Another Good Ride - OTTB - Multiple Sclerosis

I had another good ride today on Bouffe; in fact, it was better than the one last Friday. The reason being, a new, at least for Bouffe and me, saddle. 

Last week I purchased this older all leather saddle on eBay with the intention of reselling it. It doesn't have a manufactures name and is well worn, but still a beautiful saddle that is in good condition. I noticed when I took it out of the box that the gullet was narrow. Upon measuring it I found it has standard quarter horse bars, which is what fits Bouffe. The only draw back was that is was only a 15" saddle. But I figured what the heck, I would try it out anyway. Ends up a 15" saddle fits me better than the 16," plus it also gave Bouffe more room between the pommel and his withers. The Abetta saddle I have been using lays right on the saddle pad and directly on top of Bouffe's withers. I can fit my finger between the pommel and the pad on this new saddle.

There was definitely a difference in the way Bouffe moved today also. His shoulders seemed freer and he jogged around the ring without constant encouragement like he was feeling much better. The same held true when we did figure eights and serpentines and he never acted lazy as he has before. My conclusion was the Abetta was hurting him. I know it made a big difference in mine and most likely his experience while we were riding for a half and hour. I am anxious to show Eileen next week when she is back from vacation how much better Bouffe and I are both doing. Weather and my health permitting I hope to ride again on Friday.    

My Best Ride In Quite Awhile - OTTB, Multiple Sclerosis

Well, it has taken me ten days to get back, but today was the best session I have spent with Bouffe in a long time. First off I stopped taking the Baclofen that was prescribed for me to take three times a day. I stopped it because it was making me tired, but after a day of not taking it I discovered I was walking better too. Today was the best I have walked leading Bouffe to and from the ring along with grooming him and tacking him up.

I hadn't ridden earlier this week because on both occasion I was too tired by the time I got Bouffe ready and just put him back in the stall. But today I had more energy along with better mobility and rode for thirty minutes. I was even able to get Bouffe to jog once around the ring instead of just along one side. I did drop my stirrups down one hole, which made it much easier to get on, along with more stability when I was jogging. I worked on my neck reining and the longer stirrups made the legs commands more effective also. Bouffe is learning and I was able to get him to bend to the right and the left with just a little direct rein and a lot of leg. All and all this was a really good day!

Lesson Learned - Multiple Sclerosis

After five minutes, my lesson today with Eileen was rained out. It was just as well, because Bouffe was not too happy being ridden in the rain, with thunder rumbling off in the distance. But, in just that five minute time I learned a very important lesson : I wanted my western saddle back.

Even though it was for a very short period of time I did not feel secure or comfortable in by beloved Passier. It is the finest saddle I have ever owned, but when Bouffe didn't particularly like doing figure eights with the upcoming storm off in the distance, I tightened up and really missed the deep seat and especially the horn of my Abetta. 

Since I attribute my Multiple Sclerosis and the poor balance it caused with breaking my arm, I have finally realized how seriously I can get hurt and now the person who rode horses no one else would, has a fear of falling off. As I said almost a year ago in this blog I am going western and this time I plan on staying there. 

Another Good Lesson - OTTB - Multiple Sclerosis

Bouffe and I had another lesson with Eileen this morning. She is such a good teacher and coach. I was able to get Bouffe to trot one complete circuit around the ring, which doesn't seem like a big deal, but since I couldn't get him to trot even half that far last week Eileen said it was a big improvement. I alternated between sitting and posting, which also went much better than last week. This was also my first lesson wearing the Tommie Copper clothes, which definitely made a big difference as my legs felt stronger.

This might all change when the Passier saddle I just bought arrives next week. Of course it is English and the one I owned before fit me and Bouffe perfectly and was the most comfortable saddle I had ridden in to that point. I will be interested to see if I still feel that way now that I am riding Western. 

Eileen rode Bouffe at the end of the lesson and he took it all in stride, just like everything else he has been asked to do. He is such a wonderful horse and definetly a spiritual being.

