Good as Gold (Better, Actually)

This is a post about the long-awaited "camping trip" - it turned into a trail ride, because my friend Kaylee had to work the day before the ride.  But as you will see, it was no less fun for that.

I spent Thursday afternoon preparing all my tack for the trail ride the next day, and on Friday afternoon, I went over to sponge and groom and spiffy up my horse.  I prayed like crazy as I worked, hoping that Indy would load well and get along with the other horses okay.  He would be trailered with my friend Kaylee's horse, Honee, and another mare named Sami.

God is always faithful.  Indy was good as gold.

indy in his awesome makeshift stall at kaylee's.  her little brother liked him :)

Saturday morning, early, we left for the trail ride.  It was a long trip, and I flinched every time the trailer went over a bump.  But there was no need to worry. Indy and Sami were loving it up inside, and Honee was calm as well.

Finally, we arrived.  

kaylee and honee, accompanied by a wonderful view

ditto the above caption!

The trail ride was supposed to start at 9, but we got there at 9:30 and no one was tacked up.  (There were only nine riders, sadly.)  But we had this lovely field behind our home base.

ze field

I've never raced Indy against another horse at full gallop before.  Never.  I didn't think he was competitive.  Was I wrong.

Kaylee's friend Anna, who I had met before, had her horse Shiloh there as well.  Anna and Shiloh are a wild pair who love to gallop, and she suggested a race.  No one was sure about that at first - we didn't know how the horses would react.  But then I grabbed the chance and said, sure, I would race.

Indy took off at full gallop when I nudged him and barreled down on the ever speedy Shiloh.  At a certain point, I leaned down over his neck and he shot off even faster, like he was determined to catch Shiloh.  Shiloh still won the race, but we were in second, and I was so proud and exhilarated that I couldn't wait to gallop again.

The trail itself was very stony and muddy, and Indy was not enjoying himself.  Therefore, I wasn't either, at first.  He almost scraped me against trees a couple times.  But then I realized something.  I was concentrating so hard that I wasn't breathing.

I started taking regular, slow breaths, and it was an instant change.  All of a sudden, Indy didn't try to lope through slippery mud, he just pranced or plodded.  After that, it was fun.  And finally, the trail group emerged on a high, grassy hill overlooking a beautiful view.  Sorry I don't have a photo - I couldn't risk my mom's Canon in the saddlebag.

kaylee and anna, tandem on shiloh

The last hours at camp were spent eating hobo dinners, lying around on bareback horses, and doing Redneck Barrels - using a manure pile and two buckets in your cloverleaf pattern.

I didn't want the day to end.  But it did, like all good things do on this earth.  But usually, I've found that when one good thing ends, another one is on the way.  Indy and I are off to search for it.

we're a team

*Thank you, Kaylee's family and mine, for making this work!!

Spring Shots

It's that time of year again.  Indy was so scared when I led him into the stall for his shots that he was shaking all over.  The vet said she didn't even need to take his heartbeat because it was already leaping out of his chest.  Poor thing - sedation was in order for teeth floating anyway.

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Some recommended shots: (I've put in bold the ones Indy got.)

The Coggins Test: Needed only if you're going to take your horse in contact with lots of other horses.  Like trail rides, campgrounds, or shows.  Most of these things require a Coggins, so it's not an option.  It checks for a kind of virus that spreads ever so easily among horses.

Strangles: Only needed if your horse will be in contact with young horses, because the disease "strangles" usually affects horses aged 1-5.  It involves the lymph nodes swelling up, and it's not fatal, but...do you really want to pay a $65 vet's farm call again?

Potomac Horse Fever: This one protects against a disease carried by water snails, mayflies, and possibly other creatures that live in bodies of water.  In MN, we have water almost everywhere, so it's recommended - but for the first time your horse gets it, he'll need a booster shot after three weeks.

Influenza:  Combats a viral disease with these clinical signs: fever, coughing, disinterest in eating, depression.  An upper respiratory disease.

