Picture from Poker Ride

Photo courtesy of Poker Ride for Kate Facebook page

Another short solo ride's in the bag

I rode Ruby yesterday and she felt great so I asked Heather if she'd like to ride today.  Ultimately, she decided it wasn't worth the sweat equity (can't say that I blame her).  So, what to do?  If you're like me, you have two little voices in your head.  One of them is completely reasonable.  This is the one that says, 'Maybe it's not a good idea to let the kids run through the kitchen' (re: pots of boiling water, hot oven, knives, etc).  Then there's the other one.  That other voice is a complete coward and will keep you from living your life if you let it: if you take a plane, you might die; if you walk out your door, you might die; if you do that, you might screw it up.  Part of getting back into horses for me has been telling that second voice to shut the hell up.  So, I hooked up the trailer, loaded Ruby, and headed out. We went to Tenoroc, which has wide, mowed trails and is only a ten-minute drive.  It was actually a great day to go riding: no rain clouds in sight, a nice breeze, and it wasn't 'make-you-wanna-die' hot.

It took me a good ten times to back the trailer in straight, but I'm getting it.  Regarding the rub and this saddle pad: I am in the process of modifying a Toklat Woolback pad into something that I (hopefully) will be able to use.  In the meantime, I sprayed her sides with Show Shine and put a thick line of Desitin on the seam of the right flap.  The plan was to hop down and check every so often and watch her body language: if I listen, she will tell me when something isn't right.   

Not a care in the world...

Ruby was completely calm standing by the trailer but is a different beast after you mount up - she becomes completely incapable of standing still.  In fact, she doesn't even possess the ability to walk at less than break-neck (well, for walking) speed.  We went around and around (and around) the parking area, with her giving the hairy eyeball to the trail head - at the beginning of a ride, she dislikes thick brush being close to the trail.  When I got serious about pushing her to the trail entrance, she went.  We have gotten a lot of rain in the last few days, so there were muddy parts and places under a few inches of water.  She's a bit of a prima donna when it comes to getting her feet wet so I let her choose her way across as long as she stayed on the trail.

We rode for about 30 minutes when I decided to hop down and check her for rubs - so far, so good.  I walked her maybe another 20 feet, mounted up and headed back to the trailer.  I didn't want to stay out too long because I'd completely forgotten sunscreen and the trail has next to no shade.  If it wasn't so muddy, we would have done more trotting and gotten more mileage.  

Heading back

When we popped out into the parking area, I expected Ruby to make a beeline for the truck but she marched right past it and started following another trail.  Laughing, I decided to see how far she would go until I almost caught a spider in the face. I turned her back towards the trailer, and she picked another trail beyond it and made a beeline for it.  Ruby is a trip and I love that she seems to enjoy the trails.  She didn't spook once, only tried to trot off with me a few times, and was willing to keep going when we were done - I'm proud of my girl :)

We rode 3.4 miles in just under one hour, average speed 3.7 mph: https://www.strava.com/activities/167592460.  I was worried that our first solo ride was a fluke, but today proved otherwise.  My girl is ready to go solo.  I cannot tell you how freeing it was to pull in, park and fiddle around until everything was just right, with no one waiting for me or vice versa.  If things went well, fantastic, if not, I could leave whenever, no big deal.  And, I no longer have to wait for anyone else to want to ride - if I feel like riding, I'll go.   

New/different things:
The Desitin and Show Shine did what was hoped, but we might not have ridden long enough.  For now (as long as there are no new rubs), this will have to do.  As stated, I am modifying another pad that I hope will work for us until I can buy a new one.

I think I've finally figured out which pad to buy when I do buy a new saddle pad.  I'm on a mostly self-imposed budget (is there anyone else that feels guilty spending cash on horse stuff when their spouse doesn't?) so I research and research and research, then I cross my fingers and say a little prayer before pushing the 'Buy' button.

Jeggings - super cheap and way more comfortable than my cheapo riding tights.  I read about them on the AERC Facebook page.  They may not hold up for very long, but at under $13 a pop, I can afford to replace them.

Side pull - Ruby prefers the side pull so no more bit for her.  Oddly, she is also more responsive in the side pull than the snaffle bit.  Maybe at some point I'll find one she likes, but until then we're going bitless.

Finally, my dressage lesson has been rescheduled for Monday due to the rain - I'm looking forward to it!

