New Developments Thermography base line

The new developments are in the form of New Muscles on my mare's top line!
Great news!

-Hands On~ with Miriah Stuart, Washahse's fabulous Equine Therapist

The bad news is my little jump saddle, my sister's first in 1964 and the first one I ever sat in, is having to be retired from Washashe's use. As she shed out this spring...I noticed under her coat, the dreaded WHITE SPOTS of pressure on both sides of her wither pockets. Right on nice new muscles!

It came back a changed saddle,after seeing it's maker, Hans Bigjlazer residing in Bend, for knee rolls and D-rings and re stuffing last year. So all the wonderful additions, I shall miss for sure!

Wa's new muscles extend to her new neck...her mane  is not split anymore...it has remained on the Left side...after being on the right side, for as long as I have been with her. 

BUT now, since her saddle does not fit anymore due to correct muscle development, (good and bad always..they go hand and hand seems)

 I must look for another forward seat-jump saddle, as I am left with a straight tree, Dressage saddle and my "Cashel Soft Saddle" (a glorified bareback pad ) and I feel that there are too many hills for the straight tree of a dressage and the deep seat will bruise my  girly woo woo parts!

Recently, I discussed this with my Equine Therapist Miriah Stuart, who just returned from Florida where some Olympian vets and others, including a saddle fitter ,were giving and receiving a course in Thermography technology training. Miriah has been looking into this for some time, and finally found this avenue to please the Oregon Veterinary board requirements.
 I am so glad she is such a Go-Getter Gal...the horses of our area are going to highly benefit because; she cares to learn how to see what they can not tell us!

She recently was published in our own Oregon "Flying Changes" magazine! Her article is very good, siting the use of Thermograhy and all the links to research since it's development in the U.S. Army 1964. It is also called "Infra Red Imaging".

She came on out to to a case study on my mare, Washashe.
We made sure to come in -right from riding- to see how I sit in the saddle, how the saddle sits on the horse, as well as the whole horse's base line.

The mare and I, coming in from the ride~

Good girl~

I got off and she did the saddle first, which showed more heat under the right panel, but not  unevenly in the seat...(good) Wa got tired of traversing the road and driveway as her therapist was late. She was throwing her right shoulder out and I had to use more right leg. Pretty cool how it showed that too!
It was exciting to watch her work! Some of these photo's show her Large trust in my mare, she knows her very well
. It was a quiet day with little to no wind. The herd was munching in nearby stalls.Wa mare was instantly at ease when she and Miriah said hello again....and the mare proceeded to take a nap, while she did the imaging!

Sleeepy...very sleepy!

She will be doing a case study on the different leg wraps and the heat in excess or not they cause...she really dislikes the solid wrapped Neoprene"Sports Medicine boots" ...they conduct such high heat. I used some "Woof Wear" brushing boots, to see how they did. Pretty good recovery, as seen below. Just little patches of heat remain after a few minutes of taking them off.

My PBO was holding her for this one...ooou..so" Predator" like, remember that Arnold  S. movie?

                I loved the day of new info and our Equine Specialist's total excitement for what she was learning . Wa mare has turned out to be her first " Epitome of health" photo shoot!

 That would not have been the case, had I not been introduced to Miriah. She has looked after our well being, since year one of this journey into proper and thoughtful care of my sweet mare~

And LOOK, she also put us on the brochure~ Wa mare, letting her kiss on her!

She also has some neat things to say about us on her  Equine massage blog ~
You may reach either her blog or Thermoraphy sites through my add on my sidebar for
 "Washahse's therapist"
Cool Stuff is afoot!

Sunday Stills Barns

I love this huge red barn! It is on the way out to my mare's stable.

This one is diversely different, across the street.

Then there is my favorite barn...behind a fence, across a large grassy field.... I respected the private property and stayed near the public road.

It's domed roof is very unusual.

The mountains you see in the opening of tree tops to the left...with snow, that is where I ride.

It is on the last leg of my drive to my own stable's barn.

Then, I get on  my mare..... and see more structures nearby.

This is the neighbors cool old barn ...we often ride by it and look upon it's glory. If it could talk...so many stories it would tell.
Please do visit others neat barn photos today- by clicking the title. Thanks ED for the fun of capturing your chosen venue each week!

More Trail finds

This past fall, while riding with my friend , we took a new trail . It started across the street and ran down a creek bed. It was rather rocky and my mare was not impressed. It took us to other "no outlet" roads and some neat trails. One of which is a pass through road/trail that sometimes cars drive on, not legally so. We were riding along... then, I saw something on the trail...it was rather large....

