Happy and fat.

Corelli found a fantastic new home in August 2011 with a good friend of mine. He spent the rest of summer and fall going on trail rides and teaching lessons. He's basically perfect, and I'm so glad he's found such a good home...

Corelli and his new mom, Bridget!
trail pony... :)

celebrating Christmas with some great people, with a lesson kid in the irons! :)

Corelli... sweet, quiet, teddy-bear of a horse FOR SALE

Have You Hugged Your Horse Today?

fun photography

Fun in the GA Sun!

well, a picture is worth a thousand words... so here's three thousand.

flat warm up

jump warm up

jumping the moon!

needless to say, we had a GREAT ride today!

Are You Bigtime?

That's one of the bumper stickers on Lauren's truck's back window. Love it.

I rode twice today, and he was fabulous.

Ride #1

We went for a beautiful morning hack on the trails by ourself. He was a little wary of the mud near the bridge, so I got off and led him through it and he was perfect as a prince. We trotted over a little log, through a stream (FINALLY!!!!) and did a little more trotting where I knew the footing would be good. Then we turned around and walked back over the bridge and through the woods, back to the barn.

Since the hack was light and only about 30 minutes, I took him out to the little itty-bitty (12") course that we (Mandy, Lauren, and I) set up last night for the Wilson schooling show that's tomorrow. I worked on pace and rhythm and our balance. Really, I just wanted to see how the course rode, and work on my 2-point and canter seat some more.

He was great. I tried to stay nice and rhythmic, and we only had one issue, where I sat back too much and he plowed right through this tiny oxer. HA. I felt stupid. reset it, jumped it again, and finished. He was great.

I cooled him out, brushed him down, let him eat breakfast, and then turned him out.

Later...

Lauren got to the barn around 11 and we (Lauren on Cookie, Josh, JD, and I) went out to the jump field where Lauren jumped Cookie. Well, all the jumps were still 12", so Josh, JD, and I all went to reset them to 3'3".... well, i thought all the holes (which were marked with the ft'in") were correct... until I reset 4 jumps, stepped back and realized that they were 4'3", and not 3'3"...

I looked at Lauren and said,

"hahaha... I think those are a little higher than 3'3"..."

and she replied,

"uh, yeah. but that's okay."

"I followed the marks..."

"Oh, never follow the marks. They're way off!"

"Great...Do you want me to reset them?"

"No, no. It's fine. No problem."

and off she went, jumping almost 4'6" fences... I just laughed to myself. I wish a whole foot wasn't a big deal to me... I'm kicking myself now for not taking my camera out today (like I had wanted to!). They would have been some awesome shots. Cookie is amazing.

Ride #2

I got my mud-masked boy out of the pasture and re-groomed him, put on his all his clothes (which is my catch-all phrase for his wraps, bell boots, saddle pads, saddle/girth, and bridle), and got on. I got through my stretchy-walk warm up, and had begun trotting when Lauren came and started my lesson. He was nice and through and we were doing our best to keep our solid, even tempo. We got through some nice trot and canter each direction, then took a break.

After a nice 5-minute walk-break, we picked him back up and started some good lateral work. We did shoulder-in and leg yielding. Shoulder in is easy for me to post and do, but when it comes to leg yielding, I have to sit to stay balanced and organized (My sitting trot is much much better than my posting trot). We did some acceptable leg yielding, and then his trot became much more collected, even, and all-around nicer.

It was funny, when I began to post again Lauren called through the gusty wind at me "No! sit! I like your sitting trot!" I laughed and sat back in the tack, then asked for a beautiful right lead canter, and then, again, came my affirmation form Lauren, "Beautiful! yes, yes. I like your sitting trot."

So... back to the ab work-outs for me! I'm at the okay-to-sit phase! Which I'm perfectly happy with, I much prefer to sit. I've only been posting because he was so out-of-shape for so long and I wanted to take it more easy on his back. But his back is much different now, and he's much much more fit, so, time to get down and dirty.

are you Bigtime?

we're on our way!!

Update time!

Dr. T came out on Wednesday at 3. We jogged in the arena and did a flexion on the back left to re-verify, confirm, and compare his lameness there to the previous friday.

He moved fine on it until it hurt (was flexed hard and palpitated aggressively by Dr T) and then he trotted "off".

We also went at walked and trotted on flat concrete to see his balance. This was really cool... He's toed out in front (knew that already) and he interferes in back.

To watch him trot and really study the flight of his legs is kind of like watching a model on the runway. His hoof prints do not stay in their tracks, he almost walks a straight line down his body, swinging his (hind) hooves in, and then down, and then rolling .

He is shod correctly for his hoof shape and structure, and until this past month, he rarely interfered.

