Farrier Friday!

The new farrier came to shoe Ink today.  He was really nice and even early to the appointment!  He brought along his dog, who cleaned up most of the hoof trimmings.  Ink’s hooves look fantastic.  When the farrier was trying to do his back hooves however, Ink was having a hard time or just felt like giving the guy a hard time.  The man said that he couldn’t tell if Ink was just stiff or if he was just acting up.  It does sound like something Ink would do, but it’s hard to tell. 

I lunged Ink afterwards in the round pen and he looked great.  He didn’t look lame at all.  I was really excited to see him moving so well.  After lunging I decided to ride and worked on getting Ink to go low and deep.  We also worked on bending his body because he kept pushing to go to the center of the roundpen where Errika was standing.  It was a successful day.

The next thing on the list is to have a Chiropractor/Equine Massage Therapist come and do some body work on the big guy.  I think it would really benefit him.  When I thought more about what the farrier said about him being stiff in the hind end and looking how Ink is moving, I do really think that there might be something causing problems, that a visit from the chiro/masseuse would be helpful and then we can go from there. 

A Rain Storm

I thought about it and thought about it some more.  I spent about, at least, a half an hour explaining to my mom about the day with Ink.  From the annoying beginning, that didn’t have to do with the big guy, to the terrific end.  I talked so much about what happend today and how we are progressing from the ground, building carriage and “Dressage,” training overall.  I was burnt out and didn’t feel like writing over what I explained to my mom, but here it goes. 

The day was cold and gloomy, a little windy.  Perfect conditions for horses to get their buck on ;).  To get straight to the point, there were two mares that were put in a make shift pasture next to the round-pen.  Being the ladies man Ink is, he had to go over and greet them.  Nonetheless it was usual mare behavior and the girls who so eagerly greeted the big guy were doing that striking, loud whinny noise.  When I got the lunge whip I asked Ink to move on, we were getting to work.  Social hour would have to wait.  He was enthusiastic, expressive, a big show off.  No bucking surprisingly.  I wanted to do some more lunging with the stretcher and ground pole work, but before I got to that point I had to make sure Ink’s mind was in the game and not floating around with the flirty mares.  I was strict and demanding in the beginning.  I kept the lunge whip at, my, hip height, driving Ink forward.  When he would wander, or even attempt to stop by the mares I would ask him to focus back on me by raising the whip above my hip, vertical and snapping it towards the ground.  It only took about one time for Ink to realize that it wasn’t the time for play and we had some work to get done.  The rest of session one went smoothly and Ink was very responsive. 

After that, I waited until Ink was showing submission before I asked him to come in and proceed to session two.  The following was working Ink over two ground poles, to help him pick up his feet.  We did that for about 10+ minutes and went to session three.  I tacked up the beast and put the stretcher on.  We did some consistant trotting.  Afterwards I removed the stretcher and decided to take a quick ride in the round pen.  Ink felt good, better than the last ride.  He is becoming more athletic and is able to carry himself more consistantly.  I asked for a little bit of trotting and a nice extended walk.  At the end, it began to rain more and more, so I hesitantly dismounted. 

Friday Podcast!

New series here at TEI, I’m now going to do a Podcast thing every Friday.  I thought it would give you, the readers a more personal insight into my life with Ink, and Errika as well.  I will be narrating the video in the future, next week’s will be, but yesterday when I took the video for today’s podcast I didn’t.  I just did a short video of Ink on the lunge.  Unfortunately my ‘post to wordpress’ thing isn’t working, so I cannot embed the video here.  To view it, click the link below.  Please feel free to leave suggestions/advice on the video here. 

Click here

Below is Ink on the lunge yesterday.  He was looking over at the pregnant mare (due any day now) that was turned out next to the arena. 

I have a looking down problem…

And lastly giving Ink loves after being a good boy.

It was a short day.  If you do watch the video you can tell Ink is a little short strided on his right side. 

Everyday Horse Life

Nothing super interesting to report on in my horse life.  I wanted to thank you guys for all the nice comments left on the last post!  I really appreciate the time all of you take out to read and comment :). 

