Finding Love...again....

Well, the weather here has been brutal.  I don't want to brag, but we have been experiencing an average high of -15C (-3F) with lots of snow the last few weeks.  Yay!!....not.  Does that stop me from going to the barn??  No!  It may be too cold to ride, but it's not too cold to groom and give my boy some lovin'.   Dressing for this weather is not my best look, however, and getting in and out of the car can be a challenge.  I had so many layers on last weekend (-25C with windchill), that I was struggling to bend over to get my brushes out of my case.  :-)  Walking back to my car, the wind made my eyeballs hurt.  Whaaaa!

LA has had the older horses brought in from the herd.  They are housed at night and turned out in the front paddock during the day.  That way she knows that they are actually getting food....it seems that in this cold weather, horses get grumpy about getting food to ensure they can maintain their body heat and the older guys get pushed away from the hay. 

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A couple of years ago, I posted about R., John and Mary and a horse named Ringer.  As Valentine's Day approaches, I thought I would give an update on the love story.

 

This is what Harmony looks like.

Over the last couple of years, LA has been retiring some of the older school horses.  They will live out the rest of their days chowing down on delicious hay and grain and enjoying a life of leisure.  This means that she has to have replacements and in the summer of 2013, LA purchased a beautiful bay mare, Harmony, as a replacement lesson horse.  She had lots of training and had a nice demeanour.  But, it didn't work out.  Harmony was sweet, but once you put an inexperienced rider on her, she just wanted to prance and couldn't be trusted out on the trails with beginner riders.  The herd didn't particularly like her and were constantly running her off from the hay pile.  When we were out on the trails, we would frequently see her standing alone, next to the herd, but not part of it.  She was not wintering well.  She started to drop weight, she looked sad and worried.

Meanwhile, Mary couldn't spend enough time with Ringer!  Their bond has become tight.  I have watched Mary's skills as a rider go way, way above and beyond since she teamed up with Ringer and she now goes to just about every obstacle, gaming and barrel competition there is locally....and cleans up ribbon-wise.  Mary is fearless on Ringer.  While Mary continued on with her lessons on Ringer, R. would do little jobs around the barn to keep busy, which included grooming the older horses.  LA had brought lonely Harmony in from the fields to one of the turnout pens to ensure she would get food.  She was going to sell her and wanted her healthy and looking her best.  R. started grooming her. 

Harmony was a mess.  She had bite marks all over her and was suffering with a bit of rain rot.  Her eyes and coat were dull.  She was a bit wary of R. initially.  R. took it slow.  Their sessions got longer and longer.  R. enjoyed fussing over Harmony and Harmony was enjoying the attention.  Over time, Harmony and R. became very close.  Harmony got excited when she saw R.   Her eyes softened, she seemed perkier and a little more involved with her surroundings.  She was eating.  Her coat gleamed and her mane was long and shiny.

LA couldn't find a buyer for Harmony.  She was a nice looking horse, had good bloodlines, was not malicious and was well trained.  But, she was 20 years old; her competition days were long gone and she was too old to breed.   A hard choice was going to have to be made.  No one wanted to take on a senior horse, it seemed.  Well....except R., that is.  :-) 

R. and Harmony have been a couple since the summer of 2014, and neither could be happier.   Never in a million years did R. think she would have her own horse.  When she and John talked about buying Harmony, John came down to see her with R. and he fell in love with her, too.  Ah, love.  R. has been taking regular lessons and their bond continues to grow.  R. did some research and found the original owner of Harmony, located in another province.  Harmony was used for competition, sold at 10 years of age when the owner got another competition horse and then was used as a brood mare by the new owner.  The original owner was delighted to hear from R. and told her all sorts of stories and sent pictures.  Not sure what circumstances led her to LA's place to be a school horse; life is strange sometimes.

Last summer, R. and I were riding in the front paddock.  Mary and her friends had set up the barrels; they needed to practice for a games competition.  Harmony was very interested in what was going on.  Up to that point, R. was still trying to get her sea legs and to figure Harmony out.  For a lark, R. asked Mary to take Harmony through the routine at a trot, just to get her used to the barrels, so that R. could see how she would react and perhaps have some fun with her.   Up Mary got on Harmony and settled herself in the saddle.  Mary barely had to cue Harmony.  Trot?  That's for sissies!  Harmony took off like her tail was on fire!  Her turns around the barrels were tight and well balanced, and coming home she was flat out.  And just to finish it off, she did a little sliding stop.  WTH?!!  We all had our mouths hanging open to our chests!   She was amazing....who knew!?  Harmony was raring to go again, which Mary did.  Again, she performed 110%.  She looked....happy???  She may be heading into her senior years, but she's still got it!!

Harmony's future may have been iffy at one point, but her circumstances couldn't have bounced back any better.  She must have done something right in another life to have a human like R. as she heads into the senior part of her life.  R. absolutely loves Harmony and will always do what's best for her.  She will fuss and brush her, make sure she gets the proper supplements and vet care and ride her with respect.  Harmony is almost unrecognizable from a year ago.  She is muscled, shiny and alert.  She is beautiful.  She is not out with the herd; she has her own turnout area next to Gem's and is brought in at night.  She is much happier.

