lessons in riding, 4

I went out late this afternoon thinking I would groom the Big Bay and we would have a ride. The sky was shifting from sunshine to dark clouds, and I was hoping we might find a chunk of cloudy sky time to ride in so it would be cooler and the insects might disappear.

Keil came into the barnyard for grooming and it became clear that he needed to be brushed, curried, scraped, brushed some more, and then all of the above yet again - his hair is shedding in huge packets right now. At one point the wind was blowing as I was brushing and his hair was swirling around me like a mini Keil Bay fur-nado.

Still though, I intended to ride, and kept working until he was shining and clean and I was dirty and sweating. I realized he was being besieged by black gnats on his belly, so out came the fly spray and a cloth to wipe it on. Just as I finished up, Rafer Johnson literally wedged himself between me and the Bay and asked for his own grooming, so I set the fly spray aside and got my brushes going on Rafer. He's shedding too, which is unusual so early in the season, but he enjoyed getting a nice groom and some neck scratches.

About that time, Salina came out of the barn and started switching her tail between her legs, over and over. I thought for a moment she wanted me to groom her, so I did, but she kept up the tail swishing. Then I thought she wanted me to STOP grooming, so I stood back. She looked at me and switched the tail about 15 times as hard as she could. Finally, I got the message. Look where her tail is pointing. And there was a hard knot of a tick bite with not one, but two ticks attached on the inside of her hind leg. I rubbed my fingers around and onto the bite area and she stretched out, curled her upper lip, and said, YES, that's IT.

I removed the ticks and then went in the feed room to get a cold cloth and the calendula tincture. She waited for me in the barnyard and stood while I held the cold cloth on the bite, then swabbed with the tincture. She sighed and walked on. No more tail swishing - relief.

When I went to put the calendula and cloth away I heard some tiny chirps. A Carolina wren built a nest in my tack cleaning bucket, which hangs on a hook in the feed room. The eggs hatched on Easter, and as I glanced into the nest today, I could, for the first time, see the neck markings on at least five baby birds, all tucked in a row, and then disappearing as they lifted their heads and opened their tiny mouths in unison.

I think it was then I realized this was just not a riding day. I let Cody and the pony through to the barnyard and watched while all of them milled about, grazing, enjoying the breeze, and simply being equines.

There is a little voice inside my head that tells me I need to get that ride in. I'm not sure where it comes from. Keil Bay and I are on the path to pleasure, with no plans for competition or getting to a certain level of dressage, or even to a specific level of fitness. I love when we make little leaps forward, and I especially love when we find harmony in motion, but it's a whimsical path we're on, not a driven one.

Periodically I get a bee in my bonnet about wanting to get on a schedule and ride a certain number of times a week, or ride daily, and I have to stop and remind myself that for me, there is a fine balance when it comes to routine and schedule - I like having both, but I hate when I allow myself to be ruled by the schedule to the exclusion of being in the moment and following my gut, and Keil's.

Today it was hot, the weather was funky, bugs were profuse, and everyone in the herd had things they needed me to do. The right thing for today was to listen, to offer my hands for holding brushes, giving scratches, and removing ticks. It was a day for watching Keil Bay sink knee deep in a compost border as he reached for the perfect bite of grass. And for watching the pony march around like he was playing I-spy for the best mouthful to be found in the barnyard. For taking time to stop and peek at the baby wrens, who had needs too - and to know that their mama bird would soon be there to feed them.

Today's lesson in riding: it's okay not to.

for those who use Adequan

A heads-up: I read on an equine list yesterday that due to a recent FDA inspection, production of Adequan will stop for about six months. I can't find any information on this with a quick Google search, so I'm not sure what the entire story is - but wanted to put this up so that anyone who uses Adequan for horses and/or canines can look further.

I don't think there's been a recall, but I'd want to know what happened, why, and whether the product will be available during this interim in production.

two very special birthdays

This week and today, Keil Bay turned 22 and Apache Moon, aka The Little Man, turns 11. Magical numbers, magical equines!

Keil Bay is a handsome, regal, expressive, talented Hanoverian who makes me happy every single day. I've had 7 wonderful years with him. My only regret about the Big Bay is that I didn't know him from the day he was born! Sometimes I daydream about what he looked like as a foal, and as a young horse growing up. Happy birthday Big Bay - today you will get a lunch tub just like Salina does (ODTB cubes,  though, but with a sprinkling of oats).

Our birthday boy of the day is Apache Moon. Apache came to live with us when he was 4 years old and my daughter was 7. At 11 and nearly 14, they are still a wonderful team. With the pony, we have an amazing book of photos that his breeder gave us, showing him from birth all the way up to when he came to us. We leased his mother, Black-Eyed Sioux, for about six months, and got to know one of his brothers. He's a very special pony, who has done many special things with my daughter.

