October

October is beautiful - crisp air, colorful leaves, blue-blue sky. But also, it is the month we lost Jaime. This first weekend of October, I planned to ride and ride some more.

Ivy and Alaina rode Pico and Sunny with Patty in the 9:00 am lesson. They started with elevated and angled caveletti and then worked on canter transitions including correct lead exercises. Both girls really made improvements. They ended their lesson with jumping for Ivy and gate/trail practice for Alaina.

Marsha and Lil, Kathy and Call, Shannean and Cappy (AKA Al Capone AKA LB) and Splash and I rode in the 11 oclock lesson. We started with trotwork and Splash was really good. We worked without the German Neck Stretcher and Splash was forward and mostly on the bit. If I didn't know better, I would think he is a good horse. Next, we did leg yeild exercises and canter followed by shoulder in and angled side-pass along the rail. Splash was very good overall, but our shoulder-in was difficult for both of us. Even though Splash was forward during trot, when we dropped to walk and tried to do 10 meter circles, our forward disappeared - I need to remember inside leg into outside hand and try to lessen pressure on inside hand as soon as we try to shoulder-in along the rail. That - and figure out how to keep forward at the walk....

Patty had to race to the Sara Martin Clinic, so we went to Ron's in Claremore for SPANISH FRIES..mmmmmm

Sunday was cool and cloudy but mostly rain-free. Alaina rode Diez around a little and then we got Sister out. We groomed her and worked a little showmanship in preparation for some additional training. The winter plan is to send her off for a month or two so that I can start to work her. Then, the 3 of us worked our usual mounts. Alaina got Diez out again and Splash and I joined them for a mini trail ride.

I used my day off on Friday to support the Veterinary Arts. In the morning, Jet took a little trip to visit Auntie Doctor Frantz for his life changing surgery. In the afternoon, Diez and TC went to Dr. Shipman's for a hoof update (Diez), a breathing evaluatation (TC), and tooth float (both). The good news is that Diez has no tenderness in any hoof - yippeee! Long term laminitis management will be required but Diez is released for light, wk/trot riding. We will keep shoes on her front feet and change her to a low starch feed. Alaina was thrilled to just sit on her first horse love.

TC got a lung check and then a scope to check out his breathing apparatus. We started with a big plastic bag over the nose (w/ stethescope for lung listening) to simulate the O2 reduction of hard work. TC's lungs work fine and there was no evidence of congestion. But the scope showed that there is no infection but that TC has partial paralysis of the left larynx. This is a condition common in race horses and could be the result of nerve damaged caused by injections often given by owners or by the intense race training in TC's youth. TC's problem is only now in evidence because of the weakening of his muscle tone due to advancing age and the increased alergies he has developed. This is the reason for TC's recent panic attacks. Because the left larynx is thinned, the airflow is reduced. When TC works, the airflow is restricted and, if he continues to breath hard, the airflow on the left side is reduced more. Then, poor TC thinks he is being strangled and panics. So, TC really is in retirement because he really can panic with just a little work when he has an allegic reaction at the same time.

I am sure that he won't mind staying home and eating regularly...