After Christmas Slump

Even though we don't officially celebrate Christmas in our household, now that it's over, we're all in a kind of slump. Even Cleo seems to notice the difference. For at least a week, carrots and other goodies kept appearing at her stall door usually accompanied by a card from one of her stable mates. She particularly liked the homebaked cookies from both Kinkaid and Scarlett, but the carrots from Buddy and Kossack were pretty tasty too. But she really doesn't want to work during the winter any more than the rest of us. It's extra damp and cold. Christmas Day was so cold when I went to feed that she and the rest of the horses put on quite a show with running and bucking, rearing and sliding to sudden stops; it was beautiful and scary at the same time. One of the horses across the road managed to slip and slide several feet on her side. Sure enough, when I went to ride Cleo that afternoon, she seemed sore when I asked her to trot, although I don't know if she was hurt or asserting her opinion. So yesterday, she had the leisure to hang out in her paddock. This morning she trotted up to greet me at feeding time and looked perfectly sound, so I may try and ride today. It depends on everyone's schedule. I miss not having Lisa to ride with since her horse is at home being pregnant. In spite of time off, it's often harder to arrange riding dates since none of us is on a reguar schedule. And no one wants to be in the arena during a hail storm or even rain storm since the metal roof makes it sound like a war zone. There are some riders who take the winter off, but I can't imagine retraining Cleo after a four month lay-off. Besides, I'd get terribly out of practice, myself. So I'll have to shake off the winter doldrdums and trot her around today. I always feel better afterward anyway.

The First Day of Winter

Sometimes it's hard to remember summer. It has been raining for a day now with no end in sight. The horses get depressed by the weather too. They slack off on their drinking and eating, and some even get physically sick from the change. Others, like Cleo, can't decide if they are despondent or obnoxious. Today. Cleo was the perfect horse on the ground. She behaved walking from her stall to her paddock and back to her stall. But once under saddle and in the arena, she wanted to be the boss. We rode with our friends Carrie and Artie. Cleo liked being in front with Artie following behind as we walked and trotted around the arena and in and out of the orange cones we set up to practice patterns. But she made it clear she, not I, was in charge. Not okay for a safe and pleasant ride. Artie had his issues too. Lucky for everyone, Emily, our 24ish riding friend, showed up and took a turn on each of our horses. I managed 40 minutes on Cleo and Emily 'finished her off' with a 20 minute trotting regimen of circles and dirction changes. Cleo looked like a regular parade horse. She was round, on the bit, forward, and beautiful. Patrick reminds me it's opnly 90 days until Spring. I remind him I have a mare.......

Having Horses in the Winter

Winter in Humboldt County is marked by wind and rain, two obstacles to happy horse ownership. Although horses are basically cold weather animals, they prefer dry conditions. Their feet and joints don't like too much dampness. So winter here means moving horses to dry spots when possible, putting them in stalls at night to allow their fur to dry out, and then putting them in pens during the day so they can breathe fresh air and stretch their stiff legs from sleeping in a stall all night. Unlike some horses who benefit from a blanket to keep out the cold and wet, Cleo goes uncovered twelve months a year. She has thick, almost long, fuzzy fur all over her body; she looks like a stuffed animal. Her fur serves as an insulator against the cold, but she waits impatiently at the gate to come in at night for her evening meal.

Tuesday, we had a great lesson, but we were both exhausted at the end. We practiced leg yields at the wallk and trot, counter leg yields at the walk and trot, and lots of circles at the trot. That afternoon when I went to bring her in, she appeared stiff and her fetlocks (ankles) seemed swollen. By the next morning, they were visibly 'stocked up.' I fretted all day while at work, but by the evening, they were back to normal as they were this morning even after a night in the stall during a pounding rain storm that managed to keep me awake, and I don't have a metal roof over my head! Horses, like children, require daily attention and concern. That's why I love having them--they require that I get outdoors and think less about myself.