FLU/Rhino: Also an upper respiratory disease.

Rabies: Horror of horrors! I'd say this one is a must.  I'm sure I don't want Indy going rabid.

West Nile Virus: This protects against disease mosquitos carry.  *shudder*

Tetanus:  Tetanus usually enters through open wounds (including puncture wounds) and starts to reproduce via bacteria.  This results in stiff muscles, which means dangerous riding, possible lockjaw, and breathing problems.  Treatment of tetanus is very hard to do and expensive.

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via

Besides these shots, your horse will need to be dewormed every six to eight weeks, but you can do that yourself.  Just get someone to help hold your horse's head and squirt that stuff into the side of his mouth.  (That way he can't spit it out right away.)

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via

Teeth floating essentially means "teeth filing" and that will need to be done every two years.  Your horse will be sedated, put into a special cranking halter  (see above) that holds his mouth open, and the vet will take a grinding drill to those troublesome teeth.  (Just an FYI - the smell of burnt teeth is awful.)

We just learned that Indy will need his teeth floated once a year now, because he has a missing tooth on top, and the tooth on the bottom keeps growing up into the gap.  This hinders him from eating properly and I think it's most of the reason that he gets so thin.

If you're not sure if your horse needs his teeth done, watch him eat corn or grain.  Does he drop it out of his mouth as he's chewing? If so, you want to think about calling the vet.


What vaccinations do you get for your horses? Was this post helpful?



Have a wonderful day.
Ellyn

Indy in the Sun

It's been a while since I last posted some horse pictures.  We have just had our mid winter thaw - which is a bit like a mid-life crisis, with all the mud and such.  Luckily, we had a raging wind blow up that got rid of lots of sitting water, but we still have ice patches that froze when the weather turned ugly again.

Though, in MN, 20 degrees is still balmy.

Anyway, I had fun with Indy a few days ago.  We worked on no-line lunging and I tried to teach him how to turn around with the whip while lunging.

I also had a mini photoshoot with his ex-girlfriend, Blondie.  (Don't worry, there aren't hard feelings - they've drifted apart to 'just friends' now.)

Not one - by any means - to give others all the lens-room, Alpha butted in.

This was actually before Indy and I went a-laboring.  But afterwards, when I had released him from his prison (indoor arena, more on that later), we nuzzled and then he started walking across the pasture.  Sunlight hit! I was so glad I had the camera.  

I wuv my boy ^_^

Also, when I went riding with Shelby a week ago, I realized how much he has improved since I got him.      Last year, dear Indy would flip out if he was in the indoor arena with another horse and the other horse was taken away.  He'd be tied to the wall, but he'd turn in 180 degree angles back and forth, back and forth, and he would not listen to me at all.  It was almost impossible to groom him or do anything at his side in the indoor while he was tied up.  But when I was with Shelby, she brought Jake out and asked me to come out and help her mount up bareback.

"Okay," I said, a squick wary of what Indy would do, 'cause he was already looking wild-eyed and he neighed as I spoke.  "Let's make this quick."

But, I went out, helped her mount up, took my time on the 10 feet back to the door, and when I opened the door, there stood Indy.  Yes, he was standing still and watching me.  So that was a big wow.

It makes me happy that he respects me more than he did last year.

Despite what happened on the actual ride of Shelby and me....*groans* Thank goodness for the deep snow so Indy's "jigging" didn't turn into a full-out gallop for the barn.  

But we'll take things one step at a time.

- Ellyn

Changes

There have been a few changes around here.

Thanks to Olivia's tutorial at Robin Blogs, I now have a drop down toggle menu! I moved all my stats (Current mood, Currently Reading, etc.) to "Check Up On Me".

You can get my button from"Grab My Button" - Wow, really?

And for a taste of posts coming in the future, click on "Watch For..."

Also, my pages are now at the top of the blog.

Have a merry Christmas! I'm off to look at our shoveling situation...

