Transition to fall: September-October Goals and Progress

[Tanga]

LPS. I am sorry about the troubles. I have nothing to contribute but my mantra--time, movement, and conditioning can help a lot. You are clearly doing everything right.

Aleuronix, what a gorgeous place to ride. It's so cool you can get to the beach. Chisamba, thinking of you, too. You will come out stronger!

I am so glad we are solidly looking winterish here, and got through a basically cool summer with very few fires and no days where the air was dangerous to breathe. Now I hope we get rain.

A couple of weeks ago I was freaking out. I went to get the horses and Quinn wouldn't move. When I grabbed her, she was dragging a front leg. I got her to the barn and wasn't super worried, thinking she got beaned in the muscle and it just hurt, but a friend looked at it and said he horse looked just like that when he broke a shoulder. A new horse in the pasture was causing all kinds of problems and horses were getting injured left and right. The vet was out the next day, so I had them look at her (and another horse that was a casualty of the mare) and though she was still dragging it, they thought it was probably swelling around something like nerve in the leg because there was nothing to be found. She stayed in a paddock a few days and was fine and came out raring to go and feeling great. The BO was great and made the owner of the mar take her horse out right away. I was so relieved.

My last show of the year Saturday. I've hardly shown at all this year because I don't need to and to save some money. I've really spent some good time improving both girls, and I think they will do really well. I worked only in the snaffle for months, and while I the double back on for the show, I pretty much only use the snaffle. I switched back to pokier spurs instead of the swan neck, and I think that helps. My big problem with Quilla is that at shows she backs off a bit and loses her hind leg in the ones and gets steppy in the p/p, and I can't carry a whip or she may or may not shut down and dare me to do anything about it, so we've been working on me staying back and making her move forward off of the leg instead of stressing and leaning forward just enough to throw everything off. I can finally feel when her ones are not clean, so I'm really happy about that, and if we can get half of the p/p we get at home at the show, I'll be very happy. With Quinn I've been working more on her thinking a quick passagey trot to get more articulation in the joints and staying relaxed that way. She pretty much has the p/p, and is better at ones than Quilla is, but I'm just not going to show them both at the same level, even though I could pull off a decent GP test with her.

[Chisamba]

As this bimonthly goal draws to an end I'm ready, I think for my surgery on Wednesday. Just have to pass a negative covid test tomorrow.

Chisamba, will be thinking about you, hope the surgery goes well today and that you are able to stay comfortable in the days after!

I'm recovering. Dr says the hip was a bone on bone mess. Bionic hip in place. Let the healng begin.

Thanks for the good vibrations

[StraightForward]

Thanks for the update Chisamba let the healing begin!

[heddylamar]

All the recovery jingles @Chisamba!

[exvet]

Fantastic Chisamba! We'll be getting updates on your horses and their progression in training soon! ......and like my friends who've gone through the same you'll likely be wondering why you didn't do it sooner. Well wishes!

[Kyras_Mom]

Yeah Chisamba...it is done. Heal up and you will be riding before you know it...do follow instructions though. I know horse people .

Jingling for a smooth recovery.

Susan

[Aleuronx]

Good to hear from you Chisamba, and yes let the healing begin! Follow the PT instructions to the tee and you'll be back in the saddle before you know it and I'm sure feeling so much better after bone on bone.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Thank you all. I know everyone is rooting for Lynx And I always appreciate the advice and cheering on!

Tanga, Lynx had a similar thing going on on a front leg a few months ago from a kick. I had the vet out because I was freaking out but I do think it was just ouchy on a nerve! They sure can freak us out sometimes.

Chisamba, Glad to hear from you and I hope the healing goes very well.

My vet watched the videos of me riding and agreed that it look like something higher up. Stifle or SI. And to be clear this is not the same leg that we have been dealing with a stifle. It is the other one. So she advised that he get two weeks of rest and then we evaluate. He got massage and magna wave yesterday. She was happy to report that there was no inflammation present upon palpitation in his left stifle. And very very minimally in the right which we know has issues. She did however find a decent amount of soreness in his lower back/si area on the left side. So there is thought that he's strained something. Whether it was in turnout or when the trainer took him over canter poles is hard to say. We will see how the next two weeks go. I did pick up a Jec Ballou book And I might do her stifle program online. From what I understand it is a progression from in hand exercises to ridden exercises in about 4 weeks. But that all depends on what happens in the next few weeks. My thinking is just taking a little bit slower into riding.