Thanksgiving

Some diners go around the table and say what they are thankful for. We didn't do that at our Thanksgiving dinner--ten of us--five horse-girls--Karinna, Alex, Emily, Lisa, and me. But I am thankful I have a horse. I would have had a hard time filling my week off without horses to keep me company and in the out of doors. It was great having Karinna here from Davis, having Alex to watch ride Kassidy, and Patrick cooking a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner, but the smell of crisp leaves, brisk, cold temperatures, nickering horses, and the need to feed, muck, and ride got me away from the table, the computer, the piles of clean clothes and out doing physical labor. I rode too. On Thanksgiving afternoon, before eating an enormous meal, I rode Cleo with Karinna as my trusty spotter. After a satisfying ride, we gave Cleo a partial bath to clean her poor rump after a bout with diahrrea. She was very well behaved and appreciative. The weather was sunny and surprisingly warm. Then, today, Saturday, I rode again. Cleo was very good and we are practicing keeping her head down. I only lasted about 25 minutes since I was sore from too much housework. Another quick shower for her rump, and we called today another 'good horse day.'

Sunday, Nov. 11-I feel like a veteran--horse person, that is

Today, Cleo and I rode with Carrie and Artie, and Emily and Kincaid. Both of the other horses are also paints. Artie is a tri-colored paint--black, white, and brown. Kincaid is a dun and white paint--sort of beige and white. Both are geldings and Cleo loves riding in the arena with both of them. She gets to be the lead mare. When the three of us are in the arena, she is lively and 'forward.' For non-horse people, forward means she is using her hind end to propel herself--like a rear-wheel drive car. She doesn't want either of her 'boyfriends' to get ahead of her. She is so busy trying to stay ahead, she forgets to misbehave. We had a great ride today and I concentrated on my riding technique for almost 40 minutes which is a good workout---mental more than physical in many ways.

One thing I like about having a hobby like this is that it transcends generations. Emily is a 20 something horse crazy young woman with an HSU degree in business and recreation who works at a lumber yard to support her horse passion. Her horse lives two stalls down from Cleo--with Artie in between--and we see each other every morning and evening depending on our work schedules. She helps me with Cleo--wormed her today--and I feed and muck Kincaid when she is out of town.

When I moved to Freshwater Stables, I don't remember there being any paint horses, now there are over a half dozen with four coincidentally living in adjacent stalls. Even though I have had Cleo for over three years now, I am just learning more about paint horses. I didn't buy her for her breed or appearance but for her suitability for my goals. But paint horses are a particular breed with mostly quarter horse lineage and certain markings--although there are solid colored paints--horses with paint parents who came out without patches of white. Thoroughbreds can also be registered as paint horses. But other breeds with such markings are called pintos.

Today was also a good riding day because the air was fresh and brisk after a light rain overnight and the sun shone a brilliant yellow. Tomorrow, a vacation day from work, promises to be overcast and rainy. Much more typical for the time of year.

TUESDAY LESSON

Yesterday I had my regular Tuesday lesson. On Tuesdays I appreciate my job--English professor and Department Chair--because I can arrange my schedule to accommodate this hobby/obsession of mine. If I were still a middle school language arts teacher, I would be in the classroom from early morning until late afternoon and too tired to ride a horse after work. I admire my riding partner, Carrie, who teaches first graders all day and still rides Artie several days a week. Or maybe if I had started riding before the age of 55 I would have a different mindset and think nothing of jumping on my horse at 6:00 pm to unwind. Instead I ride Tuesdays and every weekend and vacation day I can with an occasional Friday thrown in for good measure. To unwind, instead I muck poop, feed, and water various species. Riding Cleo is still a 'special occasion' rather than a daily habit. Maybe that's good.

But back to yesterday's lesson.... What great fun. I invited Emily and her horse Kinkaid to practice the pas de deux with me. Paula is still helping us to work out the kinks and turn it into a treat for both horse and rider pairs and spectators. Considering Emily is 24 years old and has been riding since she has been a young child, and Kinkaid is still a teenager in horse years himself, Cleo and I had to be on our toes. Cleo was wonderful. She behaved better than usual and demonstrated her best speed! In fact, she was very competititve refusing to allow Kinkaid to get ahead of her even when we were supposed to be trotting next to each other. Cleo picked up the pace and and gave the youngsters a run for their money. I had a blast and hung on for dear life. I can hardly wait to practice again.

