Kate on Steroids

Had to skip today's KVTR ride, as when I let the girls out last evening, I noticed a large swelling on Kate's belly, remarkably similar to the symptoms of the  [suspected] bite on her udder three years ago.

http://mountaintrailmusic.blogspot.com/2009/04/unique-one-of-kind-kate.html

 This one was more on the flat of her broad tummy, about as big around as a dinner plate, and maybe an inch thick.  When I checked it again this morning, there were two more, though smaller.

Into the vet we went.  Dr. Joan was happy it wasn't an edema, which would have required more detective work to determine the cause.  Because they were all fairly hard, she decided they were hives.  She found one spot that was actually draining, and she suspects that Kate was bit by something--much as was our best guess three years ago.  A shot of steroids, and I'll give her some bute starting tomorrow, to reduce the inflammation.

The swelling has already gone down this evening.

*******

Now for this week's mountain trail horse training segment:

He forgot Kate's spots!

Kate Saves the Day

Hauled Kate down to Valley View's arena this morning, and met up with Pat.
I needed to get back in the saddle, after Sunday's fiasco.
For just a moment , I thought about taking Maddie, too.  But not quite yet.  Her vet appointment is tomorrow, then we'll see.

Who's ridin' with us, Ma?

It's my buddy Chief!

I'm ready, Ma.  Let's go!

I didn't think to tell Pat to shoot with the light behind her, so these riding photos are all a little weird for light.  But...
I RODE THE DANG HORSE!

Lots of inside heel, as she wanted to drift in towards Chief (though the couple of times they did get close, she would squeal and get all girly at him).

And, really, she wasn't a dang horse at all, especially since it was her first ride since October.  I did have a few butterflies at the start, but Kate was her usual laid back self, and as we trundled around I relaxed a bunch.  She is SUCH a different ride from Maddie, but I guess I needed that right now.

That's all back brace and down vest out there in front of me.  Really.

 Spent about two hours, lots of walking, some jog, a bunch of circles and bending lines, and forehand and hindquarter turns, and some standing around practice (while Pat and I jabbered).

All in all, it was a good ride, and good for me.
We set a date to get out on the trail Friday morning, if the weather cooperates.

******
I sent an email to the clinician yesterday morning, expressing my discouragement  in no uncertain terms.  When I got back from riding this afternoon there was a response from her.

She was apologetic.  She says she didn't recognize me in different clothes. (I had on blue jeans both days, the same black barn jacket, the same Purina emblem insulated vest, same boots, slightly different watch cap; the only thing that was different was my flannel shirt, which was only visible when it got warm enough to take the jacket off, and then the vest was there.)  But, you know what, I'm beginning to believe that may be the case--because all the times I spoke to her on Monday, it was like she was not talking to anyone she had every interacted with before.

She said she was worried for me, and that was why she wanted me off Maddie.  And because of the context, there was no way for her to know whether I was capable enough to go on from there--heck, we'd been mounted for less than 10 minutes, and I don't know that she observed me at all until Maddie spooked--but it would have been nice of her to check in with me on that.  This spook, though identical in nature to last year's, was less intense--this time I managed to stay on her, and she stopped (with Gary's help).  And last year I DID get right back on and work through it with Maddie!

She did offer me a full refund, saying "I am sorry I did not live up to your needs.  I usually do pretty well at that, but... if you feel I failed you then obviously... I did."

I feel better today (thank you, Kate), so I will exchange another email or two with her, and then move on.  Maddie and I have work to do. 

Maddie leading the KVTR group out of the mountains, summer, 2010

The Day After

Thanks, everyone, for your support. 

Madrigal, 3 weeks old

I'm a wreck today.  I went back to the second day of the clinic to take photos for the Club, and got more and more upset that I wasn't participating.  I also saw some minor glitches in the clinician's teaching style (focusing on a few riders, and missing problems that others were having), but bit my tongue.

But what really torked me off was that, through the course of the day, she never once acknowledged me, or asked how Maddie or I was doing.  One other participant thinks she may simply not have recognized me without my distinct B&W horse, but I made a point of asking a few questions, and interacting with her on several other occasions.  And I had my name tag on, at least until it warmed up enough to take off my jacket.  I'm not quite sure I buy that explanation. 