I’ve been doing catch up on reading posts on my fellow equine blogs’.  I’ve really enjoyed the reading lately that I have done and wanted to congratulate once again 20Meter Circle of Lifeand her Arabian horse, Abu’s 3rd Place USEF Horse of the Year award!!  I have to state this line again, but it’s so refreshing and exciting to see various breeds and sizes stepping out of the shadow of the 17hh Thoroughbreds and Warmbloods.  Although I do own one, I am certainly a fan of the little guys throwing their hearts into equestrian sports. 

So what to report on with the horses today..  Well Ink was a tired boy, probably from his work-out yesterday.  I found him nearly asleep in his field.  I thought he’d greet me with his ears pinned saying “mom you are not taking me out today,” as he sometimes does, but alas he was welcoming.  From Thursday to Saturday I wasn’t able to get him out and do the general routine like I do almost everyday and it showed.  It usually shows when that happens, he’s sour and mad at me.  He wants to get out and hates when things don’t go along as a normal day.  Needless to say Ink is settled into his way of things, into our little life.  I’m happy to see him enjoying life and work.  Since the beginning it’s something I’d been hoping for.  Now it’s a goal reached. 

If you’re wondering about the lameness delima, I wanted to report on that as well.  I’m going to call M* to schedule a time for her to come by and look him over.  Now that her reiner is in training with the trainer at the barn, she’s able to get over our way more.  Today, free lunging, Ink looked good.  I notice a little bit of short strided-ness with the right hind, otherwise things look good. 

 On Sunday I was delighted to see Ink and Errika’s blankets off before I got there.  M* took them off for me when she came by in the morning to feed.  It was a nice gesture.  I laughed at Matt and said, “no one has ever done that for me!”  He was quick to remind me that he has done so many times before, but he missed my point.  I know M* really cares about horses, not just as “uses” but as animals and she was the first horse person who has ever taken the time out to do something nice for them like that.  You’re probably laughing thinking, ”wow is it that big of deal, a frigging blanket taken off?”  lol. 

Ink did get another free lunging session with the stretcher again, he did very well this time and looked so nice.  I’m hoping this will help build his top-line.  Is there any other benefits and exercises to do while uses the stretcher to help his muscle development? 

Clipped Coat Changes

 

I gave Ink a bath today.  It was a little bit windy, but in the sun it wasn’t bad and luckily we are sheltered from whatever wind there is with the barn. 

After the bath I put him on the hot walker for about 10-15mins.  I didn’t have it on because I didn’t want him stirring up dust and defying the point of a bath lol :p.  Next door the old man has two new pigs and Ink hasn’t seen them yet.  He saw the last two from last year, but now there are new little pigs and he was scared of them.  Probably because he couldn’t see them very well from where we were.  So I put him on the side of the hot walker where he could look and observe.  And he did just that the whole time.  A little spooky in the beginning but he soon just stood looking with curiosity. 

Matt and I sat with him during his stay on the hot walker.  I ate my snack and then was able to get some shots.  The camera was getting low on battery and I had a full memory card and after compromising with deleting some photos, I had four spaces left. 

I’ve been curious as to see how Ink’s coat might change or what would happen after he was clipped.  Someone said that they don’t get their color back for two years.  Now I don’t know if that is true or not, but in the last week Ink’s regular coat color is coming back.  I think it should be back in full by at least the end of April, if it continues to go at this rate.  But right now it’s, interesting..  I recently read the blog of The Eventing Percheron at http://eventing-draft.blogspot.com/ talk about her boy’s coat color.  I’m having weird things happen with Ink’s coat.  His neck is really light, probably because it’s been exposed to the sun, when he’s been blanketed most of the time.  It was so noticeable and looked really funny, but it’s kind of blending in now.  And his head is shedding out now, but his ears are probably going to be last, they are soo fuzzy! 

Ink didn’t just get to be pampered all day, he had to do some work, since I’ve been light with him the past week.  I put the stretcher on and free lunged him in the round pen.  He didn’t like it at first, some times bucking and striking out, but then settled down fine and remembered about the release when giving to pressure.  He looked great going around.  Errika joined us and then my mom took her out for a little trail ride around the property and into their field. 

