Whirlwind Part I

Last week was an incredible whirlwind.

I am still working on getting the ropes at my new job.  I do various functions in the laboratory.  The most recent department I trained in is blood banking, which is responsible for matching and issuing blood products like blood, plasma, and platelets. 

Sounds simple?

Some days.  But my luck isn't very lucky.  Some people have antibodies that like to attack other red blood cells, so it basically turns a short easy test into a long endeavor which reminds me of a mixture of a crossword puzzle and a Sudoku puzzle.  

Tuesday was mostly a quiet day at work until about half an hour before I needed to leave to catch my flight.  Then the problems began...

Fortunately, I was able to get most of the things wrapped up and my awesome co-workers stepped in so I could drive like a slightly mad hatter to catch my flight.

Then, there's the whole luck thing again.

There was a massive car accident in the city between my workplace and the airport.  I decided to wing it to figure out how to go around.  My GPS was very unhappy, protesting every half mile that I needed to "make a U-Turn". 

Sorry GPS.  I have a flight to catch.

I parked at the airport, ran like a madperson and made it to the terminal with ten minutes to spare.  Hurray!  Problem one solved.

I soon arrived in Raleigh.  I was still in my work and un-lucky haze wandering through the airport when someone grabbed me.  I was a little confused and then realized that my best friend and husband were standing there.

They decided to purchase ridiculously cheap airfare ($50, seriously?) and surprise me.  Surprised I was!

So, after working a full day, dashing through various airports and across a state, I started the beginning of my 24 hour trip to Raleigh...

Stay tuned for Part II

The Big Show!

Reserve National Champion!

(More to come later!) 

:)

Looking Back

Shows are sometimes a good time to look back and see the progress that's been made and what still lays ahead.

I took Chili to a local open show this past weekend.  Unlike many open shows, this show attracts a lot of horses that do show on the breed and rated circuits, so it's nice to have beautiful, high caliber horses.

It's also run by a friend of mine, so that's a perk.  Sort of.  It also means running interference, dealing with crazy people, and trying to overcome the major introvert personality to help manage the show.

But it was a good experience.

However, back to reflecting.  See, I'm off topic already.

In my weekend of reflections, I realized that I am lucky to have a nice horse that puts up with my shenanigans on dragging her to a show when I have not properly ridden in the past four weeks.  She puts up with my unstable aids as I am obviously not fit from not riding, but also struggling to keep my grip even on the side with the injured shoulder.

I also poorly planned things, so that meant that I just tacked up and rode my horse right before the class.  Good thing, she's my semi feral little four year old chestnut Arabian mare.  

We've had a summer of setbacks, that's for sure.  But as I finished my last class on Sunday, which was an open sporthorse under saddle class, I realized that I am truly lucky to have my little mare who was game to try, despite both of our setbacks.  She really wanted to do what I asked her to do and for that, I need to see how far we've come, versus how far we have yet to go.

An Incredible Adventure

At the show that I injured myself, I missed my chance to show my friend's very handsome Half Arabian stallion.

I was devastated.  I was really looking forward to showing him.

But I have been given a second chance.  At the last show, he qualified to show at Sport Horse Nationals in Raleigh, North Carolina.

I was asked to come and show "Thunder" in the amateur-to-handle Sport Horse in Hand class. 

This is tricky, as I could only get one day off of work...so I am flying out after work in the evening, showing the following morning then flying out that same afternoon! 

But it's bound to be a wonderful adventure and hopefully Thunder will wear roses.

Thunder was reserve champion once at Nationals before!

Back in the Saddle

For a few weeks, I was laying pretty low.  Having a shoulder injury, of course, is unfortunate.  Probably not high on the list of unfortunate events to ever occur to humankind, but still, moderately more annoying than a hangnail.

Chili and Donni have been sitting on the back burner.  Donni is back home, after leaving the farm to see if she could be bred.  Unfortunately, she did not cooperate, so no cute little foals next year.  Sad, but probably not hangnail pain worthy.

Another gal at the barn said that she wouldn't mind riding Chili in an upcoming show that I really would like to go too, even if I just show in hand.  So the other day, we dusted off the now semi feral four year old and decided to see what she could do.  She was really quite good and quiet for a four year old with almost four weeks off.  So I think that of course, deserves one or two cookies.

Tuesday, I decided it was time to ride the Chili myself.  The gal was back at the barn and was exercising her beyond adorable Fjord mare, so I had company in case something stupid happened. I doubt it would, but considering I have approximately a pound or less of strength in my right arm, who knows.  

This is the really adorable Fjord. 

Chili was really well behaved.  She also picked up her canter leads with great delight, having shown me that perhaps, dumping what seems to be endless amounts of money into things like chiropractics and bodywork, do sometimes seem to accomplish things.  :)

Adorable Fjord and Chili also had a lovely short jaunt through the wooded trails.  Chili was mildly sidetracked by a very menacing looking rock, but let's be honest: there are some pretty terrifying rocks out there.

So all in all, I consider that a success.  It does feel good from an emotional perspective to be back in the saddle.  My back and shoulders are definitely complaining about it, but I'll put this in the physical therapy category and say that the pain will be worth it.  ;)  

Happy Trails (or Tails...your pick)

Chili & the Peeps

My husband gave me a camcorder yesterday for my birthday.  I obviously need a lot of help to learn how to use it, but here is Chili & the Peeps

Hopefully first of many videos to come ;)

One Armed Bandit

So my work has begun to call me the one armed bandit.

I'm not really sure where the bandit part is coming from.  But now, the back story.

As promised, Chili and I trucked off to a horse show last week Thursday.  I'll fill in more of those details later.  I also showed a couple horses for a few other friends.  Two of these horses were young, very enthusiastic yearlings. 

The weather was also tricky, with a storm heavy on the horizon and extremely brisk winds, making it difficult to even see in the arena at times.  

It kind of felt like we were going to be joining Dorothy in some far off adventure

Unfortunately, the yearlings were spending a bit of time whirling around and not generally cooperating.  While I was showing the last one for the second time, I felt something pop in my shoulder.

I turned the yearling back over to his owner and then realized that the pain I was experiencing was incredible.

Oh crap.

So, long story short, is must to my embarrassment, the EMT came over to the ring and examined me.  I bawled.  I hopped in a friend's husband's car for a ride to the ER (because the idea of an ambulance was more than I could bear), and then I sat and waited.

And waited.

The ER experience wasn't particularly a positive one.  The examination was fine, but I ended up feeling quite sick from the pain meds and it was very cold and poor care.

But I survived.  

I also have the best friends.  Little did I realize, but everyone was figuring things out back at the fairgrounds.  My horse had been scratched from her remaining classes and loaded up and taken home, where she was fully sheeted up and turned out, despite the fact that my friends hadn't ever actually been in her stable there!

My stuff was all packed up.  My husband was called and talked too.  Another friend drove my truck and camper back home with my friend Katie following to take her back to the show grounds.  And so forth.

I am so very lucky that things worked out the way they did.  It doesn't seem like this will be a horrific injury.  They think it's just a shoulder sprain for now and unlikely it is a rotator cuff tear, so that's optimistic. 


So there you go.  I went, I showed, I survived.  I have wonderful friends that are willing to bail me out when I do stupid things.

Life is good.