EnCOWnters of the First Kind..
My efforts to further Dee’s education have definitely gone “up a notch”. Seems like every time we play there is a new element involved. Our first trail ride as members of the American Competitive Trail Horse Association (ACTHA) is coming up fast…March 19! We are signed up in the “Buddy” Division for that ride, which means we are literally, just along for the ride. We will not be able to complete obstacles or earn points. The next day will be our second ride and we are signed up in the “Pleasure” Division for that one. I really can’t wait, it seems like just the thing to keep us motivated! It is going to be a great weekend and Randy and Shorty will be there to cheer us on.
Over the past few weeks we have come face to face with the neighbor’s cows (hence our blog title!), Found our way to the end of Marengo and beyond, and gone to the vet with no companion horse going along for moral support.
To the non-horse enlightened person these things may seem rather mundane and hardly reason for celebration. But for me – it is an awesome bit of growth in our relationship. The cows have always been something of a scary mystery for Dee – in the past if we got close enough for her to see them and they happened to move (bad cow – be still!) she would get upset, even if we were so far away they were just specs of movement. Last weekend she spent time next to them in the arena and was able to get to the point of ignoring them – after sneaking in a nose to nose introduction with one of the braver ones.
Marengo road has also been a scary path for her. I have ridden all over the desert around our house and she is fine, but head down the road and about 15 feet past Peggy’s driveway she would start getting nervous, even if I am just leading her and not riding. We have been using the approach and retreat method for months. I would go as far as I thought she could handle then turned around before it became her idea. There is so much activity down the road – dogs barking on both sides, trees blowing in the wind – and those darn cows wandering around in the arena at the end. We actually were able to walk right down the road and around the neighborhood one
evening about two weeks ago. We also followed Randy out that way while he was on the quad (oh yeah! Another first – we were able to follow Randy around on the quad – I think she has feelings for it now. :0)
Then last week, I started down the road and felt that we were really connected…so I just kept going. There were dogs barking from all directions, and the wind was making the trees move around. We didn’t go far once we were actually out the end of Marengo, but we went never the less.
Yesterday – we went to the vet. Dee needed a coggins test before we head to the trail rides and I wanted her teeth checked just to make sure everything is good there. She needed her yearly shots too. The visit went well, she tolerated all the activity better then I expected and there was A LOT of activity. She doesn’t enjoy being left in the trailer…when Randy and I came out of the vet’s building after checking in, she was taking her frustrations out on her hay bag – grabbing it in her teeth and slinging it around…but when she saw us she quit, and when I brought her out she calmed quickly and put up with everything the vet had to do.
So, today was another great day, with our ride going right down to the end of Marengo and out around the neighborhood. She felt great the whole time – and we arrived back at home safe and relaxed. I think we can get used to this!
Over the past few weeks we have come face to face with the neighbor’s cows (hence our blog title!), Found our way to the end of Marengo and beyond, and gone to the vet with no companion horse going along for moral support.
To the non-horse enlightened person these things may seem rather mundane and hardly reason for celebration. But for me – it is an awesome bit of growth in our relationship. The cows have always been something of a scary mystery for Dee – in the past if we got close enough for her to see them and they happened to move (bad cow – be still!) she would get upset, even if we were so far away they were just specs of movement. Last weekend she spent time next to them in the arena and was able to get to the point of ignoring them – after sneaking in a nose to nose introduction with one of the braver ones.
Marengo road has also been a scary path for her. I have ridden all over the desert around our house and she is fine, but head down the road and about 15 feet past Peggy’s driveway she would start getting nervous, even if I am just leading her and not riding. We have been using the approach and retreat method for months. I would go as far as I thought she could handle then turned around before it became her idea. There is so much activity down the road – dogs barking on both sides, trees blowing in the wind – and those darn cows wandering around in the arena at the end. We actually were able to walk right down the road and around the neighborhood one
evening about two weeks ago. We also followed Randy out that way while he was on the quad (oh yeah! Another first – we were able to follow Randy around on the quad – I think she has feelings for it now. :0) Then last week, I started down the road and felt that we were really connected…so I just kept going. There were dogs barking from all directions, and the wind was making the trees move around. We didn’t go far once we were actually out the end of Marengo, but we went never the less.
Yesterday – we went to the vet. Dee needed a coggins test before we head to the trail rides and I wanted her teeth checked just to make sure everything is good there. She needed her yearly shots too. The visit went well, she tolerated all the activity better then I expected and there was A LOT of activity. She doesn’t enjoy being left in the trailer…when Randy and I came out of the vet’s building after checking in, she was taking her frustrations out on her hay bag – grabbing it in her teeth and slinging it around…but when she saw us she quit, and when I brought her out she calmed quickly and put up with everything the vet had to do.
So, today was another great day, with our ride going right down to the end of Marengo and out around the neighborhood. She felt great the whole time – and we arrived back at home safe and relaxed. I think we can get used to this!
A horse and her quad....doesn't get any better than that.
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