The Icing

Hi everyone, I am blogging a little late in the week than planned.  But I’m here to update you on the most current situation.  I wanted to personally thank Jessica of http://equuspalaverous.wordpress.com/ for helping me out with Ink through email :). 

Meghan didn’t end up coming on Sunday.  She called me in the morning to tell me that the mare who she’d been waiting for nearly 3 weeks to give birth, finally did.  I really was looking forward to her coming out, but I can only imagine how exhausted one must be after sleeping in the barn for that long waiting for a mare to foal.

On Monday Matt and I brought the horses out and free lunged them in the arena.  Ink was a happy, competitive, horse following Errika around the arena.  He threw some massive bucks as usual and played catch up with the frisky Arab mare.  

I’m feeling much better about what’s been going on.  I am pretty sure I took it hard because for the first time I had someone tell me that he just might not be “it.”  “It” I guess means the nice, sound OTTB who takes his rider to some Dressage and Jumping shows. 

“It’s” not an “It” anyway.  “He” is a beautiful creature with secrets to share that have only yet been starting to unfold.  He could take me over a thousand jumps and we could ride some awesome tests, but at the end of the day, he is still an animal.  He is still Ink and I won’t know who he is just by knowing what it’s like to ride him. 

I have actually learned things from horses from cleaning up their poop.  I’m now cleaning stalls for the barn where the horses are kept to help cover board.  There is only four stalls inside the barn, but I love each horse in there.  Especially one.  His name is Bucky and I’ve known him since he was a wee lad.  I used to play with him through a fence when he was kept in the field next to Errika and he would follow me around the field he was in when I would go in there.  I’ve never rode him, don’t have any plans to.  Well besides he’s one of the young ones in training.  When I’m cleaning out his stall he is so into what’s going on and what I’m doing.  I often times have to remind him to stay on one side of the stall while I’m cleaning out the other because he will smell my hair and walk in front of me for his favorite, wither itching. 

 I know that based on just spending time with horses doing some of the most, not the highlight of things to do, I can get to know those horses.  I’ve gotten to know Errika a lot just by spending time with her doing things other than riding.  Like enjoying sitting with her in the field, having a picnic with her, or my favorite - going over at night in a storm to bring her in for a few hours of grooming and dry time.  Ok, no that is not my favorite, but I’m sure she likes it.

Riding has been the second thing for us.  It’s been a lot of fun and I can’t tell you how awesome it is to ride her bareback.  I laugh so hard I swear I’m going to fall off.  I probably will one of these days, God knows I’ve come close!  I feel safe, whole, ful-filled and confident when we ride.  But again it’s just the icing on the cake.  There is a whole bunch of other goodness underneath the icing. 

Sunny Saturday

I’m not sure what to do this afternoon.  I have to clean stalls, so I have to go over to the barn anyway. 

Tomorrow Meghan, the trainer is coming out to look at Ink.  I really want to know what to do next with the big guy.  We’re probably going to put him on a feed through joint supplement, like Meghan suggested, but what else? 

I asked Tim yesterday, the reining trainer, if I was hurting Ink by riding him.  I know this trainer loves the horses he works with and has been there to give advice and help to Ink and I.  He told me if it was progressively getting worse, then yes I should be concerned.  But he thinks that the exercise does good for him.  The two things that we have been doing is exercise and now shoeing and it’s made improvements. 

Yesterday it was sunny and then it got over-cast and cold.  I went over to see the horses alone and hung out with them in their field.  I rode Errika around while Ink picked around the field.  Sometimes we need to relax and it’s a most interesting perspective to sit and watch the horses in their natural state.

Well I’m nervous and anxious about tomorrow..      