Another rider that was looking to build confidence with her horse felt that the clinician not too subtly suggested that she needed to sell her horse, rather than work through the issues they were having.  Yet the two greenest riders in the group, both on fairly green horses (one less than 3 years old!) were encouraged to keep giving it a go.

I was hoping that this clinic was going to be the confidence boost to get Maddie and I back on the right track.  Instead, I feel shot down. The curt way she dismissed me yesterday makes me feel like I was abusing my horse by even being there, and endangering the other riders.  Though she did offer me a refund for the second day, there was no offer to let me bring another horse (not that Kate was anywhere near ready) nor reassurance that maybe I knew anything at all about what I am doing with horses.

Instead of gaining confidence and trust in each other, Maddie and I are left with a bad experience, not even addressed, let alone worked through.  I'm back to where I was a year ago--afraid to get on my own horse.  It remains to be seen if I can get on Kate this week.

Yesterday I was discouraged and frustrated.  Today I'm pissed off.  In both instances my head was/is pounding and my stomach still rolling.

I'll keep you posted about the vet visit on Thursday.

No Good News--Now What?

 Today's session of the KVTR clinic started off well enough--just dang cold (27*).  There were 14 horse and rider teams, but the arena was large enough to accommodate us for the ground work.  (the clinician split us in two groups for the afternoon ridden work.)

We started with several different back-ups.

 Maddie wasn't crazy about this one, but she caught on quickly, so all I had to do was step towards her with my hands spread out and she would back away from me. 

 I have to admit, the girls are allowed to get into my space way too often.  Maddie learned about "bubble space" pretty easily.

 She was a little stiffer with the hand on the nose method, but, again, figured out what I wanted right away.

We did a bunch of leading work, with the horse's neck even with us, and driving them forward with our off hand.  Though the clinician asked everyone to bring a "training stick"  (a la NH), I was hesitant, 'cause Maddie is so reactive, and has never responded well to any kind of pressure from my dressage whip.  Barb quickly recognized this in Maddie's wide eyed look, and told me to chuck the stick and just use the end of my lead.  There was a little bit of over-reaction, but, again, Maddie figured it out quickly and we did a bunch of really nice "crazy walking" (stops and starts and turns on both forehand and hindquarters).
As we were wrapping things up, I asked Barb what she thought about how touchy Maddie is across her topline--she has been really tight and doesn't like me palpating it at all.  The clinician agreed it might be good to get an equine chiropractor to look at it and get some advice.  This brief interaction was to come back up later.

With that, we broke for lunch, and then saddled up for the afternoon.
Maddie and I were in the second group of riders, so when she gigged a bit after I mounted, I chalked it up to having nearly two hours of standing around since we had done our groundwork warm-up.  Because the clinician was having us doing all sorts of stretches and pelvic adjustments, she had us working with side-walkers to start.
The couple of times that Maddie started to rush, Gary just circled her, and she settled again.  Both of us were pretty relaxed, but alert.

Then, all hell broke loose!
Near as we can figure, just as I was raising an arm to stretch, Gary started to circle Maddie to the left.  I think maybe she spotted my hand in the air above her--and she's never much liked things above her.
She freaked, and did her skitter off to the side maneuver.  Then, I think she got further flustered by the confusion of having two of us to listen to.  She totally lost it.
 It was exactly what had happened last summer, that I have been trying to blame on the string cinch I had on her at the time, to accommodate for the Tucker's dropped rigging.
As it was, I think having Gary on the end of her line saved my bacon.  If he hadn't gotten her straightened out and stopped, I think she would have careened on around the arena, most likely losing me in the process. 
Because I didn't have to worry about getting her stopped, I just grabbed the saddle horn and some mane, and rode it out.  It wasn't pretty, but I stayed with her 'til she stopped.
The clinician happened to be just to one side of us when all this happened, and she slowly stepped up, taking the lead from Gary, and coaching both Maddie and I to "Breathe!"
Once she was at Maddie's head, she told me to dismount.  She wanted me off as quickly as possible, but knowing that Maddie has sometimes done this same sort of thing for an unanticipated change in position, I did a little shifting to let her know I was dismounting.  Then she stood well while I jumped down.
The clinician related our earlier discussion about Maddie's back to the group, and said we were done.  Although I wasn't sure I wanted Maddie's lesson to be "If you freak out, you get to stop working." I had to agree--If she was hurting (rather than being naughty) we needed to stop.
 I already have an appointment for her teeth to be checked, this next Thursday, so I'll call tomorrow and let them know that I also want Dr. Mark to check her back.