So, now Mary has Ringer, R. has Harmony and.....guess what?   Yes!!  John bought himself a 6-year old, stunning black and white paint mare!  She's delightful and handsome Gem has his eye on her.  :-)   John has been taking lessons, too!  R. has indicated that when Harmony is ready to be fully retired, John and her will share his horse and of course Ringer will be available for R. as Mary heads off to university.  A great arrangement for the future.  I think it's cool that horses have been the sort of glue for this family.   The family that rides together, stays together???  :-)    

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Lady Luck

So, on Thursday I bought another horse.  I know...crazy, eh? I have named her Lady Luck, Lady for short.  She's a Morgan, dark, with a little white star and white socks.  I wasn't planning on getting another horse.  But, Lady spoke to me.  I had to have her.  You see, at 34 years of age, Lady ended up on a feed lot, destined for slaughter this week. 

At the feed lot.

The reasons for having older horses trucked varies. Sometimes people don't want to have to provide special care over the winter.  Sometimes owners don't want to have to deal with the expense of having the horse euthanized.  Some believe that an older horse going through auction will be purchased as a companion (sometimes they are).  Some owners are not up to the challenge of the maintenance of a senior horse.  Owners pass away and uneducated family members don't realize the fate of senior horses that are sent to auction.

I found Lady through some volunteers that go to the local feed lot and see the new horses that are brought in every week. They lightly groom them, tack them up and sit on them, or lead them around.  They then post a picture on FB, giving a brief description of their experience with the horse, hoping to find homes for them before they are shipped.  They act as middle men between the dealer and the public, collecting and paying the bail money.  They are not rescuers, just concerned women who love horses.  These volunteers are amazing.  I have helped with bail in the past, so I texted my contact.  No offers of help had come in for Lady.

So the stars aligned and I was able to purchase Lady, secure a forever home for her through a horse rescue group, get the transfer of ownership done and have her transported to her forever home, an hour away, on Sunday.  Yay!  My mother is sponsoring her care for a year through the rescue group.  They will be responsible for her well-being going forward.

It was miserable, wet and windy yesterday, but nothing could have dampened my spirits.  I have to say that seeing her in a field made my heart swell.  Just after her arrival at the farm, two other rescued seniors arrived; a gelding 26 years old, and a mare a little older.  The full time residents include two large dogs, two younger Percherons and a llama. The owner, who specializes in special care cases for the rescue group, greeted us with a big warm smile and told me, My Husband, my sister and my niece to make ourselves at home.  My Husband stayed near the car, but my sister, niece and I walked into the field.  

For 34 years of age, Lady is actually in great shape.  She's a good weight, her winter coat is in, her feet are a bit long, but look good.  Her mane and tail are long and thicker than some of the other horses at my barn.  :-)  I think she was loved and cared for in her previous life.  How did she end up on a feed lot.....?

Lady enjoying being out in the wind and rain.

Lady trying to make friends with the other seniors.

The gelding didn't like her near his friend and ran at her a few times.

 

There was some prancing and posturing by the 26 year old gelding.  Understandable.  He was stressed and in a new environment.  Apparently, he has arthritis in his ankles, but you wouldn't know it the way he was moving around!

Percherons to the rescue!

They told the senior gelding to back off.  Were they showing respect to Lady because of her age?

They stayed with Lady until things calmed down.

The Percherons are just gorgeous.  The owner actually rides the larger one (16.3 perhaps??) in competition, although I can't remember what discipline.  To be honest, I was amazed at how energetic the seniors were.   There was lots of walking and trotting.  A little stiff maybe, but there was still a lot of life and vibrancy left.

The resident llama really liked Lady.

First contact.  What a gentle soul.

Lady was patient with us, allowing herself to be petted and fussed over.  She enjoyed the little treats we gave her - she still has teeth!  :-)  But after a while she had had enough and simply walked away.  Can't blame her.  Even though the last few days for her must have been extremely stressful, she was still a class act.

This experience with Lady has been very rewarding.  She may just last the winter, or she could live on another few years.  Whatever happens, at least she is somewhere that will give her good memories.  This experience is also a reminder that horses live a very long time and the responsibility of horse ownership is a big commitment.  The owner of the farm said she liked me and I was welcome to visit any time.  :-)  Lady has quite a fan club now, so I suspect that I will have company when I go out to give her a brush!

Have a good week, everyone!

Being Morbid

First, checkout the Sunday Serial The Cursed Gift over at Joyous Art.  The weather has turned  colder and the days are shorter...the perfect time to snuggle up on the couch and get lost in magic and mystery!  

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A friend of a friend of a friend is trying to re-home 9 cats for a lady who passed away.  This is not a hoarding case.  Individually, these cats came into this lady's life because they were in great need and she took them in out of the kindness of her heart.  She could afford their upkeep; they were all well-fed, vaccinated and groomed.  Unfortunately, as much as she cared for them in life, she had no plan for their upkeep should something happen to her. Now neighbours and friends are scrambling to re-home the cats so they don't end up at the shelter.

This is not a unique situation.  I regularly see dogs that were obviously cared for and loved by their owners, end up in shelters after something happens to their caregiver.  I see the same situation for horses who end up on feed lots.

