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Moutaineer

texsuze wrote:Well, looks like the numbers won't exactly work for the Century Ride so maybe he just said 'Damn the torpedoes!' and wanted to give the mare whirl!

Oh, the horse he is supposed to be riding is 28...

Moutaineer

Life is a roller-coaster for many of us at the moment. I've cut back my work hours a bit, and would really love to just retire--I was 65 a few weeks ago, so not an unreasonable desire--but I have this very expensive hobby... 2 more years, though, and I'm done with work. I'll find a way to pay for th...

Moutaineer

Well gosh I had such a great ride today... Yesterday was wet and cold and we had a barn full of naughty horses, including Potters. We toughed it out, however, and between spooks we got some decent if rather over the top work in at the trot, but I decided discretion was the better part of valor and d...

Moutaineer

Not my road to the ring this time around, but Justin and Potters, so I'm handing over most of my rides fot the next few weeks. I'll still get on couple of times a week, and I'm going to the gym 3 times a week and walking my 2.5 miles circuit every day--which doesn't sound a lot, but is quite taxing ...

Moutaineer

Saddlefitter came this morning. I was right, it needed some work! Potters went much better after a bunch of flocking in the front, and I felt much more balanced. And I think it was easier to get off as it was so much more stable. A win all round especially as it was a freebie for giving two tatty ol...

Moutaineer

Hugs, Heddy. I'm sorry. Just tooling around on Potters getting my mind and body back together again. We had a very productive but rather electric ride indoors today. He's feeling very well and quite full of himself at the moment. He's certainly teaching me the value of consistent connection... I'm s...

Moutaineer

We are fighting the weather a bit here. Big temperature and barometric swings, and a lot of wind (and snow and rain) so we are not getting our best work. Potters likes things on a warm, even keel. So do I.

Moutaineer

It is snowing hard here. Ugh. We actually have a new venue this year, a May show and an October one. A one ring, 2 day show, nice place with lovely footing. 20 minutes from the barn. Justin is taking Potter to have a bash at 4th and PSG. It will be interesting to see what it does to the early June s...

Moutaineer

Hang in there, Tesla! It sometimes takes a butt rope to get me out to physical therapy in the mornings, too. But I know its good for me, so off I go 3 mornings a week. (Well, this morning I must admit I revolted. My body said it really needed a day off from physical exertion.I've had some very inten...

Moutaineer

Really good ride today, even though we had to be inside as its rainy and chilly here for the next couple of days. Ive had a couple of lightbulb moments recently and I can pretty much hear Potters going "Oh Thank God, woman!" Potters is raring to go in the fresher weather. Justin took him t...

Moutaineer

Chisamba, I'm pretty sure we have yet another board increase on the way. I mentioned earlier that hay was getting stupid expensive here, so I can see the reason, but, eek. I was thinking about retiring in the next year. Won't be happening now. Oh well. Exvet, hah! The coblet Waterpark...the workmen ...

Moutaineer

Yes, I bathed Potters in 80 degrees today. In Northern Utah, in March. Unbelievable. If we have any hay at all this summer it will be a miracle.

Moutaineer

LSP, tis the season for allergies. Chisamba, good to hear from you! You sound very productive. Potters and I had a zesty ride outdoors in sunshine and 80 degrees this afternoon. He needs his mind constantly occupied and focused to not find ways te entertain himself. It's exhausting, but pretty fun! ...

Moutaineer

The weather has been kind enough that we are riding outside. So nice to be out in the sunshine. Getting on safely from the short outdoor mounting block is beyond me as yet, but I can climb up the block and step onto the wall around the arena and get on from there... not pretty, but it does the trick...

Moutaineer

Yabut... a super fancy facility at the base of a ski resort where you have to walk down a steep, icy hill to get from the barn to the indoor arena?

Moutaineer

By hook or by crook I'm going to lose this 10lbs! (She says, again...) Continue with PT/gym, to strengthen my battered body. Ride 3 times a week at least and up the time/quality of the ride (I also have to accept that if Justin is going to show him this summer, I have to give him quality riding time...

Moutaineer

That looks so fun, exvet!

