Starting Again

This photo is from July 27th, 2012, almost three years ago.  The photo shows Kelsey sitting so lovely and light and helping Violet develop roundness.  That summer was fun, as Kelsey rode both Renny and Violet.  I'm 51 now.  I posted last Easter and haven't put any more time toward this blog since then.  But I am hoping to get back to writing this blog.  I haven't quite figured out how I want to approach this blog, but I do know that I want to make some changes to reflect changes in priorities in my life.

I'm older now and I love my ponies so much, as well as my animals and my gardening.  I'm thinking more about what I want to accomplish with my life and trying to bring my best to my students and my work.  And I'm trying to find more time for family and for relationships.  Here's where I'm at -- I'm older and stiffer!  Renny has some stiffness too in his left hind. His doctor will come and evaluate him in a few weeks to see what we can do to help him.  This past weekend, Renny was in a dressage clinic and the clinician said that Renny's toe drag sounds simply like a stifle issue and that there were an "infinite" number of ways to improve and strengthen a stifle and that he felt that I could make Renny as good as new, but that I needed to get educated.  So, I want to become a more educated rider, mostly.  I want to read more about how to ride.  I want to breathe more and feel my body and their bodies more.  I want to research how to massage, stretch, exercise, and care for my horses.  I want to be a better teammate all the way around.

And that's all for now.

Easter at 50

Today was Easter.  And I don't really have anything to say.  The day was beautiful. My horses were sweet, soft, and happy.  And I gardened and wrote letters and just enjoyed myself.  You can see in this photo that I've become plump with middle age.  But I'm happy and healthy and active.  And I have the world's best team mates.  I still can't believe that I have a thoroughbred and sport pony to share good times.

Riding through Parts Unknown!

Well, I have complicated feelings about my blog.  And I sure think that I will continue having them.  And I will probably go back and forth with shutting and opening my blog.  But I have to keep it up.  I have things I want to say about my life and my horses and my students and everything.  So, here's what I know, I've learned a great deal about people the past few weeks that has really enriched my understanding of myself and others' motivations.  And I've really enjoyed getting back deeply into a research project I am loving.  And my students are working hard in both my methods and population and society class.  So, I'm going to start up my blog again and think about the new directions I want to take my musings about my equestrian life, my life as an aunt, and my gardening, among other things.  Jackass is sitting right behind my MacAir.  He jumped up here the second that I started up my blog again.  He's my muse.  And I can tell that he's pleased that I'm starting up my blog again because he is purring like a little freight train and rubbing his teeth and mouth along the top of my screen.  All good!  I'm back, baby!

Starting Again...

Well, it's been almost a year since I last posted.  I almost debated not returning to my blog, but I think I am ready.  I'm still on my equestrian journey.  I still have Violet and Renny.  I turned 50.  I'm learning so much about the ways I want to be a horsewoman.  I'm learning from both good and bad examples.  I am not sure what to say in my first post after an absence.  But here are some thoughts.  I love my horses and I love riding.  I love how smart and caring Violet and Renny are.  I love how willing and athletic.  I am looking forward to new challenges in the coming year.  I have lots to say about different adventures and misadventures and I'm not sure exactly what I want this blog to cover. So, for now, I'll just say that I look forward to tentatively beginning anew.

Thinking about Tasks

I won't always have these creatures in my life.  And so, I need to think about how to enjoy every wonderful moment.  I try to be mindful.

Love from the Ground Up!

Check out the look of that hunter cow pony!  Every part of my life with him is good!  I love him from the ground up!  Namaste.

Preparing for Spring Rides!

Every opportunity the weather has given me this Spring, I've taken.  I've wanted to be sure that I was preparing for happy Spring and Summer rides.  So, a few times, I've ridden Violet and Renny around the farm, including one happy day when Ricky opened up the gate and Renny and I and Eclipse and Hope just walked on out the door and enjoyed the world!  And I've ridden Violet several times now, around the farm and in the pony ring.  And she's been great, just wonderful.  She's been obliging, soft, ready.  She's been gentle off my leg.  She's been desirous to show me her flying lead change.  I just am so proud of her and so happy to be with her.  I can honestly say that my love and appreciation for her grow. That my time with her is always pleasant and fun.  I feel whole with her.  I feel like she's a gift from G*d to me.  I am glad to know that when I die, I can say that I was friends with such a great mare.   I know I'm being dramatic.  But I'm also being stone cold true.  Anyway, I'm getting sappy.  My point? I'm looking forward to riding with blue skies above!!