I have always had a plan for my four-legged companions should something happen to me.   When friends and I talk about our companions, most stare at me like I have antennae sprouting out the top of my head when I mention that I have a plan for my dogs, and now Gem, should I become incapacitated or die.  I am amazed that not one fellow boarder that I have spoken to on this topic has a plan in place for their horse should something happen to them.  Horses live a long time (my friend's horse passed away at 36 years of age).  Gem has another 20 years of living yet to come and his long-term needs need to be considered.  My friends and fellow boarders think I am morbid.  They don't want to think about the future or their death; they want to enjoy their horse NOW.   I find it intriguing that no seems to think like I do.  :-)    


The reality is that your Will outlines your "wishes" and it's important that you have someone you know well and trust to make sure your wishes are carried out.   My Husband will obviously manage the care of the dogs and Gem should something happen to me.  I have an amount set aside for Gem's board and care so that he can retire (hopefully at LA's) without worry.   My Will states that he is not to be sold under any circumstances.  Depending on his age, having him ridden by a staff member a few times a month to keep him tuned is OK, but only my niece is allowed to ride him socially.  If he cannot stay at LA's, he will be moved to a reputable retirement farm 1.5 hours away.  I have a very close friend who act as my executor should My Husband pre-decease me and she will take over the responsibility of the care of my dogs and Gem. She also happens to live 10 minutes from the barn.  So, if she is managing my estate or helping me if I am unable to get to the barn, she has committed to grooming Gem on a regular basis and checking on his well-being.  My niece will be helping her in this area.  


I am guessing that the topic of this post has probably got you squirming a bit.   But you know, it gives me comfort to know that my companions will be looked after.  Does thinking about my death make me morbid?  I guess in some eyes it does, but I look at it as being prepared.   I would be interested to know if there are any other "morbid" people out there.  Hello?  Hello?   :-)

A Bunch of Stuff

Please send your positive energy over to my blogger friend Living the Dream.  He had a bad fall off of his lovely Canadian horse and is currently recovering from broken ribs and a bruised kidney.  Ouch!!  Another example of how important it is to wear a helmet (yes, he was wearing one)!

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An old timer passed away on Tuesday.  Chance, a lovely Paint, was one of the original school horses purchased by LA's family.  He performed his duties with pleasure and was the favourite of many, including a friend of mine who remembers riding him 25 years ago!   He was retired from his job a few years ago and enjoyed hanging out with the herd, where his pleasant personality put him in the lower half of the herd hierarchy.  If you were out on the trails, he would mosey over and say hi, maybe even walk with you a bit and then turn back.  He survived yet another winter; he was a bit underweight, but his summer coat had come in nicely.  This past weekend, boarders and staff noticed a change in him.  Instead of staying with the herd, he hung around the turnout area, close to the barn.  He kept the staff company when they were bringing horses in or putting them out.  He was a little more social.  He came up to some and allowed them to stroke and pet him, something that he usually didn't do.  On Tuesday morning, LA called in the old timers for their morning mush.  While the others chowed down, Chance came up to LA and put his head into her chest.  LA stroked him for a while and then he ate a little of his breakfast.  LA decided to keep an eye on him throughout the day, but by late morning, Chance was once again standing at the gate looking towards the barn.  LA walked over to him and as she started to check him, he collapsed.  Within a couple of minutes, he was gone; quick, painless and on his own terms.  LA was devastated, but comforted that he went as he did, with her at his side.  LA estimates he was at least 36 years old; she's not sure how old he was when he came to them.  I believe he had made up his mind that it was time and he was saying good-bye to everyone over the last few days.  RIP Chance.  You will be missed.

* * * * 

We have some new boarders/horses that arrived last weekend.  One is a quarter horse, the other is a Clyde-cross, Marty.  Marty is actually a little bigger than Stu and right now is trying to figure out his place in the herd.  The new guys were put out with the other horses on Saturday.  Sunday, I was out on the trails with DH's Mom and a couple of other boarders.  There was a neigh from across the field, and then this huge horse appeared and came trotting towards us - head up, ears up, chest puffed out - making a bee-line right to Gem and I!  My heart started to race. Gem's head and ears were up, too, looking at Marty.  Imagine 1500 lbs coming at you.  I had visions of these two horses deciding to duke it out with me in the middle.  I turned Gem around and went back to my group, and as Marty was trying to come up to Gem from behind I just kept Gem moving, around and around.  There was some yelling, and Marty was eventually moved off by my body guards riding buddies and we continued our ride.  After I calmed down,  DH's Mom commented that I actually held it together pretty well, I didn't scream like a girl, and Gem behaved himself.   :-)

* * * *

A few of us purchased Cashel Leg Guards for our horses.  These are mesh socks that allow for air circulation, but prevent bot flies from landing and laying eggs on your horse's legs.  They are quite sturdy and the quality is good; worth the $40.00 I would say.  You remove them when you ride.  I put them on Gem for the first time on Tuesday, after lesson.  DH's Mom inspected to make sure they weren't too loose or too tight.  Yesterday I emailed a fellow boarder asking if she would mind checking Gem's guards when she was at the barn.  She emailed be back saying that he had removed both.  There are four sturdy velcro closures on each sock, for cripes sakes!!  When I replied, "No way!", her response was what do you expect from a horse that can open his own stall door.  She has a point.  She kindly put them back on for me.  I got a text this morning from one of the ladies who works at the barn saying that he took them off again last night (he has night turnout) and she retrieved them from the small field and put them on his blanket rack.   Sigh.

* * * *

Last June.

