedo on the straightaway (go as fast as she can on straight lines.) After about 5 laps she figured out that wasn't going to work. At one point I dropped my reins and was controlling her with just my seat. That's a new feeling for me. Denali never grasped that concept and Mr. never went fast enough to have to slow him down. It was so fun. I (for the first time in maybe forever) felt like the horse was listening to me and that I could tell she was listening to me.
After warming up we did more serpentines and figure-eights at the trot. She went low and on the bit almost the whole time. No llama necking for us. At one point I noticed another rider in the arena and thought, "hu, they look really good together." Then I realized three things in quick succession. A. I'm an Idiot. B. It was me in the mirrors C. She makes me look little! My arms weren't doing their normal bounce all over the place and Vera looked good. God, I love this mare!
We did some canter transitions and aside from trying to dive down and touch her feet, Vera was a peach. The trainer told me that I did the nicest transition to canter that she's seen anyone do on Vera. I told her it's because we love each other. :0) I spent Friday trying to figure out how I can buy Vera. Then I realized that's the riding endorphins speaking, and I "shouldn't" jump back into buying a horse. I'm committed to Denali, and I'm afraid that the moment I sign those papers Denali will need a home. Vera is much easier to rehome than Denali. Maybe in a few months. I have moments of panic because Vera IS for sale. I really like her a lot, but I have only ridden a few horses. I think of it like dating, I don't want to jump back into a relationship without testing the waters a bit more. However, if anyone had an extra $6,000 laying around ..... I think if I had the money I would buy Vera in a heartbeat, but then again everything happens for a reason. If I'm meant to have Vera, it will figure itself out. Right! Right?
Our lesson was with the other trainer again. I really like her as a person, but LOVE her as a trainer. She's actually gearing up to try out for the Paralympics this summer in London. Trials are in Gladstone this June. If you'd like to make a donation to one of the people who help me stay sane you can do that here. If you ever wanted to jump on someone's band wagon, now is the time! She leaves next Friday. Even if you just share her story on FB, that's helping. I'm still selling bracelets to help raise money.
Back to the point of this post...LESSON. Ms. Vera was a saint. She was so good while I put pads and such on her back trying to figure out the right combination of stuff to make the saddle fit her for our lesson. I thinks she fell asleep while I got on her. I was so excited about the saddle that I didn't even thing about being nervous. Winning. I plopped (not in a good way) down in the saddle and instantly knew that it didn't fit me. Boo. We got work right away and attempted to walk on a straight line with our head NOT in the air. Success. She still likes to play torpedo on the straightaway (go as fast as she can on straight lines.) After about 5 laps she figured out that wasn't going to work. At one point I dropped my reins and was controlling her with just my seat. That's a new feeling for me. Denali never grasped that concept and Mr. never went fast enough to have to slow him down. It was so fun. I (for the first time in maybe forever) felt like the horse was listening to me and that I could tell she was listening to me.
After warming up we did more serpentines and figure-eights at the trot. She went low and on the bit almost the whole time. No llama necking for us. At one point I noticed another rider in the arena and thought, "hu, they look really good together." Then I realized three things in quick succession. A. I'm an Idiot. B. It was me in the mirrors C. She makes me look little! My arms weren't doing their normal bounce all over the place and Vera looked good. God, I love this mare!
We did some canter transitions and aside from trying to dive down and touch her feet, Vera was a peach. The trainer told me that I did the nicest transition to canter that she's seen anyone do on Vera. I told her it's because we love each other. :0) I spent Friday trying to figure out how I can buy Vera. Then I realized that's the riding endorphins speaking, and I "shouldn't" jump back into buying a horse. I'm committed to Denali, and I'm afraid that the moment I sign those papers Denali will need a home. Vera is much easier to rehome than Denali. Maybe in a few months. I have moments of panic because Vera IS for sale. I really like her a lot, but I have only ridden a few horses. I think of it like dating, I don't want to jump back into a relationship without testing the waters a bit more. However, if anyone had an extra $6,000 laying around ..... I think if I had the money I would buy Vera in a heartbeat, but then again everything happens for a reason. If I'm meant to have Vera, it will figure itself out. Right! Right?