Well, Im trotting and even catering a bit, so i guess ive achieved my goals for this section. Onwards and upwards!

Moutaineer

I stuck my SP notes on SF's thread.

Moutaineer

SF's notes are more comprehensive than mine, but i did have a few takeaways from last weekend. First off was use of the leg. He was on everyone's case about nagging with the leg. Keep your leg in light contact all the time. Squeeze with your calf, if no response apply the spur for one full second, a...

Moutaineer

The weather here has been the opposite, extraordinarily mild. Potters got to work in the outdoor arena on Friday! Unheard of for February. I'm still sniveling and coughing. This one is a doozy. I dont see myself having the strength to get back on, even in my currently reduced capacity, for a few day...

Moutaineer

Sounds like many of us are having a sucky time. Sorry about T, SF. Nice to hear from you Chisamba, sorry recovery not going entirely according to plan. I was starting to feel pretty good, but now have the upper respiratory thing from Hell. Blech. So I am home and miserable. Coughing, sore throat, co...

Moutaineer

Im looking forward to this coming weekend auditing him. Except its going to be cooold!!!!

Moutaineer

Exciting on the new house, exvet! (And the barn and arena!!) Blob, I know with my own asthma, I often have no idea what flares it, and it can take s couple of weeks to get it to settle down after I realize i need to resort to the heavy duty drugs. I'm just coming off a flare now, so I feel for MM at...

Moutaineer

I cantered today!

Not far, but a canter,nonetheless, and for the first time since June.

And I'm not too horribly sore this evening, either... so far.

LSP, I get you on the lateral work. I'm a specialist in overcomplication on that front.

Moutaineer

SP will be here for a symposium in 2 weeks, SF. He must be doing a grand tour of the west! I will be interested to hear your impressions. He'll have ro be a rock star for me to be able to sit through all 6 hours for 2 days, however! Potters was quite "bright and cheerful" yesterday, but wa...

Moutaineer

Potters got his Osphos today, which should make him feel really good by tomorrow... no, I'm not getting on first! Definitely an instructor ride! Maybe I will get on at the end and cool him out. We've had no snow and very little rain this winter. It is cold overnight but has been in the 50s and brill...

Moutaineer

Well, that's January in the books... I've been on a few times and walked and trotted. Potters was a bit of a handful last week so I was only on once. Spooking and back surgery recovery do not mix! He can often get a bit squirrely at this time of year, and we have a lot of "false spring fever&qu...

Moutaineer

A bit of inspiration for us all... this is my friend Julie, who is 83 and has more metal than original spine, and replacement hips...

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/14TBMNhNKZT/

Moutaineer

Yay for Joplin and ouch for Kora. I had one do that years ago. It wasn't pretty but it healed fine and never bothered him. @straghtForward, do you know anything about Spurwing facility in Eagle? I gather it has had a makeover and all new footing, and has taken over Nadine's recognized show dates for...

Moutaineer

I've been on for about 10 minutes at a time a few times now. Even sneaked in a half circle of trot the other day! My legs are getting stronger with all the PT, which I'm doing like it's a second job, so getting on and off, while still sketchy, isn't quite so scary.. The next two weeks are complicate...

Moutaineer

Second ride today. Oh, so much better than the first. I jacked my stirrups up a hole so I had that base of support, rather than just dangling my legs off my pelvis. So much more comfortable, and I could get on (off the tall mounting block :)) and, importantly, off, more easily. Tuesday's getting off...

Moutaineer

20251230_135107(1).jpg I guess I achieved my goal for this period! I was on for 10 minutes at a walk and my legs feel like I rode across the Mongolian Steppe, so I've got a way to go to overcome the post-surgical weakness, which i guess is only to be expected. (PT rained on my parade a bit yesterda...

Moutaineer

Ugh, LSP. We are currently gloriously not under construction for the first time in forever. It was no fun and that was with a horse-savvy BO. We had the men on the roof thing, too. A Discretion is the Better Part of Valor moment as far as I was concerned, too!

Moutaineer

Reading along, riding vicariously... Warm, wet and windy here too. It'll probably snow until June to make up for it. PT is kicking my butt. I was thinking i might be able to get on this coming week for a pre Christmas walk-round, but we shall see. I will be unpopular if I make myself sore for the fe...