Trail Riding in Florida

As inhospitable an environment as Florida is for horses, with the heat, humidity and overall wet conditions, I was shocked to find out that this state is in the top five for horse population in the US.  As such, there are a lot of riding opportunities for horse-lovers.  Not having had a horse here as a child, I didn't have the opportunity to explore any of the local trails.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that there at least three riding clubs located in central Florida:

Florida Sport Horse Club - I'm not going to lie, the name threw me.  Perhaps they were once something else, but they are now a trail riding club that has weekly (even through the summer!) group rides.  I have ridden with these folks once, they are a super-friendly and welcoming group.  Emails go out weekly with details for upcoming rides.

Triple B Riding Club - I have not met these folks in person, but they have been extremely friendly through email.  They have a club meeting once a month.  Trail rides average 2-3 month, with things slowing down during the summer.

Florida Trail Blazers - while the website is only updated a few times a year, the club appears to be very active. They claim to be dedicated to the creation and preservation of equestrian trails her in FL.  I haven't emailed these folks yet, but plan to by the end of the week - if for no other reason than to find out if they have monthly meetings, etc.

While there are no trails easily accessible by horseback from my barn, I am lucky that are two places within a 15 minute drive and another within 30 minutes of the barn.  If I want to drive for an hour, there are another four areas to choose from.  Still, I feel like I'm barely scratching the surface.  I plan to get more involved with these clubs if for no other reason than to broaden my and Ruby's horizons.

Freckled- and whiskered-adorableness

On the Ruby front, her rub continues to get better.  I considered riding today but had a pounding headache by the time I got to the barn. I didn't even lunge her, but we did walk over some cross-rails.  Ruby is VERY lazy about picking her feet up for PVC-type poles so I'm considering asking my already over-burdened husband to make a few cavaletti for me.  Why not do it myself?  I am completely worthless when it comes to building things or even using power tools - sad but true.  Besides that, measuring and then making cuts is something that I have never mastered; not just wood but even when it comes to fabric for quilts.  I just suck at that stuff.  The hubs, however, acts like he was born with a Dewalt drill in his hand, so these things fall to him. 

Pics

Love that she approaches me now, even if not called. 

'Please just let me sleep...'

Waiting expectantly

Yesterday I evened up the heels of her right hind.  I also found a dressage instructor and set up a lesson for next Friday.  I will be riding a lesson pony for the first several lessons, then we'll start incorporating Ruby.  In the meantime, Ruby and I will begin some very basic in-hand dressage along with our usual stuff. 

Feet

I trimmed Ruby's feet this morning and took before and after pics.  For anyone who might come along - I am learning and far from perfect (I already see some things I need to take care of when I go to the barn tomorrow).  Ruby's left rear is very out of whack - her sole seems to be more built up on the inside.  Anyway, without further ado...

Left front before trim:

Holy stretched white line, Batman!

Left front after trim:

Left rear before trim:

The wonky foot.

 

Left rear after trim:

Wonky sole - I took the wall down to the sole in the hopes that the higher side will want to flake out in the future.

Right rear before trim:

Right rear after trim:

I'll be revisting this foot with the rasp tomorrow - I just didn't see the imbalance until I looked at the picture. 

Right front before trim:

Right front after trim:

Things I see - I need to get better at seeing the flares and rasping them off.  I borrowed Heather's hoof knife to trim the frogs but it was too dull, so I'll have to pick up one of my own.  She has quarter cracks on a few feet so I tried to take the quarters down more on those feet.  I need to get better at the mustang roll.  I picked up some Desitin for her heel bulbs today, which should help with the super-soft, pitted tissue.  Finally, she was developing a few toe cracks and has white line stretching all around, so I will be trimming every week or so for a while.  My big fear is that I'm going to get 'rasp-happy' and make her sore.

:(

While trying to rinse Ruby off on Saturday afternoon, I noticed a swollen spot on her right side.  Unfortunately, it was very dark due to the storm so I didn't get a chance to really check it out.  I was semi-hopeful that the swelling was caused by a horse-fly bite, but the location suggested that it was a tack issue - damn. 

Yesterday, I checked it again.  The swelling was mostly gone.  It didn't seem overly sore but I threw some Furazone on it before I left. 