Massage therapist did watch him trot in hand on hard ground and thought he looked good. Better the second trot than the first initial trot. The vet did say I can hand walk him and maybe even small amounts of turnout alone just not with friends. Just needs to stay quiet right now but that movement is not necessarily a bad thing as long as it's not wild!

In the meantime my daughter is going to her first off property show on Saturday. It's a Halloween theme show so should be fun. She's been leasing a school horse named Squirtle. It's pretty adorable.

And I am going to try and go audit the L program at the beginning of November. Has anybody done it? I'm pretty sure a few of you have right? I'm really looking forward to that. There is also a Betsy Steiner clinic that I want to go audit.

Just because Lynx getting some downtime does not mean that I have to! I will continue on with my education and working out!

Stay warm everybody It's pretty chilly here today!

[Moutaineer]

I audited the L program, some years ago. It was worthwhile. I'd like to do it again now with a bit more knowledge under my belt.

Glad everything went well Chisamba!

I still feel like hammered poop. I thought I was feeling better yesterday evening, but apparently that was a passing illusion.

[Srhorselady]

I audited an L program several years ago. VERY worthwhile! Also IF you have the time available offer your services as a scribe to the participants. That will get you to the last two sessions (no auditors only participants) where they do the practice judging and testing. Hearing those discussions and comments is also very worthwhile. Usually at least one participant Needs a scribe. Take a drink and stuff to take notes while sitting in an uncomfortable folding chair and be prepared for intensive work. I’d also like to audit again.

[Srhorselady]

Chisamba, healing vibes heading your direction!

[Tanga]

I went through the L program, but auditing is a great idea, as is going to any symposium or scribing. It helps with perspective of riding versus what a judge sees and what you feel.

Chisamba--I heard great things about bionic hips. Melissa Creswick had both of hers done (or knees) and said she went from pain all of the time to no pain and feeling good.

[Ryeissa]

sending healing thoughts to horses and humans!

[goldhorse]

Chisamba, I hope your healing is going well. I had a total knee replacement done in 2016. It was life changing. I hope your new hip gives you as much happiness as my new knee has given me. Praise be to modern medicine and going bionic.

[Kyras_Mom]

Goals…
Me…get my a** moving. Anything. It has got to cool down one of these days? Forecast for 100 or more all the way through the weekend. My rowing machine is in my garage which has been running about 94 degrees. We will see.
I finally found out what is wrong with my left hip. I have a tears in both my gluteus minimus and gluteus medius tendons. Crap…I really didn’t think anything was torn. So, being somewhat afraid to do anything, I have continued riding and short walks as neither of those things bother it too much but they don’t do much for my fitness either. I am working with a physiatrist in another town and hoping to get some PRP that is done correctly (right volume, right location…you know the basic stuff) in the next couple weeks. She has an extensive PT regimen for post injections so I may be off of riding for a 1-2 weeks. It did finally cool down though

Horse…continue to work on softness in the connection which means attention to straightness and relaxation. Attention to transitions within the gaits and staying in front of the leg. Get a few trips up the hill on the trails before winter sets in.
As per previous posts, I gave up on snaffle bits on dear Kyra. We have discussed and fought over submission and relaxation for years and we were both tired of it. I have her set up with my bastard full double replacing the snaffle with a bitless bridle(side pull) and I have been having a ball. Not having a horse trying to grind the bit in half or swallow her tongue. Her mouth has been remarkably quiet and it is like power steering got installed. I did get a bit of video and noticed her canter looked a bit grounded so have been working on forward and speeding up the hind end. We have had one more trail ride and she is doing super and getting more comfortable outside the arena .

Honest to Pete, I wish I could trade in my body. I had a really nice ride yesterday. Worked on transitions, CC and some lateral work. Her trot felt really good and viola, I could sit it so I did a fair bit of sitting trot…a nice forward trot too, not the baby trot I usually sit. Well as I was leaving the barn, I suddenly had spider webs floating in my right eye. Big buggers…it was weird. The webs subsided over about 30 minutes but when I went to bed, the flashes started . What the hell! The flashes were still there this morning so I went to the ophthalmologist to make sure my retina wasn’t detaching. The doctor said the retina was fine but a big chunk of debris broke off and I have a large floater…he said probably from riding and being my age. Between having my eyes dilated and now being a bit afraid to ride I didn’t go out today. I will try again tomorrow but we will save sitting trot for another day.

