Wednesday, April 20, 2022

What's Up Wednesday

 

Not sure where the time goes... Wednesday again! I don't have a ton to report back on this week really. Things are going great with everyone. I've been getting organized in the barn for Eros and Shiny to come home, and I think we're pretty much ready for them. It will feel so nice to have horses around again!

Pammon is up to 18 minutes of trotting every day. Which... is kind of a lot when that's all you do for 18 minutes straight. Round and round the ring. Trotting along. He's been great, and feels good, so I'm excited for his recheck that is hopefully on Friday. Fingers crossed we can add some canter in! 

Bros

Eros has been feeling kinda meh lately, but I know he's due for some injections. (He's on the vet list with Pammon for Friday hopefully.) He's also been feeling kind of wild though, so today I finally let him have a free lunge. He actually felt a lot more sound after which isn't usually the case. I kind of think sometimes he feels weird when he's trying his hardest not to be a wild animal. But just in case... I let him have a Bemer session after our ride today. Can't hurt, right? I'm curious to see how he feels tomorrow. (Barn owner bought a Bemer in FL this year, so I'm excited to take advantage of that new offering!) 
Eros' lesson last week was a bit chaotic. We went outside for the first time this year (first time jumping out there, we've ridden out a bunch) and he was LIT. We wound up mostly working over poles on the ground and one small cross rail. He was kind of hilarious. The last time to the X, he tried SO HARD not to run at it. He still got quick, and it wasn't a very attractive jump... but we rewarded his effort anyway. Both my instructor and I could tell he really was trying. Meanwhile, my arms are probably three inches longer than they used to be before that lesson... Horse can pull! We have a lesson tomorrow, but likely it will be indoors since the weather has turned cold and windy again. He'll probably be better either way since he got to play today. 

Shiny is feeling pretty good, but the leg still is holding on to some swelling. I'm going to keep soldiering on carefully for right now, and then schedule a vet visit once she's home if it's not looking better by then. The vet list for this week is really long, and I don't think he's scheduled to come back until after we're home. She's pretty stoic, so I do worry that she's sore and not letting me know... but hopefully that's not the case. We're keeping our rides easy and short (about 15 minutes of "work" and 5-10 of walking) so hopefully no harm either way. 

I love having a horse that lets me snuggle him when he's napping!

And then there's Al! He's perfect. Even when he's not. Our Friday lesson was our last with the assistant trainer, as she is moving on to other things in her life. We're sad, because we've had a great time learning from her this winter, but happy for her to do what she needs to do for herself. Anyway, it was an exciting last lesson! We went outside for our first time jumping out there. Al's been super to flat out there so far this year, but jumping was a little bit more exciting in the beginning. There weren't any ground lines on the jumps, but the sun was casting a shadow under them all, which he thought needed to be stared at whilst jumping over.... But the nice thing is, despite his need to stare at the shadows, he was still more than willing to jump them. I'll take that any day! We worked through a line set on the center line. It was three fences with four strides between each. But we had to do it in five. Which was easy since he was jumping a bit like a deer... Ha! It did get harder as he settled in and was jumping more nicely across though. He still did a nice job with the add, I just had to work a little harder. After going through that exercise a few times, we added in two long run oxers (one on each diagonal) and then a six stride line. And you guys! The 6 stride was set at 3'3"! We jumped BIG! (For us. It's been a long time since I've jumped that high. Which I realize isn't really high. But it is for me right now, and I'm celebrating!) The first time through the six I sat down a little early and we had the rail. So we came back and did it one more time, and he was a perfect little angel! So fun! 

Our Sunday lesson was back indoors since it was effing freezing out. Not quite literally, but close. I was happy to be out of the wind and in the indoor. The courses were super challenging, including a weird bending line at the end of the ring that Al likes to spook at. But he was so good! He did everything like he's done this stuff his whole life (which I'm sure he has not). The jumps were all new to him too, as they took out what we've been jumping all winter to paint them, and replaced them with all freshly painted fences that Al has never seen. He didn't blink an eye at any of them. Including a brick wall that we jumped by itself. As in no standards beside it or rails over it. And he was just like yeah, cool, whatever. If you say jump, I'll go! I just love this horse. We still have tons to work on for sure, but he just is so honest and kind. I'm still kind of in shock that he's mine. I'm not sure I deserve him. 

And that's what we've been up to! How's your week going? Do anything fun with the horses this weekend?

4 comments:

  1. I'm so, so excited for you and Al ♥️♥️ you had such a run of terrible luck and I am so happy to see things turning around for you and going so well with him! (Knock on all the wood so I don't jinx you guys!)

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    1. Haha! I knock on wood every day with this horse. Thank you though, your support means so much!

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  2. 18 straight minutes of trotting DOES sound like a lot lololol, but that's great that Pammon is doing that well! good luck on the recheck!

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    1. It's kind of like running on the treadmill... you're going nowhere... and it's not even fast! Lol!

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