I got about halfway out of the barn aisle leading from the arena before I started to shake.  I got to the truck before I started to sob.  (Even as I write this, I am fighting back tears.)
I stripped Maddie's tack, threw her blanket on her and loaded her up.  I just wanted to get out of there.  I sat in the truck and cried some more.  I was starting to write Pat a note, asking her to pick up my gear from inside the arena, when the group finished up inside and started filing out into the parking area.
I didn't want to talk to anyone, but several folks came over to tell me how scary it looked, and what an amazing seat I had.  This wasn't what I wanted to hear.  It wasn't what had me upset.
The one thing that keeps going through my mind is this:
What am I going to do about Maddie?

No News Is Good News

Well, I have no photos to post, but they wouldn't have been much different than last post:  Maddie and I have made two additional trips down to Valley View Training Center, to work in their small indoor arena.

Both trips were amazingly boring!

Which is good!

We walked, we trotted.  We even did a lazy western jog.  We were a little hesitant entering the "corner of doom" at first, but we went.  And then we went more willingly.  Then we trotted through  it.  We [both] thought about loping, but I chickened out, and settled into the saddle, and Maddie came right back to me.

We stood with one leg (Maddie's) cocked, while a silly young Thoroughbred romped crazily around us.

All-in-all, very boring.

WE WERE RELAXED!

Which was nice.  Very nice.

The weather has been somewhat unpredictable:  atrociously windy and cold.  I would have liked to have gotten in two rides each weekend, but one was all we managed, so again, I'm not pushing her too much.  Hopefully, we'll get in one more this Saturday, before the clinic on Sunday/Monday.  Then, I'll be back to tell you how educational it was, and how far Maddie and I went on rebuilding our relationship.

But hopefully, the riding part will be boringly relaxed...

And Off We Go!

Got in two good rides, last weekend and today.  Pat and I trailered down to Valley View Training Center, about 10 miles, with my goal being to get both Maddie and I back to work:  not only are we both out of shape from the winter, but we both have left-over confidence issues from the wreck last June.

Although Maddie was okay two weeks ago for west-side-guy, there had still been a couple of moments when she threatened to freak, and I got that nasty churning feeling in the pit of my stomach.  I am determined to build us both up, physically and mentally, to be ready for the KVTR Clinic on the 18th and 19th of March.

Last week the most I could convince myself to do was walk around the arena--constantly reminding myself to breathe!  There were two other riders besides Pat and I, and a couple of people and horses putzing around in the cross ties just out the back end of the arena.  Maddie was on alert most of the time, but, other than getting stalled a few times, she was cooperative.

Today...

We trotted!

Pat and Rambler and Maddie and I had the whole place to ourselves.

Maddie jumped a little as I mounted, but I stuck with her (she had moved too far away from the mounting block for me to retreat to safety), and she settled again quickly.  The corners of the arena were full of goblins, which made for some gawking, but since Pat had already been working for a bit when I got there, she just stood and watched while we worked on getting past the sticky spots.

Took a deep breath and nudged her up to a gentle jog.  Maddie was ready.  Around the outside, and some big circles and such.  She would occasionally get bent the wrong way (bringing her haunches in) but a quick circle to re-establish the correct bend usually did the trick.  Then we played follow-the-leader with Rambler for a bit.

At one point I had the fleeting temptation to move her up to a lope, but decided I didn't need to push my luck.  We'll take whatever time we need to keep going in the positive track we've gotten started.

 

The weather hasn't been helpful--last weekend (when I had three days to work with her!) the wind was so bad that Monday was the only day we worked.  Yesterday was our local 4H tack swap, and by the time Pat and I got back from town, the wind was blowing again.  This morning, we managed to hit a two-hour window between gray skies and spitting snow, when the sun actually came out for a bit.

Maybe next weekend I can get out with her both days--AccuWeather sounds hopeful.  I've paid for a month of haul in to Valley View, but Pat's starting to talk about hitting the trail.  We'll see...

Cow Fishing; and I Rode a Horse!