I think I'm becoming a real horsewoman.

A typical Sunday

Today I rode Cleo with my friend Carrie and her horse Artie. We were alone in the arena and had a good time walking and trotting in circles, diagonals and along the rail. Cleo was pretty obedient and we practiced for about 30 minutes. Our friend Jen watched. Often she rides her horse, Duncan, with us, but today she had a headache. One thing I like about having a horse is that I have friends from different generations. Jen is in her 30s with a three year old. Emily whose horse I took care of this weekend because seh was out of town is in her 20s, and Carrie is in her 50s. My border, Janice, who also has a horse at Freshwater is in her 40s, as is Shaelawn, the barn drama queen. Sue Natzler and my trainer Paula are in their 60s like me.

My training routine

Most every Tuesday at 11:00 I have a 45 minute lesson with my trainer, Paula Lacy. Paula is a well-respected dressage judge who is in demand for shows and clinics all over the Country. She is my fourth teacher. I have learned many lessons from all of my riding instructors--not all good ones. (A future blog) But Paula is an excellent teacher and horsewoman. She usually works with students who have ambitions to master the sport of dressage--often with very expensive horses bred for this activity. I was leary of asking her to give me lessons since I don't own English tack; I will never be able to post and maybe never canter, and my skills and ambitions are very basic. But she is as attentive and respectful a teacher of me as she is with all of her students. And I think she enjoys our lessons as much as she does those leading to blue ribbons in the show ring. She appreciates how much she contributes to my happiness and self-confidence.

As of last Tuesday, we began preparing a new pas de deux for possible half time entertainment at the next official dressage show at our barn, although it's in two weeks and I' don't think we will be ready. My riding partner, Carrie, and her paint gelding, Artie, performed a pas de deux at the last show and we hope to repeat our success. I should have practiced today, but I had to work until 1:00 today--yes on a Saturday--and I had too many other things on my mind. Sometimes Cleo can fill myb gloomy times with gladness, but other times, I'm just too weary. Tomorrow, though, I plan to ride and make myself feel glad again.

My first horse competition

Sunday I actually competed in a schooling show--for fun. In the morning Cleo and I did two dressage 'tests' both at the introductory level because they don't require cantering. We had a great time; she behaved well and I didn't even notice the 'audience' which was why I had resisted showing before. But I accomplished my riding goals. In the afternoon, we played games on horseback. I actually lasted half way into the egg and spoon relay before I lost my egg, and we did quite well in the pole bending contest although we didn't make it into the finals. Cleo likes it when we are the only ones in the arena, and for the games there were several horses and riders. She was literally chomping at the bit. But I'm gaining lots of confidence and feel likea real rider, not just an old lady on a horse. Today, at my lesson, both of us were sweating from trying so hard. We are preparing a pas de deux for the next show in November. The problem with getting better is my expectations change and I don't want my horse activaities to shift over into demanding more from me. Work is bad enough.

A new leaf

Since setting up my blog, I haven't written a thing. But today, now that the rainy season has begun in Humboldt County, I am going to capitalize on my forced houseboundness. Tomorrow, I am going to be in my second horse show. Both have been schooling shows--the first one I did a pas de deux with my friend Carrie on her paint, Artie. Tomorrow, I am going to ride in two classes--Intro A and B, and participate in 'play day' events. Cleo and I will also ride in the pole bending contest, Simon says on horseback, and doing patterns with cavelleties (ground poles) to trot over. It's all in fun. Let's hope it turns out that way. Whoeverw ould have guessed that this woudl be my hobby? I'll post another entry to document my level of success tomorrow.

Today Cleo and I are taking the day off from riding, but I have already spent the morning with her cleaning, feeding, watering, and starting the day in a fresh and positive way. My favorite part of each day is spent with the horses. They are all glad to see me--and their hay. Cleo is one of the most talkative horses at the stables. She recognizes my car and starts neighing as soon as I drive up the lane.

Yesterday I had a great ride on Cleo. The weather often influences the way each of us feels and behaves.