As we approached, it became clear what it was, but we had no clue to why it was there!

We decided that we were the new owners, since motorized vehicles were not to be traveling there and it probably fell off one.

We packed it on home upon the back of the saddle...we had to ride very slowly, to ensure it stayed where we placed it.

Wala.... just what I need for my new truck-( I am looking for it ) since I am the proud owner of a horse trailer now~ almost have the title in my fingers! (thanks Jewel!)

In the sweet bye and bye

Our Elsie kitten, who was in her 18th year, was like a daughter to us. 

She had a difficult winter this year...and I really wanted her to make summertime..but she could not, and my heart is heavy, for we lost her this week.
 It did not come without pain and suffering. I still have some questions and anger over why this occurred. She needed not have to suffer, that was my hearts desire for the past 6 years since my beloved Micheal Madison Cat took ill and was in pain, till we finally took him to relief and rest.

I pray that I will be at peace soon...
as my heart is really aching and I can not press my husband for answers anymore...his heart hurts too.
She was his chosen kitten(though I was her mom).
He really wanted her home and I really wanted her not to suffer and the Vet tried to be hero.
All this to say...we loved her and she loved us back for so long. She lived with us here the entire time we've been in this home.

I am alone this weekend as My man is away at Army drill.... and I can't stand it without my Button girl.
So- I am spending the night with my other girl at the barn ,who was mistaken for "Button" at my first vet visit to her. Washsashe mare has the same "Pet" name sometimes as Elsie..."Button". I have always wanted to sleep in the barn with my horse, but my parents would never let me...now I may.

I used to listen to a favorite Pastor on the Christian radio..Steve Brown- Key Life. He was great and only spoke for 15 minute stints... totally power packed truth -stuff, that made you think deeply. IN fact, I now remember what he used to say-very wittily so,  at the end of his sermons;
 "Now you think about that, Amen".
He had German shepherd dogs..they would make it into his sermons sometimes. He  often would make reference to them being in heaven, and that he would NOT want to go to a Heaven without all of them! He was serious!
I am serious too...I know Elsie and Mike are in our mansions, in the perfect place of rest, by the fire of course!

I found this Hymn , "Beyond the Sunset",written in 1936.
I will always be reminded of Elsie Button boo...As I ride in the sunsets~

Love you Kitten~

Into the Hills

Starting off with Prayers for safety ....along with Praises in advance~

Then, off down the dead end road to the trail head we went~

Yee ha...nice weather for my day off! Off to the Hills and in search for the Looping trails and roads around Stony Mountain. We have only ridden up and back, starting from the two different directions, to try to link the two.
 We went further and further but...no luck finding the loop last year.

 I actually did find a loop trail, but the "Mule people" made it and yea...mules are almost the only animal, aside from deer, that are able to travel it! I was on Danny Boy and he was good enough to try it for me...
 Can't say I will ever take my claustrophobic and cliff challenged mare on it!!!

We have another friend coming along for the journey this time! ROXY dog!
This is only her second hike with horses and she has learned a thing or two from the first time!

Roxy got stepped on last time, with out permanent injury, and now she remains out of the way and vigilant. Good Trail dog Rox!

Going up now and into the forest, we begin our trek~

My mare has been in high heat for over 2 weeks ...we've had on and off nice warm weather to snow..on and off and on and off! Okay Mother Nature...make up your mind already!

All that to say, I have only ridden her once in a week, and I have had so much stress in me..I needed a ride that was not as stressful as my week!
And to be fair to my mare...I left her home..she dislikes the mountains and slick...I will wait to take her till it drys out. Though, she has been extra sweet..by coming to the gate...what... I don't have to take your cold shoulder? So I did feel guilty, for leaving her this time, but I turned her out in the large field, that is perfectly grassed up. The PBO's Morgans can't go there now...too grassy and with the cold to warm snaps..it does a big Fructan change in the grasses... dangerous for laminitis for them.

Today, Faithful and True Danny Boy was my mount~ I decided to try him bit less...and he really loved it!
What a good boy.

I love this area for riding..there is always a quick running creek to allow the horses to drink from~

On past the Neat Cliff wall, and up and up we went! 1,100 feet to ?
We shall see soon enough.

We came out of the creek and up several service roads with neat-o views...I love taking my PBO out..she rides with others on shorter rides and I tend to solo ride more. 

