Timing

Last week was fabulous in my neck of the woods. The UFO sightings of the large, bright object in the sky were identified as the SUN!  It appreared to us for 5 days straight -blankets came off the horses, fly masks went on and the mare and me enjoyed some grassy field hours.
 Mid week above, I sat in the grasses waiting for my Equine therapist to arrive. The day before Wa and I had ridden out, but with unusual behaviour due to hoof boots, I got off several times to check on them and finally to take them off! They rode with my attached to Wa's breast collar.

I have been noticing the mare's gait really off...but only while trail riding and not in the arena. I thought it was her tender hooves with out boots.
So, I had purchased the NEWEST CAVALLO "SPORT" boot for her hinds and tried out the Newest easyboot "Trail" on the fronts last Monday. I rode twice with that set up. It was mid week now, still sunny as I waited for my Equine therapist( her link is on sidebar) Miriah, to come out to the stable and do a baseline on Wa's legs and hooves. I plan on applying the EASYWALKER horseshoes again for the summer's main riding outings.

So I layed in the grasses, while watching the mare and thought about my plans to  ride after the Apt. with the stable owner, since we now had 4 hoof  boots again.

Miriah came, we started the baseline Thermography...all was going well. Wa seemed to be the picture of health like last year, when we did this baseline...but ooouy, Miriah suddenly said, " THIS IS NOT NORMAL". As she stood behind Wa shooting  the heat read out images of enflamed fetlock/pasterns of Wa's hinds.

I recalled to her outloud, the last 2 rides with the mare having the "Stringhalt" actions, in the hind. Last year too, she had a simular action, while wearing the Cavallo hoof boots on her hinds. I had to take them off -then too...wondering what was going on.

Photo of me, taking the photo of Miriah

Wa's hinds told the story of the hoof boot design being flawed..it presses into the tender fetlocks, below the pasterns. The hind leg reaches at a steeper, horizontal  angle than the fronts.

This was the only abnormal heat readout on Wa's body this day.

This 5 year quest/venture  into hoof boots to keep the mare
unshod and barefooted,  but also sound for rides on the very rocky terrains -has proven DIFFICULT at best.
My link to the EASYWALKER horseshoes, in top tab- "The hooves"- has a photo of the 3 sets of Easyboots, Boa boots, Old macs G-2's. Unfortunately, I will have 3 sets of "Cavallo's" to add to the list, I think soon.

While we were having a go of the images and talking about what next...my stable owner came in and announced, "WE ARE IN LOCK DOWN". The EHV-1  has made it to Oregon.
Oh!
I had plans  to go horse camping to Eastern Oregon! I quickly TXT'd my girlfriend to cancel the reservations..she could still get the money back being it was 7 days out. She was hesitant to do it, and offered me her horse to ride, since mine would not be allowed back onto the property if I went to this heavily populated- with strange horses from- ALL OVER- camp out (with memorial day rodeo planned too).

All this was amazing timing. I would not be able to ride my mare in a new place without hoof protection, most likely. And having my  horses health advocate there-right after I had purchased the new boots to show me why I could not use them anymore-PERFECT TIMING. The lockdown before we went out and camped-Perfect timing again! Thank you Lord!

 For how totally depressed I am not getting to go, I would never jeopardise my mare's in health. AND...the final blow is that my saddle IS STILL NOT READY anyway, for being promised on week 10. It is now week 15! This makes me a bareback rider for almost a year. The timing issue points to WAIT IT OUT.

 With all this kind of riding...I have gotten to practice my sitting trot, alot.  When I rode the "ANSUR CLASSIC" last week...I was shocked at how easy it was to sit the trot with stirrups! Though-I have to say, I felt disconnected from my legs, them jingle jangling about,( it felt like) with my butt staying firmly planted in contact with the saddle. I think one HUGE-O- differance is that my mare's back was lifted each time  I trotted. Makes a huge difference to -have a place to sit!
I have noticed the riders in the Olympics on You tube- with the jingle jangle legs. It is the contact point of the upper calf, I think, that is the important part. Please correct me if I am totally wrong. The loose ankle in the stirrups, gives stability to the entire leg, making the line up the body flexible, unblocked, I believe. Again, correct me if I am wrong.
..so adding  back into the equation(stirrups) will be different! The angle is slightly different, raised. When I sit the trot bareback, I've made it a point to keep my calves upon the mare with my heels downward, but almost reaching backwards to touch the flank by simply weighting my knees and thinking of my thighs sinking straight down, as the mare's front hooves land upon the ground. It keeps me from gripping.
My descriptions are so -not fine science- just how it feels.

So the last weeks sightings of the Sun...is now over and back to the cold wetness of what so many are experiencing. ICKY CRAP! But, in Preparations for the Horsey trip, first of many planned this summer, I had the trailer serviced last week. I have had the trailer a year almost, and it is 8 years old. I have no idea what work had been done to it, so I began by looking under the floor mats again...still sturdy and clean there! Next, to get the trailer wheel bearings packed and brakes checked. Off I went to Les Schwab.

My service dude was so accommodating to allow me to shoot photo's of the apt. with him, and his dirty fingernails in the frames! Good Bearings, he discovered and nice colored grease too.

Made me feel good to know the tires, brakes, pads, bearings and all are  in fine working order!

Now, just need some better spring weather since all is about ready to go... 

Even got my new under garments all ready to ride in!

" Fine timing" it takes theses days, stars aligned and all, to get all things to work for a ride!!