My Niece came for a visit the long Victoria Day weekend.  Our usual routine on Sundays is to go to the barn; we groom, I ride for a bit and then she gets on Gem and rides for a bit.  While we were tacking up, I was chatting with a boarder who had just come in from the trails.  As she started untacking her horse, she asked if My Niece would like to ride her horse instead of sharing Gem.  Yes!  So, we actually got to ride together, which was amazing.  For someone who has only had 8-10 lessons over a winter, two years ago, I was amazed at how well she managed on this horse.  Walk, jog, lope - no problem!   She was beautiful.   It was a joy to watch her and I admit, I was a bit envious of her youth and how effortless she made it look. 

* * * *

My lesson on Tuesday was really good.  I actually was able to lope half the front paddock (did I mention how big that paddock is???) a number of times, consistently, without Gem breaking down to a trot and without me collapsing from exhaustion.  My butt was in the saddle most of the time, but I know my hands are still not quiet.  If I ride one-handed, my seat is better, perhaps because my free arm keeps me balanced???  However, I have problems steering when it comes to circles.  If I use two reins, my steering is better.  So for now, I am going to concentrate on keeping my butt in the saddle, using two reins.  Once I have the butt thing down pat, I will then start focusing on steering one-handed.  LA complimented me on the lesson saying that I had now raised the bar, so she was going to push me into the next level of training; I was ready.  Yikes!  :-)  


The weather is going to be awful the next few days.  Cold, rainy and blustery.  I am still planning on getting some riding in, though!  Have a great weekend everybody and ride safely!

Respect

Most boarders would get excited about having a long weekend.  Visions of lots of horse time, riding to your hearts content in the arena whenever you feel like it, come to mind.  It's not the case where I board.  Every long weekend, there is a clinic that lasts all weekend.  A trainer comes in to town (LA's trainer, in fact) and does one-hour sessions with riders, usually those getting ready for reining competitions.  It sort of sucks for boarders because the sessions start at 8:00 a.m. and go until 5:00 p.m.   We are allowed to ride in the arena during lunch hour, from 12:00-1:00 p.m.  In the winter, this means the arena is packed with riders.  In the summer, it's not quite so bad; the front paddock is available for the clinics, leaving the arena free.  And, of course, the trails are available.

For someone who only gets one day on the weekend to ride (Sunday), initially I was put out by the inconvenience of having the parking area overrun with trailers and being relegated to one hour of riding.  But, I have come to understand that as long as LA has these very popular clinics, it helps keep the costs down for boarders; there has not been an increase in our board rates for two years, although I am expecting one sometime this year due to the drought-induced rise in the cost of hay. 

Along with the popularity of these clinics comes, unfortunately, a lack of respect for boarders.  It absolutely boggles my mind at how disrespectful "visitors" are and how entitled they feel because they are participating in a clinic.  Here's a few examples:

A rider is not on time for their morning session, so they start late.  They insist on their full hour, so that means that everyone behind them starts late.  This means that the boarders that only have an hour to ride usually end up getting the short end of the stick.  In the past, there were many times where myself and a few other boarders had to wait outside the arena in the cold for the session to finish before we could get into the arena and then could only ride for about 30-40 minutes so that the next session could start at 1:00 p.m.

While boarders are riding during the lunch break, clinic participants feel that it is completely acceptable to lunge their horses, warming up the the afternoon sessions.  We have sometimes had TWO horses being lunged at the same time!  This is not only dangerous, but it reduces the amount of arena space where boarders can ride.

Participants will bring in their "other" horse (yes, they will trailer two horses) into the arena to ride during break because they don't get to ride or practice much in the winter because they don't have an arena.  Boarders have to accommodate their sliding stops, reining patterns, etc.

Participants will leave all of their grooming stuff, saddle stands and extra hay all over the aisle of the barn, making it next to impossible sometimes to maneuver around, particularly if you are guiding your horse out of the barn.  

Participants will tack up and then leave their horse tied to a wall-post or in cross-ties.  Then they will go watch the clinic until it's their turn, leaving the horse in the aisle for boarders to have to deal with and frankly, babysit.

There have been times when I have found a participant's horse left in Gem's stall because the owner has gone to watch the clinic.  I really, really dislike this. 

As the popularity of the clinics increased, LA had to deal with a number of complaints from boarders. She has reinforce old rules and introduced some new ones. 

• Clinic participants are not to leave their horses unattended. 
• No one is allowed to lunge while there are riders in the arena (this is an ongoing rule).  
• Clinic participants are not allowed to ride during lunch break - the arena is reserved for boarders only. 
• Trailers are to be parked off to one side.  
• Barn aisles are to be kept clear.  
• Clinic participants are not to touch boarded horses after handling their own without washing their hands and must bring their own water buckets.
• Stalls are not to be used by clinic participants.
• Sessions start on time; if the participant is late they will loose that time.
• Visitors have to clean up their horse's poop.

So, Sunday a fellow boarder and I gained access to the arena shortly after noon.  Gem and I started our usual warm up.  As Gem and I were walking away from her, I heard my 15-year old fellow boarder say "sure, no problem" to someone.  Imagine my surprise when a clinic participant started lunging her horse, taking up 1/2 of the arena.  As Gem and I got closer to them, her horse started to freak out a bit; a perfect example of why lunging isn't permitted with riders.