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Saddle Hunt Continues
I had a lesson on Thursday with Ms. Vera. The more I ride this horse, the more I love her. She pulls just enough shit that I need to say on top of my game, but I never feel unsafe. Boy, do I love her! We used the saddle that we had on trial for our lesson. I was so so excited, but unfortunately it didn't fit me. (Insert Sad Face.) My femur is so long that I put myself into a chair position in order to get it behind the blocks. Which means that I go back to the drawing board.
HELP!
I need a saddle that is adjustable. Either by me (easy) or by a saddle fitter. It needs to be at least 18 inch seat, and long flaps. The saddle I tried was 18 inch seat, but I think it would have fit if it didn't have as massive blocks. Price depends on the saddle.
Do you have suggestions? I've been looking, and I find some that I think would work, but without a trial, I'm not willing to go there. There is a local saddle fitter I am working with, but I am also searching on my own.
Denali's new owner called me. (Even though he still calls her "your girl.") She's doing really well. She's out running with his horses, and he hasn't seen her take a wrong step yet. I'm so happy! He said that his horses had to have a "discussion" with her as to who is in charge, but it went well and she quickly caught on. He invited us out this summer to watch his son in the rodeo. I hope it coincides with a time we can go.
HELP!
I need a saddle that is adjustable. Either by me (easy) or by a saddle fitter. It needs to be at least 18 inch seat, and long flaps. The saddle I tried was 18 inch seat, but I think it would have fit if it didn't have as massive blocks. Price depends on the saddle.
Do you have suggestions? I've been looking, and I find some that I think would work, but without a trial, I'm not willing to go there. There is a local saddle fitter I am working with, but I am also searching on my own.
Denali's new owner called me. (Even though he still calls her "your girl.") She's doing really well. She's out running with his horses, and he hasn't seen her take a wrong step yet. I'm so happy! He said that his horses had to have a "discussion" with her as to who is in charge, but it went well and she quickly caught on. He invited us out this summer to watch his son in the rodeo. I hope it coincides with a time we can go.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
101 Things To Do With Your Stall Bound Horse (Revisited)
I'm going out tonight to try out the saddle and have a lesson on Vera. I'm excited. It is sunny out, but still chilly (which is sad after our B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L weekend.) Then I'm off to one of the islands near Seattle for a long girls weekend. I was just looking through this blog and found this that Ophie's mom made for me when Denali was on stall rest.
So funny! I like a good laugh!
101 Things To Do With Your Stall Bound Horse:
1. art class!
2. clicker training
3. There are about 7500 varieties of apples in the world. But which
is her favorite?
4. Perfect your horse massage technique.
5. Patent and sell photo-op with "Famous Glass-Legged Thoroughbred"
6. Still life photography
7. Perfect art of body-clipping
8. Tell people she's about to foal. Set up webcam. Laugh.
9. Teach her to stand square. Impress your vet.
10. Apply temporary tattoos to shaved area. Let the hair grow back.
Next ultrasound appointment - surprise your vet!
11. Make casts of her hoofprint and decorate. Sell to raise money for
vet bills.
12. Offer her as a demo-tester to companies selling "no-chew" sprays.
13. Hang a blue screen behind her, photoshop her image in front of
famous landmarks
14. Hoof glitter polish inspired make-over
15. hypnosis
16. Use her as test subject for new horse-treat baking enterprise.
17. Become You-Tube famous
18. Make her bedding into a zen garden
19. Story hour
20. Hug-tolerance training
21. Record her nickers. Remix. Get record deal.
22. Teach her to pick up her feet with a verbal cue.
23. Cover stall wall with white paper. Screen "The Black Stallion"
"National Velvet" etc
24. Bedazzling!
25. Stall window-box garden. (Instant compost built right in!)
26. Train as watch-dog to spot intruders
27. Teach her to hold a sponge and see if she'll polish your tack for you
28. Bridle model
29. Learn really, really complicated braiding techniques
30. Hang intro dressage patterns in her stall. Maybe she'll learn by osmosis.
31. Speed eating contests
32. Hold up a mirror, see if she pins her ears
33. Daily weight-taping + excel = chart making fun!
34. Hold a lottery, where $1 buys one guess as to how much she'll
weigh after 90 days stall rest. Winner gets first ride
35. Photograph 1x per day. Make really boring flip-book
36. Play horseshoes with pulled shoes
37. Drive trainer crazy by demanding her transitional housing be
EXACTLY 20x20. Claim the vet said it makes a difference.