@#$@#$@#!!!!  Definitely a rub *sigh*

This morning, I had the chance to really check it out and ponder what might have caused it.  I threw her saddle pad on - it looks like the rub was caused by the seam of her Equipedic pad.  Sunnuva! So, what the heck happened?  There are a few possibilities.  I was able to tighten her girth (on the left) a hole more than usual on Saturday, so I did but I didn't check to see if I could still get two fingers between her and the girth.  I should have, but got complacent since 'they say' you should really crank the treeless saddles down due to all of the padding.  Or maybe this pad just isn't going to work for her on longer rides.  Saturday's ride wasn't a 'long' ride but it was the farthest that we have gone so far.

Is this why Ruby could not seem to trot a straight line during the ride?  Very likely.  I know she kept looking over her right shoulder - at the time, I thought she was trying to look at Copa or that she was hearing other horses in the woods.  Now I realize that she was trying to tell me something, doh! 

What to do? I know I won't tighten her girth that tight again...ever.  I've also been considering a 'self-centering' girth for quite a while - supposedly with these girths, you don't have to tighten them so much.  I could (and probably will) sew some sheepskin over the seams at the bottom of the saddle pad flaps.  I'm also considering getting a Dixie Midnight pad, which would go under the Equipedic - it should allow her to sweat more freely and may also keep the Equipedic's seam from touching her skin.  If none of these work, I've been wanting to buy a used Haf or Skito pad, but it's a possibility that these may rub her too. Maybe one of the new Toklat Matrix pads?  Gah - I wish there was a place I could go to lay my hands on these pads, I hate buying pricey stuff over the internet!

So, it looks like no riding for me until poor Ruby heals up.  And no longer rides until I get the saddle pad figured out.  But that's ok - it gives us time to work on other things.

My poor mare!  I hate that I didn't recognize that she was trying to tell me it hurt :(

Alafia River State Park

Lee and I decided last week to take our ponies to Alafia today.  We met up around 8 am, loaded our crap and the ponies and got on the road.  Alafia is about an hour and a half drive, and we arrived around 9:30 - so far, so good.  Unfortunately, immediately after mounting up Lee and I got sucked into a conversation with a very nice lady who was already done riding for the day.  Seriously, this conversation dragged on for over half an hour - long enough for me to start Strava and turn it off to wait for the conversation to be over.  I'm not really anti-social, I would just rather ride than talk, especially when riding an antsy mare that believes that no good can come from standing still.

Anyway, we had a great ride - it was mostly overcast in the morning, so was relatively cool.  The trail was constantly changing and therefore interesting.  There were a few other folks on the trail but not too many; we were having a great time.  After two and a half hours or so, we came upon a water trough so we took the opportunity for a break, during which I got this picture.

Yeah, next time we might want to remove the masks...still, they are obviously trying to be cute for cookies, which, of course, is cute!

Right after this picture was taken, we decided it might be a good idea to find the trailer - ominous clouds were beginning to gather.  It turns out we were lost and it took us another two hours to find the trailer...Two hours, with it getting hotter and sunnier but with a huge thunderhead forming in the sky.  We did trot a few stretches which brought into perspective that Ruby cannot trot a decent straight line to save her life, lol.  We need to practice this, a lot...We did eventually make it back to the trailer, not long after which we started to hear the thunder.  Ruby loaded up fine, but Copa didn't want to load, crap!  It was right around this time that Lee started having real issues with the heat.  In her defense, when we got to the trailer the air was so thick it felt like it was sticking to us - it was HOT.  Lee went to sit in the truck's AC for a few minutes while I tried to load a horse that wanted to load even less for someone he doesn't know *sigh*.  Eventually, Lee recovered a bit, loaded Copa and we took off.  The storm followed us north to the barn and rolled in a few minutes after we got the horses unloaded.  Poor Ruby probably feels like I don't appreciate her at all!  I was able to run a little water on her before the lightening started, then I threw her into her stall with some hay and ran to park the trailer. At this point, the flashes of lightening and sound of thunder were nearly simultaneous.  We got the trailer parked and unhooked, and I got the barnyard gate closed right before the sky opened up. 

All in all we had a good ride, no spooks or refusals - other than at the trailer.  I did learn that it's a bad idea to wander in the forest under the impression that you have all day.  I also learned that Ruby needs to do more trotting outside of a small arena, and I really need to work on bringing her back down to a walk on the trail as well.  We rode 13.6 miles today - a new record for us, woohoo! http://www.strava.com/activities/162122720