Me:  (smiling) Hi there.  Lunging isn't actually allowed when there are riders in the arena.  
She:  (snotty tone, trying to get her horse under control) I am participating in the clinic.
Me:  Yes, I know.  But the lunch break is the only time boarders like myself get to ride when there is a clinic on.  Lunging your horse reduces our rideable space. It's also a safety issue.
She:  (really snotty tone and red faced) I asked her (pointing to my fellow boarder) and she said it was fine.  I am not asking for your permission.
Me: (getting bigger in my seat, looking down at her and her puny horse and in a very precise tone)  These are LA's rules and they are posted in RED on the board next to the gate.  You may want to read them and if you have an issue, please take them up with LA.

Things could have gone a lot nicer if she had just responded politely to my initial comment; after all she is a GUEST.  But no.  Bitchiness prevailed.  She stormed off, put her horse back in the cross-ties and went to complain to the other regular clinic participants, who were sitting around having lunch. (Have I mentioned that I really hate barn drama?? Sigh.)  I noticed a couple of them go to the whiteboard and take a quick look.  I have to admit that I had my fingers crossed that LA's rules were still posted (they were)!!  :-)  

I had a nice leisurely ride on Gem, using the whole arena.  Now, some of you out there may think that I was over-reacting to this woman lunging, particularly since there were only two riders in a fair-sized arena.  Well, most of the clinic attendees are regulars and should know better.  Clinic participants are told what the rules are, yet still choose to ignore them. Frankly, I am tired of the rude behaviour.  Sunday's little kerfuffle with this woman will hopefully remind these visitors of the rules and that it's not all about them.  

I told LA what happened before she went to the arena for the afternoon session.  I didn't want her blind-sided by an angry participant.  LA was supportive of my actions and indicated that she would work harder at making sure that the rules for visitors were enforced.  I felt better.  LA has a tough role to play.  It's a fine balance trying to keep all of her "customers" happy.  Boarders are her first priority, though, and I appreciate her efforts and support.   :-) 

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Levels of Bad

Sometimes bad is really bad.  Sometimes bad is cheeky.  Sometimes bad is funny.  And, sometimes bad is outright nasty.  His antics around the barn lead me to believe that Gem falls into the "cheeky" and "funny" levels of bad.  :-) Sometimes, he's a mischievous clown getting into trouble.  Sometimes, he's like that annoying younger sibling that keeps poking or pulling at you because they know it gets a reaction from you.  Yep, sometimes you can ignore it, sometimes you can't, sometimes you shouldn't.

I was talking to LA earlier last week (we got another dump of snow and she was canceling lesson) and she mentioned that she didn't see my name down for the halter clinic on Sunday.  

Me:  Why would I want to participate in this clinic?
LA:  You have never really had any training on the ground with Gem.  I think it would help with your confidence and improve communication between the two of you.
Me:  Well........I don't know......
LA:  And if you really like it and want to compete in halter or showmanship, you get to wear sparkly clothing and Gem gets to wear coordinating rhinestone headstalls.
Me:  OK!  

So I arrived at the barn on Sunday at 9:30 a.m., greeted by 7 other riders, all around the age of 14, grooming their horses.  It was pandemonium.  And you know what?  Teenaged girls are really LOUD.  :-)  Anyway, Gem and I found a spot and I started my grooming routine.  LA was in the barn giving us little tidbits of information on what judges look for, etc. 

Our instructor for the clinic, SLT, is a breeder and trainer of competitive reining horses and winner of national championships in halter and reining.  I was actually excited about having my first ever clinic with someone carrying these credentials.   

We filed into the arena and were told to line up along the wall, facing into the middle.  Gem and I were at the end of the line.  SLT explained that in halter presentation was important; the horse had to look it's best and you have to be "on" all the time because even though the judge would be looking at one horse, they would also be looking at those waiting to be judged;  no slouching, no talking, no relaxed hind foot, no dozing.  Leads had to have a chain looped under the horse's chin.  He showed us how to hold the lead, step around our horse so the judge can see everything, how to square up the horse, and how to turn our horse so that the front feet cross.  It was meticulous work and took a while.  It's a lot harder than it looks! Then he started working with individual horses. 

While we waited for our turn with SLT, Gem stood like a statue, head level with his withers, ears up with an interested look on his face.  His hind feet weren't totally squared up, but he looked friggin' amazing; so majestic.   (As a side note, I asked why the hind feet have to be squared up when it wasn't a natural position for the horse, and I didn't get a clear answer.  Anyone out there know why??)   I stood tall beside him, smiling. I noticed a couple of boarders who were watching the clinic looking at us, talking amongst themselves.  They must be saying how great we looked, right?.... I could hardly wait for SLT to get to us!  :-)   However, after 45 MINUTES of standing still and waiting, poor Gem started to get bored.  He started to nibble on the lead chain; I tried to discretely get it out of his mouth. He was getting more cheeky.  He nudged me, I pushed back with my elbow.  He nudged again.  I told him to quit it.  Along with the nudging, he decided that he wanted to chew on the lead. Crap!  His oral fixation was taking over!  Within a few minutes, the majestic statue and I were having a full blown tug of war with his chain and lead.  It was at this moment that SLT came to give us our one-on-one.  Sigh. 