Renny's Patient Trainers

I've been really blessed in my life.  Renny has been a blessing his entire life.  And so are the people he's drawn into my world.  When he was a little guy, so sweet and charming, I had one little tiny slip of a hope -- that I might be able to sit on his back just once before having to sell him.  I never dreamed that I'd be riding and enjoying and jumping him.  I never dared to dream.  But I've been doing that and more.  And he's had wonderful trainers to help me.  He's had Kelsey, the best rider I've ever known, along with her sister, Emily.  I will never forget the day that I was down by the river at Lake Tomahawk with my Dad and Mom when I first was confronting how sick my Dad is and how he needs rehabilitation in the nursing home.  I was standing there with him and I get a phone call from Kelsey, asking permission to start training on Renny.  It was wonderful.  And she brought happy brave quiet good cheer to him every single ride.  He was proud to give his best for her.  Proud to really bring it.  And he had Alyssa, another young lady with profound grit and cheer.  And I could tell that he loved her too.  And now here is his youngest trainer -- a patient sweet kind brave cheerful intelligent girl. Renny sure knows how to pick 'em!!!  And each and every one of Renny's sweet girls is teaching me -- the power, the virtue, the lovingkindness of patience!

My Wonderful Hunter Mare!

My Wonderful Mare in Training!

Here are a video and photo of my lovely mare.  I was feeling discouraged about her toward the end of the summer because she was racing and rushing the jumps. But Jill helped me learn how to negotiate and feel her and be just the right balance of strong and soft.  And now Violet truly listens about pace to the jumps and straightness and trueness.  It's been a wonderful experience.  But now I have to be a bit more bold because my Violet is fearless -- she's happy to jump filler and boxes and stone and brick walls.  And I know she wants me to jump those things with her!

My Good Pony!

Here are August 3, 2012 photos of Renny with his favorite friend, Kelsey.  He just loves her.  They are having a dusty little late summer ride.  He had a great summer with her and then I gave him a little scare in the winter, so I got him a new young trainer and friend, Larissa.  And Larissa has been a patient kind trainer for him. She trusts him.  She gives him her trust.  And he's been responding.  I say this because today he had a big test of character.  He'd had several days off and she came out and the indoor arena had every door open, including the big wide door by the end gate as well as the side gate with Chewy in the single.  Renny was happy to walk, trot, canter past all gates in a quiet obedient listening way.  And then she took him to the small and large outdoor arenas where he was a super star again.  I was very proud of his first spring day with all three major obstacles.  Larissa's winter trust paid off.  

JJ1

My Sweetheart and Her Trainer!

Here's a little photo of my tired mare and her trainer, Jill.  Jill is really helping Violet become more supple, looser, and confident.  She's got great advice about where my mare is stiff.  And she's helping Violet become more straight and true. But what I'm writing about today is my Sunday routine.  This winter, I took a MOOC course on Equine Nutrition out of the University of Edinburgh by Dr. JoAnn Murray.  I loved the course.  She gave great information and explained the physiology of horses and their nutritional needs in clear language. She explained the different types of forages.  And what was great is that she talked about how to monitor your horses' conditions.  So, now, every Sunday, I love to do a little Wellness Exam. I get my stethoscope and listen to their bellies and hearts.  I take their temperatures, and check their ears, eyes, nose, and mouth.  I feel their legs and inspect their hooves.  I put thrushbuster on their frogs, and oil in their manes and tails.  I inspect them with the Henneke body conditioning scoring system.  And I take their weight in two ways -- by a formula system and by a weight tape.  I've been doing this routine for about 5 weeks now and my ponies "get it."  They know it's not a time of work.  It's a time of rest.  And love.  And bonding.  They relax.  They enjoy.  They listen to me listen to them.  They wait with love and patience for my hands and heart.  And for the treats!

Renny Jumps Boxes and Flowers!

Here are some iPhone snaps of my little pony, my power pony, just hanging out.  Larissa and I have been riding Renny this winter and helping him with his dressage and jumping.  And, in fact, Renny's been having a blast at jumping boxes, flowers, walls...nothing bothers him.  He likes verticals, he likes it all!  In fact, his personality has begun to flower again, now that he's getting new challenges put in front of him.  The pony likes excitement!  Which is kind of sweet and funny given that he's a low key relaxed mellow dude.  He doesn't stress -- he is totally Type B. Which is probably why he goes for the big exciting challenges!  What a smart little pony!

Violet Jumps Boxes and Flowers!

Earlier this winter, Violet had this weird sickness.  But I caught it.  I was visiting her and riding her on a Sunday and she was cheerful and happy.  And then an hour later, I could see that she didn't want treats or kindness.  So, I checked her temperature and gut sounds.  I caught her at the start of a rise in her fever.  And I helped her get over her sickness by being her buddy.  Here I am in her stall with her and then on a stroll, during her first day of recovery.  She's a wonderful loving creature.  And her illness isn't even the point of this entry.  The point is that she's brought her wonderful bravery to her lessons.  This winter she's jumped a stone wall, brick wall, boxes, flowers, lattice fences.  She's happy to do her job with gracefulness, like a show hunter!  She's showing her talent as a thoroughbred!

Trying to Make Good Decisions

Here we are -- we try to make good decisions for each other, every day.  Sometimes things aren't perfect.  Most times.  But we don't mind.  Because we are together and we love our jobs -- our jobs are to take care of each other and have fun with each other.  And we cover those jobs beautifully!