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.