Don't Rush It

I think most of us by nature are impatient and try to rush things.  We rush from here to there with our busy schedules.  We rush our horses or dogs during training.  I even try to rush Maggie to hurry up and poop, but it doesn't work.  And in an effort to rush my dream of trailering and doing long trail rides, I think I have rushed Amiga... rushed her to get better, rushed her into the trailer, rushed her to do more for me.  She is a horse with such a good heart, so willing to try and go where I ask her.  But with her fragile nature and history of injuries or health issues, my rushing her is in vain.  I can't rush healing just like I can't rush the sunrise.  And when I do rush, it does more harm than good, and then sets me back even more.

Monday 4/1- The weather fooled us by dropping to 25 degrees at dawn.  I have recently seen golfers across the pond wearing shorts, and think they are rushing summer, but today there were no such fools out there.






It was another early morning with a sleepless night three hours before sunrise.  I was at the barn before the horses were turned out and gave Amiga a Prevocox and some grazing time.



She was walking better, but still favoring her back left leg, short stepping with it and resting it often.  The air was cold but the sun warm and Amiga was eating up the green grass.  I put her back in the dry lot where Scout would be joining her later, because I really think the drama (running around and horse pecking order) in the mare pasture is predominantly what caused this most recent injury.  But I do wonder if I wore her out (causing some soreness) on my longer ride last Tuesday.


Once home I really focused on blogging and got the RTTH one done and posted.  I also almost finished last week's blog.  It was a sunny day, but remained cold (in the upper 50s).  I was feeling sorry for myself, that I didn't have a horse to ride.  It is at these times I need to look at my blessings - I can walk, and am able to ride, and dance, and have food and shelter, and live in a safe neighborhood, and have wonderful family and friends.  I can't let the negative things and hurdles get me down.



Social grooming occurred, which I did not participate in, followed by the cat nap, which I did do.









The load of laundry I had put in the drier was ready to be folded when I woke up.  A great workout, followed by the stretch class and shower, had me feeling much better.

After dinner I really focused on my Bible Study assignment before ending the day.

Tuesday 4/2 - It was a rainy morning before sunrise.  The rain stopped, but it remained overcast much of the day.  I got to the barn before the workers, gave Amiga her Prevocox and grain, and while she ate I went out into the dry lot to work.  I picked up several large rocks and raked dirt into this ditch made by plumbers fixing the wash rack drain pipe last week.  I also put hay out.

When I took Amiga out front to graze, she was walking pretty well, but still favoring her back left leg.  I noticed her leg muscle at the stifle was spasming again (video), it had done this two days ago.



Then, upon closer examination, I saw a kick mark six inches below the stifle.  It is hard to see if the light isn't just right, and because I wasn't looking this high up on the leg, I had missed it when she was first lame.  But this confirmed my suspicion that she got hurt while out in the pasture.  I am believing more and more, that running with some of the big, bossy mares may not be in Amiga's best interest.  I really don’t want her out there with all the drama and larger mares that throw their weight around.  The first solution that comes to mind is to find her a new home with a smaller, quieter herd, but I hate to part with her.

While grazing out front, Amiga helped trim the taller grass around many of the large rocks.











Leaving her in the dry lot, I returned home, had a second cup of tea and more breakfast, and finished and posted last week's blog.

Bible study was very engaging as usual.
Then I was back out at the barn by 3:30 for the free line dance lesson that is now being offered along with the wagon rides.  We were also celebrating John's birthday.













You can see the wagon load of people feeding the livery horses, behind Jan who was riding Cash.  It was a perfect 58 degree afternoon for sitting around the bond fire.

Wednesday 4/3 - There was frost on the shaded part of the ground on the north side of the barn.  But out front, the sun was warming things up nicely.  I was glad to see Amiga improving also.












Carole picked me up for the Ladies Club Fashion Show at 9:45, and we joined Rosemary.  And yep, we were enjoying a glass of wine before 11:00.

