Lysh 1 – Fear 0

Ok, so I’ll try to make this a not too long update!  I really need to be more regular about writing on here but I haven’t been feeling all that great for a while now.  First on that, Dr says CT is clear, YAY I DO have a brain.  He says the headaches, dizziness etc that I was having trouble with are all from the concussion and could take up to a month to go away….maybe more.  The good news there is, the headaches have lessened and for the most part, the dizziness is gone!!  The anxiety meds he put me on are working, after a full on anxiety attack I decided it was time to do something about it…that is NOT fun. 

Louie is still here and we are working on some respect issues.  I had a long talk with his owner, she wants him to be here with me and asked that I keep trying as long as I’m comfortable with him….so, we’re going back to very very basics.  Lunging and ground manners.  He works very well on the lungeline although he did show me his butt the other day and kick out, he quickly learned that would NOT be tolerated and hasn’t done it again.  I do think he has some pain issues with his back so I’m going to try some massage work with him and look into a chiropractor appointment for him.

Lucy and Rowdy are basically hanging out being pasture pets although Rowdy is working on leading manners, he’s been rushing me and pressure on his nose has been met with arching his neck and half rearing as he blows by….so we’re working on that he still looks like a wooly beast too.  Lucy is being started with some regular lunge work and saddling.  I have someone who thinks she might like to lease her for the summer so we’ll see how that works out.

Now for the biggest news!  Buddy and I are doing tremendously together.  I love this horse more and more with every passing day.  I took him to the vet on Monday, although he didn’t want to get on the trailer to go, he wasn’t bad just testing me to see how far he could push I think.  He was a bit fidgety when we first walked into Dr Tanja’s barn, but he settled down and was a good boy for her.  Her S.O. complimented him and said he was a real nice looking horse which made me happy.  He got his Coggins drawn, and after much discussion he got his EWTWNV, Rabies, Flu and Rhino vaccines.  I have never given WNV, have heard too many bad things mainly in regards to breeding animals and it wasn’t a risk I wanted to take when we were breeding but Dr Tanja feels it is necessary and I am of the frame of mind that if the vet/farrier thinks it is necessary then that is what I do.  This was my first visit with Dr Tanja and I have to say, I love her and hope she never leaves the area, at least not while I’m still here!!  We discussed in depth having Rowdy gelded which will happen very soon.  I will also be having everyone elses vaccines updated in the next couple weeks.  Buddy was good getting back on the trailer, and stood quietly while I took care of the bill and Dr Tanja and I had a long conversation.  He rode home quietly and although he did get a bit sore he was no worse for the wear as far as the shots went!  Dr Tanja gave me the go ahead (and much encouragement) to ride him on a regular basis, she said studies have show that consistent, easy work from 2 1/2 years old on has proven to be the best thing for good, substantial bone growth.  She said it would benefit him to be worked 5-6 days a week – 4 to 5 days of light work with 1 to 2 days of heavier work.  YAY!! 

So now for the fear count that is the title of this post!  I am working thru my fear issues a little at a time, working consistently with these guys is helping with that, although the thought of actually getting on Louie still makes me feel a bit panicky.  Tonight was a work night for Buddy.  He was a bit goofy about me getting on, I don’t have a mounting block so I use a bucket….always have at least as long as I’ve been riding him.  Well he was convinced that the bucket was going to eat him!  so after he jerked me off the bucket acting like a goober I went to work convincing him that the bucket wouldn’t kill him.  After that session he stood still and let me on him no problem.  Earlier this week, Vince helped me change my round pen (which I’d used maybe twice in the last 6 months) into a 60x75 square pen so that is where we worked tonight.  The footing is a bit sloppy after the mucky nasty rain yesterday so we were just mainly walking although we did trot a little.  At one point, he would not walk along the back fence without turning his head to the inside and trying to walk towards the gate…..he was ONLY doing it when we went Clockwise so I started working him just on that stretch, circling in the corners and going right back to “the rail” back and forth.  Just as I was getting him settled down finally and not fighting me to the inside, I had him too close to the fence and got my foot/stirrup caught on one of the posts….his head came up and he flew sideways.  My foot came out of the stirrup and in compensating for the lack of stirrup I almost threw myself off of his right shoulder!  But when I said WHOA he stopped and let me collect my stirrup, gather up the reins and then we went about our lesson.  YAY ME!  I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get scared, it scared me but I didn’t lose it – and yes I know this is a very little incident but this is an incident that would have sent me over the edge a few weeks ago!