Indy wishes you all a happy holiday season too! Yeah, he's covered in hay...I gave him a good brushing, don't worry.

I Think I'm In Love...

With the adorable little chestnut fellow in the foreground! It's Indy, of course...

Been a long time since you've seen him around here, eh? He's with his friend Boo in this photo.

I was feeling mad, slash depressed, slash bored yesterday, so my dad persuaded me to go to the stable.  It was a good time to let go of my irritation over the chapter I'm supposed to be writing, my family, and my own irritating thoughts of irritation! Horses are the best therapy.  Except for time with God, of course.  It sounds so wrong to say "Except for God", doesn't it? :)

Indy and his friend George are as "thick as thieves", as they say.  I'm not so keen on George myself.  He's extremely big, playful, and pushy, and he picks fights with the other horses all the time.  He does have an adorable poofy and wavy forelock and big, liquidy brown eyes, but it's hard to see whether the good outweighs the bad... Yesterday, I was riding Indy bareback, walking him around with just a halter and rope.  His ears pricked up and I heard the neighbors dragging this big trailer out of their garage.  Indy just stood there.  *proud smile* But George heard it, spooked, bit Boo, and when Boo bit him back, he bucked and galloped as fast as he could straight toward Indy.  I was already sliding halfway off my chestnut's back, but I changed my mind and held on.  Indy, I trust you, I thought, hard.  

George slid to a dusty stop about three feet away and still, Indy just stood there looking at him.  Phew...Thank you, Indy.  

Here's another one of Georgie resting.  :)

Love, Ellyn

    

The Apple (and other assorted things)

I found a perfect jewel of an apple on one of our trees yesterday night.  Amidst all the other apples, with bruises and mottled skin and huge chunks taken out of the sides, it was so beautiful it almost took my breath away.  Sound like a dangerous fairy tale? Don't worry, this one was genuinely dazzling.  The flesh was almost pure white and crunchy-crisp, and after I polished of the dusty pink excess on the skin, it shone so bright that it could have lit up a dark room.  The skin color went from blood red to yellow-green.

And then, I tasted it, and it was just right.

And then it was all gone.  But that's life.  

And that's what fall is all about.

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On another note, here is yours truly as...guess, now...

A fierce Jedi warrior! I love the shirt I'm wearing in this picture.  When I put it on, first I was a sailor.  Then I did my hair and added one hoop earring and decided to be a pirate.  Then, I decided to be a Jedi.  

I do have a Star Wars past, even though I've only seen movies 4, 5, and 6.  My friends started a Star Wars club, and asked me to join, so I took the name of my favorite character, Han Solo, and obliged them.  There was a Princess Leia in the club too, so we had fun with that.  

And, that was quite random.  Here's something else in the same category.  (That means that if my whole post is random, nothing in it is random, right?)

In school I read King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table - review coming after this post - and one of my activities was to make a piece of chain maille.  I had seen one of my friend's friends wearing a chain maille bracelet, so I asked my mom if I could do that instead.  It was quite fun; though my fingers were sore afterward from bending the little metal circle thingies.  I had a needlenose pliers, but being me, I decided my fingers were easier.  It's a fun project, and I'd encourage you to try it - if you like that kind of thing.  And forget the patterns - make your own design!

                                           

I also finished listening to Shannon Hale's Princess Academy on audiobook.  What a great story! I can't stop gushing about it.  The title sounds sort of cliched and over-girly - no offense, Shannon Hale - but the book itself....! I might write a review later.  

I also really need to go ride Indy.  I had my first homeschool co-op yesterday, and then when I got home, I spent the entire afternoon cutting out squares for a patchwork quilt I'm making for school.  Today, my grandma and I might go shopping in a few hours, cause my dad's birthday is...creeping slowly up.  I should really go ride....I should ride.  I really should go ride.  

I guess part of it is that he bolted on me last time I rode.  Whew... I wish I could have seen my own face. But he only ran for a few yards and then I got him to stop.  He just stood there, like he was thinking in his little horsey brain, "Huh.  What was I scared about again?"

