Wizard Ride 158; Fall 1
“Legends of the Fall”
“Falling for You”
“Falling to Pieces”
“If I Fell”
“My World Fell Down”
“Down with the Ship”
Oh, the possibilities of a silly blog post title are endless; but in the end, I kept it simple. The reason I number every ride/session is because I always wondered just how many times I rode Alibar from 1989 to 2008. A zillion is the only possible answer. And falls? I did not fall off him very often and can remember most of them, but I surely don’t have a number. But with Wizard, I do.
Thursday, 7/15/10
It rained for several days, so the outdoor arenas were both too damp for much serious riding. The indoor arena was also damp since it was watered, but had not yet been harrowed. We hacked in the small dressage arena. The footing was a little slick and deep, so I kept the ride to a walk and trot in large figures, no small circles. Wizard is a little tight in this photo:
So after about 15 minutes outside, we moved into the indoor arena. We kept the ride low-impact indoors as well. We did a little working trot and forward trot. I closed out the ride with some loose-rein long-and-low work at the trot. As we trotted, I encouraged him to strrrretch… dowwwwwwn… and then PFFFFT! Poor Wizard stumbled down almost to his knees and dipped his nose in the dirt. In what may be the most adroit physical effort of my 32-year life, I slipped my leg over his side, kicked my stirrups free, and landed on my feet. Wizard was back up in a flash, and was fine. I was fine as well, and really excited that I avoided eating dirt. Mom was there for the whole thing. She had photographed the earlier part of the ride but I did not bother to swap lenses for the indoor ride so there is no photographic evidence. And that may be better, so I can brag on our graceful stumble.
Introducing… Beatrix Andrew
Beatrix is the newest addition to the Andrew family. We adopted her a week ago from a cat rescue- she was about 12 weeks old. My husband and I love her dearly, and Bryan (our 10YO cat) is taking to her very well so far. She is a classic tabby. We named her Beatrix after Beatrix Kiddo, but she also looks quite a bit like Beatrix Potter’s Tom Kitten illustrations.
A few days after Bea came home, she got really, really sick. She tested positive for the Feline calicivirus, as well as Mycoplasma Felis. She has pneumonia as a result. Here’s a timeline of her illness:
Sat afternoon, 7/10: Normal activity level and appetite. Sneezed a few times so I monitored her carefully, knowing the risk of upper respiratory diseases in kittens. Normal cycles of playing, eating, sleeping.
Sunday, 7/11: Normal activity level and appetite. Sneezed several times. Normal cycles of playing, eating, sleeping.
Monday, 7/12: Slightly decreased appetite but still bright and playful. Sneezed several times.
Tuesday, 7/13: More sneezing, eating but not with the enthusiasm that she had on Sat/Sun. Not as playful but not lethargic. My vet did a house call in the evening and took a throat/eye swab. She looked for mouth ulcers and did not see any. Temperature was 101.5.
Wednesday, 7/14: Sneezing about the same, limping began, appetite the same. Did not look quite as robust as she did on Sat/Sun.
Thursday, 7/15: Decreased activity level, limping, sneezing, appetite weaker, appeared to be dropping weight. Ate two extremely small meals despite several attempts with fragrant soft food, one in the morning and one very late at night.
Friday, 7/16: Pronounced decrease in activity level. Slept virtually all day and showed little interest in surroundings. Diarrhea. Sores in throat. Sleeping in more secluded places (under bed instead of on bed, etc). Obvious weight loss, lost her roly-poly kitten appearance. Still drinking well but barely eating. Looked weak when she walked. Temperature was 103.5 at home. Brought her in to Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in the evening and she stayed over. This was the first time she left the house since we brought her home. Got the swab results (positive for Calici and Mycoplasma). Temperature was 103.8 at the hospital. X-rays showed beginning signs of pneumonia. Got fluids, antibiotics, coupage, nebulizer, pain killer, etc as treatment.
Saturday, 7/17: Ate in the AM at the hospital. Temperature had dropped and was normal by the afternoon. Much rounder in appearance. Far more alert. Eating very well. Drinking very well. Slept almost all day. Still has diarrhea although vet tech said she had none at the hospital. Slept on bed part of the night and in cat bed part of the night. Started the Metronidazole (antibiotic for diarrhea), Chloramphenicol (antibiotic), and Buprenex (pain killer for mouth ulcers). I am bringing her in the bathroom for 15-minute steam vapor treatments a few times a day and working on my coupage technique.
Sunday, 7/18: Brighter-looking and acting. Looking roly-poly again. Extremely affectionate in the early morning (purring, rubbing, etc). Eating very well. Drinking very well. Diarrhea in the AM but firmed up by PM (not normal yet but improving). Started to think about playing with toys. I am limiting her activity, but left three “boring” toys in the bedroom so she does get into something destructive like chewing electric cords or something equally awful.