To see some of the firsts they shared, GO HERE.

Happy birthday, Little Man!!  You get a lunch tub too!

 

trim notes april 2011

We had our trimmer out yesterday and enjoyed a couple hours of conversation about horses' hooves as well as some equine entertainment provided by the November Hill crew.

First up were two young donkeys who lined up in perfect formation, ears at full alertness, in front of B. I have written before how much they love him, and yesterday they stood gazing up at him like two soldiers in front of their general. They love going first.

Rafer lined up in the middle of the barn aisle and presented each hoof one by one. Redford went next and presented each hoof until the last one, which he seemed to think had already been done and he wanted the next part in the process: the alfalfa cookie. A few words and a pat and he was soon back in trim mode.

Salina, who has some trouble with getting her fronts trimmed, had a great day of trimming. She's been moving more and enjoying spring and I think this helps when it comes time for her trim. She was of course kept company by the donkeys, who always want to make sure she's covered on all sides when she's getting any kind of "treatment." Her trim is always a family affair, which she loves.

Keil Bay lined up to go next. He can be fussy - he knows all too well what comes at the end - but yesterday he was very patient and lifted each hoof before being asked for it. He wanted more after the cookie - trim more, treat more!

But it was Cody's turn. Cody was calm and easy to trim. Of all the hooves today only Cody's needed comments. He had a solar "plug" that looked to be the place where his abscess a few months back came through. It came through up at the heel AND the sole, which I guess is good because hopefully whatever needed to be cleared out, got cleared. We spent a few minutes looking at the plug spot and talking about how the hoof works to get healthy. This kind of conversation is good for me, as I tend to catastrophize anything relating to the feet. Knowledge is power, and I love learning more about hooves. Over time I'm not so reactive when I see something happening!

Cody has lost some concavity and his soles seem thinner right now. With his PSSM issues, I always try to keep a close eye on what's happening with him. We'll see what happens as we move forward into spring/summer. He's moving well in the field and under saddle, so whatever is going on is subtle.

Apache Moon walked out of his stall with a bit of circus pony flair - doing a one-sided Spanish Walk. I have no idea what that was about, but he was definitely expressing himself. I wondered if something might be amiss in that particular front hoof, but it wasn't, not that was apparent, and he's been moving wonderfully with daughter, so... I think he was just showing off. He too was extremely good while getting his trim.

Everyone was happy and mostly healthy today. The one thread that ran through the entire hoof trimming session was that one November Hill resident kept trying to steal horse cookies! If you're like my husband you guess:

Redford!! - no

Rafer! - no

Apache Moon... - no

Cody? no

Keil Bay - said with "oh, that Bay" tone - no

Salina??  - said with confusion - she is just not that kind of horse! - NO

So, WHO?

Dickens E. Wickens, feline cowboy extraordaire!  He spent the entire time jumping up to the ledge and cramming his head into the bag. Finally, at the end, B. offered him a cookie and he licked it and then tried to sink his teeth in!

I don't know if he wanted one for himself or wanted to squirrel it away to use as a training tool in his work with his herd.

Great trim day on the Hill.

home on the hill

I'm playing catch up this week after a wonderful, restorative, energizing conference/retreat this past weekend where I studied sandplay therapy, a Jungian-based way of working with clients developed by Dora Kalff. I've utilized this method in my work for about 17 years now, and like classical horsemanship, it is a lifelong journey of learning, experiencing, and learning more.

On Saturday while I was at the conference we had a large number of tornadoes and "super cells" roll through our state, and while November Hill remained safe, a horse farm not 20 minutes away was devastated: indoor arena, barns, home, equipment shed, all destroyed. Tragically, as of yesterday, 20 horses died as a result of injuries sustained during the tornado.

Right now, my herd are grazing happily in the front pasture, meandering from sunshine to shade, allowing the cool breeze that's blowing to help with black gnat control. I feel incredibly fortunate that we are not picking up the pieces of a fragmented farm, and of our hearts, today.

I took photos of three figures I bought at the conference. The wonderful archetypal artist, Georgia Mann, graciously agreed to send me a box of miniatures that I could sell during our sandplay weekend. I think you'll enjoy seeing the three I chose. (or who chose me)

Until my camera is fixed or recharged (something weird happened to it yesterday and it's currently unusable!) I'll send you over to our sandplay association website where you can see the figures that are left. There are also 11 beautiful necklaces remaining and I feel lucky to have the energy of these pieces in my sandplay room until they find permanent homes.

I'll be back to the usual routine soon.