The Playhouse singers sang a few songs, including Easter Parade.  The grilled chicken salad was good.  And it was fun to see the fashions us older ladies have available.


It was almost 2:00 when I got home.  It was warm enough outside to take a short nap on a lounge chair out on the deck.

Then it was back to the barn.





This time, it was my mission to see if Zorro would take a bit without refusing or fighting it.  I had taken the reins off so the bit would have no pressure on it once in.  The bit went right in Zorro's mouth with just a finger to get him to open his mouth.  I texted Patty and Courtney to tell them the good news.  Patty replied that she was at the barn earlier in the day and got the bit in Zorro's mouth without a fuss.  He wasn't scared or fearful, and had soft eyes.  She said she left it in for about a minute, then let him back into the pasture and he got an apple as a reward.  Yipppeee!





I led both Amiga and Zorro out front and let them eat, wanting Zorro to get a feel of the bit and the idea that it wouldn't hurt him.   I soon slipped it out of his mouth because he was having troubles swallow grass with it in.





He and Amiga sure enjoyed snarfing down lush green grass together.  I don't think they ever lifted their heads to see what was going on around them.









I hadn't exercised all day, so when I got home I took Maggie for almost a two hour walk.  In these photos she is on the dock at Robinhood Park.

After dinner I did a little neatening up around the house, worked on my Bible Study, and played a few games on the computer.

Thursday 4/4 - it was Daniel's 29th birthday.  He always got a kick out of opening packages.  Here he was helping his great grandma.

I didn't go to the barn first thing, because I wanted to skip the Prevocox and see how Amiga was feeling later.









I tried the Line Dance class at the library building which I haven't done in ages.  Then at the gym I did a few weights before Zumba.



The barn was busy when I went out at 2:30.  Pat was getting Shelby ready for transport (being 'shipped' to Colorado where her owner Jean moved two weeks earlier).  Yvonne, Polly, and Jan were at different stages of saddling up, and Patty was just getting Zorro to work him in the round pen.  There was also a livery horse trail ride out, soon to return.





Amiga showed continued improvement so I got on bareback to walk her out front to see how she felt and let her graze.  She did very well and only had difficulty with the leg when turning on it.

Several saddle sisters came out to horse around while we waited for the horse transport to get there.

Mervin, the hired transport guy out of Kentucky, arrived after about 30 minutes.  He had a huge trailer.

We ladies watched and I took several photos of the process of loading Shelby.  She got right on this big rig.

















There were nice box stalls with two little miniatures in one of them to keep Shelby company.






Mervin did a great job maneuvering his big rig in the tight spot to turn it around.  It was kind of sad to see him drive off with Shelby.  Later he sent this picture taken from his driver's webcam to the stall.  What a nice feature to be able to keep an eye on your precious cargo while going down the road.  Shelby looks quite content.


Joe had gotten back from Phoenix at 1 am the night / morning before, so we watched Survivor together.

Friday 4/5 - We had gotten high winds and some rain overnight and it was still rainy when I walked the dog before sun-up.  I went to the barn at 8:30 to check Amiga, and give her grazing time before putting her in the dry lot.  I rode bareback with just a halter and lead rope.  Every day Amiga gets better.  You can see a lot of chairs blown over in the yard.  There was also other debris.

I picked Polly up a little after 10:00 and we went to Muddy Pond to shop and have lunch.  It was a nice 45 minute drive in the country to this charming little spot, deep in the hills of Tennessee.  It is home to several Amish-Mennonite families as well as lots of small, local farms.  The sky remained gray and it misted / sprinkled on us a couple of times.

We ran into Jan and Mike who we knew would be there.  Jan and Polly both had their new chinks adjusted to fit better.  I bought new leather cinch straps, the off billet (that broke on Thanksgiving) and latigo (which has been duct taped) really needed replacing.  I had been barrowing Jan's old nylon set.  After going to Jay's Custom Leather, the Leather Store, and the Country Store, we went to the Country Porch for lunch (where Joe joined us a little later, on his way to golf).