But I'm not really scared he'll do it again...I mean, I know I can stop him.  Lately, I've been loping bareback and bareheaded, which is a real big jump for timid little me.  Mind, I don't do that anywhere where he could spook - just in a pasture near his buddies.  And I don't think I'll ever ride bareheaded out of the pasture, even if I have a saddle on.  That would just be asking for trouble.

Well, I should go...and I'll try not to neglect my dear chestnut boy Indy.  :) He is a dear.

                                             

                                                       

Me and Indy

I had my family come and watch me ride Indy today. My mom got a video for me, too.

Back in the Saddle

My ankle has almost completely healed. We think it was sprained instead of twisted since it took so long, but that doesn’t really matter. What does matter is that I finally got to go ride Indy today. It’s only been…a week and a few days, but it’s felt like a year.

As I set out, I had stars in my eyes. I knew in the back of my mind that Indy would be rusty, but all the same, I was not thinking reality. And it doesn’t have to be just horses, but whenever you have starry eyes about something, something else is sure to happen that will make all your stars fall.

First, I couldn’t find my halter ANYWHERE. I decided to chance it with just a leadrope around his neck.

It didn’t work. Indy stepped on my foot. I’ve been stepped on before, but this was the worst. :S It hurt and I whacked him. By this time, I had hit reality, but then something else happened.

I went to get my spare halter from my locker and then tied Indy to the gate so I could brush him. I hadn’t even started before he launched into a bucking fit. This is where quick release knots come in handy. I loosed him and he ran across his pen to the other side. I was mad until I saw that there had been a big horse fly buzzing around his hind legs. No wonder he bucked! All the same, I was a little nervous while I tacked up and led him through the barn.

After that, things began to look up. (not literally.) When I got on his back, I think he tried to buck, but I kept his head up and then got off to shoo any flies away. I didn’t do any cantering, but I walked and trotted and I think I got him into an extended walk. I’m not sure, but I gave the proper signals and his stride seemed to lengthen. Overall, it was a good ride.

But incidentally…does anyone know of a state that doesn’t have mosquitos or horse flies??

June 1, 2010

My Life and Horses - Part 3

The second horse suggestion we got from our neighbor was from his vet. Another veterinarian whom he worked with had a horse at her parent’s house who was for sale – Zeke. My mom called the number and I kept my ears pricked through her entire conversation. I remember that my grandma was over and we were playing Wii downstairs at the time.

When my mom hung up, she told us what Zeke’s owner, Chad (all names have been changed – except Zeke’s) had said about him. He was free, because Chad didn’t like his type of horse. That was a pro! He was skittish, which was a con. But he was a middle-aged gelding, which was a pro, because that was what I wanted and the kind of companion Chief needed. He didn’t like to be ridden out alone, and whenever Chad got on him, he would back up some fifty feet. CON. But he loved attention and was a “girl’s horse”, in Chad’s words. That sounded pretty cool.


We decided to go and take a look at this Zeke on the following Sunday. After church, I changed into warm, outdoor clothes – it was January – and my dad and I started our long drive to Zeke’s home, which was about two hours away.

When we arrived, there was a skinny chestnut gelding racing back and forth along one side of a round pen. I guessed that it was Zeke and I was correct. I was a little afraid of him and a bit in awe as well. He looked like a wild mustang. I got my first ride on him in a beautiful field of snow. Chad had to get on him first so he could back up his allotted fifty feet. Because I was a little nervous about him, I didn’t go any faster than a walk. My dad and I asked Chad a few more questions and then headed for home.

My dad and I were doubtful, but surprisingly, my mom was all enthusiasm, and she rubbed off on my dad, so I was the only one with unsure feelings. My mom asked me if I thought I could love Zeke. I said, “Yes.” She asked me if I thought Zeke could bond with me. “I said, “Yes.”