38. Buy her inflatable arm floaties to get her ready for swim-therapy
39. Enter to be on "Extreme Makeover: Home Addition" with request for
"X-Treme Rehab Pad"
40. Write "Letters from A Woodinville Jail" from her perspective a la
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
41. Enter "Dee Nali" in local school board race. When she wins, have
her give you a raise.
42. Start a blog... wait, nevermind
43. Learn to make rope halters
44. List her as available for a partial-lease. Claim that you will be
able to give the leasor "the REAL experience of what horse-ownership
is like"
45. Send vet hourly text message updates on her condition
46. Hang a keyboard in her stall at head level. Tell people she sends
you messages. Convince them you are serious.
47. Have her subscribe to "Field and Stream" "Thoroughbred Studbook,
2010", and "Apartment Living". Have them delieved to the barn owner's
mailing address. If asked, tell them she gets bored easily and needed
reading material.
48. Checkers
49. See how many sketchy registries (eg "Blue-Eyed Horse Society") you
can get her registered in
50. Aisle-way dance party
51. Start a petition to bring back tan M&Ms. Explain to Mars, inc that
you'll never be able to build a life-size M&M sculpture of your horse
without them
52. Start a religon, call it "Denali-ism" Religious rites consist
mainly of eating
53. Install a call-button in her stall
54. Assign your class to make her Get-Well cards
55. Learn acu-preassure
56. Market her as "extraneous finger removal" service for children
57. Learn to sleep standing up. Take naps together.
58. Post her profile on Match.com
59. Make balloon-animal-esque hay sculptures.
60. Wine tasting
61. Meditate on the nature of time
62. Brush her teeth
63. Threaten to enter the stable dog in showmanship-in-hand if she
doesn't get well
64. Play catch
65. Body paint zebra stripes
66. Set up a TV and turn it to the Farm Network for her
67. Use the stall window bars as a loom. Weave new stable blankets
68. Make her a really big friendship bracelet
69. Make her a calendar and let her X the days as they go by
70. Take really crappy pictures of her and market her on Craigslist
for "stud service" count how many self-righteous emails you get
71.Drinking games
72. Edible flower arrangement
73. Distance-learning classes. Get her GED
74. Launch a campaign to get her (non)story covered on the local news
75. Pen a series of haikus with her: "Day 5 of my jail/How I long to
see my friends/so I can bite them"
76. Cut Ralph Lauren logos off old clothes and sew them to her polo wraps
77. Get her a pet. Birds would be nice.
78. Compose emo songs together
79. Paint a mural on her stall walls (easier to beg forgiveness than
ask permission vis-a-vis property owners on this one)
80. Tether ball
81. Pull her shoes. Become a fanatical devotee of Barefoot Horses.
When she returns to work, put shoes back on and disavow any knowledge
of your previous beliefs
82. Teach her poker, lose your money to her in new ways
83. Translate her wall-kicking into morse code, discover hidden messages
84. Drag in a kiddie pool. Splash together
85. Unicorn-horn ring toss
86. Sand/bedding castles
87. Water bucket bobbing for apples
88. Start a punk band with Denali on drums
89. Request autographs from B list movie stars. Hang in her stall
90. Send post cards from her to your friends' laid-up horses
91. Put on a puppet-nonnie show
92. Books on tape. Maybe Agatha Christie?
93. Costume Party
94. Next vet visit, explain that you bought your own ultrasound
machine. Then whip out an etch-a-sketch
95. Whittling. She's a natural!
96. Braid flowers into her mane and play "If You're Going to San
Francisco..." on repeat. Explain to trainer that Denali is now
exploring "enhanced consciousness" due to the reserpine
97. Bake bread, Denali can help with kneading
98. Publish children's books together, start with "How Timmy Learned
Not to Stand Behind the Horse and Other Fun Decapitation Tales"
99. Get her a chemistry set. What could go wrong?
100. Earthquake readiness drills.
and...
101. Smile, this too shall pass.
So funny! I like a good laugh!
101 Things To Do With Your Stall Bound Horse:
1. art class!
2. clicker training
3. There are about 7500 varieties of apples in the world. But which
is her favorite?