I was ready for a nap when I got home.  This happens when I wake up at 4:30 am.  Monita was quick to join me on the couch.

And then Maggie thought she needed in on some snuggles.

Just before I had laid down, neighbor Allen who was blowing leaves in his backyard, started down the drainage ditch, which was full of them.  I should have been out there helping, but really needed a nap first.  

Well, once up I went out to work.  Allen had quit but had a large pile of leaves all along his side of the drainage ditch.  Wanting to be of help, I raked them all down to the pile at the bottom of the hill.

Then, wanting to keep leaves out of the ditch and off Allen's side, I started cleaning out this flower bed right by the ditch.  

I didn't make much of a dent in it before the 6:00 dinner bell.  The lower half of the bed still needs clearing and there are five more beds in back to tackle.  And there are also the two large ones out front.  

Saturday 4/6 - Early morning steam rising in the valley, producing smoke on the mountain.  Since the bossiest of the mares had been moved back out of the mare pasture, and Amiga was doing much better, after letting her graze for a bit, I turned her out in the mare pasture, hoping she would stay out of trouble, and not get hurt.  She was unsure whether she wanted to go out with the mares or not.  You can see (video) she is still giving on that back right leg a little bit, not taking a full step with it.  I hoped I wasn't rushing it.

I finished painting the bird houses I had started eons ago, cleaned and filled all the bird feeders, and then switched out the bird houses, hanging the painted ones just outside the sunroom window. 

I also painted the bluebird house hanging on the tree you see in the background.  I like how the gray blends better with the woodland and our house, rather than the light yellow natural wood, and these will last longer painted.

I ran out of time to work on leaves.  Showered, I laid on a lawn chair in the sun to let my hair dry and napped.  Shirley picked me up at 3:15.



It was the first Hebbertsburg dance of the season and the doors opened at 3:30.  We wanted to be sure to get a seat, but it turns out it was not 'sold out.'  Patty came later, and we sat with three other Cloggers and their husbands.
















The Cloggers performed during the intermissions and there were also the cake walks.  The band was good as usual, although played more slow songs than normal.  They did play several line dances and Kitty taught several of us the Cowboy Cha Cha, which you don't have to do with a partner, although it is easier if you have one.  Marci and I were really trying to get it.

The sax player came out into the dancing crowed during a solo and I got a selfie with him.  Ha ha ha.

The place cleared out early, right after the second intermission.  What is wrong with these people?  They want to get home to bed or home before dark.  Brother.

Joe was watching final four of the NCAA tournament when I got home, so I did a few things here at my computer and then read in bed.

Sunday 4/7 - Heavy winds and rain woke me during the night and my first dog walk was in the rain.  It cleared off before Church but stayed gloomy all day with sprinkles here and there.  I rode Amiga bareback and she felt pretty good.  I even let her gait a little.  I was on her for 45 minutes, half the time was while she grazed.  I noticed Monte and Sadie chasing Chacko and alerted the girls and took this (video).





The two instigators got put in timeout and one of the Icelandic's came to check on them.










Rather than the predicted rain in the afternoon, the sun actually came out a little.  I had a late lunch on the porch with these characters.  They didn't get food, but enjoyed the warm breeze.

 













Puppy dog kisses.

Since the rain was going to hold off, I decided to get going with more leaf eradication.

Maggie watched over the yard while I gathered wayward leaves.  The Lenten Rose looks much better with this bed all cleaned up.











I took a time out for play, belly rubs, and more puppy kisses.






An hour later, I knew a storm was coming with distant thunder getting closer and dark clouds rolling in.  I put Maggie in the house and hustled to finish the second bed.





I felt good about also getting this bed all cleaned up.

I got inside in the nick of time.  Man did it pour down rain.  My concern about the gutter at the corner where my desk is, was renewed when I saw this (video).  

The storm ended as quickly as it had arrived.  After Maggie was calm enough to eat dinner, we then went for a walk.  Water was still pouring over the spillway of the pond dam.

I watched two episodes of Blue Blood and Joe got home from poker just as I was going to bed.