February 7, 2011

One Day At A Time, One Day At A Time

I am having to make this my mantra. Because if I go any further ahead of myself than one day, I start flipping myself out and have to refer myself back to the previous post.

Yesterday was a bright 56 degrees and the sun warmed everyone's cold and grumpy spirits. I got to give Solo a bath to work out the ground-in winter dirt that brushes just seem to move around. There are even patches of grass beginning to peak out from the bare pasture soil. We are well overdue for some soul renewal!

P was out giving lifeshighway a lesson, so I begged her to watch Solo canter in each direction and tell me what she saw, since she is used to watching him go and has a good eye. She reported that he looked pretty decent and did not display anything other than his normal slight stiffness on his stiff side. Which means I need to stop obsessing and just ride the damn horse.

She also confirmed that we are doing the right thing by taking it slow. Even though it drives me nuts to sit on the horse and not ask for much. If you don't give the rehab its due time, the problems can haunt you for years down the road and THAT is the one thing that keeps my impatience in check.

P has dealt with this in the past as well. Her Dutch mare was a bit uneven behind and had to be ridden in shoulder-fore for 3 YEARS before it went away. Which on one hand makes your eyes bug out, but on the other hand, tells me that no, my horse is not oddly crippled, he just needs time strength-building and we'll get back closer to good.  I need to forget about what is happening a month from now, two months from now, and focus on today.

Just ride the damn horse and stop flipping yourself out, just ride the damn horse...

6 comments:

  1. Answer from my trainer is forthcoming. In the meantime, I can tell you she told me to keep Junior at a trot and no cantering for the time being. Trotting uses both sides of the body equally. Trotting is a harder gait for the horse to keep impulsion, they want to canter if you push them because it's easier to canter to have the "speed" they think you must be asking for. Trot builds more symmetrical muscle. Even though I only rode 3 times this week he hasn't had his LH wobble the whole week.

    Our friend in2paints is just starting to recondition her horse after a long layup. She just got a cool book that I think I'm going to have to get, too.

    http://rlilbitofcash.blogspot.com/2011/02/book-review-and-plan-ideas.html

    And yes, patience is a virtue. :)

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  2. Thanks, SP! Vet said to do lots of canter and Solo is happy cantering, so we're going to keep that in there. Now that he has learned the nice balanced canter, it will help build the stuff in the back end without me having to get on him about staying all round.

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  3. Or, as my old trainer would say, "Ride the GODDAMN HORSE!!"
    At least that one was better than, "Get off the goddamn horse! You're ruining it and I'll never be able to sell it!!!"
    Aaaaaaahhh, trainers. So insightful.
    Heal, Solo, heal!

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  4. After spending almost a year getting a horse back from surgery I would love to report that I develop an almost zen-like patience.

    I would like to report that, anyway.

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  5. Sounds like slow and steady is the key. Keep it up and don't freak out.

    I like your blog by the way, you're welcome to promote it on our Tuesday Linky at http://www.RochesterTrailRiders.com

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  6. Thank you for the encouragement, DH and Frizz!

    lh, you got him back though, and this gives me great hope!

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