4. Perfect your horse massage technique.
5. Patent and sell photo-op with "Famous Glass-Legged Thoroughbred"
6. Still life photography
7. Perfect art of body-clipping
8. Tell people she's about to foal. Set up webcam. Laugh.
9. Teach her to stand square. Impress your vet.
10. Apply temporary tattoos to shaved area. Let the hair grow back.
Next ultrasound appointment - surprise your vet!
11. Make casts of her hoofprint and decorate. Sell to raise money for
vet bills.
12. Offer her as a demo-tester to companies selling "no-chew" sprays.
13. Hang a blue screen behind her, photoshop her image in front of
famous landmarks
14. Hoof glitter polish inspired make-over
15. hypnosis
16. Use her as test subject for new horse-treat baking enterprise.
17. Become You-Tube famous
18. Make her bedding into a zen garden
19. Story hour
20. Hug-tolerance training
21. Record her nickers. Remix. Get record deal.
22. Teach her to pick up her feet with a verbal cue.
23. Cover stall wall with white paper. Screen "The Black Stallion"
"National Velvet" etc
24. Bedazzling!
25. Stall window-box garden. (Instant compost built right in!)
26. Train as watch-dog to spot intruders
27. Teach her to hold a sponge and see if she'll polish your tack for you
28. Bridle model
29. Learn really, really complicated braiding techniques
30. Hang intro dressage patterns in her stall. Maybe she'll learn by osmosis.
31. Speed eating contests
32. Hold up a mirror, see if she pins her ears
33. Daily weight-taping + excel = chart making fun!
34. Hold a lottery, where $1 buys one guess as to how much she'll
weigh after 90 days stall rest. Winner gets first ride
35. Photograph 1x per day. Make really boring flip-book
36. Play horseshoes with pulled shoes
37. Drive trainer crazy by demanding her transitional housing be
EXACTLY 20x20. Claim the vet said it makes a difference.
38. Buy her inflatable arm floaties to get her ready for swim-therapy
39. Enter to be on "Extreme Makeover: Home Addition" with request for
"X-Treme Rehab Pad"
40. Write "Letters from A Woodinville Jail" from her perspective a la
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
41. Enter "Dee Nali" in local school board race. When she wins, have
her give you a raise.
42. Start a blog... wait, nevermind
43. Learn to make rope halters
44. List her as available for a partial-lease. Claim that you will be
able to give the leasor "the REAL experience of what horse-ownership
is like"
45. Send vet hourly text message updates on her condition
46. Hang a keyboard in her stall at head level. Tell people she sends
you messages. Convince them you are serious.
47. Have her subscribe to "Field and Stream" "Thoroughbred Studbook,
2010", and "Apartment Living". Have them delieved to the barn owner's
mailing address. If asked, tell them she gets bored easily and needed
reading material.
48. Checkers
49. See how many sketchy registries (eg "Blue-Eyed Horse Society") you
can get her registered in
50. Aisle-way dance party
51. Start a petition to bring back tan M&Ms. Explain to Mars, inc that
you'll never be able to build a life-size M&M sculpture of your horse
without them
52. Start a religon, call it "Denali-ism" Religious rites consist
mainly of eating
53. Install a call-button in her stall
54. Assign your class to make her Get-Well cards
55. Learn acu-preassure
56. Market her as "extraneous finger removal" service for children
57. Learn to sleep standing up. Take naps together.
58. Post her profile on Match.com
59. Make balloon-animal-esque hay sculptures.
60. Wine tasting
61. Meditate on the nature of time
62. Brush her teeth
63. Threaten to enter the stable dog in showmanship-in-hand if she
doesn't get well
64. Play catch
65. Body paint zebra stripes
66. Set up a TV and turn it to the Farm Network for her
67. Use the stall window bars as a loom. Weave new stable blankets
68. Make her a really big friendship bracelet
69. Make her a calendar and let her X the days as they go by
70. Take really crappy pictures of her and market her on Craigslist
for "stud service" count how many self-righteous emails you get
71.Drinking games
72. Edible flower arrangement
73. Distance-learning classes. Get her GED
74. Launch a campaign to get her (non)story covered on the local news
75. Pen a series of haikus with her: "Day 5 of my jail/How I long to
see my friends/so I can bite them"
