With grad school coming to an end, I've been excited to get back to riding. Little by little, we've been doing more jumping and more cantering. Spyder's attitude has been so much better so we've been using that to get more accomplished. He's finally shedding and looking a lot better. His prior front right injury has been wonderful. There has been no heat or swelling even with all of the cantering we've been able to do. FINALLY, we've been able to canter all around the big field. He's quiet and more willing than even before which has been nice...
After a ride, pondering his torture. :)
...AND THEN... Cellulitis. I went to take a lesson, and I assumed he was stocked up from standing in the shed due to rain overnight. He was sound in the field, picked up his feet nicely, and walked out to the ring just fine. Once we warmed up, the trot was awful. It was more a running walk than anything, so we went back to the barn. He had a fever so my trainer suggested he get bute and SMZ's. He got both and went in a stall per the vet to make sure the infection didn't spread, if that was in fact the issue. The vet came out to check on him (yesterday) after I saw he got a bit more swollen the night before. Two doses of bute and SMZ's and an injected boost of other antibiotics, he appeared more sound at the trot. I hosed his legs and felt some heat, but we're all confused as to why it was both legs. Usually, it's just one, but he didn't want to put his right rear leg down the night before so it was possibly causing the other to swell. His left rear had the heat the next day, though. Strange. The vet even made a joke about his legs because I mentioned it's always something. It's "ring around the rosie" with injuries on the legs as she put it. She'll be back to do more injections today and tomorrow and will be getting me steroids to bring the legs back to normal (hopefully). He'll be back in the field today (and I'm sure he'll be much happier as he made noise and called to each person that came in the barn to remind them that he needed to go back out.. haha), but I'm in Georgia for work so I am having the barn owner check on him. Let's hope it's not a recurring issue because we've got to keep moving forward... it's been so nice. :) Can't wait to see how it looks tomorrow morning.
Let's hope he heals up soon so I can get off the farm and get back to riding. Three weeks of grad school left (2 papers, 2 exams, 3 discussion posts), and I'm free for good. Spyder will be happy he'll get more time off in June than I would like because we're going to Yellowstone and Glacier National Park for 11 days. I can't wait to get some dates on the schedule for clinics and trailering to whatever events to get some more experience under his belt. I need to make some sort of goal or set up an event so that I work towards it. Not having one, riding can be pretty boring. I hope that we can hit a few cross country jumps by the end of the summer, too. His jump is coming along nicely, but for now, we just need sound and clean legs. I do need to upload pics and videos that I have so that all of the progress can be seen. It's been great.
I had a lesson Saturday. It was flat work and lots and lots of circles to get Spyder moving off of my leg. Since we skipped jumping (he behaved),it was just 30 minutes. I worked on his canter to trot transitions in a circle in hopes of working on some dressage tests sooner rather than later. I couldn't decide if I wanted to do the open 4-h show the next day until the next day, but he was so good, I was really considering it.
Sunday, I woke up late, but I still got my butt and trailer to the barn to get Spyder out for a bit. I thought about doing some of the walk/trot classes, but instead, we just schooled. He was quite himself in the beginning, squirming and having his way with where he wanted to go, so I hopped off and got the crop. With a crop in hand, he threw one cow kick out but continued on as he was told. We even worked on some cantering at the fairgrounds (because usually he tried to pace when he's nervous). He held his canter and was calm as a clam. Good horse.
When I got home, I usually pull the truck and trailer around for my
husband to park it, but this time, I decided it was worth a shot to back up
for the first time. I have the basic concept down from years of
going out on the boat and figured it was about time. Well, I did better
than expected, and I backed the trailer all the way down the driveway
without having to pull up and start over. I did all of this without
hitting the grass, too! It's pretty straight! I love this little
trailer! :)
So it's been a while. Grad work and some health issues have been getting in the way of my riding. When I do get to ride, I take it easy because of my leg (achielles tendonitis that's got me going to physical therapy) and Spyder's bad leg. Go figure, we both have a right leg issue.
Anyways, with the 30 mins of riding for pleasure and 2 lessons back, we started some moving forward exercises. Some small jumps with trot and canter poles have given us a lot to work on. We need rhythm and balance and it's getting there. We both are recovering from a long winter of nothing and injuries so we'll definitely be taking it slow.
I need to find some clinics and events to trailer to in the near future. We're ready to take our progress off the property and enjoy the scenery.
Also, Spyder got his mane chopped off after his big day of little jumps. Haha. Pictures of him all bathed and the setup are below. Trot poles on the left, trot to canter jumps in the middle, canter poles on the right (which he can't handle, but tries).