OTTB, Multiple Sclerosis - A Really Good Day

Riding Bouffe this morning was the most enjoyable it has been in quite awhile. The biggest factor being that we both felt good. Bouffe had a quickness to his step I haven't experienced lately and even though it was only in the upper thirties, I felt good also, a lot of that having to do with the new saddle.

I thought the Billy Cook was the most comfortable saddle I had ever ridden in, but this Abetta is even better. It gave me the kind of ride I could sit in all day. I rode Bouffe today for at least thirty minutes and my legs never got tight or felt tired. Plus, the Abetta has a close contact feel and my leg commands came through much better than they did when I rode on the Billy Cook. The Abetta also seems to be more flexible, which also increased my comfort level.  Now there is nothing wrong with the Billy Cook, it is a fine saddle, just more saddle than I need at this time.

Now even though Bouffe was feeling good I took it easy because the ring was deep and not good footing for a horse with an old bowed tendon. We practiced neck reining, which Bouffe is getting better at, as we did figure eights and serpintines between our clockwise and counter-clockwise laps around the ring.

Bouffe coat continues to look good, even with the long hair, it glistens in the sunlight. I am very pleased with how things went today and hope it will continue as Bouffe and I get ready for that first April show, which will be here before we know it.

OTTB - Rained Out

I did get to the farm yesterday and saw Bouffe, but it was raining so hard I wasn't even able to get him out of his stall. I did talk to him while I feed him his carrots and he seemed to listen just like his always does. There is just something about him that makes him seem to be more than just your average horse. I still consider him a gift directly from God.

I did purchase another saddle, which should be here soon. It is made by Abetta, which is a well known brand of synthetic saddles and I am looking forward to getting it, hopefully before I try to get back to the farm on Friday.

OTTB - Saddle For Sale

The new saddle did arrive on Monday afternoon and I took it to the farm this morning, with the intention of having a pleasurable experience, since the saddle was so much lighter and I wouldn't have to struggle to put it on Bouffe - but that wasn't the case. It was lighter and is a good looking saddle, especially with the matching bridle and breast plate, but it wasn't the size in the original listing. It has full quarter horse bars, which is considered a wide saddle and much too big for Bouffe.

I wanted so much for the saddle to fit that I put it on Bouffe anyway hoping maybe it wasn't as wide as it looked. After I tightened the rigging it did appear to fit, but once I mounted, after getting over the very high cantle, the saddle sunk down and was resting on Bouffe's withers, which wasn't going to work. So after fifteen minutes I got off and put the saddle back in my car. The saddle is now for sale and will be listed on eBay as soon as I finish the listing, which will have the correct information about the saddle. I will be asking $150.00 or best offer for the saddle, a string girth, the bridle and the breast plate.

Enough about the saddle. Bouffe was really looking good today and seemed anxious to do some work. But of course that never happened, which I think was alright with him, because the saddle seemed to be bothering him and he walked like he was tying up. He was fine once the saddle was off his back and enjoyed his carrots. When I put him back in his stall he acted differently and followed me to the door, instead of eating his hay. He stood their with that look in his eye, like he was telling me everything would be alright and he was there when ever I wanted to ride. I know it might sound ridiculous to some of you, but I am certain this horse is a gift from God, who was definitely there today, in that look in Bouffe's eyes. 

Multiple Sclerosis - Even Though They Say It Can't Happen

I wrote last Wednesday how sore I was and blamed it on all the time I spent with Bouffe on Monday - but I was wrong. Every doctor I asked and every article I read said it was safe to take a flu shot, which I had done on Tuesday - WRONG!!!

After I dug deeper into articles post on the Internet by reputable sources, I found out that the flu shot is called safe because in studies 95% of the people had no reaction to it; but, what about the other 5%, which I seemed to be a part of. It is thought that at least some of the 5% had a reaction to the mercury that is the base for the flu shot. The mercury level is considered safe by the FDA, but there is a small amount of individuals who still get mercury poisoning, which has the same side affects as a MS exacerbation. And bingo, that sure sounded like me. 

So, I rested over the weekend and had hippotherapy this morning, which went well, but I still didn't feel strong enough to ride Bouffe too. Bouffe was glad to see me but was most interested in the carrots he knew I had. But he waited patiently while I groomed him and even pulled his mane before he got the first carrot.