We're officially into mud season now (no matter what the stupid groundhog said--what does he know anyway?) and the incredibly filthy condition of both girls threatened to delay the beginning of my riding year.

Last weekend I managed to justify procrastination by trimming three out of four sets of feet.  And doing a major mucking of Mama Misty's pen, along with turning my composting manure pile.  Then I collapsed.

Yesterday morning I did the last set of feet while everybody ate breakfast, did my regular weekend catch-up mucking and pile turning, and moved a little hay around.  At that point I came in the house and made some chilli soup and steamed tortillas (well, I cheated--they were actually nuked) for lunch, and probably could've justified collapsing again.

Except...

We've got guests coming.

Since selling Betz to Anita and Terry (her chin is nearly healed over, finally!) I had pretty much decided to keep Maddie.  She's my back-up riding horse, and I can ride her when I put hubby Al or the grandkids or other random newbies on Kate.  But you may remember that last May Maddie managed to offload me, and it took me all summer to work up the gumption to get back on her again in August.  My trust in her is weak right now, and I had pretty much decided to use her in the upcoming KVTR clinic that the trail club is hosting, to work on rebuilding our relationship.  Then, if it was all good, I figured I'd keep her, but if I still had that nagging knot in my stomach each time I even thought about riding Maddie, she would at least be a little farther along for a potential buyer.

I had let Maddie's ad on Dream Horse run out or the winter, but still had one on the free site, Horse Clicks.  Out of the blue last week I got a call from a fellow on the west side, who was really interested in coming to meet her....this weekend!

So yesterday after lunch, I drug the mudball out and started trying to find the pretty black and white spotty horse that I knew was hiding inside.  I worked on one side of her neck for ten minutes and only barely managed to get through all the dried-out-caked-on mud.  To get her even clean enough for a ride would take all afternoon!  Time for drastic measures:  The sun had come out about 11:00 (it's been dreary and wet and gray all week) and the thermometer indicated it was close to 50 degrees!  So I drug out a hose, and though I hated using cold water, I figured I would work her on the lunge line to dry, before saddling up.

The water mixed into a winter's worth of dirt, and waves of mucky slime flowed off in front of my scraper!  For this first round against the mud-monster I used plain water; I just wanted to get her presentable--I wasn't hopeful for any kind of real clean.

Tell me again why I have horses with white markings?

Don't have any "before" photos of Maddie, but this will give you the idea--and remember that Kate is naturally dirt-colored.

Misty, on the other hand, is the same color as Maddie --though more white (but less dirt).

 We headed out to the arena, which I've been dragging every night after school to help dry out.  Walk, trot, lope on the lunge line, both directions with no fuss.  None of the usual February airs above the ground that I get from her barn mate, Kate.  Since the trailer was hitched, we also did a couple of practice loads--a little reluctant at first, but then Maddie decided it wouldn't kill her, so she got more cooperative.

Back in the barn, I got the stink eye when I brought out the saddle, but after some initial "You want to put that where?!?" we were ready to go back out to the arena.  I didn't want to do much--after all, she hasn't done a thing in almost 6 months.  But I needed to know she wouldn't freak about anything, and that I could climb into the saddle and not freak out myself.

I tried to get Al's attention in the house, but only got a look out the window from Sandy, the wonder mutt, (it was probably better that she was in the house for this first ride).  Thought for a moment about calling Pat, but decided to "just do it"...

Stood Maddie next to the mounting block...

Put my foot in the stirrup and stood up...

Felt a momentary flash of panic and stepped back down.  Don't need to telegraph that to Maddie.

Took her for a little walk around the stump, positioned her again, stepped up....and swung over.  Reminded myself to breathe.  Asked Maddie to move off, and she did, politely and calmly.  Reminded myself again to breathe.  (This became a recurring theme.)

We were restricted to the center of the arena, as there was still a bit of piled snow and sloppy muddy at the outside edges.  We probably had an area about 60' by 100' to work in, that still had a few slippery spots, so we weren't going to do anything fancy.  We worked at just the walk for 15 minutes or so, first circling, then some reversals and bending exercises.  Reminding myself to breathe, and to stay off her mouth.  Finally clucked to her for a jog (breathe).  Maddie was relaxed and willing.  I tried to emulate her.  Did a few circles both ways, sat deep and asked for a halt, and climbed off and loved on her.