Moutaineer

Some serious hock action, SF! Khall, good luck with your horse search. I hope the one reasonably close to home pans out. Im watching 2 friends horse buying in Europe at the moment. Both have actually found nice horses, but what a palaver. One was shipped over a few days ago. It's a mare so has to go...

Moutaineer

I had my first PT session this morning, yipee! Making solid progress. It won't be that long before I am back in the saddle, I hope! I get to groom down to the knees, and clean tack, at the moment. Funny story. Justin and his little chestnut horse have made the USEF developing young horse team. (Whic...

Moutaineer

Yes, I have those SSG gloves. They last forever. Buy a size larger than you need. Maybe you could slip a handwarmer in the back of them. Oh, and keep your wrists covered. Tops with long sleeves and thumb holes worn inside your gloves, or at least with cuffs, so all those big vessels aren't coursing ...

Moutaineer

A very nice Thanksgiving dinner was spent with a group who are half horse people and half people who think we are all nuts... and we have all mostly got to an age where we are swapping war stories about assorted recent back and joint surgeries. I'm not sure what the brand new boyfriend of one of our...

Moutaineer

Mari, I wondered where you had gone. Its probably why we haven't heard from our Aussie and NZ friends, too!

Moutaineer

Oh, Khall, you are having a tough time at the moment. I'm so sorry. No PT until December, but I'm out of the back brace and allowed to walk. So I'm walking. Did 2.5 miles today and my glutes are on fire :) I am aware that I am in the danger zone where I feel good but could easily re-injure if I do d...

Moutaineer

Good luck, Chisamba! I have failed miserably not to put on weight during this whole ordeal. I was in great shape back in June, but apparently I've lost all my muscle and regained the weight as fat. I'm really hoping the surgeon releases me to PT tomorrow and I can get back into a proper exercise rou...

Moutaineer

My goal for this period is to be recovered enough to ride by the end of it! I'm finding it hard to be patient in my recovery and pushed it a bit too hard last week so now I feel like I've taken a bit of a atep backwards. Driving kicks my butt. Sitting in my office chair is no bueno. My back brace th...

Moutaineer

Hi all. Reading along... Surgery went well. Too early to tell how succesful it has been. The incision and surgical area on my back are incredibly sore and tight and spasm-y. Flexeril is my friend at the moment. I'm in a monstrous back brace for 4 weeks, but I'm walking around in circles in the yard ...

Moutaineer

I sometimes think that my complete lack of a sense of rhythm is my biggest problem with the half pass. I can theoretically ride it perfectly in my head, but the reality is often rather different.

God help me with one-tempis!

Moutaineer

I had a meeting with the neurosurgeon yesterday, and have a date for a microdiscectomy on 21st October, insurance company willing... We head to Europe tomorrow and will get back 5 days before the surgery, so things might be a bit hectic in between! 2 weeks in a back brace, 6 weeks Rehab, and I shoul...

Moutaineer

I just came back in to say, Justin is going straight to the canter from the walk warmup at the moment with Potters, and it is working well to get him "oiled up" and moving forward and connected. And yes, Potters needs that "ride every stride" ride to maintain his focus and stay f...

Moutaineer

Could it be that Lynx is realizing that there is now a program that he has to get with, and he's not too sold on the idea? I know Potter can throw in some moves when we first up the expectations. Then he goes "Oh, all right then... I guess you aren't being totally unreasonable!" And it's c...

Moutaineer

Good luck, Tanga! My barn leaves for our Regionals in Colorado on Tuesday. Lots going on!

Moutaineer

"This is really hard, I'm concentrating, I'm concentrating, this is really, really hard, OH! What's that!!!" I know that move.

I'm paying a bit today for my overenthusiasm yesterday. Oh well.

Moutaineer

Yes, LSP. Wednesday was an ugly day in the West. And on top of all the other stuff, I about hit rock bottom mentally over my broken body, and ended up crying on the physical therapist, which is not like me, but I guess he's used to it. He, bless his understanding horseman's heart, suggested I try ge...

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