I love you Ink

I had a phone call today.  One from the trainer who has helped me with Ink.  I’m trying to be optimistic, but it does make me sad.  She is coming out to look at Ink on Sunday just because I really do suspect something going on in his hind end.  If she thinks it’s arthritis, we’ll go from there.  I feel a bit alone here because this is all new to me and I don’t know what to do or where to start.  On top of that we still have a large bill to pay for Errika’s surgery.  My mom is working with a nice lady from the finances department to work out some type of payment plan.  Yeah, it still has not been worked out.  We don’t have a lot of money, we were faced with a difficult decision and did our best.  My parent’s have little experience with horses and my dad just “doesn’t get it” (Maddy, from PonyTailClub, I know how you feel!).  He doesn’t understand to the point where he probably would have the sanity of not going through this and not spending the money he did.  It wouldn’t matter if we had money anyway, because now I have a new problem on my hands and it’s another difficult decision to make. 

 I thought I’d never have to say this, but if Ink has a chronic problem, as M said, we have to decide what will be the next step.  To sell Ink or not.  I’m really doubting my pursuits as a rider at this point.  I’ve never shown and I thought Ink might be a great project.  But it’s not going to work out that way, at this point.  If we do get his hocks injected, he might improve, but like M said is it really something we could manage with putting that much work into him?  It sounds sad and it is, but I’m really upset and I don’t know what to do.  It’s VERY sad knowing that this talented horse at only 8, could never be able to be serviceable other than light work.  HE just doesn’t deserve that.  I know I’ll get to a more “ok, let’s decide what’s best for him,” stage but at this point it’s just all upsetting.  My super star, who will always be, may just not be super sound for anything.

 I don’t want to sell Ink, I really don’t.  I’ve poured my heart and soul into this horse and I love him so much.  The reason to sell would be because I need to find a 100% sound prospect, maybe another OTTB, to make some progress in my riding.  BUT that is really selfish.  I hate myself for even thinking my riding is more important than giving him a home.  We cannot afford another horse at this point.  This is very hard for me.  I tried really hard not to cry in front of my mom when she asked what M said. 

I’m trying to locate Errika’s previous owners.  I really want to see how they are doing and to tell them everything.  I want to learn more about Errika and the whole story. 

Well, besides..  I had a great time with Errika today. 

Coming Along

 

 

The progress Ink has made in this last month has been exciting and pleasing.  He pick’s up on things quickly and always tries to get it right.  I can only remember really riding him in the beginning and thinking, “oh this is going to be a long haul.”  Ink is such a tank and getting him on the bit eventually, was just way far out there.  I’m in love with how he feels now when he goes along soft in my hands and on the bit. 

Yeah, yesterday we did some more jumping again.  It was good practice for mom in the picture taking department.  Although she only got one of us actually going over the jump, I still give her props for the ones that did come out!  She’s getting ready to enter the contest =).

After the jumping, I just worked around the whole arena getting him to bend into the corners.  It was fun.

My mom rode Errika bareback and they did their own thing in between my mom taking shots.  Just the kind of day Errika likes.

Productive Ride

The dark skies are depressing.  I really miss the sun :(. 

My mom and I rode yesterday.  She rode Errika and I had a great ride on Ink! 

It was very productive, I worked on getting his neck and body to bend on circles, since he is a little stiff going right and tends to fall on his shoulder.  His jaw is really breaking loose and he goes on the bit much more easily now. I don’t ask much of him in terms of going on the bit at this point because he needs a lot of time to develop those muscles to hold it, but he’s getting the response down very well.  This was mostly done at the walk and I will continue to do that during the beginning and end of the rides. 

This is really funny..  Ink has been doing this a lot lately after we get done riding.  He will lift his back leg like a dog and stick his neck out and waits for me to scratch his belly.  He loooves his belly scratched, it’s just now he’s holding his leg up for me before I even do it! 

After I rode and un-tacked and scratched his belly, Matt let him out in the arena to roll.  It always feels good to him I’m sure, without his blankets on.  Apparently he had a lot of energy left and ran back and fourth after rolling bucking hugely as usual.  Then showing off his flashy trotting skills, haha. 

It rained today and is supposed to throughout the week, but it’s nothing bad as of now, so I think I’m going to head over there now to ride the big guy.