Back in the barn, now that she was dry, you could see that there was still deep seated dirt in her coat.  The sun was sinking, and the west-side-guy is coming late morning, so I won't be able to do a full-blown bath, but I'll give her a good curry in the morning.  I did de-tangle her mane and tail (thanks, Cowboy Magic!), threw a blanket over her and set her up in the stall for the night.

*****

Sunday morning:

West-side-guy is running a little late, so after finishing up morning chores, I take Maddie into the arena to gauge her frame of mind.  She's in a little bit of a funk, no doubt because she rarely gets locked in for more than an hour or two.  But in general she's cooperative.  And clean!

Maddie didn't actually look too bad Sunday morning.

While we're hanging out, one of the ranch kids from across the road is trying to herd a lone cow that has somehow gotten out.  They walk up the ditch road to the east of our fence line, getting everyone's attention, but not causing any real ruckus.  Just before popping out on the road across from Hank's barnyard, errant cow ducks down into the dry grass adjacent to the irrigation weir and my intake sump and the pump that powers my sprinklers.  Single ranch kid can't convince her to come back up the embankment.  Another ranch kid crosses the road from the house with a lariat, and they rope the cow and try to lead her out.  Well, lead may not be the right word.  Drag?  Haul?  A third burly ranch kid joins the tug of war, but that cow just digs in, and with all the pushing and pulling and wrassling around, they manage to bust the four inch pipe leaving my pump.

I cringe.  Last spring I put nearly $500 fixing busted pipe and intake valves and such.  I stop watching.

My husband calls out that he thinks the cow is now IN our 6 foot deep sump!  That can only mean that the intake is now busted up as well.  A fourth ranch kid (the oldest at 24 or so) comes to help deliberate.  They try pulling the cow out tied to the hitch of a flatbed, but the horizontal pull isn't going to do it.

Ranch kid goes and fetches the excavator [think giant backhoe on tracks].  But they're right, at least this will lift the cow up and out (see the chain hooked to the bucket?).  I can't help but wonder if it will be headed straight for the freezer at this point.

Cow is out, and moving on its own four feet, if not it's own power (they're pulling it with the excavator!).

Fifteen minutes later, two of the bulls are out (no doubt taking advantage of an open gate while the boys were trying to get the cow in) and headed for the other neighbor's hay field.  Four ranch kids, three four-wheelers, and a pickup, and they rounded them up and chased them down the road, just as west-side-guy shows up.

Welcome to the wild west!

My intake is toast, as well as the pipe from the pump out--hopefully the pump itself is undamaged.

 Looking at it later, I don't think the cow broke the pipe directly, it's just that when it fell into the sump, it pushed the intake to the side, shifting the pump (under the poly grain sacks) and flexing the outflow pipe until it snapped.

*****

After all that, the visit from west-side-guy was anti-climatic.

I lunged Maddie for a minute while we talked, then headed into the barn to tack up.  Led her to the mounting stump, and she stood better than yesterday (she had let her rear wander away from the stump a couple of times), I mounted up, and she stood quietly.  She seemed a bit stiff, so we did lots of bending and circles at the walk.  Pushed her up into a jog, and she did okay, except for one slight zing to the side--not sure why--but now she was tense again, and so was I.  Walked her out of it, and tried to convince west-side-guy that this might not be the day for a stranger to climb aboard.  He really wanted to try her, so we compromised, and I kept her on the long trainer's lead (15') and essentially lunged them together.  Stayed at a walk, but Maddie did jump big at one point.  West-side-guy stuck with her, but got pretty off-balance, which didn't help her regain her composure at all.  Led them around a bit more, then suggested we quit for the day.  Wanted to finish on a good note, so I asked her to move around me for a few minutes.

Ooops!  Now west-side-guy wants to try lunging her.  Let him give it a go, but ended up giving him a lesson in equine-human communication.

It pretty much convinced me that Maddie was not a good match for him--his heart is in the right place, but I think all his riding has been "get on and go"--he just didn't have the instincts to deal with a reactive horse like Maddie.  [Kate would be a good match, but she's not available.]

*****

I've decided to really focus on bringing Maddie along to be ready for the KVTR clinic, to the point of not even working with Kate right now--there'll be plenty of time for her later.  I've just about decided that Maddie is staying here (I've pulled her Horse Clicks ad), as least until we can work through our confidence issues together.  Then, if I decide she's not the horse for me, we'll look at the option of listing her again.

