Adulting Sucks

 

I had two massive grant proposals due on Friday the 16th and on August 5th the building my office is in informs us that they’re replacing the AC unit and will be closed from August 13-19. No access whatsoever. So for me, the grant proposals had to be completed by Monday the 12th, which had me working 12 hours a day at the office, then bringing my computer home at night to keep working.

So I’ve been working from home this last week, which meant THREE trips to Trainer B’s for Leo, and BOTH horses getting worked every day. It’s been MAJIKAL.

Leo’s been coming along well, and I’m learning a whole new way to train an OTTB other than the “get on, ride, hope it works out” method of trainers past. It’s seriously been eye opening and with the help of P, I’ve been practicing using all my aids in a more coordinated fashion, timing my release of pressure, and just getting stronger in the saddle and on the ground in general.

Unfortunately, besides doing the back-to-basics stuff on P (reining back/halting off seat/bending, etc), P has most decidedly not been doing all that well. He’s been acting up in any gait other than walk: yanking his head down, going sideways, popping up on his front feet, a la:

So my first thought was that the ulcers are back. Makes sense, right? He’s had quite a life for the last year, inflicting trauma after trauma upon himself, and been on plenty of meds. So I called the insurance company and set up an appt for the vet to come scope him next week.

THEN…a few days ago after my ride on him, I noticed a small, hard bump at the base of his wither on his spine. I pressed on it and he didn’t flinch or move away, so I shrugged it off and when I came out the next day, it was gone. Rode, and it was there AGAIN after the ride. I figured maybe bug bite? Maybe it was there before the ride and I didn’t look hard enough? So I went out the next day, looked closely for it, felt his spine and there was no sign of it. Okkkk….rode for 40 minutes (hard to make yourself stay on that long when you feel all he wants to do is fly away out from under you), untacked and the bump was DEFINITELY there. I wish I’d taken a picture of it, but alas…nope.

So I Googled and read a few places that if the saddle is causing pressure somewhere, it can cause fluid build up somewhere else.

Then I went out yesterday, put the saddle on P with no pads and it seemed just fine. Even contact, no rocking— looks great. UNTIL I ran my hand down inside the front of the flap and MY HAND GOT STUCK.

We don’t have a plethora of saddle fitters in the area, nor do we have any local tack shops, but I contacted the rep of a fairly newish brand I want to try, and I’m going to get in touch with a local part-time fitter who has worked with BO and some of the other boarders.

My dear Volty has been amazing, and the thought of not riding in it makes me want to cry, but I feel like maybe this time, wool flocking is the way to go.

So we’ll see what happens. For now, Volty seems to be fine on Leo, though I’m not sure how long that will last, as Leo is changing shape somewhat. But I would also like to be able to ride P, and clearly Volty and P simply do not mix anymore. The ideal situation would be to get a saddle that fits both horses in a way that I could customize it further to each horse with a half pad. But damn, I’m seriously not looking forward to trying saddles. I’d rather get a new house than a new saddle.

Tomorrow (well, today, as I’m scheduling this to be published in the AM) Leo and I head BACK to Trainer B’s for the 4th time in 8 days.

And then Leo and I are going to Carolina Horse Park this weekend for some hanging with friends and *possibly* some official XC schooling. Because…

…we are tentatively planning Leo’s eventing debut!