Susan

[heddylamar]

I'm hoping PRP works great for you too, Kyras_Mom. It took 3 rounds for my hip — twice in quick succession as planned, and then a third round for another damaged section a year later. I'd torn the labrum, abductor, and abductor cuff. Even after months of extensive PT the piriformis was still not happy. I gave it a year before going back for additional treatment. Now I'm very occasionally achy v. perpetually lame.

[Kyras_Mom]

Heddy, I had one round from the orthopedic surgeon that I was seeing here. They didn’t draw enough blood so the resultant injection was like 2ml volume then he just injected it near something…no imaging and despite all that it did help. It took about 5 weeks then I noticed that the pain was much better and I could actually walk up a few steps. That was pre-MRI so basically he was shooting in the dark.

I am going to a Regenexx facility for this round. They draw a much larger volume of blood, have a process that concentrates the platelets much more and they use imaging or ultrasound to administer. I already have the 8 week post injection PT protocol which is pretty comprehensive. The doctor here said it may hurt more for a while….let us know. Absolutely no other instructions or PT. I tried two other docs to get a second opinion and neither would see me. One is now only doing total joints and the other a sports medicine doc whose staff told me they don’t deal with those specific muscles/tendons…WTH? It gets pretty discouraging but I am hoping the PRP will do the trick.

Maybe I will try the vet hospital next .

Susan

[Chisamba]

We are kind of turning this into a health thread. Lol. So hip replacement was done under spinal anesthesia with a sedative so I woke before even leaving the theater but it was hours before I could twitch my legs. First thing I heard was two staff talking about how bloody it was. I bled more than usual because the bone was so degraded. I was put on blood thickener to avoid transfusion. Then afterwards blood thinner to avoid clots lol. Don't let anyone lie to you about pain. It's fecking painful. It was more painful because I'm allergic to Nsaids so they're are two injections to control pain that I did not receive. I'm home. Getting around ok. Tryinging to remember not to cross my legs . Put my knees together or bend at the waist pst 90 degrees. Apparently all moves that can cause the new hip to dislocate because the muscle is not holding it in place til it heals.

That it. That my medical assessment.

[Kyras_Mom]

Glad you are on the mend. Sorry about the postop pain. It sucks when you can’t use the whole arsenal to combat it. Can you use ice?

Those movement restrictions are the pits…especially for a horse person. Those things tend to be automatic .

Stall rest is hard .

Take care and heal fast.

Susan

[khall]

You got this chisamba! Heal fast! Yeah doctors lie about the pain post op. I just had a knee scope I can’t imagine the pain from a hip replacement. Those blocks wear off then yowza it hurts.

Closing out I pretty much accomplished what I had planned for.

Cedar clinic check
Added WE clinic that I was not sure was going to happen check
Schooling show with Joplin check
Gaila treated again still on oral antibiotics
Me still doing Pilates and I’m finally seeing some toning!! My clothes are looser:). Don’t know about actual weight loss have not been on a scale but happy with the toning for sure
I’m enjoying helping with Chex and riding him some. He’s a quick study

Our weather has been so nice though we need rain.

Biggest life issue is my mom with dementia that lives on our farm. I’ve had to increase days with caregivers adding a weekend caregiver who mom is not happy with yet. Stranger who is invading her space sigh. But with the farm I need the help just can’t do it all.

Looking forward to next thread we have our 4 th Cedar clinic working hard with Joplin to advance our canter work. Trying the exercises Piedmont shared on the lengthening thread and hoping to show next month schooling show again. Then celebrate 30 years of marriage how did that happen?

Next year I will be hosting Jillian Kreinbring with her Course 2. And hosting Cedar 4 times plus hoping to continue with some WE clinics. Hard for me to travel so I bring clinics to my farm instead.

[Chisamba]

Khall I enjoy vicariously how much you have grown in joy and confidence since giving up Rip and riding Joplin. I am going to become a big proponent for listening to the horse when it says it doesn't want to be ridden.

