The land of the living is a good place to be

Ok, I know I am way overdue for another installment. I wish I had better and more exciting things to report.

Friday I stayed home sick from work, although I was more tired than sick (which is still reason enough to take a “mental health day”) and I rode Sky after a full week off, which she had due to the horse bites on her back as well as the immense rain that wouldn’t let up last week! Friday, she rode like a horse that hadn’t been ridden in a week –s tiff and a little difficult.

Saturday, Lisa was gone up to her trainer’s barn to stay overnight in order to go to a show on Sunday, so I went up there around five to ride with Betsy and then feed. I met Betsy up behind Lisa’s barn, on the power lines and we rode around the trails and down the lines, and then turned around. Sky was pretty content to be following Harvey and wasn’t too adventurous – we did go over a lot of bridges and she did great at that, although not first.

When I got back, I fed and put everyone away and then went back up on Sunday morning to feed and meet Betsy to go on a Blackwater Trailriders ride. This one was in Northfield on some snowmobile trails which were pretty nice. She did ok on the rocks, I always feel bad when she’s ouchy but after the ride she is never worse for wear. The rocks were not our big issue, though – it was the DEERFLIES! Ewww… they were swarming all of us, horses and people alike and it made the majority of the ride unpleasant. One woman had a fly whisk, which seemed like a genius idea at the time! The rest of us used branches to brush the flies away, which the horses kept trying to eat! Sky and I were both grateful I’d given in and bought her the doily looking ear net thing which was draped over her ears and face. It looks like she just fell out of grandma’s sitting room, but it kept the bugs off!

Anyway, after that ride, I went home and got some pizza with Karl (Feta, Broccoli and Spinach was a bad choice by me) – after that I didn’t feel so good. I don’t blame the pizza, but that didn’t make my stomach feel better. After not sleeping well I did try to drag my butt to work but after one look, they sent me home. I spent the rest of the day sleeping and preparing to die, and thought I felt better the next day. I made it through three hours of work before going home again on Tuesday, but felt much better in the afternoon.

So, I rode Tuesday and Wednesday and that brings us to today. She’s doing great! Her trot is slowed down a lot and her lope is improving at such an impressive rate, I can’t believe it. She has collected her stride so that we are both balanced and she is listening when I ask her not to drop her shoulder. She is still trying to get her head up at the lope, though and I have to tweak her with the reins to get her to drop her head. But she listens and that is the most important thing.
She’s a funny horse, my horse. She is full of personality and heart and shows it all on her face – even Lisa says she has expressions. We’ll be getting ready for the August 10th show, next weekend. Other than that my goal is to get to some cows and do some sorting!

C