 I discover new locations and then share them with her, like this!

She has only seen this area of the new clear cut from Stony mountain- and below near her home.  

We rode up THE LONG HILL I had ridden to earlier in the winter while the machines were still there harvesting the timber...it was so long..my mare decided she was done...so I turned around.

Now we rode on...into NEW TERRITORIES...and we found....yup....

We had ridden to this location last year...from the other side of the mountain.
 Kinda cool, we were pleased to have made the LOOP Connection this day!

As we traveled up...we noticed....

SNOW!
Now were riding toward the snow line,  some 2,000 feet up the mountain!
Making our riding distance 900 feet up in only 7 miles...those are hills !
Turn left for home, the marker I left  said~

The decent starts...with a little -fresh chill- of snow~

Sweet Danny boy~

Romeo and Roxy dog~

We made the Stony Mountain view point and took a breather....over there, is where we were, some 174 feet in difference.

The nice thing about this loop...it goes in between service roads- and wonderfully wooded trails~ My markers, still showing us the way ~

Home in sight...I gave Danny the relief from hills, as I do with my mare..and that's the thanks I get..oh, you're just tired boy!

My Washashe mare greeted us from her pasture~

The ending of another great ride of discovery ( Can't wait to take you JULES!)
Following our shadow rider home again~

The Willingness Factor

Easter Sunday, late afternoon, I was able to sneak out to the country to see my mare.

The storms that had been a raging all week and work also, kept me at bay.

When I arrived, my Mare was standing expectantly, at the gate. 

Once I had gone inside the barn and saw her stall and the grain left in her feed barrel- I knew why she waited there. It had been a fast- paced- Holiday- morning and she had not gotten her morning Eats in!

 At Once, I collected her and Romeo and she began to happily finish eating her breakfast remains and more I heaped on for her. She snorted a sigh in delight.

 I decided to clean my PBO stalls for her. NOW it had began to really storm outside!

As I cleaned the four stalls, I would take breaks to visit my mare, take her blanket off, and set up my grooming tools+ the clippers this day. I had to decide to give up the hope of riding..it was nasty!

As I started to groom her, finally finished with the mucking, she did something totally unlike her...she turned around and pointed at her barrel,  just near her elbow...Okay....I took my soft , red curry and circled it there for her...HA! She grew the familiar "Long Lip of delight", showing me I got it right and to continue.

That was cool, she normally does things like for herself, not being a mare that favors me brushing her.

 I have a use after all!

Another hour had passed, and as I looked outside the large, sliding barn doors, the rain/hail mix looked as if it may have subsided some...though as You all know....when you are inside a barn with a metal roof, any amount of moisture sounds like a storm outside! I checked and YEA, it actually was quite sedate and inviting.

I tacked the mare up- booted up, and mounted up in good time!

~Easter Sock-Shot~

I had not been out to the mare all week and decided that maybe a bit was in order this time...but not without concessions to the mare~ A promise from me to her for a returned willingness.... I shall keep my hand upon her wither with a slight taunt rein, for her Willingness to take my seat and leg cues only for direction and also...I want long and low trust from her.

She was Willing....Long and Low up the service road...so low, she escaped the photo, unless I put the camera almost on her neck!

She continued in this fashion past the trail Y, and I allowed her to make the choice of which one...okay the upper road~

Oh...a slight hesitation...., we turned around, and I decided to go check the found GPS note... seeing if it were still there on the trail- near the spot I found the unit, over a month ago.

This trail is very much stripped of anything to slow one down if a hoof slides...motorcycles use it to go from one dead end road to the one I board on.

YUP...note still in place...see it at the bottom of the tree base? It is a bit brighter than the pic makes it out to be.

I have to say...the mare totally kept her end of the bitted -bargain- ride...she remained long and low and I kept my hand upon her withers. She felt no resistance, if she slipped, no sudden hit.

 It is something I have deduced was a bother for her...me raising my hands when she slide and trotted downhills...I needed to trust her so much more by waiting longer...I see now that, she only does what she has to, to stay upright with me aboard. Waiting longer, trusting her motives, I see that even if she trots down the hill..it is relaxed and she stops as sooon as she regains her sure footing.

She is now WILLING to trust me!

Back up that slippery trail....

And down the road again towards home~

Long and Low she goes.

 Her Willingness Factor now raised by my apparent sign to her...

my hand upon her wither~ She high blows home...walking in peace.