Listen When Your Horse Talks

            Where did the week go?  I ended up not doing much, staying inside since last weekend’s snow storm, and this week in the teens and 20's. And I have been healing!  I ended up having a sore leg all week, after hurting it the previous week.

            I should have Listened to my horse. We have all heard this.  This is natural horsemanship.  “Read your horse”.  I read my horse last week.  I knew he was ansy.  And so were the other horses due to neighbors target shooting around us, even though that was at least ½ mile away.  I needed to “listen” to my horse” better.

            We all read our horses.  We know what ears pinned back means.  We know the “look” that dominant horse gives younger horses, and that they should move, and we know what happens when
they don’t move.

Almost 2 weeks ago, last Tuesday, I shouldn't have rushed Duke, as all the horses were a little goosey because people all around us were shooting. So I lunged him and got on him, but he was still goosey. I worked him in the outdoor arena for about 15 min then decided to take some P&V out of him and go down and up the terraces ONE time. We went down ok, but coming up, he stretched his neck out, turned quick and left out a gigantic buck and kick out. So I'm hanging 1/2 off the side, Duke stopped, and I figured I'd just finish dropping off.  I landed, I think I startled Duke and he jumped again, coming down on the very edge of my inside calf. I had to hold on to the reins, as he has only been gelded for 2 months, and I could not run the risk of him loose. It hurt, but I got up, Duke stood still and I walked him to the barn and put him away.

I did chores, Wed am woke up sore and I limped around. Wed I rode duke, and he was perfect.  I had good rides on him Wed-Fri!!! I lunged him a lot on Wed and he must have figured he better be good the rest of the week.

I was walking fine until last Sunday, when I could barely put weight on my leg first thing in the am. The previous 4 days, I had ice on it in the mornings, then wrapped it and went outside Wed thru Sat. Sun, I couldn’t stand on it, and I started some heat and wrapping it if I had to walk a lot. Today, I've sat on my butt all week and kept heat on it, wrapping it when Tom came home to help me feed at nights.

It's been a long time since I've had a horse bruise, and I guess I was due. Hubby said it was a good thing my legs are tanned or it would look ugly. Actually, I don't think the skin has started bruising there, only behind my knee and down at my ankle.

I finally went to the Dr on Thursday, since friends were concerned about the area having a blood clot.  After an ultrasound on the muscle, it just reviled a fluid filled area! Really? I knew that!

 This actully doesn't look so bad in the mornings, but by evenings, my leg is more swollen and feeling tight.

Now, Sunday, almost 2 weeks later, I am walking so much better than last Sunday.  The leg swelling has gone down a little.  The bruising is leaving my foot.  I’m walking fine but keeping a wrap on my leg when I go outside.  I wonder how long the swelling will last?

I’ve learned my lesson.  Next time, I’ll listen to my horse.

Last Day of Vacation

We saw one more sunset on our last day of vacation last Friday.



Hubby

It sure is a relaxing way to end the time away though.

Another Say of Sunsets

 A week at the Beach

Sunsets on the Beach

The water is so blue and calm.

A lone sailboat.

The color of the sunset is starting to show.

Hubby and I enjoying the last few colors of the sunset.



Sun and Sand

January 22-28, 2012

            I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again, but only down time, or time away from the stresses of everyday life, or a vacation replenishes the soul.  We can accomplish this in an hour of doing nothing or something we enjoy.  We can go somewhere for a day or for a couple of days.  We can go on a vacation for a week, with the family, the spouse, or alone.  Do whatever it takes to regain some inner strength or peace or energy.  We all need energy.  We were shown in the Centered Riding Book 1, horses need energy to stay within their bodies for great movement.  We need energy to stay within our bodies, to keep going whatever we want to do as best as we can. We need energy to keep up with the movement of our horses.

Hubby and I went on our vacation this past week.  The sun, sand and beach were calling our names.  The first week of vacation went very fast.  Time goes too fast, as always.  We walked the beach every morning.  We were at the pool every late morning and afternoon.  We tried to exercise as much as we could in the gym.  We met new friends and went out to dinner with them.  It’s amazing who you find that has common interests.  Our new friends were in their early 70’s and had a farming background.  We even enjoyed a sunset sail, where the rum flowed and those who wanted to, could use the rope swing and drop into the still waters below.  Everyone is encouraged to try, even though I didn’t this time.  Many do, because of their “liquid encouragement”.  LOL

This 2^nd week of vacation has been a repeat of the first week, with more relaxation time.  We missed a few walks on the beach and a few times in the gym.  But we are more toned, our legs are in better shape, and we are definitely tanned.  We met new friends, a couple from Wisconsin who were there meeting cousins, and friends of the cousins, from Germany.  People were friendly, you said hi to everyone, and people were ready to kick back and visit.  Saturday came too fast.

Even though I could actually stay longer, who couldn’t when the temps are in the 80’s every day, I am ready for home.  I’m ready to ride, and ride more horses, and at longer distances.  I’m ready to start training, and if there happen to be no training horses, than I have  two 4 year olds that need my attention.  I have 2 yearlings I need to start handling.  I will have my young horses desensitized, lunging and listening better before they are even riding.  I hope to share my experiences with others, and ride more horses for other people, but if that doesn’t happen, then I’ll be on my horses.  I’ll work on my Centered Riding skills.  I will work on being the best horsewoman that I can be.

            I’ve enjoyed my time away, to regroup, to revitalize, to reenergize.  Now is the time to take that energy to the next level.  Just as with horses, keep some of that energy inside you so that what you do, and become better.  Don’t use all your energy, or like a tired horse, you will have no energy left over to perform.  Think about how you can keep some energy in reserve.  Think about how you can take those reserves and perform to the best of your ability.

            Tomorrow starts the first day home (which was today).  I wonder how my energy reserve is?  (I rode for 2 hours and saw the sundset).  I hope I can continue the 2 weeks of exercising and weight machines and walking and continue exercising at home.

Apache Trail, Arizona

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Great vacation!  I would love to go back during the winter months and horse camp and ride!

 

Visiting Phoenix Arizona

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Arizona State Capitol, Phoenix, AZ

One of the 2 anchors from the USS Arizona.  The other is on dispaly at Pearl Harbor.

Wells Fargo Museum,

I love the look of the old luggage.

Arizona vs Colorado Baseball

Wed, May 4, 2011

yes, we went to a professional baseball game while on vacation to Arizona!  This was our Wed evening entertainment.

Arizona Diamondbacks vs Colorado Rockies. Colorado won.