76. Cut Ralph Lauren logos off old clothes and sew them to her polo wraps
77. Get her a pet. Birds would be nice.
78. Compose emo songs together
79. Paint a mural on her stall walls (easier to beg forgiveness than
ask permission vis-a-vis property owners on this one)
80. Tether ball
81. Pull her shoes. Become a fanatical devotee of Barefoot Horses.
When she returns to work, put shoes back on and disavow any knowledge
of your previous beliefs
82. Teach her poker, lose your money to her in new ways
83. Translate her wall-kicking into morse code, discover hidden messages
84. Drag in a kiddie pool. Splash together
85. Unicorn-horn ring toss
86. Sand/bedding castles
87. Water bucket bobbing for apples
88. Start a punk band with Denali on drums
89. Request autographs from B list movie stars. Hang in her stall
90. Send post cards from her to your friends' laid-up horses
91. Put on a puppet-nonnie show
92. Books on tape. Maybe Agatha Christie?
93. Costume Party
94. Next vet visit, explain that you bought your own ultrasound
machine. Then whip out an etch-a-sketch
95. Whittling. She's a natural!
96. Braid flowers into her mane and play "If You're Going to San
Francisco..." on repeat. Explain to trainer that Denali is now
exploring "enhanced consciousness" due to the reserpine
97. Bake bread, Denali can help with kneading
98. Publish children's books together, start with "How Timmy Learned
Not to Stand Behind the Horse and Other Fun Decapitation Tales"
99. Get her a chemistry set. What could go wrong?
100. Earthquake readiness drills.
and...
101. Smile, this too shall pass.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Luck
I don't know who my guardian angel is, but THANK YOU! (They read the Internet right?) I have been so lucky lately, and I don't know how I went from "If it can go wrong, it will" to being so lucky and fortunate. So much good has come into my life lately, and I just can't get over it. I am so grateful.
In another turn of not-so-unfortunate-events, I may have hit the saddle jackpot. No joke. When I started leasing Vera, I fell in love with the saddle that I was riding her in. Sadly, it was not her saddle, and I could no longer use it. I have been borrowing my friend's saddle for now, but when you have femurs the length of a 4 year old, it is hard to fit into their saddles without my knees pointing out over the blocks. It's awkward.
In discussing my need for a saddle, my trainer said I should contact the rep that she uses. I had been talking to the rep. (to appease my trainer) via e-mail about how I need a saddle, can't afford a saddle, and if I could afford a saddle, it would not be a Custom Saddle. They cost more money than I make in a month. She had given me a few options with price tags, while less than brand new, was still more money than I want to spend on a saddle, especially when I don't own a horse. She is super nice and has been helping me try to find something in my price range (which isn't very large.)
Yesterday while I was doing barn chores the rep came to the barn. We've met a few times, and I moved her horse in when she came for training. I waved and kept going about my business. In one of our last e-mails she asked if I had irons and leathers, and told me to bring them. While doing grain I noticed her pulling out a saddle from her car.
Enter the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my entire life.
She showed it to me and told me to try it. I was terrified to touch it, let alone try the saddle out. It's a BRAND NEW Custom Coronado Signature. It has silver threading, and is just beautiful. I told her that while, the saddle is perfect, and I loved it I should probably not try something out that I can not afford. Sort of the same thought as wedding dress shopping, don't try anything on that you're not willing to spend the money on.
I tried to give her reasons to not try it. I explained that it was stupid to buy a saddle when I don't own a horse. No luck there, the saddle is fully adjustable, and she can adjust it. I decided to just lay it out, and explained that I would be WAY out of my price range...WAY. She sort of smiled and handed me a paper to sign. The paper was the trial form, and on it was written the price. I asked her if that was the price to just try the saddle, and she said, "No, that's the price of the saddle." I sort of stared at her, and tried to not cry. I questioned her as to how the saddle could SUBSTANTIALLY LESS than it is suppose to cost (as in my price range less.) She smiled, and told me to just try it. (Note to self: Continue being super nice to her horse.)
So I spent the next 30 minutes just staring at this saddle. About this time my friends came back from the horse show and I showed them the saddle. I told them I sort of feel like I'm buying point shoes while I'm just starting ballet. They had valid opinions why I should just try the saddle. They somehow magically think we'll be ready to show by the end of the summer. I laughed at them. I'm difficult to fit. True, the saddle is 18 inches with a long flap.