However, I had a few fits of doubt – one took place a week or so after my visit to Zeke’s place, in which I confessed to my mom that I didn’t know if Zeke was the Right One. She told me that if I kept on waiting and waiting for the Right One, I’d probably never get a horse, because no horse is perfect. She said that when God answers our prayers, we tend to doubt His answers. In Zeke’s case, we had prayed long and hard; all the circumstances had lined up just right; she thought he should be my horse, and Dad thought he should be my horse. Basically, the gist of her response was – “ELLYN. THAT’S YOUR HORSE. Are you going to take him or not?”

That did it. My parents thinking that way about a horse could only mean one thing – they were right. It only took a day until I was convinced. Zeke would be my horse. Since I disliked the name “Zeke” and thought that his registered name, “Diversified Profit” was even worse, I began thinking about a new name for my near-future gelding. I thought of Copper, Redcoat, and assorted others, but I kept coming back to a name I had picked up a while before, from a horse-search site. I looked at the pictures of Zeke, considered affirmed, and consulted my mother.

“Mom, what do you think of changing Zeke’s name to Indy?”

She thought for a moment before replying. “Yeah, I think it suits him.” I thought so too, and from that point on, I decided to call my lovely Diversified Profit, “Indy” unless a better name came up. No better one ever has. ☺

By now, you may have guessed that Indy became my horse. If you did, you’re right. It was on January 19th, 2009, the day of Indy’s arrival, when I had my second moment of doubt. It was when I was putting the trailering fee, $250, into an envelope for Chad. Yes, Indy was a free horse, but we paid him to bring Indy down for us since me and my family have had zero experience with horse trailers. This $250 was all money that I had labored long for, and there’s something about giving a bunch of money to someone that tugs at your heart. It takes so long to earn it, but so little to lose it. But I knew that a horse would be a hundred times better than a stack of green paper, so I pushed past my moment of doubt. It could also have been the fact that I was finally getting my own horse that caused such a conflict of emotions.


Before the trailer arrived, I was having another conflict – a conflict in the belly. I was so excited and pent up and hyper and worried and stressed, that…whew…I paced back and forth and back again, feeling as if I was going to throw up any second. But after I floundered out into the snow to greet my new horse, I felt fine. Just a little shivery when I saw Indy in Chief’s corral, eating hay as if he had been there all his life. Everything went so smoothly that you couldn’t help but see God’s hand in it. I was worried that Chief and Indy would have a nasty fight, as horses often do to establish the dominant one and the underdog. Or the underhorse. We prayed that this would not happen.

As it was, Chief and Indy sniffed noses over the fence and that was all it took for them to become fast friends. No fight. Zilch! Not even one scream or kick! Even Chad was amazed. (That doesn’t mean Indy – the underhorse – never got kicked by Chief – the dominant. They just didn’t have World War III deciding who would get that privilege.)

Indy was not the nervous, back-up-aholic that we had seen at Chad’s. He was completely relaxed, and my nervousness of him vanished. In fact, the first time I got on him at Chief’s, he didn’t back up one step.

Since then, Indy and I have had many adventures together. We’ve moved (Chief had to get a new pal named Reno), we’ve bonded, and we’ve learned. Once, when he was still boarded at Chief’s, it was raining hard but I decided to go out and see if he was okay. Chief had exercised his dominant position and kept Indy out of doors in the rain so he could have the whole barn to himself. Indy was shivering like crazy and his eyes were rolling, meaning he was scared. I panicked, ran back to the house crying, and loaded up with towels, which I went back to the barn with and attempted to dry Indy off. I put Chief in a stall so that Indy could get in the barn, and I gave him some hay so he’d have resources to keep warm. He was shivering so bad at first that he wouldn’t even let me touch him. I was terrified, but he was okay, and it turns out that horses shiver all the time. All the same, I was glad to be there.