Because of switching to a western saddle and the experience I had at the Thoroughbred symposium, I have been reading articles about cowboy and rodeo terms. When reading an article about rodeo terms I came across the word Bufford: An animal that is easy to ride and work around. I am now wondering if Bouffe's nickname isn't Bufford. I remember that originally I was told Bouffe's name was Bouffer, which I couldn't find any reference or definition on the Internet, so I changed it to Bouffe which is found in the French dictionary. Bouffer sounds much like Bufford, which is now Bouffe's name. 

OTTB - Learning To Neck Rein

Even with the first signs of winter hair, Bouffe's coat shone brightly after I groomed him, which is a good sign of how much better he is doing and feeling. After all the rain we have had, the sun is still a rare sight in the sky and today was no different with overcast skies and a cool breeze. But it was still good to get back in the western saddle, which my body still seems to appreciate when I throw my right leg over the cantle and ease down into the seat.

In our session today I had two things I wanted to accomplish : practice neck reining and sit to the trot. The last time I rode, Bouffe and I worked for almost the entire thirty minutes on neck reining and I expected to practice some more today. Wrong! Bouffe remembered. He wasn't perfect but still showed that in just one session he had learned the basics. With just a little snag of the direct rein first I then placed the neck rein over his opposite shoulder and he turned. After several times I stopped using the direct rein and he had gotten the hang of it, much better to the right than the left, but still a big improvement from last week. Bouffe continues to amaze me. He is an excellent example of how smart OTTBS are and how willing they are to learn. 

The same thing happened when we worked on a sitting trot. It has been over a week since we practiced but from that session Bouffe  had gotten the idea that if he slows down his trot just a little I can sit comfortably on his back and stop bouncing up and down. I shouldn't have been surprised that he had figured this out. He is such a remarkable horse that I put nothing out of reach as to what he can learn. 

After many treatment of iodine wash and Furicin the cracked heel Bouffe has had for awhile is finally clearing up. I treated it one more time and fed Bouffe his carrots before putting him back in his stall. All is well.

OTTB - Thoroughbred Makeover

I spent the day at the Thoroughbred Makeover and saw numerous former racehorses who are now successful in new careers. There were show jumpers, a police horse, polo ponies, barrel racers and Dale and Duck. Of all the makeover trainers, I have been following Dale Simanton and his progress in converting Drake's Dancer (aka Duck) from racehorse to ranch horse, in his Gate to Great Program at Horse Creek Thoroughbreds in Newell, South Dakota. http://www.gatetogreat.com/

I walked back to the barn and met Dale and Duck. Dale is quiet and humble. I felt it a privilege to meet a true cowboy. 

Duck reminds me so much of Bouffe. Not on looks, but by his quiet demeanor and willingness to please. There are many videos of Dale and Duck on the Retired Racehorse Training Project website http://retiredracehorsetraining.org/ but the best one is the one found here http://retiredracehorsetraining.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=560:a-tribute-to-a-great-team&catid=102:dale-simanton&Itemid=398 I need to say no more.

OTTB - Training To Jog and Retired Racehorse Training Project

I rode Bouffe today for the first time in a week and he and I both enjoyed the session. Now that Bouffe is in a stall he has gained weight just in a few days, probably from the extra feed. He was on his toes, which was a good sign and I never had to ask him to walk on and not plod. 

Teaching Bouffe to do a slow trot (jog), so I can sit the trot, is going to be a long process, for Bouffe is a typical OTTB and only has two speeds - walk and gallop. The trot is just pass through on the way from the walk to a gallop. Even when I did tight circles and serpentines Bouffe kept up his fast trot and would have galloped if I just moved my hands up his neck. So, as much as I tried I could not sit, I just bounced if I didn't post, which you don't do when riding western.

Riding western is still very comfortable for me and doesn't irritate the tightness and numbness in my legs the way riding English did. I figured out a new way to get the saddle, which weighs thirty pounds, closure to where Bouffe is cross tied in the barn. The saddle stand is on wheels that make it easy to push closure to the tack room door right outside of where Bouffe is standing. It keeps me from struggling to carry the saddle the length of the tack room and makes it much easier to tack up and put away. 