Thursday I have a lesson with my friend again so I can try out the saddle. No point in getting totally excited about it if it won't work. After writing all of this it may not work out, but that's okay. It's pretty enough that I ALMOST wouldn't mind it just sitting in my house. So, thank you saddle guardian angel. I guess if it's suppose to work out it will work out!
In other news, I've been trying to figure out what to do with this blog...do I just keep going, do I start a new one... I think I'm going to just keep going. I'm too lazy to make (and keep up) another blog, and who knows. I might have a trailer pull up next week with a TB inside of it. I did learn that "Green + Green = Black + Blue" but I don't really want to change my title. I guess I should take off that part that says, "The story of an OTTB and her mom." Maybe I should write, "A tragic love story." At least it has a happy(ish) ending. Thoughts?
I took out her brushes to the barn yesterday and cleaned them. I only broke into tears once yesterday. Pretty good if I think so. I miss her, but know that I made a good decision. I think.
In another turn of not-so-unfortunate-events, I may have hit the saddle jackpot. No joke. When I started leasing Vera, I fell in love with the saddle that I was riding her in. Sadly, it was not her saddle, and I could no longer use it. I have been borrowing my friend's saddle for now, but when you have femurs the length of a 4 year old, it is hard to fit into their saddles without my knees pointing out over the blocks. It's awkward.
In discussing my need for a saddle, my trainer said I should contact the rep that she uses. I had been talking to the rep. (to appease my trainer) via e-mail about how I need a saddle, can't afford a saddle, and if I could afford a saddle, it would not be a Custom Saddle. They cost more money than I make in a month. She had given me a few options with price tags, while less than brand new, was still more money than I want to spend on a saddle, especially when I don't own a horse. She is super nice and has been helping me try to find something in my price range (which isn't very large.)
Yesterday while I was doing barn chores the rep came to the barn. We've met a few times, and I moved her horse in when she came for training. I waved and kept going about my business. In one of our last e-mails she asked if I had irons and leathers, and told me to bring them. While doing grain I noticed her pulling out a saddle from her car.
Enter the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my entire life.
She showed it to me and told me to try it. I was terrified to touch it, let alone try the saddle out. It's a BRAND NEW Custom Coronado Signature. It has silver threading, and is just beautiful. I told her that while, the saddle is perfect, and I loved it I should probably not try something out that I can not afford. Sort of the same thought as wedding dress shopping, don't try anything on that you're not willing to spend the money on.
I tried to give her reasons to not try it. I explained that it was stupid to buy a saddle when I don't own a horse. No luck there, the saddle is fully adjustable, and she can adjust it. I decided to just lay it out, and explained that I would be WAY out of my price range...WAY. She sort of smiled and handed me a paper to sign. The paper was the trial form, and on it was written the price. I asked her if that was the price to just try the saddle, and she said, "No, that's the price of the saddle." I sort of stared at her, and tried to not cry. I questioned her as to how the saddle could SUBSTANTIALLY LESS than it is suppose to cost (as in my price range less.) She smiled, and told me to just try it. (Note to self: Continue being super nice to her horse.)
So I spent the next 30 minutes just staring at this saddle. About this time my friends came back from the horse show and I showed them the saddle. I told them I sort of feel like I'm buying point shoes while I'm just starting ballet. They had valid opinions why I should just try the saddle. They somehow magically think we'll be ready to show by the end of the summer. I laughed at them. I'm difficult to fit. True, the saddle is 18 inches with a long flap.
Thursday I have a lesson with my friend again so I can try out the saddle. No point in getting totally excited about it if it won't work. After writing all of this it may not work out, but that's okay. It's pretty enough that I ALMOST wouldn't mind it just sitting in my house. So, thank you saddle guardian angel. I guess if it's suppose to work out it will work out!
In other news, I've been trying to figure out what to do with this blog...do I just keep going, do I start a new one... I think I'm going to just keep going. I'm too lazy to make (and keep up) another blog, and who knows. I might have a trailer pull up next week with a TB inside of it. I did learn that "Green + Green = Black + Blue" but I don't really want to change my title. I guess I should take off that part that says, "The story of an OTTB and her mom." Maybe I should write, "A tragic love story." At least it has a happy(ish) ending. Thoughts?
I took out her brushes to the barn yesterday and cleaned them. I only broke into tears once yesterday. Pretty good if I think so. I miss her, but know that I made a good decision. I think.
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