[khall]

Thanks chisamba! Had another fab ride on Joplin today. Really peeling the onion which is the R lead canter. It’s multifaceted issue some her some me but had some extremely good work today so I am stoked! I certainly do not miss riding Rip at all. Was talking to my vet about him one day about his spookiness and her take on it is with horses like him she thinks of vision problems which funny enough I had wondered too because of what he would spook at things closer to the ground. I don’t begrudge the time I spent with him but after riding Joplin now and how talented and willing she is I’m glad I don’t ride him anymore.

I’m hoping my boarder gets to that point with Chex as well. She is struggling a bit embracing him fully. Feels disloyal to Juliet I think. I find Chex easy with just a remarkable ability to learn pretty darn quickly. He’s got such good balance and is maneuverable just a fun little package that needs good training to be very sporty. Juliet is none of that. She is more forward thinking than him but that is also why he’s much safer. To stop say good:). To stop Juliet have a double on her.

Happy riding all and see you in the next thread!!

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Khall, that's interesting about Rip. Lynx also tends to spook at things closer to the ground and I wonder about vision. Not like there is an eye issue, but maybe like people, some have better vision than others. But when Lynx is on magnesium it's not much of a problem so maybe muscle tension was more of an issue.

I am rooting for Chex! He sounds fun but I know sometimes it takes awhile to bond with a horse.

My daughter had a fabulous time at the show. It was her first off property show (she's done one at the home barn.) She was calm and cool the whole time! She got "scariest costume" in the costume contest (she was a nurse and her horse was a banged up patient.) And she won her equitation flat class out of 10 riders, most older than her! It was a really fun day!

Lynx gets rolfed today. Fingers crossed that he's doing better. Still sound at the walk but I haven't trotted him again yet to check him.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Had to share their costumes! Halloween shows are the most fun! She's doing a Dressage show next month, see if joins the dark side with us ha ha.

[exvet]

Had to share their costumes! Halloween shows are the most fun! She's doing a Dressage show next month, see if joins the dark side with us ha ha.

Cute! My daughter continued to do these kind of shows (here it was an annual hunter pace) well into her 20s because she loved dressing up her horse. She's coming over today to go trail riding with me and my DIL. She wanted to know if we could dress everyone up since they're no longer holding the hunter pace (thanks to development) ........... I had to crush her fun, stating that I didn't think it would be a great idea given we're riding in the preserve and didn't know what or who we'd encounter I'm sure Junior, Brandon and Ace are all experiencing a huge sigh of relief right now, though they don't know why

[Moutaineer]

Kiddo has a nice seat and leg, LSP!

Lol, exvet

I'm going to try and tottering down to the barn this afternoon and feed my horse a carrot, at least. This sickness has really knocked me through a loop. I keep thinking "Oh, I'll be better tomorrow." But I'm not. Probably need to go back to the doctor for a different antibiotic or something.

[Aleuronx]

Oh man I was not looking forward to recap on these goals but here we go.

Section Goals:
-Rider fitness of some variety (yoga? bike? weights?) Oof, maybe a winter of ass kicking to commence?
-One last chance to pip the 70% barrier at 1st 3 at Regionals then we kiss 1st level goodbye No such luck with weather cancellation of warm-up test and well, rearing ain't gonna get you 70% or a finished test...
-Score in the top half of the class for the AA 1st Level Championship, this class generally has enough entrants to ride from dawn until dusk so I feel like top half is a fair goal. At least we withdrew and weren't eliminated? Does that make me 2nd last since two others were?!?!
-Post-Regionals lesson bonanza aka as much as possible (time and $$$) This I can check off in spades included a doubleheader Fri/Sat which was phenomenal. Maybe next year is just a building year.
-Keep rolling with the Sunday Funday's of either polework or field play This has been grand as the weather has cooperated quite nicely. A beach trip which was so fun! And simple things like a lovely warm-up/1st set in the arena and out in the field for a hunter frame canter around. Nothing beats that.

So I guess it hasn't been all bad? I dunno, still would like to pack Regionals 2022 away in a brain vault to be never remembered again. Maybe stay-away shows won't be our jam. TBD...