The cause? We (strongly) predict hocks. Before his hock injections, his joints were less comfortable, he had a shorter stride, and his movement was not as animated. Since the injections, he's become (much) more comforatble, developed a longer stride, and his movement is much more animated. He's more comfortable with himself, and it doesn't hurt him to move the way his body is set up to move.

So, to remedy this, we are coordinating with our FABULOUS farrier, Derek Perry, to adjust his balance to hopefully change the flight of his leg to move out, and forward inside of in and down.

For pain management, we have started using the topical ointment, Surpass, and the pill Previcox. Both are anti-inflammatories, but Surpass (though indicated for arthritic joints) has proven itself to be most useful in relieving pain in the skin. It's often perscribed for horses with Scratches (which is a painful skin infection) and issues like this, where scars have nerve damage.

So, that's the game plan for now, folks! He remains happy, active, and in work. We take breaks when he hits himself, and then we keep on truckin' along... :)

Here's a picture of the initial injury, just after being doctored.

Here's a picture of the X-Rays we took in Sept.

I'll post a picture of the scar currently when I take one...

corelli BO belli

Got ahold of some pictures from previous owners!!! (:

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Purple Pony Yard Sale... ALL SOLD!!

LOTS OF PURPLE!!

would like to sell locally, everything SUPER cheap... $15 for everything (minus the saddle pads)

( $200 value )

everything will come CLEAN

my horse is 17hh and his colors are blue... so the purple HAS TO GO!!!

SOLD!
1 purple ear fly net
1 purple hay net
1 black w/ purple flames helmet cover
4 pony/small-horse size polo wraps
1 purple sweat scraper
2 purple & black lead ropes
4 pony/small-horse size white pillow wraps
3 purple saddle pads

comment for questions/inquiries/more pictures

Tail Therapy

(excuse the wet streaks! haha!) We're still a little short... (about 3 inches below hocks, though!) but yesterday was my "pamper" day. He got a Listerine tail bath (I don't know why it works, but it does...!) and a long (painful for my arms!) curry-down. He loved that. he was fallin asleep. Big baby. I grazed him a little and then he got dinner while i slathered Survivor into his tail and picked through it with my fingers. it was beautiful and lucious (though short) by the end and smelled OH SO good... Listerine and Survivor mix well!! (:

You can see where he's getting hock rubs... Lauren asked the barn hand to bed his stall a little deeper. hoping that will help a lot. You can also see where he's scabbed from the injections.

Going out today to do lots of walking and some good stretchy trotting. I expect 20-30 minutes and then a bath! can you 80*?!?! I LOVE WARM WEATHER!!!!!

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sometimes, a bad sign leads to a good outcome.

So, at my lesson on Monday night, Corelli started a little off (thought he was maybe stiff, would work out).... But it didn't.

he wanted to have NOTHING to do with supporting any movement off his left hind. We were hoping he maybe tweaked it, and would do better after a night's rest.
Needless to say, being my first horse and my last eventing season before college, I was a nervous wreck: cried all the way home and prayed so sincerely that he would heal quickly.

(It may have been more begging of the Lord, but I know in my heart that it's always, always a "Thy will be done" situation. )

He was still lame the next morning, so Lauren called Dr Thompson to come out and check him out. (Unfortunately, he saw Corelli while I was at work, so I did not get to talk to him in person, but we spoke on the phone.)

A run-over showed swelling in the stifles, and flexion testing showed significant lameness in the hocks. Dr T said that "though the swelling in his stifles is real," the "hocks are the obvious cause" of his lameness... Dr T recommended hock injections, which I asked him to definitely do, and that was completed yesterday.

We are just hoping that the stifles don't flare up like his hocks did, too. He's been on a joint supplement (comparable to Cosequin) for a week now, so hopefully there will be over-all improvement within the next few weeks.
Dr T also recommended the option of Adequan or Legend....

Can you hear my bank account scream yet??

really, this is better for everyone in the long run. now we know he was uncomforable, and we can help him feel better! I just want my baby to be happy and healthy and comfortable... he's 11, so he's definitely still got years left to compete in him.
A little arthritis ain't gonna to stop us... I've had arthritis in this darn left elbow for years now! I take joint supplements (and I'm still YOUNG), so so can he!

To be honest, this, though expensive, is a better outcome for me than many other lameness issues. I can relate. I understand the pain, and I also understand that if you catch it when it first starts to bug ya, you can maintain it really well....

that's all for now!
I'm coutin all the mini-miracles (really, tender mercies.)

I am so unbelievably happy with my horse. My jumping lesson on Saturday was fantastic and I learned a lot about my riding and the things I really need to work on. Canter and trot sets in 2-point...here I come! (tired legs are in my future for a while)
also learned we are best at balance when I sit up and let him move through a line, staying in 2 point the whole time, not driving at all. I love learning things that make the process SO much better, safer, easier, and most of all...more fun!

...another lesson tonight at 8!

oh the victories!

