riding log

[quietann]

Very briefly -- Minnie was not having the best day today. She lost a shoe, and was having really bad separation anxiety, and was slightly stiff in one hind leg. I had to ask K (chocorua's sister, who manages The Hill, and is, if anything, even more gruff than him) for help with Minnie since J had gone home to get an EasyBoot. J has said that I can come up and ride Minnie on my own, but I really don't feel comfortable with that since I often need help handling her. As I have said before, once I am on her, I am fine. But she is not an easy horse.

Actually, J wasn't having the best day, and then after Minnie freaked on me, I wasn't either. However, I rode Minnie in the indoor arena for about 35 minutes, just walking and trotting. She was very good, probably because she'd tired herself out with all the fussing beforehand. After I turned her back out (and she was *really* good about the gate), I spent about 20 minutes looking for her shoe in her paddock, unsuccessfully. Minnie galloped around a bit and then followed me while I did this. Trumpie wasn't there with her because J was riding him, so I guess she was lonely.

Afterwards I picked cherries from J's tree, and ran a sh*tload of errands, in the midst of which I went to Windrush to drop off J's donated tack. And I got to see Guiness! He was in a lesson, so I didn't get to pet him, but the girl riding him was doing quite a good job, and he looked happy. I have my lesson group there for the fall; it's a more advanced lesson with two other women, and I have been promised a speedy horse, if not Guiness then one of the other fast ones like Bearito. J's really helping me with my riding but I'll be happy to be back in formal lessons.

since then... napped, did party prep, cleaned cages and now I really need to go to sleep!

Comments

[goddessfarmer.livejournal.com]

"..need help handling her.."
It's nice to have help, but I think you are a fair bit stronger, both in the muscles and in cluefullness, than you think you are. On the odd chance that no one was right there, you could do it. Yesterday was just bad all over. And I didn't find the shoe either, but I did call the farrier.

[quietann.livejournal.com]

Well... you know I often lack confidence, but this episode with Minnie really was bad. I am not very good at "thinking on my feet" with an upset horse. Was afraid to put her in crossties in the aisle because you'd told me she doesn't like them.

Ideally, I would have just waited until the woman who was using the wash stall was done. I think Minnie would have been fine there because she could see Trumpie, but by the time the wash stall was available, she was so upset that I could not get her onto the ties in there without K's help.

[quietann.livejournal.com]

(And asking for K's help is as bad as asking for your husband's help, or worse. They both scare me.)