Miscellany

[dancinghorse]

Thanks to all who sent good wishes about da Pook. He had his first bandage change today, and all seems well. Still a bit of swelling, but that's what the Adequan is for. He's not lame and his foot seems to be healing.

I love my vet. He checks his email, so I can send him notes and get quick responses without bothering him with a phone call. I had a question about the foot's progress, dropped a note, got an answer almost immediately. Ah, technology.

We are having Rain. In early October. Actually it's sunny and nice right now, but there have been intermittent squalls. Very unusual for what is usually our dry season. The weathercritters think we may have a wet winter. That would be a good thing, after the past years of drought.

House project of the week has been to redo the office, put in a futon sofa, and make the room [a] more comfortable for me because I hate sitting up at a desk to work and [b] usable as an overflow guest room. It still needs curtains (ordered those today), and I haven't put the pictures back up yet, but I've already spent more time in there than I have in years. Very comfortable, that sofa. Wasn't too difficult to put together, either. It's well made and the instructions are comprehensible. Kudos to the tech writer who did them.

So now I have a pleasant and functional workspace with L-shaped desk, sofa to stretch out on with laptop, and the usual beautiful views of yard-with-trees, mountains, and Fat White Ponies.

Speaking of whom, Capria got the lesson yesterday. She's been taking a back seat to all the rehabs and greenies; I've been riding her regularly, just not in lessons. She reminded me, quite gently and persuasively, that a trained horse is quite a different proposition than an untrained one. The lesson was a treat: more work on aids and balance, especially rein aids and precision of the seat, but we got to do lateral work as well as the usual. She was totally sound in the hindquarters but stiff over the loin, probably from being chased around in the turnout; Teacher had me ride TL's squared-circle exercise with haunches in on the corners, to encourage her to use her inside hind. As Teacher noted, she really is sound on the right; her reluctance to use it is psychological. In haunches in, which she hadn't done before, she could use it with perfect ease.

She was all soft and buttery, her usually tense neck was downright noodly (and her longtime tension-knot up near the poll was gone), and she had her happy ears on. So did I. With a better seat and effective hands, I don't have any of the problems I used to have with her. She's a joy to ride.

So while it was frustrating not to be working with Pook, it was lovely to be riding her. Next week I'll either ride Pandora or bring out Camilla--who was quite insistent that SHE get the lesson. But it was windy and had been raining and the ground was a little slippery--and right now she needs optimal conditions. As soon as it dries out, she'll get her ride. I love it that she's demanding it; we want her to like her work. She'll get the TL clinic for sure. (Sometimes your ultra-green, huge-moving mare with too much talent for her own good needs the Grand Prix instructor.)

Comments

[janni.livejournal.com]

Me, I'm wondering if I can simultaneously pray for a wet winter and a few of our classic dry, crisp blue days before then. :-)

[dancinghorse.livejournal.com]

Go for it. The ideal would be one or two rainy days per week, and blue days in between. Let's see if we can place the order. ;>

[sfmarty.livejournal.com]

Been rainy here, and cold. I really feel badly for poor Pook. Hope his recovery continues to go smoothly.

The futon looks wonderful.

[dancinghorse.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I'll have piccies of the office after it's done. It's kind of bare right now.

[green-knight.livejournal.com]

Good news on da Pook!

(Sometimes your ultra-green, huge-moving mare with too much talent for her own good needs the Grand Prix instructor.)

Of course they do. Greenies and beginners should be taught by people who know exactly what the end product will be; the middle bits can be filled in much more easily.

It always pains me when people think that backing young horses or teaching people who've never sat on a horse can be safely left to the clueless as long as they can stick on/teach others to stick on. That's where you lay your foundations.

[maytree.livejournal.com]

I am glad Pook's doing well. That must have been nerve-wracking!

[smoemeth.livejournal.com]

Yay for comfy, usable office! :)

[dancinghorse.livejournal.com]

We agreed that you would scream and leap on it come the holidays. It's really comfortable. Looks nice, too.

[smoemeth.livejournal.com]

Comfy = good. :)