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chiropractors... I'm a believer!

So, I've seen a chiropractor for myself for a year now, and I can honestly tell the difference! I'm really very pleased.

But when Lauren suggested chiropractic care for Corelli?? uuhhh... that seemed like Valley-Girl-Pet-Psychic overkill. I'm not quite sure why I thought that, if I believe in it so whole-heartedly for myself...

I think my pocketbook was screaming, really.

Well the chiropractor that Lauren uses is also the dentist (he's a vet), and I wanted to have Corelli's teeth looked at. So, I had Lauren put him on the schedule to have his teeth evaluated last Tuesday.

Well, yesterday, I go out to the barn to groom my hairy and muddy beast before the farrier arrives to put new kicks on Corelli. I sit down in the warm sun by Lauren next to the arena; she was teaching a lesson. Lauren greets me with a,

"your boy was sooo AWESOME today!

(can I just tell you how much I love hearing that??)

"oh, and he got a free adjustment on Tuesday.

(HOLD THE PHONE! HOW!?)

"I told him that when I write "teeth", it means JUST teeth, but he obviously didn't catch that memo, and he was already finished, so he told me it was free... oh, and his teeth are fine. so you got a free evaluation AND a free adjustment...."

(WOOHOOO!!!)

I can't tell you how happy I am. I can really tell how much happier Corelli is. He moved much more forward and free yesterday. It was so much easier for him to move through. I honestly believe it was by the Grace of God that everything has happened the way it has. I honestly will definitely follow up on the chiropractic care. If it makes him feel so much better, then it's definitely worth it.

Needless to say, my ride yesterday was fabulous. I have a jumping lesson today at 1. (I haven't had a formal jumping lesson in years... I had a half flat/half jump lesson in December? with Candee... other than that, it was WHF summer camp in summer 2008.)

so, I'm stoked. Lauren says that when she's been jumping him, he's been awesome... quiet and really rocking back. not even touching rails. yay! (:

oh! the victories! (and blessings!!)

we were tripping a lot two days ago... and he pulled a bell boot off himself too...
time to be reshod. and for a day off. and lots of hill work to strengthen our butt and thighs.

i'm tired.

confirmation critique!

Comment away!

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fun in the.... rain...

Took conformation shots.... he wouldn't stand still or square up front though... haha ...

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another addition to the blanket collection....

It's so pretty.... and on sale... and perfect colors!!! Couldn't pass it up! (:
Wool dress sheets rock!

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Comparison Time!

Today....

When I bought him in September....

March Madness

Corelli will officially remain in training for another month. which is really good.

I went and rode him on wednesday night in a lesson.
I, being the idiot I am, have only ridden 2x in the past... 6 weeks? ugh. i want to punch myself just thinking about it.
I'm not out of shape... but i'm DEFINITELY out of balance. and my stupid left hand never ceases to be an issue... I'm tempted to ride in a splint... the unfortunate problem with that idea, is the splint would act as a crutch. Would I build the muscle memory i need? Should I try training aids?
my issue is this.... I have an anatomically incorrect left elbow. I broke it when I was 5, so it sits at a funny angle. This, by natural physics of the body's anatomy, makes it so that for my left and right wrist to have the same mechanical advantage in the muscles, my left wrist "cocks" in and down.
For me to fix it so it looks and acts right in riding, it basically has to be everything I think about. It's not natural for it to sit straight. So when my wrist is correct, everything else falls to crap.
This is SO frustrating.
I know I can do it... but how?!

if i can conquer this small fault, i think it'll be the biggest victory in my riding career thus far.

Decisions, Decisions....

Decisions to be made. And I need to write them down. and this is my public chronicle/journal of everything horse. so...

OPTIONS.

1) continue training with Lauren at expensive barn for another month (March)

PROs: good jumping training, more solidifying dressage work, I'd get to ride with an old friend, and more prof. under-saddle training increases his re-sale price

CONs: money. it's expensive (though the facility and training is 100% worth it). if i do this, I may not get to be able to do other options. and that could be more detrimental

2) move Corelli back "home" and buy a trailer

PROs: freedom of being able to go anywhere when we need/want to. i'd be able to XC school lots, go to shows on my own (thus more shows), trailer out to lessons with Lauren (and other great trainers), all the good stuff. oh, and go to the vet if need be (knock on wood). also, with our history of loading issues, once i got him accustom to this one trailer, I wouldn't have to worry whether he'll ever make it to point B

CONs: maintenance (on truck AND trailer), money... always the money!

3) spend 1 more month with Lauren AND buy a trailer (in my dreams!!)

PROs: combine both PROs from previous options...

CONs: combine all the CONs too.... $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ out of my ears...

What am I leaning towards? trailer. for sure....

and then there's the whole issue of work. which is a different beast to be tamed... more later...

looking for victories...