Another time last fall, I was riding Indy at my house when he bolted. I scraped into a tree, fell off, and broke my wrist. Indy went galloping for home, which was on a busy road. He survived and I did too. I went to the ER to get a temporary splint until I was ready for a cast, and that night I asked my dad to drive me over to the stable so I could make sure Indy had been taken care of. I went into his pen and he came right over to me. He followed me all around and when I was petting his neck, he folded it over me just like a horse hug. I’ll never forget that – it was so sweet! By the way, my wrist healed fine, but I still have a permanent scar on my nose to remind me of the incident.

Indy is not a KC. If I had met him at horse camp, I probably wouldn’t have liked him. But since he’s my horse, things are different – he’s my favorite horse in the whole wide world. But also since he’s my horse, I can’t just dismount when things get hard and ask for a calmer mount. I’ve got to stick with it, which is really hard sometimes. When I broke my wrist, I lost my confidence, and I’m still getting it back. Confidence is like money – hard to get, easy to lose

Through Indy, God has taught me to not give up, how to conquer fear (lots of prayer), responsibility, and all about the wonder of His creation. I’ve experienced the terrifying moment of hurtling off a horse’s back onto the hard ground, the excruciating decision to get up and ride again, and then the wonderful swell of joy that follows after you overcome your fear or a difficult part of training. After that, you can say, “Praise the Lord! I DID IT!”

And with God’s help, I plan to keep right on doing it.

—–

10 Things About Indy

1. His nicknames are Windy Indy (cause he doesn’t like wind), Red Velvet, and Sodden (the rainy day incident, remember?)

2. He can trot at the speed of a lope.

3. I believe he thoroughly enjoys spooking.

4. He was born in Oklahoma.

5. He doesn’t like the indoor arena.

6. He’s a girl’s horse – and a ladies’ man! He has a girlfriend named Blondie – she’s a National Show Horse a palomino, and a flirt.

7. He’s naturally thin – we’re still trying to get more weight on him since Chad’s! Better than naturally obiese, I guess.

8. His favorite treats are butterscotch nuggets and carrots.

9. He’s a fiery steed – in color and personality.

10. He’s the most beautiful horse in the whole world. <3

April 7, 2010

Day in Masquerade

It seems like however Indy behaves for me affects the whole day…today (with him) was terrible. And to make things worse, it was the kind of day that masquerades as a good exciting day, while it’s disappointing underneath. The sun was bright, the sky was blue, blue, blue, and Indy’s blaze shone as white as the snow against his fire-red coat. I’m being over-dramatic, of course, but… the day wasn’t what I’d hoped for.
I was a little nervous when I went to the stable because the last time I rode Indy he got spooked and started running. I stayed on even though I was bareback, but it still scared me. Anyway, I was nervous but I was trying to hide that. I brought my darling horse over to the barrel so that I could climb on his back, but every time I climbed onto the barrel, he would step one of three ways: forward, backward, or to the side. That made it impossible to get on his back. I was getting mad and teary because I was just sitting on this barrel looking like a dumb cluck who couldn’t get her horse to stay where she wanted him. Which was true in this case. Finally, I gave up the whole riding thing and got out the lunging stuff so that Indy would learn that he’d have to work whether I was on his back or not. But by that time, my hands were NUMB and FROZEN so I could only lunge him for a little bit. I put Indy and his stuff away and stormed home.
The only good thing about my time at the stable was that Cally, the blind mare, heard my voice when I went into the horse pen and started following me around. She likes me ’cause I pet her and give her butterscotch treats, and I don’t mind that her eyes are all clouded over. So that was cute.
On the bright side of the day, I got my schoolwork done really fast and spent the rest of the morning and some of the afternoon on a picture. It has two of the characters from my current story on it, Jacha and Kiann…I sort of messed Jacha up, but I’m pretty happy with Kiann, considering the fact that I’m horrible at drawing men. Speaking of artwork, I’ve got to get that part of my blog working better. I can only view the top picture when I’m logged in, and that means you can’t see it at all. I’ll work on it…I am new to this whole blog thing.
“With great reputation comes great responsibility.” – Elizabeth Elliot


January 30, 2010