SLT:  What breed of horse is this?
Me:  Canadian.  They are a light draft-ish type breed.  Our national horse, in fact.
SLT:  How old?
Me (as Gem nudged me):  Twelve.
SLT:  This behaviour should have been nipped in the bud when he was young.  He's being rude.  You have let him get away with it and now your correction is a game to him.
Me:  I didn't have him when he was young and we have been waiting a long time for our turn.
SLT:  Doesn't matter.  You don't want a 1300 lb. animal pushing you around.

I understand where SLT is coming from, but I didn't appreciate his condescending tone and I sure didn't like his attitude towards my horse.   We were off to a "bad" start.  He took the lead from my hand and gave it a couple of short yanks.  Now, usually that's all it takes to get Gem refocused, but it was obvious that I didn't like how SLT took over and was in Gem's face.  It was at this point that LA tried to defuse the situation by saying that she and I had been working on his mouthiness.   We all took a moment and then I was told to walk across the arena, turn and walk back.  We didn't do too bad; our turn was pretty good, but Gem did sneak in a couple of nudges while we were walking. :-)

Our participation for the most part was positive. Of course, Gem would have the occasional display of mouthiness during the clinic and we were singled out a couple of times on how to "correct" behavior.  Sigh.  During one demonstration, SLT showed the class how aggressive stallions are sometimes managed....by putting the lead chain under the horse's top lip across their gums.  Great - now I have to worry about barn help thinking this is an acceptable way to handle Gem because a national champion showed this technique on him.   Now, for such a "bad" horse, Gem was standing and allowing all this man-handling. (If SLT had applied any pressure that caused Gem pain during this demonstration, I would have caused SLT pain....making me "bad" :-) )

Tasty helmet!

Two hours later, the clinic ended.  I was tired, but I was not going to let SLT perpetuate negativity towards my beautiful boy.  I saddled up Gem and took him back to the arena.  We made our way through the audience and went to the far end of the arena and worked on quarter turns, squares, side passes and backing up while SLT worked with some riders on games techniques in the front end.  He saw us working and so did LA and the audience.  I think Gem knew I was trying to make a point and he didn't disappoint.  My skills may not be perfect, but he was golden.  After 20 minutes, I dismounted, gave him a hug and as we walked calmly through the audience and back to the barn, I had a smile on my face.  Sometimes "bad" is "good"  :-)

Gem will always have an oral fixation.  LA and I will continue to try and manage it, but I don't think it will be eliminated completely.  Sunday night, I received a text from LA.  It read:  " I was proud of you today."   Nice.  But, I have to say I was proud of Gem because for a "bad" horse, he consistently came through for me.  :-)

Couch Time

I am a keener when it comes to spending time with Gem.  I don't consider myself a fair-weather rider; I go out to the barn if it's hot, humid, raining, snowing, cold.  Perhaps it's because I only see him twice a week, three if I am lucky.  The amount of time I will be spending with him will increase in a few years, but with my current family obligations and work, along with social activities, twice a week at the barn is what I can manage and still maintain a sane balance to my life.

Yes, I admit that I look with envy at some of the riders that I started out with who have increased their riding skills and confidence in leaps and bounds, to the point where all of them can go out on the trails confidently and ALONE.  I have to remind myself that these riders are at the barn 4-6 times a week.  It is going to take a bit longer for me to catch up.  :-) 

The week of January 14th brought some weird precipitation activity; snow, freezing rain, slushy snow with temperatures around the +2C to -5C mark.  Sunday before last, we ended up riding in the arena because the trails were very icy.  By the time we finished up, warmer temperatures had created a very thick fog, rising off the fields of deep snow, and I was very nervous coming back from the barn.  Visibility was probably only 5 car lengths ahead at times.  Making a left turn was nerve-racking due to the lack of visibility of oncoming traffic.  I crossed my fingers as I pulled out......

I did manage to ride in the arena last Friday.  DH's Mom and a couple of other boarders braved the -10C temps after work to practice side passing over a pole.  I am still having issues with my one-handed steering and with relaxing the tension on the reins.   Another exercise we did was riding with our eyes closed.  I know!  Sort of scary.  You start at one end of the arena and walk down the middle to the other end, with your eyes closed.  You are not allowed to steer.  It really makes you aware of how balanced you are in the saddle and the goal is to walk or jog a straight line.  We took turns.  Gem and I excelled at this!  :-)   

On Sunday, it snowed, and snowed.  Road conditions were bad (they closed portions of Hwy 401), so instead of going to the barn, I snuggled on the couch in front of the TV with my dogs.    Monday brought us the deep freeze.  With a high of -18C on Tuesday, our lesson was cancelled. 

I considered going out to the barn on Tuesday in spite of the lesson being cancelled.  I thought I would just give Gem a little groom and visit.  But, as I left the office and walked across the parking lot, the skin on my legs started to freeze through my pants and I lost the feeling in my gloved fingertips.  I could hardly breath.  I am a keener, but.....!  I reconsidered and went home and snuggled on the couch with the dogs....again. 

The deep freeze has continued all week.  We have been hovering around a high of  -20C (-4F)....without the windchill factored in.  Brrrrr!   Wednesday evening was -30C.  Frostbite warnings have been the norm.  No earrings or rings for me this week; the frozen metal makes my skin and bones ache when outside in these temperatures.  I have been wearing my "SSG 10 Below" riding gloves when outside; they are much warmer than my regular gloves.   Except for Book Club, I have been on the couch in front of the TV snuggling with my dogs every evening this week.  Tonight, temperatures will only dip to -22C (it's getting warmer!!!) so the couch routine will continue, much to the delight of the three snuggliest dogs in Ontario!   Sunday's temperatures are looking a bit better, though.  A high of -12C is forecasted.  Warm enough for me to ride my boy!  Yipee!  I have missed seeing Gem so much.

