April 20th-24th, 2013

Wow am I behind.  Finals and essays have really gotten in the way of me updating this blog, and of staying up to date on everyone elses!!

April 20th: It was randomly rainy and cold (55!) on Saturday, and since I had some essays due the beginning of this week, I gave Libby the day off.  I doubt she minded.  🙂 Did talk to the vet though and we decided that shes going to shoot one more angle on Libbys hocks to rule out a rare OCD location.  So we’ll know more about that on Thursday!

April 21st: Stopped by the tack shop to pick up that blanket I’d ordered ages ago that finally came in.  Got out to the barn and it was windy and cloudy.  Not very nice out, but at least it was in the mid 70’s, as opposed to the day before, which was randomly cold.  Got Libby out of her stall and man was she disgusting.  Had to spend a good half hour grooming her just so I could see her underneath the layers of grime and dirt.

Finally got her cleaned up enough and brought her out to the ring.  I decided to ride her in the pelham, but I’ve been thinking I really want to purchase a full cheek gag.  Ahh why is horse equipment so expensive? Especially bits?? I feel like with all the used tack consignment shops there should be some specialized to bits, because when I buy a bit to try, I never know if its really going to work.  I have friends that I can borrow some of their bits, but most of my friends in the area don’t have what I’m looking for in their tack trunks… Surely other people see a need for this??

Anyways got on and she was HIGH.  But not in a “wow I’ve got an engine” way but an “Ahhh grass!  Ahh jump!! Ahh life!” kind of way.  I was not happy with her to say the least.  Did lots of lateral work towards the things she had decided were going to kill her, and focused on keeping her tempo the same.  She was doing really well, aside from a random bulge/spook every now and then.  We got to end on a nice stretchy trot, and she actually trotted calmly by the scary things, which I was proud of.  Can’t expect them to be perfect all the time right?

Brought her in and hosed her down good.  I’ve been happy with the sweat marks the saddle has been leaving her since the fitter came out, and we’ve all but eliminated the random swelling she had on her withers.  Happy dance!  Been looking into the Frank Baines saddle again, since talking to the fitter and telling her my experience with the saddle I tried last time, she was pretty adamant that they can make the saddle more to my liking, so without the huge blocks and whatnot.  I still want to have the CWD guy out but right now its not looking like its gonna happen anytime soon.  What with finals and my trip to Israel coming up soon.  So for now, its my current saddle.

Tried on the blanket and hooray it fits!! So now I know its Eous for her.

Yay for blankets that fit!!

 April 22nd: Couldn’t get out to the barn again thanks to my exceptional procrastination skills. 

April 23rd: Was supposed to have the farrier out in the morning but he cancelled on me.  Ugh story of my life.  Got out to the barn a bit later then I’d intended.  Quickly groomed her and tacked her up, so I could get out in time before they fed dinner.  I’d decided to ride in a full cheek I’d picked up at a consignment shop a while ago.  It has a really long Dr. Bristol piece, and I really wanted to see how she did in a full cheek.

Pretty girl 🙂

Just as I was waking her out to the ring, they started dropping feed.  And Libby was not happy.  But tough Libby, I didn’t have any other time to ride you!! Got on and she was all over the place, but I loved her in this bit! Maybe because she was up she was more sensitive to the bit, but she was listening nicely.  Aside from being extremely spooky yet again.  But I had a talking to her, and got rather stern with her, and I think I got the point across to her.  So yay for that! After that she was GREAT!  Listening and just great overall.  I didn’t ride for very long, but I was really happy with her.  Hosed her down and gave her lots of cookies before turning her out and getting back to studying 🙂

April 24th: Phew all caught up! Rode her again in the full cheek and I still love it.  Had to ride her in the tiny little sand ring, with a lesson going on, because the big grass ring is closed to let the grass rest.  I hate this tiny ring, its like a constant turn.  And the sand is always too deep for me, even though they do tend to it daily with watering and dragging.

Got on and walked her around a bit, trying to stay out of the way of the lesson.  Too bad no one knows the left shoulder-left shoulder rule… I called outside several times before I gave up and just started watching where she was going.  And at one point she used her crop on her horse as she went right by me, to which Libby of course got nervous of.  Sigh…

But onto Lib she was great.  She did trip behind again pretty badly at the canter, but I think that had to do with the sand being just way to soft in that area, hence why I don’t like riding in there.  But she was still great, listening to me, and waiting for my cues. So proud.  Brought her in and did our normal routine. 

Excited and nervous to hear from the vet tomorrow.  Also, I think I’m just going to use the farrier this barn uses since it seems to me that I can’t get anyone else out here.  Which is ridiculous. 

Have been talking to my old trainer lately about coming back, but I honestly don’t even know what I want to do.   I sent her a text asking about Libbys turnout, and she sent me one back that was kind of catty.  I don’t thin I’m asking or demanding too much, but it made me rethink things.  I just wish I or my friend K had a trailer.  Would make things MUCH easier for us. 

Are they going out??!!