I planned on putting Maddie's blanket back on at dinner time, to keep her half-way clean so I can work her somewhat consistently this week.

Maddie had other plans.

*****

Monday update:

Was going to give the boys until tonight to tell Hank about the damage to the irrigation system, before I called to ask what the plan was to make it right.  But when we got home, repairs had been started.  Still don't know if they told him, but at least somebody's taking responsibility.

Updates: Good and Not-So-Good and Good Again

Little RT seems to be totally back to normal, though I'm continuing to keep an eye on him.  The little shoulder guard I fashioned was still working its way forward, so this weekend I tried a different option: His old nylon show sheet.  It seems a little small on him, so we'll have to wait and see.  Isn't he purty, though?

 ****
The weather has been pretty good lately, and the roads have all thawed off, allowing me to help out Anita and Terry--taking Betz back in to the vet.  The knot of proudflesh under her chin was almost as big as a golf ball, and there was a new round of putrid discharge.

Look at her pretty new "bling!"

After taking another round of X-rays (the third since her injury in mid-October) it turns out that there WAS another fracture--only visible now that the bone has begun remodeling itself!  Running diagonally from below her first molar, all the way along the left branch of the lower jawbone to her back incisor, it's amazing to all of us (including the vet) that she's done as well as she has!

Dr. Mark removed the proudflesh and poked around inside.  All he found of concern were some little bone spurs that were developing around the new bone, so he smoothed those down a bit, to prevent them from creating internal irritation that might be contributing to the abscess.

Betz is obviously not having any trouble eating!

She used to have such a pretty little face--it's winter-fuzzy and obviously a little swollen at this point, but I think she's lost a bit of the pretty.

Back at home with her BFF Casey.  Still hungry, even after minor surgery!

*****

Remember this little guy?  He snuck into the last post on RT, just like he snuck into our hearts, three years ago.

 Jackson--now Jax--is growing up!

 Quite a handsome dude, ain't he?

 And he's got a new little brother (that's stealing a little of Mom's attention away--but none of her love!)

D has done some groundwork with Jax, and even sat on his back once or twice, and hopes to have someone start him this spring.

*****

On another front, I have signed up for a Barb Apple clinic being hosted by the Kittitas Valley Trail Riders, during the first weekend of my spring break, mid-March.  I haven't quite decided which of these two girls to ride...

But, seeing as how the trailer is still hooked up, they will both be started back into work this weekend!  Look out, ladies!

Now What?

Note:  I started this post well over a week ago, and there have been developments and complications since then. I decided I just need to post what I have, then, hopefully this weekend, I can bring it further up to date.

I got bad news on Monday (the 10th), and now I find myself facing a dilemma.

Maddie’s little sister Beth (Brioso) has always been a challenge for me.  I’ve said many times that she is “smart, quick, and sassy!”  Lately, I’ve added “and she’s more horse than I care to ride, these days.”  The glitch I had with Maddie earlier this summer, I’ve more or less worked through, and though I still don’t fully “trust “ Maddie, I feel it’s mostly just “green horse moments” that I have to watch for.  But Beth has always had an issue with respect, even as a foal—She’s been bunches better the last couple of years, but will still threaten a kick if one gets after her for, say, invading a human’s space; she hasn’t actually kicked at me in a long time, just wants to see if I can be buffaloed.

I also haven’t ever been really bonded with Beth, not like Maddie and Kate.  I’m not really sure why that is—maybe because, by the time Beth (and Lindy) were foaled in 2006, I was getting to my limit of how much I could do with each horse (I was up to 9 at the time), on top of full-time work.  I have actually gotten to like her more in the last year or so—is that because she’s being nicer?—or she’s being nicer because I’m showing more caring to her?

At any rate, a year and a half ago, knowing she was going to need consistent work, I sent Beth to a local trainer who was recommended by a member of the KVTR.  Although he got the first couple of rides on her, it wasn’t all that I hoped it would be—because he, too, works a full time job, he was not able to be as consistent with her as he had promised.  Plus, looking back now, I’m not sure he wasn’t a bit intimidated by her.  He did a lot of round pen ground work, and got maybe 10 rides on her—also in the pen.  He probably only had her in a trot the last day or two.