Monday, 7/19: Good appetite, drinking very well, bright and getting more playful. I can still see slightly labored breathing. Extremely affectionate in the early morning (purring, rubbing, etc).
In brighter news, it was a pleasure to see some really nice press in the Pet Connection blog!
Sarah’s Wizard: Sarah K. Andrew could be one of the best photographers of horses in the business. The more I read her Rock and Racehorses blog I more I realize that her photographs are an extension of her soul. In the latest post, she muses during an indoor ride on Wizard, a.k.a her Gumby Horse. Sarah’s prose is sensitive yet accessible, relaxed yet precise, and another beautiful reminder of the different forms the bond between person and animal can take. Her portrait of Wizard is worth a thousand words.
Wizard Ride 156: A Little Green Slab of Clay
Friday, 7/9/10
We have not gotten rain yet, so I rode Wizard in the indoor arena again. A beginner was getting a riding lesson, so it became a good opportunity to work on riding with other horses, passing, etc. We also served as a good exercise for the rider as well- she learned the beginnings of navigating an arena with other horses in it.
We had a nice long walking warmup, followed by an equally nice trotting warmup. Wizard was content to stretch really long and low. There were poles set up in a serpentine pattern so we trotted over them and worked on changes of direction and bend.
We practiced some circles and figure 8s, focusing on the bend and riding all the way out to the wall. I asked for one turn on the forehand in each direction at the walk. The turn to the right went well, but the turn to the left was lacking impulsion so he ended up looking like a pretzel with his nose touching my foot. I need to work doubly hard on enforcing my leg aids during the exercise in the future.
I created a pattern in my mind and we rode it a few times, including a leg yield in each direction, 20 meter circles, a forward trot, and a walk transition. It was really fun to put the pattern together and feel him respond to each command. The leg yields were good, but he got tense and ended up above the bit and trotting his little sewing-machine trot. I had not felt that trot in quite some time and it reminded me just how far he has come. He rode in an entirely different shape just a few months ago and now his outline is round and relaxed most of the time.
We did just a little canter work and then finished up with circles to the left and right on a loose rein to relax and stretch his topline. I like to end rides like this. I cooled him off, hosed him down, and put Gumby Horse to bed.
He was once a little green slab of clay. Gumby!
You should see what Gumby can do today. Gumby!
He can walk into any book, with his pony pal Pokey, too.
If you’ve got a heart then Gumby’s a part of you.
Wizard Ride 155: A Game of Inches
Thursday, 7/8/10
The muggy, buggy days of July. We had a heat wave and many days of no rain. The outdoor arenas are dusty and the flies are bloodthirsty so we moved our ride to the watered, bug-free indoor arena. Wizard had not been ridden in almost two weeks, so it was a refresher, with a pleasant surprise thrown in :^)
We did a lot of loose, stretchy trotting as a warmup and he felt fantastic. Upon inspection of my recent riding photos, I realized that I’m still riding at a dressage length and my jumping saddle puts me in a funny position when I ride long. So I shortened them just one hole so far. Maybe an inch. And check out the difference!
Longer stirrups, not as strong position:
Shorter stirrups, stronger position! Just an inch made a difference.
Once we were warmed up and loose, I let him take a breather at a walk and I attempted a turn on the forehand in each direction. I used too much hand to the left because his whole neck bent around me like a rubber band! I worked hard to keep the impulsion through the turn and we executed a decent turn both ways, especially for our first try. It is an absolute thrill that we have been doing one new thing virtually every ride. I’m so proud of him.
We then worked on big-trot-little trot and I got a few strides of a nice, round trot with really good impulsion. I could feel him bouncing a little. Once, he volunteered a canter and I allowed it because it was the correct lead and then we went back to our trot work. Wizard was pretty sweaty from this ride even though it was about 30 minutes. I made sure to cool him thoroughly in front of the big fan after I hosed him off.
Wizard Ride 154: Beechwood Park
Do you remember golden days and golden summer sun
The sound of laughter in our ears
In the breeze as we would run?
And the breeze would touch your hair
Kiss your face and make you care
About your world
Your summer world
(The Zombies, Beechwood Park)
Oh, and about a ZILLION DEERFLIES.
Friday, 6/25/10
Yuck. In the words of my blogging buddy Funder, it seemed like a good idea at the time…
Wizard and I embarked on a morning trail ride. I covered his ears with an ear net, I greased his ankles with Bug Balm, and I sprayed him with fly spray. All of this fly protection seemed to only encourage the flies further, and they swarmed by the dozens around poor Wizard’s head and body for the entire ride. They also mauled my arms, leaving angry welts where they bit me.
The only way to get away from them was to go faster, so we trotted about 4 miles with a few walking breaks. This was a good exercise for Wizard, since he wants to canter on trails and not trot. He broke into a canter just a few times and I was able to easily bring him back to a trot. We rode past the perilous pigpen (there are no pigs in it), across the street and back, and down a few long paths. Other than our bloodthirsty visitors, it was a really nice ride.