Today's session started out good and ended good. A student of Leslie's, Monica, is going to groom, lunge, and ride Bouffe on Saturdays, starting tomorrow, with the goal of boosting his conditioning. If everything works as planned Bouffe and I should be all set for the show on the twenty-seventh.  

Tomorrow I am going to the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium sponsored by the Retire Racehorse Training Project. One of the makeovers was done by a western trainer, who taught his OTTB to be a cutting horse and compete in barrel racing. I am looking forward to tomorrow with hopes of picking up some pointers for training Bouffe.

OTTB - Longer Western Ride

Today was Bouffe's first day back since the show and he felt great. He was anxious to work and I rode him for about thirty minutes instead of the usual twenty.

I am teaching him how to jog (do a slow trot). He will go several strides jogging but then moves to what he is familiar with, the trot, and a quick trot at that.We also practiced tight circles around barrels at a walk. I've been watching some barrel racing on television and think it would be fun to try it with Bouffe. Switching to western tack has definitely been a good change for Bouffe and me.

OTTB - Western Makeover

I went to see Bouffe this morning and received reports of more praise for Bouffe and me from yesterday's show. The judge left a message that we should continue to compete western, for we were phenomenal and said I rode as well if not better than many of the able-bodied riders. I also found out the mystery person who greeted me leaving the ring yesterday, was a barn owner, who had brought her riders to participate in the show.

There was also talk of Bouffe and me participating in some other therapeutic classes in several other local shows.  Changing my riding style from English to western has had remarkable results and I am looking forward to Bouffe and my future in the show ring.

Bouffe was fine this morning and since I had hippotherapy he got a day off. Starting in October Bouffe will have a stall and no longer be on field board. This will make it much easier on him and me because the stall is next to his paddock and close to the tack room. I am anxious to get back on Bouffe on Wednesday.

OTTB - Three Blue Ribbons Again

Bouffe and I were in two western pleasure classes and one western trail class at the farm's schooling show. Again, we won all three classes. Bouffe did better going western than he did before in English tack and the western saddle is much more comfortable for me to ride in.

These were again all therapeutic riding classes and the judge told me Bouffe and I need to move up to the novice level, which was a complement and one I will follow. When we were leaving the ring a woman, I did not know, shook my hand and said she was very proud of me, which meant a lot to me since I still don't know who she was. We also receive congratulations from several other riders, including Leslie, who said our performance was awesome.

Another highlight was Bouffe going into the indoor ring without a problem for the trail class. He took the whole show scene in stride and happily went out in his paddock when we had finished.

OTTB - Going Western

All of the western tack I ordered arrived yesterday and I didn't sleep too well last night thinking about all of the logistics. First off the saddle weighs thirty pounds; it not that I can't lift it, it is just that because of the weight it is easy for me to loose my balance when I carry it, which means I was going to the farm early so I can drive in front of the barn. There is no way I could carry this saddle down the hill from my normal parking spot. Then after I get there, the saddle has to fit Bouffe and since this is my first western saddle, Leslie will need to check the rigging to make sure I have it on right and show me again how to adjust the length of the stirrups.

Well, to make a long story short I got the saddle to the farm, into the barn, it fit Bouffe and I rode him for about thirty minutes. Bouffe jogged better than he ever has since I have owned him; to the point, that I had to ask him to walk after we jogged two complete turns of the ring. I didn't want to do a whole lot with Bouffe, because he was a little foot sore from the farrier trimming him yesterday. The Billy Cook western saddle fit me better than any English saddle I have ever ridden in. It was amazing that the more I rode the better my legs felt. Plus I could walk with out any pain when I got off. I was a little stiff but it was nothing compared to riding English. I am riding western from now on.

The next show is Sunday and I plan to show Bouffe western in the walk, halt, the walk jog halt and the trail class. These are all therapeutic riding classes and I hope I have some competition. Stay tuned for an update on Sunday.