May 8, 2020

Back in the Saddle

I've now ridden Connor a few times - you'd think I'd be out every day the week I finally started going out again, but the laundry room is going to steal some barn time from me for a while.

In SERIOUS need of a spa day

It was six weeks from my last ride to this week, and he's...fine.

Except that he's not really sure he's into this whole "riding horse" thing anymore
It's really a testament to this horse and to my barn staff that I left him for six weeks during the peak of crazy blanketing season, and "when do I put a muzzle on this horse" season, and colic weather season, and he's...fine. Literally fine. In case I was wondering if I'm essential to my horse's care, I'm not, and that's a GOOD FEELING when you're a paying boarder at a not-inexpensive full care barn. I'm getting what I pay for.


He's lost a little topline, but it had the net effect of making the new Dressage saddle fit even better, and our big show for the year was canceled yesterday, so I'm completely not bothered by it. If I cared, I would've scheduled training rides, but I don't. We're not going to the Olympics, and his topline will come right back.


So far I've mainly done a lot of walking with him to build him back up slowly. Lots of walk/halt transitions. Lots of "hey buddy remember you're a Dressage horse that doesn't get to splat forward". Not asking for collection at all, just asking him to stop splatting. I think he was getting used to the retired horse life, haha.

Hank enjoying the long, gorgeous, extended bug free spring we're having here in Indiana

I've had some interesting biomechanical revelations too - namely that for whatever reason I'm now able to separate my core and glute muscles in the saddle for the first time ever - but that's a topic for another post.

Enjoy your weekend, everyone!

9 comments:

  1. Yay for being back in the saddle! And also for having excellent barn staff, two thumbs up there 😁

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    1. For real. Can't think of another barn in the area I could have ghosted like that with.

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  2. Stopping splatting is hard! And yay for biomechanical revelations - I've actually had one regarding pain since SIP happened that I will hopefully get my brain wrapped around for a future post. I'm glad you are able to ride! I'm also excited to see your finished laundry room.

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    1. Sadly we are so far from the laundry room being finished but you'll get lots of progress posts along the way!

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  3. Yay for getting back to it! Glad he made it through the pandemic storm unscathed!

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  4. yay! I am sure he will be back in no time. If anything, I bet the break did him a bit of good. It's always surprising how well horses come back from breaks like these.

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  5. Feels so good to be back, but also not have a worry about being absent. Iggy was also not so sure about the whole "having a job" thing again, but the nice weather and some gorgeous field hacks have seemed to help him (this spring!!! so nice not to be underwater)

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  6. So happy to see you back in the saddle!! Hope the house renovation project is coming along too, I'm excited for you to get it finished!

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