Home Current News News Archive Shop/Advertise Ridecamp Classified Events Learn/AERC
Endurance.Net Home Ridecamp Archives
ridecamp@endurance.net
[Archives Index]   [Date Index]   [Thread Index]   [Author Index]   [Subject Index]

[RC] On the Road Again - agilbxr

After 5 months of no riding at all post bowed tendon, and one month of "get on, walk around the pasture for 5-10 minutes, get off", I got to ride Alpine out ON THE TRAIL again today.  I brought him home from where he has been "in rehab", mainly due to the fact that he's getting his shots and coggins done tomorrow.  I was going to ride Spot today, but he had a brain canyon going on and was being a total booger head, so instead, he got worked very hard on a hot day in the sand doing circles.  Lots of BORING circles.  If one can't walk in a straight line, then one can do LOTS of circles. 
 
Anyway, I digress.  I looked at Alpine, thought about it hard for about 25 seconds, and threw the saddle on him.  Then, down the trail we went.  For about 3/4 of a mile he walked at mach 10, happy as a clam to be out, ears up, bouncy, spooking at butterflies, normal Alpine.  After our 3/4 of a mile he went "puff, puff, puff, man am I out of shape" and slowed down to a normal horse walk.  I let him go about another quarter of a mile, then turned around and walked back home.  What a pleasure it is to ride a horse that goes where you point him at the gait you request, and who really enjoys doing it.  I have missed Alpine.  Better yet, his leg is still tight and cold.  I am thinking we are about ready for 2-3 such walks a week. 
 
Nancy...who did his rehab...has him about 75 pounds overweight.  He looks like she was trying to fatten him up for thanksgiving dinner.  So, our first order of business is weight removal by lots of walking and shorter rations (poor guy....).  Ok, and relocating Spots brain again so that I can ride him somewhere other than the arena. (if I would ride him more than once every three weeks...he'd do better, but I've been moving.  Next weekend, he had better look out..it's back to reform school).
 
Juli and the Herd
Alpine (I got to GO!)
Spot (mom's mean.  Just cause I wanted to spin, kick, back uncontrollably, and buck shouldn't mean that I have to do lots of trotting in boring circles in the arena)
Merlin (go where?)