endurance & introduction (real long)

["Judy Finchum" <judy@telecomm.umetel.maine.edu>]

As a follow-up to my post yesterday.....thankyou, thankyou, thankyou 
to all who sent stories, well wishes, words of encouragement and 
questions.  I was so thrilled I did something and my computer locked 
up and I had to re-boot, so I lost _all_ of your messages and 
addresses. ( I'm going to have to learn to contain my excitement....if 
I ever do get to a *real* ride, I'll have to take a paper bag to 
breathe into to stop myself from hyperventilating <g> while mounted 
on a hot horse!)

I will answer some of the questions and give a little more 
information.  I gave the abbreviated version yesterday and will try 
to round things out a little more today.

Shoeing:  The short leg has been elevated with a shim.  The vet 
said to do this for 3-4 shoeings....she's due for her 4th shoeing Feb. 
9th.  She became very sore initally, but seemed to adjust.   The vet
(who also did the chiropractic work along 
her spine) said the pad would be necessary for only 3-4 shoeings, 
then we could discontinue them.  This contradicts the Equus article 
and what some of you have done for your horses.  My farrier has put 
full pads on both fronts, elevating the short leg with a shim.  
Hilary is now sore on her fronts after having her winter shoes, plus 
pad put on....I have another farrier coming out to see her Feb. 9th.
(he's busy & hard to get).

Massage:  Yes, Marshall Gray (a little name dropping allowed?) and 
Anna Monds both have had their hands on Hilary from the first time I 
realized her back was sore (about 3 yrs ago).  I still do the basic stuff 
they showed me and Marshall checked her again this Dec when she was 
home for Xmas and Hilary was sore in neck and shoulders (just after 
having winter shoes put on)  

Saddle Fit:  Yep, Marshall guided me through the saddle fitting 
trama and I ended up with a very wide Whitman English all-purpose 
that I had re-stuffed (2x since owning it) to fit Hilary's back and 
over-developed right shoulder.  This is my primary saddle, but I also 
use a Whitman dressage for our lessons, and a Simco western for some 
of our trail rides.  

Lessons & Training:  Dressage lessons on Hilary, and the first winter 
I was recovering from the shoulder surgery, I had Hilary in training 
with Chris Joost at Puckerbrush.  We were making good progress.  (As 
an aside, we boarded at Chris'  which is basically a 
dressage/eventing barn.  Hilary was the only Arab in the barn and 
stands a mere 14.2.  I was the only rider there who was interested in 
endurance riding.  We all got along fine   : )

My 35 year old shoulders:  Would the gal who asked for details get in 
touch with me again and I'll tell her *all*.  Too much to cover in 
this post.

Why did I wait so long to post:  Just shy ; )   Also, I've been 
making like a sponge and sopping up all the wisdom.  I don't have a 
computer at home (can't afford one; I wonder why???) so my *personal 
computer time*  at work is somewhat limited.  You guys are so good, I 
found if I did have a question, all I'd have to do is wait and 
eventually someone would ask the same question!  Some things I had 
already experienced (some things I actually did right, too...)  

Although Hilary has not been ridden since Sept. 2nd, I have had a 
couple of horses available for me to ride (I am very fortunate to 
have good friends with extra horses) 

Someone suggested I might offer my services to a ride 
manager....well, I'm ahead of you there  : )  At our ride club's 
awards banquet (for mileage) last Dec., I was elected Secretary of 
the club and my very first proposal as an elected officer was to 
propose that our club hold a sanctioned ride.  (Our club does have
experienced endurance & competetive riders....they use our 10-15 mile rides for 
conditioning....Hilary & I ride with them).  The club was enthused, 
seems like we have enough volunteers, and our first committee meeting is 
this Sat.!!  I plan on working the ride, not riding the ride, but I 
am so excited (must watch that!!) our club will have the first 
sanctioned ride ever in this part of Maine!!  Anyone wanna come? 
I have my ridecamp bandana!

Judy & 
Hilary....both gettin in the groove
"That's it, Mom, what did I tell you.....attitude, attitude."