I'm back! :) I always wanted to check out Ocala and I finally got to! My instructor went down for a month with her horse and another she had for sale with two other girls from the barn to live with her trainer and get in lots of horse time. I was the third student to fly down there to ride the sale horse that she brought down with her. I haven't shown or jumped a course in a while, but hey, why not?
The flight was just $49 so I had to do it. Because of all of the snow, I didn't get the full 4 days, but instead, just two. It was OK because I shoveled out of the storm and made it there to enjoy two BEAUTIFUL days of weather. It was flurrying there on Saturday so I missed most of the cold and it rained the day after I left. It was in the 60's on Saturday and 70's on Tuesday. PERFECT weather!
Monday was the first day of exploring the area. We went to 3 of the many tack shops and stopped at some food trucks that cater to the local "horse people" since that is what Ocala is all about. Since I was planning to do a schooling show with the horse on Tuesday, we tacked up for a ride and rode from the house over to HITS where we schooled on the most beautiful footing I have ever ridden on. I popped over a cross rail and a small vertical in preparation for a full course the next day to get a feel for Copper. The jumps there are so very beautiful, and the Grand Prix ring was awesome to see! He's for sale! :)
HITS Ring
Tuesday morning, we went to Longwood South to do the schooling show I decided to go for. A COURSE?! What?! I haven't done a full course in quite some time. Maybe 6 jumps, but 10?! WHAT? What'd I sign up for? The farm is absolutely AMAZING! I have never been to a nicer place, and it was quite intimidating to see so many high level professionals in one area as the day went on. Their cross country courses and several barns that I saw were picture perfect, and the whole place looked like it came out of a magazine. I rode like a slob, but the goal was to finish the courses and not fall off - both happened. Now, we just need to work on breathing.
This weekend I plan to ride Spyder both days. We still have a lot of snow, but I hope the track melted at least. I will also be judging a musical show at the barn that several of the kids are participating in. I'm excited to see what they have been practicing and hope that they showcase all of their saddle time they have had in the indoor these past few weeks.
It's been a while and I'm not even sure where I left off. (Yes, I didn't even read my last post). Anyways, Spyder is done his visits to New Bolton. They were WONDERFUL with him and even said they would see him again prior to jumping again, if I wanted. Since he has had no heat on the flat, I feel like everything is going well still!
We have still just been doing flat work and have continued to work with steering and using his back. He's come a long way since the injury, and I feel like he's matured enough to finally get somewhere. He still will throw a nice buck or kick out, but they are far less and the spooking is a lot better. I'm not even sure where I want to go from here. I know I want to jump again at some point, but I don't want to push it. I'll keep with the flat work until the spring and go from there.
I got a new saddle (I'm in LOVE). It's a Devoucoux. I rode in one at the farm when the sales person came out for demos, and I knew I would end up getting one the second I sat in it. There was more room for my leg to be on him and the seat was wider which I loved. It puts me more upright and I feel like I can sit back and enjoy the ride vs. being pushed forward and not sitting down. It's a lot nicer on the back, but I was still sad to part with my old saddle. It went to a little girl for Christmas, and it makes me happy that she will love it like I did.
I also booked a trip to Ocala yesterday. I always wanted to see the area, and I'm happy I'll get to trail ride it and possibly show while I'm there. I will be sure to post photos of the trip and post about it. I haven't done much since grad school has been in the way, but I have a break until March 1. I have just 2 courses left until I am completed with the program, and I can't wait for it to be over!
He can go out alone in a smaller field and move up soon. This is the first he's been on a field in over a year, and I can't wait until he can be a real horse again and run around with his friends from his old paddock! I'll just close my eyes when he runs - haha!
So since the last post, a lot has happened, and I'll summarize those events.
The appointment went WELL! They could see even more healing in the ligament and I began to canter as a result of the good news. Spyder is living in the round pen until we canter for 5 minutes for a week (this week), and I'll put him out solo in a pen with grass. Once I see that he behaves, I'm going to put him back in his old field with the other 5 or so horses. I am going to turn him out and look away because I don't want to see him run! We've been up to 20 minutes of trot for some time. I doubt he'd be trotting/cantering in the field for extended periods of time, but it's still nerve racking. The old injury in that same RF is still visible, and the heart mur mur is the same.
Now, it's time to look for a better fitting saddle. I've been using my jumping saddle if I take lessons or ride other horses, but my dressage saddle has been working out well for Spyder. He lost his top line which makes it hard to decide on the timeline for when I should start trying some, but I look forward to it! The trailer is back in order (took him to the appointment myself), and I plan on getting off the farm every now and then. Spyder and I have been so bored for so long that it's going to be nice!!
Oh, and Happy Birthday, Spyder! He turned 8 yesterday!