Hope you are getting time with your horses in spite of winter.  Stay warm and have a great weekend!!

Angels

The holidays are almost upon us.  I have three nieces and two nephews, all in the same family.  About 5 years ago, I stopped buying Christmas presents for them.   I was disillusioned and disappointed with the "gimme, gimme" attitude that they had; they had lost the meaning of Christmas, in my mind.   Instead, I starting sponsoring an animal on their behalf.  Each year I pick out a needy cat, dog or horse at a shelter or rescue and with the help of staff, get a picture and the story of how the dog/cat/horse ended up at the shelter.  Sometimes these animals are strays, sometimes their human has passed away, sometimes they have been taken from a bad situation.   I print and frame the picture and story, wrap it up and give it to my nieces and nephews.  Delightfully, they actually get quite excited to learn who "they" have helped and after checking it out, the framed picture and story is placed on the bookcase for future reference.  This year the sponsorship will go towards helping some rescued dogs that have medical issues.

There is no doubt in my mind that this simple gift has made a difference on how my nieces and nephews view other living beings and perhaps makes them think about how their actions can affect others.  Each one of them has an affinity to animals and my hope is that they will pay it forward.

In addition to supporting my local shelter, here are some of my favourite animal donation sites. 

Circle of Hope Canine Rescue - This rescue group deals with the horrific over-crowding/high kill situations in rural Tennessee.  And, just when you can't get any worse, it does. Yet, this group continues to work through it.   Personally, I don't know how they keep going;  these dedicated people must be angels.  They have also opened a New England branch. 

Hopeful Hearts takes in and re-homes palliative care and senior dogs from Ontario, Nunavut, Quebec and occasionally the U.S. that are high risk at shelters because they are not considered "adoptable". 

RR Refuge is a sanctuary for horses, located in Ontario.  Some of these horses are loving retired, others come from sad and bad situations.  RR Refuge provides them with a peaceful environment where they can just be horses. 

The Canadian Horse Defence Coalition works towards ending horse slaughter in Canada and having laws changed to protect horses, whether they are domestic or wild.  They have an adopter rebate program and an euthanasia assistance program, where qualified applicants are eligible to receive $150 toward the cost of euthanasia performed by a vet; a much kinder solution than sending a horse to slaughter, in my mind. 

Sophie's Dog Adoption - Quebec is home to Canada's largest number of puppy mills because of poor legislation and law enforcement of commercial dog breeding operations.  Puppy mills in this province ship puppies across Canada.  In addition, Quebec shelters have a very high kill rate.  Sophie is a force to be reckoned with!  She continues to fight "city hall" and the Quebec provincial government to get laws changed and she protects those dogs in dire need.

Project Coyote - Coyotes play a very important part in keeping nature in balance.  In the U.S. it's estimated that 500,000 coyotes are killed each year by ranchers, trappers and government-funded programs.  These animals die grisly deaths - neck snares, traps, aerial shooting, hounding and canned kills, to name a few.   Project Coyote's mission is to work towards co-existence, through education, consultation and community outreach programs.

The Animal Alliance of Canada's focus is to protect all animals and promote a strong relationship between humans, animals and the environment.  This means that provincial and federal laws need to change and this group tirelessly works at achieving that goal.

I am grateful for those who take on these tremendous challenges.  Every single day they work in the trenches, trying to make it better for those that cannot speak.   They work towards making the world a softer, kinder place.  At this time of year in particular, it's nice to remember that there are angels amongst us.  :-)

Have a great week, everyone!

Big Ben

Calm, Forward, Straight (who by the way is having a contest so check it out!) did a post on the Olympics and it started me thinking about Ian Millar and Big Ben.  The links below are of a documentary that Spruce Meadows did on Big Ben. What a team they were.  Both elegant, both approachable and both enjoying their work.  Their mutual respect and dare I say, affection, for each other is evident.  I found it interesting that Big Ben could perform with the crowds yelling and clapping, and not bat an eye.  Yet, put a garbage bag in front of him and he would spook.  :-)  

I have visited the statue of Big Ben and Ian Millar in Perth, Ontario many times.  Emotions bubble to the top when you see it; admiration, awe and pride.  Here's some pics from my last visit.

 Each video is about 7 minutes long.  Enjoy!

Part One

 

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

Part Six

Hey, Dude.....and, Pa-toy-ing!

As I mentioned in my last post, DH's Mom and I went on a trail ride last Sunday morning.  We went out at 10:30 a.m. with the hope of beating the heat....no such luck.  Within 5 minutes, I had sweat dripping into my eyes.  Thank goodness for waterproof mascara!   For the next hour and a half, DH's Mom told me about her awesome dude ranch vacation.

The resort she went to is a family-run working ranch, which hosts 40 people each week.  The Ranch also offered other activities, including hiking, river rafting, fly fishing and mountain biking.  In addition to managing a resort and running cattle, the family runs a high-end reining training facility.  They know horses.  :-)  At the time DH's Mom registered with them, she had to fill out a questionnaire outlining her riding abilities.  

