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.

OTTB, Multiple Sclerosis - A Day of Rest

My MS has been acting up to the point that I think I may be having an exacerbation, only time will tell. But I still felt well enough to go to the farm and visit Bouffe. It was just as well that I wasn't going to ride because Bouffe's back was still sore. 

I had Leslie look at Bouffe's back and she thought it was arthritic caused by him trying to get off where ever the real problem is. She was going to look at him further today. She also suggested that I try Reiki on Bouffe. One of the boarders is certified in giving Reiki treatments and I should talk to her.

So, Bouffe got a bath and ate hay until he was dry. I also bought some corn oil, which Leslie is going to put in Bouffe's grain to help  him gain weight and his coat to shine. 

The next show is two weeks from this Sunday. I hope we will be ready.

Multiple Sclerosis - The Day After The Horse Show

It took awhile, but late last night it finally all sunk in, Bouffe and I had won three blue ribbons in our first show. I lied in bed thinking about it until I fell to sleep. A sleep that didn't last to long, for I was awakened at 1 AM  by my old friend pain.

I knew I had participated in more activities yesterday than I had ever done, since going on disability fifteen years ago. Now, I thought I had worked up to it gradually, but my body didn't care, and was now reacting with all the usual stuff all at one time: muscle spasms, numbness and tightness in my legs, and what I call the shooting pain that runs from the back of my neck into my shoulders and down my arms. I needed to get up and take some meds, which consisted of three Ibuprofen and a Mirapex.

I never get instant relief, or anything close to it, but after several hours and some comfort food (a peanut butter sandwich) I was back to sleep until six, when the roofers started work on the church across the street.

So, today has been a day of rest; although, I did swim my laps, five rather than the usual ten, I didn't want to push myself but I needed some type of exercise.

I am planing to see Bouffe tomorrow, knowing he needed a day off too, and am sure I would have heard from Patti if anything wasn't just right with him this morning.

I've been thinking about the future a lot today and know I want Bouffe and I to go as far in the show ring as we can. I'm prepared to do the work involved and have no reason not to believe Bouffe will too.   

What a Difference a Day Makes

The weather today is ideal and I had an appointment for a lesson with Tricie at 1 PM. I got to Gunpowder at 12:30 and one of the barn help immediately brought Bouffe in for me. 

The new saddle pad fit well and I thought I had the new stirrups and leathers adjusted properly until I got on. The stirrup leathers were too long and had only one more hole to pull them up to, which still wasn't short enough but had to do for today's lesson. Also, the stirrups themselves were too wide. I had tried to set up the Crosby saddle so everything matched, but so much for looks, I need to be able to post. Because of the weakness in my legs from MS, I need shorter stirrups and irons that won't let my foot slip through when my balance becomes awkward and I have more weight in one stirrup than the other. All of this can be fixed with stirrups and leathers I already have, which might not be as fancy but will work. 

Besides for the stirrup problem the lesson went well and Bouffe is very responsive now that I am carrying a crop. I never used it, but just showing it to him when it was time to trot and he picked up his pace. I am still having problems with being on the right diagonal and I wish I had more time to practice. I never had to post when I rode on the racetrack or schooling horses on the farm, I was always in a two point stance; so, I am out of practice and I feel like a beginner.

Tricie turned Bouffe back out when we were finished our lesson and carried my saddle bag to the car. I guess I am spoiled, because in all my years of hippotherapy Robin always did everything or had someone else do it, so all I had to do was get on the horse.

Bouffe was pretty tired when we were finished and he is getting the day off tomorrow. I hope this is the right thing to do in getting him ready for Sunday's show. Time will tell. I keep on reminding myself Sunday is a schooling show, which is what Bouffe and I will be doing. 

Another Lost Day

I am not real happy with Gunpowder Stables and I told them so. I will never understand why Bouffe was turned out this morning when Tricie knew I had a lesson scheduled with her first thing. But as I pulled in the lane, there was Bouffe, being turned out in a field whose lower part consisted of thigh deep mud and muck of old bedding, which after trudging through it, made it physically impossible for me to go any farther to catch Bouffe and then bring him in through the same mess. So, my planned day of training for Sunday's show was lost and instead, I am now looking for somewhere else to board Bouffe.

Then The Rains Came

The sun finally came out from behind the clouds as it rose on the eastern horizon this morning. It had been raining, sometimes with torrential downpours since Friday and I had not ridden, or even been to the barn, since my lesson on Wednesday. 

But all had not been wasted. During this down time I managed to buy several well needed items and an older Crosby Prix de Nations, which is my favorite saddle of all time. I have been riding for a long time and until recently I always sat on a close contact or an exercise saddle. No matter the saddle, I have had three different ones, I do not feel comfortable on a dressage saddle. The high cantle is not only difficult to get my leg over when mounting and dismounting, but it also pushes me forward and I no longer feel balanced, like I do in this "new" Crosby. After riding for just a few minutes today, I decided to sell my Wintec dressage saddle, which is now listed on eBay.

Now the Crosby didn't fit Bouffe as well as the Wintec did, but the problem can be solved with a withers pad, which was one of the items I bought today. The other was a crop. My legs are just not strong enough yet to continually encourage Boufee to trot and also be able to use them for the other aids. I need some help and I hope the crop will be the answer. 

One other thing I purchased was a pair of rubber riding boots, which will help me get through all the mud I experienced today while bringing Bouffe in from the field. They will also give me an idea of how riding in tall boots will feel. It has been so long since I rode on boots I have forgotten. 

Well tomorrow is my regular lesson and I have a lot of things to work out with Boufee for the show on Sunday. I rode him today in a standing martingale, which did bring his head down enough that I hope it will be something I won't have to thinking about, while I am getting him to walk, halt and trot in the show on Sunday.

A Change In Lesson Plans

Well, I might as well start right off with my news, Bouffe and I are doing a show! The farm where I take hippotherapy, Four Quarters Farm, http://fourqtrsfarm.com/ has a series of schooling shows during the year, which have classes for therapeutic riders. The next show is June the 16th and Bouffe and I are entered in three classes: Walk Halt, Walk Trot, and Trail. I showed in the walk halt and the trail last year and placed second in both, riding my hippotherapy horse who is a retired 1st level dressage horse. To say she was push button is putting it mildly. I knew this year was going to be different.

I told Trecie about my plans before we started the lesson. She knew exactly what I was talking about and wasted no time in getting us started. Of course, the walk halt was easy and Bouffe stopped with just light pressure on the reins. The trotting was a different story. Bouffe was in a lazy mood and also got bored with the constant repetition of walk halt and walk trot. Once I got him to trot he did fine but again my legs told me they still needed more strength to give Bouffe the right signs. After a couple of trips around the ring posting I was tired and getting sloppy, being on the wrong diagonal on several occasions. I have ten days to get my act together or I will have to withdraw Bouffe from the walk trot class.

I knew what I had to do: swim and exercise. Riding Bouffe as many times as I could was going to be helpful also.