In better news our lessons have been so fun! The throughness (age/stage appropriate) is really there and obedience to the leg/seat/hand aids that it really feels like we're beginning to be able to play. We did a bunch of walk to canter, 10m circle to get her to really sit then walk, repeat. Then short diagonal to counter using the shoulders on the wall to gently take the neck to the inside. Wow, real straightness!

Let me tell you there is nothing scarier then having to ride a centerline down to smack dab where your trainer is standing. But! Getting the hind legs under and shoulders/front legs up and out of the way?? Magical.

[exvet]

Got my last two rides in for this segment. They did not go as well as planned but they also didn't totally fall apart. I just got the distinct feeling that neither Junior nor Brandon were planning on working on Halloween. Rather grumpy they were

Me - Continue working out as much as possible though I will be working more. I did manage to do this though I don't know how

Junior - just got back from my lesson and we've made progress. His canter departs are more powerful and on spot. So, with that:
- continue to work on keeping Junior straight with the foot falls, loading all 4 legs equally (true balance) at all three gaits on both reins
- Junior has learned pretty solidly new canter aids; so, now the goal is to develop a distinct flying aid button
- use the next two months to get consistently correct mechanics in the flying changes on both reins
- correct bend, correct bend, correct bend, correct bend
- schooling show this month

I can check off all the boxes for Junior. Wished that the improvement had been a bit more dramatic but all is definitely better. Now to just continue and show others that he really can have a nice canter (and prove to him that he won't die if he offers it).

Brandon - get hind shoes on in 3 weeks
- fix the canter on the right lead so that he tracks properly, we're already making some progress on this
- develop more consistent and honest connection to the outside rein in both directions - our bit/bridle issues have almost disappeared
- start to develop our lengthening as we build our strength in our hind end
- do more jumping
- schooling show this month

Ace, Brandon and Junior - get back to putting more miles on the trail once this heat breaks

Brandon has definitely gotten stronger with shoes all the way around. The right lead canter isn't completely 'fixed' but it's improved at least 75%. I did get more tools to help teach him how to use himself better so we'll continue to work on those. We definitely accomplished all the other things though at the walk he still fidgets with the bit. He's become much steadier and consistent at trot and canter.

Ace just continues to be a gem no matter how often he gets ridden.

So on to the next set of goals and seeing what Santa brings.

[demi]

I'm still in some strange mental paralysis since DH passed, and am just barely keeping up with the goings on of DDBB but I havent forgotten y’all. I was moved to finally write something when I saw pics of LSP’s daughter!! So sweet. Also thinking about Chisamba;s hip surgery…. In addition to DH passing, my mom has moved in for the next 3-4 months. It’s good to have her here but still quite an adjustment. Tonight I put together a walker with a tray and a shower seat

Besa and I are doing nicely together. My trainer is keeping me focused and this has been a “rock” for me since DH passed. Christine is so interesting in her approach. She has recently changed from drill sargeant to a soft, gently encouraging approach. I’m loving it! And so is Besa. She’s (Christine) surprised me with asking for the occasionally FC and the occasional passage, but mostly we’re working on straightness and basics. She has recently decided to have us start in canter work right after warmup, and I am having so much fun with it. I love the feeling of relaxing my legs down and letting my seatbones feel the movement. The quieter I get, the more expressive Besa gets. It’s so cool. We did simple changes today and she blew me away with how responsive she was to my body language.

Betsy Steiner is coming this month and I am doing three rides. I will try to take and post notes.

[Anne]

Demi, it is great to hear an update from you, and wow, exciting work with Besa!!
And super to read of everyone's updates and progress (along with the struggles), I read the training threads daily and it keeps me motivated, even when I am not riding much (and currently at work, so no horse time at all). Thanks all for taking the time to post stuff, I for one really appreciate it!

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Demi, it's so good to hear from you. I know life is quite the adjustment right now and I don't blame you for not writing much. It's good to hear that you are riding Besa and having so much fun. Please share the notes about the clinic! She is coming for clinic here soon as well and I really hope to audit. I've watched some video of her teaching and she seems great.

[Flight]

Demi, good to hear from you and that you're doing well with Besa. Still thinking of you and very sorry for your loss of your DH. Be great to hear how the Betsy Steiner lessons go!