The facility was gorgeous, with small cabins around the main lodge, surrounded by the Canadian Rockies. The first evening was basically getting to know everyone.   Can you just imagine sitting out having a cocktail on this porch?  The next morning, her orientation included getting acquainted with her assigned horse and showing her skills to the wranglers to ensure that she was was matched with the right horse.  There were all levels of riders - some had never been near a horse before this!   After the skill levels were determined, groups were formed - beginners, some experience, experienced, etc.  Each group had, I believe, two wranglers  assigned to them.  A few of these wranglers were actually from Australia!  All of the horses wore special shoes, so that they could better grip the rocky terrain and avoid hoof damage.


DH's Mom was in the advanced group.  One of the wranglers assigned to her group of 4 is a vet student.   He is working towards being a large animal vet.  He grew up with horses. He told DH's Mom that he didn't "love" his horses.  His focus is on respect and ensuring that the horse understands what is required of him/her.  This is my understanding of what he was trying to get across:  "Love" was humanizing a horse and he believes that this is doing a disservice to the horse.  Horses don't "love" each other.  They respect and protect each other, but "love" is not something that is part of a herd environment.   When we start to apply our human emotions to a horse and expect it to be reciprocated, it's not a fair.  Horses are horses.  Guilty as charged!  I am not ashamed to admit that I love my horse to bits.  Absolutely, respect plays a big part in your relationship with your horse, but I also think showing affection makes us relaxed and in turn, makes the horse relaxed.   What do you think of the wrangler's comment??


He also said that horses that have a job to perform; whether it's jumping, dressage or trail riding.  It is our job to make sure they understand what is required and we shouldn't make excuses (humanizing) for them not performing their job.  They either do their job or they are made to do their job.  OK, I sort of get this.   Actually, DH's Mom follows this line of thinking and I have to say that DH has not suffered in the least with this approach.  He is solid and well adjusted.  I admit I have a hard time with the disciplining aspect of horse ownership and making Gem do what I ask.  I am inconsistent in this area.   In fact, DH's Mom and LA have told me on numerous times not to let Gem away with stuff and that I baby him. I don't know about you, but I make "human" excuses for Gem all the time when he gives me the business.  "He must be hot", "the flies must be bothering him", "he's tired"....  


DH's Mom rode every day for about 5 hours.  Each day was a different type of ride.  One day they rode along and in the river.  Another they rode up a mountain - the path was less than 3 feet wide in some parts!!  Yikes!!  One day they went through forests.  They would gallop through any terrain put in front of them.  DH's Mom said she had never ridden like that in her life (and she's as old as me!!).  She was pushed way beyond her comfort zone and had to completely trust the horse she was riding.  

Sometimes, lunch would be served out on the trail.  How cowboy is that?!  All the meals were homemade.  Cocktails were at 5:30 p.m., dinner was early evening and very relaxed - lots of talking and laughing.  Very civilized.  DH's Mom said she when she hit the pillow, she was asleep instantly!  She said it was the best sleep she had had in years.  :-)   

DH's Mom said that this vacation not only increased her confidence by pushing her riding comfort level, but this experience also pushed her in other areas.  She came to realize that it was time to make some personal changes.  You see, DH's Mom lost her husband 6 years ago to a brain tumour; he suffered for weeks.  This vacation highlighted that it was time to get out there, be an active participate in life and be with others.  She feels she is now ready to start dating......Giddy up!   :-)

                                                                      * * * * 


Gem and DH were relaxed and OK with just plodding along the trails while DH's Mom chattered away, telling me of her adventure.  As we started to head back,  I suggested that we trot across the small field we were in to the next field opening.  Off we went....Gem doing a lovely big trot.  We hadn't done this kind of activity in a while (back strain) and I was really into it, posting and thinking how amazing it felt.  Suddenly, I felt Gem power up and break into a uninvited lope.  In a flash, LA's comment you shouldn't post a trot when asking for a lope because you are off balance - you should always sit a trot before asking raced through my mind.  She was right...I came down, he came up and I bounced and lost my balance.  I tried to save myself but ended up in the dirt .  

It seems my butt hit first, then my left elbow and then the back of my head.  After I made sure I could wiggle my toes, DH's Mom helped me up.  As I was getting up I felt this excruciating pain shoot up my from my where my inner thigh meets my body.  I was having difficulty walking.  I explained to DH's Mom that it felt like a "pa-toy-ing!".  She immediately understood my description.... Pa-toy-ing = a pulled groin, probably a result of trying to right myself in the saddle.  I limped over to a rock, DH's Mom held Gem and I got back on him.  It hurt like crazy, but riding actually stretched it out a bit.  Getting down was another challenge, as was driving, as was getting out of my car.  I iced my crotch from the moment I got home.   Advil did an amazing job, as usual.  My Husband and I surveyed the damage the next morning:  obviously, I was stiff, I have a lovely black/purple bruise about the size of my hand on one cheek of my butt, numerous other bruises over my arms and legs and a particularly nice swollen one on my left elbow which I was delighted to show the guys at work.  :-)  I consider myself lucky that a) I didn't land on any pointy rocks, b) that I had a helmet on,  c) that my back was not re-injured, d) that my shoulder was not re-injured and e) I didn't actually get stepped on by Gem as I sort of fell in front of him.  So, all in all, not a bad fall.  :-)