Wizard Ride 153: SuperFan
Thursday, 6/24/10
On Wednesday night, Wizard got a bath. His coat is glowing and soft, almost iridescent. He got his stitches out on Saturday and his head looks great.
On Thursday, we warmed up in the dressage arena and then took a few cross rails in the big arena. During our warmup, we continued our work with opening up his trot and pushing with his hind end. I asked for a big, forward trot across the diagonals and I got a few strides of a nice, swingy trot. I asked him to stretch with his neck, both low and in a neutral position. He was active with his mouth, chewing and chomping, but he was forward and willing. I’ve been thinking a lot about the chomping and trying to decide if it’s normal. He does it on the longe line and under saddle. He even does it if I am leading him somewhere in a bridle and he has something on his mind. The more distracted or tense he is, the more he chews. The more focused or relaxed he is, the less he chews.
It is so helpful to have somebody to take pictures of our rides from time to time (thanks, Mom!). It really highlights what has improved and where we have room for improvement.
We trotted two trot poles a few times, and then I rode a line of two cross rails. Thursday was the first time I invited him to canter a jump. We trotted the first, then cantered the second. He took the line in five strides, which is wonderful because I saw a horse take it in six earlier that week. I want a big, open, willing canter because it means he is forward and responsive. I worked diligently on my releases, making sure he had plenty of rein since he has a big, round, reachy jump. Now that I see these photos, I realize that I need to close my hip angle and shorten my stirrups one or two holes over fences. And CLOSE my fingers!
After our ride, I hosed him off and stood him in front of the industrial-sized fans on the aisle of the barn. The fan is AWESOME for cooling him down, plus it gives us a nice little training opportunity to teach him a little patience. It is so nice to have a horse who knows how to stand quietly and chill out. And the huge fan helps things along :^)
Happy Summer Solstice
Summertime,
And the livin’ is easy
Fish are jumpin’
And the cotton is high
Oh, Your daddy’s rich
And your mamma’s good lookin’
So hush little baby
Don’t you cry
One of these mornings
You’re going to rise up singing
Then you’ll spread your wings
And you’ll take to the sky
But until that morning
There’s a’nothing can harm you
With your daddy and mammy standing by
Summertime,
And the livin’ is easy
Fish are jumpin’
And the cotton is high
Your daddy’s rich
And your mamma’s good lookin’
So hush little baby
Don’t you cry
–George Gershwin
Wizard Ride 152: Of course, Of Course…
Friday, 6/18/10
Due to my action-packed weekend schedule, I had a rare morning ride on Friday. We started the ride by warming up in the dressage court outside, focusing on forwardness and getting a little impulsion at the walk and trot. We took a break from the lateral work since we did leg-yielding work for the past two days and instead worked mostly on straight lines and large shapes. Wizard is getting the hang of the forward trot and does not break into a canter as often as he used to.
Once he was warmed up and responsive to the aids, we walked over to the large outdoor arena where we did a little work over cross rails. There were four jumps set up on the two outside lines. All four jumps were cross rails. We worked at a trot over two sets of trot poles and them over to the little jumps. First, we took one outside line, and then looped around and took the second line. It was our first little, teeny-tiny course! Wizard’s jumps were round and forward- it felt SO nice to be doing a little work over fences again! I’ve really missed jumping for the past few years.
After we hopped the four jumps, I took Wizard into the indoor arena where we did just a little cantering work. Each time I canter him, we both get a little more balanced. I’m able to sit up and ride with a softer hand than I was in the very beginning, and as I ride softer, he canters more softly.
Wizard Ride 151: Over Under Sideways Down
Thursday, 6/17/10
Wizard had a visit from the farrier on Thursday. He remarked that Wizard was far more flexible in his hind end than he was the last few times. This makes me think that the chiropractic appointment last week had more benefits than just the ones I felt under saddle.
I rode Wizard in the dressage court outdoors, again with our stripped-down bridle and also an ear net to keep the flies away from Wizard’s delicate noggin.
Forward and sideways were the name of the game. We worked on leg yirlding at the walk and the trot in both directions. In order the keep his impulsion up, I also sprinkled in some big-trot-little-trot exercises. We were able to leg yield with the correct amount of bend from the center line in both directions. I’ve never tried that before- we usually use the quarter line as our marker. He was great! And he was also greatly improved at his transitions within the gaits, moving smoothly into a very big walk from a regular walk and also a great forward trot from his working trot. I used to do a lot of forward trot work with Alibar and I think it has a world of benefits for a horse.
The best part of the ride came when we were doing a forward trot across the diagonal- my reins were soft and giving to allow him to stretch his neck and head, and he pushed himself onto the bit, stretching and also taking contact. For just a moment, we had ourselves a pretty fancy little trot :^) Onward and upward…
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