But it was enough that I knew she wouldn't totally lose it under saddle, and I figured I could take over after that initial 30 days.  As soon as school was out that year, I got another few weeks of work on her, starting in my arena (my round pen was flooded), and then out into my pastures a few times.  I also rode her "in public" at that summer's "Horse Daze" private treaty sale, sponsored by our local rescue group.  I was encouraged that she was doing fairly well, with no buck, and only the occasional balk.  Although I didn’t feel confident enough to really get after her, I was able to work through the “stuck” moments. 

Then, I admit, I dropped the ball.  I was having too much fun with Kate and Maddie.  Beth went back out in the pasture by the end of July.  I probably would have picked up with her again this year, if not for my confidence shaking experience with Maddie in June.

Beth is not a horse that I ever planned to keep.  She needs steady work, and, being reining bred, would probably do well in any challenging speed event for the right person.

That person isn’t me.  I’m no longer a “go-fast-cat”-- haven’t been in many years.  So Beth has always been for sale.  But she comes in a plain brown wrapper (no Paint markings), and, although she has a pretty nice shoulder and hip, and a very feminine neck and face, her front legs aren’t as straight and nice as I would like.  Her breeding is nothing spectacular, and though she’s registered, I would never recommend her as a broodmare prospect.
And there’s that attitude.  Oh all the horses I’ve raised, she’s the one that I can honestly say will probably never be a kid’s horse.  Even with some additional training and lots more mileage.

So I finally sucked it up and sent her to another young trainer, who came highly recommended by blogger friend, Aarene, of Haiku Farm.  Ryan had helped Aarene work through some issues with her temperamental opinionated Standardbred mare, Fiddle.  He was the fellow who came up and worked with Maddie in August, just so I could see if she was going to behave better with the new felt girth on my Tucker saddle (she did, and I rode her myself the next day).

So, Ryan got a good three weeks going on Beth:  Started out working through the attitude, but had progressed to loping in his arena, and riding around the vicinity of his place down near Yakima.  He didn't feel she was "ready" yet, but she was doing better.  My plan was to bring her home at 30 days, and take her back to him in the late winter to ready her for any possible spring sale.
Early last Monday morning they had a nice ride, and Ryan had tied Beth to his trailer, where he always had her wait, while he went to get his next horse.
As he was walking back, all heck broke loose!  We can't say for sure what triggered it, as she has never pulled back, either here at home, or for him.  He saw it unfold from a ways away, but was truly not able to stop it once it started.  The best we can figure, perhaps a cold, mad wasp had zapped her.
Beth pulled back in a blind panic. Then rushed forward, slamming her face into the trailer.
Then again: pull back, slam forward.
And one more time!
When she was done, Ryan assessed the damage:  multiple scrapes on her face and one shoulder (his original description to me was "hamburger," tho it ended up not looking quite so bad).  And a nasty gash under her jaw, that he felt needed to be stitched up.  He kept me updated by phone and email all day, as he hauled her in to his vet.  Not only did Beth need stitches, she had broken a chunk off the bottom of her jaw bone the size of my little finger!

Vet removed the bone chip, and said that it wasn't all that serious an issue (there's a LOT of bone in that particular location)--the biggest danger was infection.  Talking to Ryan that evening after the dust had settled, I offered to come get her the next day (I had been planning to go down on Tuesday to watch them work together), but allowed as how it would be lots easier for me to wait until the weekend.  Ryan agreed to keep her there until Sunday.  This had the added advantage that he could keep a much closer eye on her during the day, and also do all the doctoring and the penicillin shots (orals weren't an option, partly because she wasn't eating much).

 Next post: Bringing Beth home.

Back In the Saddle Again

I went for a ride last week.

With KVTR member Barb and her mellow mare, Fannie (Pat is out of town).

We went west to the Upper Elk Heights trailhead, and did a two-hour loop on sandy footing amid the pines.

Wait!

Whose ears are those?

Maddie: "It's me, Mom."

We had a nice mellow ride, with only a couple of minor spooks-in-place--nothing worse than before the unscheduled dismount of May.  Though my tummy did a couple of little flips each time, we had a great "first time out" ride.

Thanks Barb.  Thanks Fannie.