Oh Canada!

Well we had a great trip to Winnipeg. I think I am really going to like living there (minus the snow of course) We found a place to live and board Bodhi. Actually the places are one in the same. There is a guest house at the boarding facility and it just so happens to be going up for rent at a perfect time!

So I am going to finally have a house. No more apartment living! This could mean a garden (in the summer). Stella will have a yard and Bodhi will be just feet from my doorstep. Here are some photos of our future home for the duration of my graduate degree.


The Barn



The house (this was the only photo that did not have someone's car or something in it for courtesy I thought I should not post them)

Cupcake the pig

Big indoor (sorry for the blur)


Nice outdoor!


I am so excited! I still need to arrange transport for Bodhi.... Any advise?

Crazy Busy!

I have been so busy getting ready for my trip to Manitoba. I am so excited to tour some barns up there and talk to some folks about boarding. I am also super excited about seeing my future campus for my masters studies of course. I hope everyone has a great week and wish me luck!

Here is a great video from Alexandra Kurland.

It is a good introduction on the Clicker training movement for anyone still confused about what clicker training is all about. It showcases all the uses of clicker training ranging from tricks to manners, to ground work under saddle work and even guide work. Yes pony guide for the blind! That is the perfect example of the power of positive reinforcement. I would like to see the popular horse trainers out there train a successful guide horse.

Oh and I stumbled on the fish version of my wonderful pony today at work!
The Genus Bodianus of course! I guess scientists did not know Bodhi is spelled with a "P"
I forgive them.

Harder Faster Stronger

First 2 photos to go with Grey Horse Matters Spa Day. Bodhi was in the spirit of beautification and was given a wonderful mask by Pokey the TB.



Right now Pokey is offering buy one get one half way up your legs. Limited time only!


Yesterday we tried the trot under saddle. Just to see. Just because I am so bored with walking already. No good. I figure as long as he drags at the trot I should not try it under saddle as I don't want to habituate him to dragging his toe under saddle. I want that floating feeling back!

One of the boarders has been begging me to jump her pony Dusty for just about forever and I have been resisting ( I am not sure why). I haven't jumped over 2 feet in I don't know how long. Years. Maybe 5 years? Well I finally hopped on her pony and jumped up to 2'6. She begged me for 3 and I was feeling pretty good but I still declined. Maybe next time. Man can that pony jump. I thought my old jumper was point in shoot but this little guy is amazing. Just don't stop at the gate. He rears. So cute.

Anyways I want to re do my goals. This is more for my documentation then your entertainment I guess so bare with me.

Under Saddle

• Softness on the bit
• Lateral steps at the walk
• corners
• Duration of work on the bit
• Bend
• Transitions
• Bitless work (if my bridle EVER comes in the mail!)
• Bridless work
  

Clicker Work

• Ground Tie- I have had a hard time figuring out how to shape standing as it is almost the absence of behavior. I read this post and now I am ready to give it a shot
• Head lower on cue
• Spanish walk- I have this idea that teaching Bodhi to pick up his feet high and teaching him to sustain it would be really perfect for shoulder rehab. Also I have been meaning to put picking up feet on a cue for a while now. He is always offering the behavior and I have just been lazy about it.
• Generalize the back and the liberty work cue with the three D's (Distance Duration and Distraction)

Me Time

• I want to ride more horses- There is Dusty, Pokey, and at Anna's there is Abby, Sneaker and her new pony. I have rides I am just being nervous and not utilizing them!
• Jogging- I started with 1/2 mile. My first goal is to get up to 2 miles.
• Yoga and Pilates- once a week or more to build those core muscles
• Work on my riding position ( elastic arms, even seat bones, loose hips that move with the horse, neutral pelvis, siting on my inner thigh not my butt, toes in etc etc...)

Negative

As in EPM Test negative!

I am so relieved. We still have a long road of rehab to go but our future is much more certain. I am still afraid that he won't heal up correctly but my fears are probably unfounded. So here's to a slow but complete recovery for Bohdzilla!
Rehab so far has gone like this...
Weds-Walk 10 mins
Friday-Walk 15 mins
Sat- Walk around the barn with lots of breaks 20 mins
Mon-work on the lunge at the walk and trot (me walking with him so the circles were giant!) 10 min
Thurs walk work (tried a trot not ready for it)
Sat 15 min lunge, 15 mins ride some clicker work. (He looked great!)
Sun(10 mins of riding only)

So far he has been really good. I am never sure if I am challenging him enough or pushing him too far. He has been 100% willing to do all of it and never seems very taxed. I guess it will take a while to find where the sweet spot is.

So obviously no more show season for us so I guess I should change our goals a bit. I want to work on...
Golden Goals

• Being lighter on the bit.
• Having more impulsion in upward transitions
• More responsive to all aids
• Working off my body and not my hands for turns and downward transitions- working towards bridleless
• Work on softness in the bitless bridle
• Work on lateral work on the ground
• Perfecting Liberty work

I need to work on

• giving very precise cues
  
• my delivery of both - and + reinforcement
• Being limber and loose (especially by lower back and hips)
  
• Core muscles
• Cardiovascular

So if you were forced back to square one what would YOU work on?

OT: The Other love of my life...

My dog of course! Meet miss Stella B (AKA miss thang, B-dilly, Stella Bella, Goat Dog, Stink, or just B for short!)

What is it with horse people and their dogs?

I was commenting to Rachel about how our dogs seem to be very similar in build, breeding and temperament. I thought I would take this opportunity to introduce you to her and all of her wonderful glory.

Stella is a 7 (almost 8!) year old Catahoula Leopard dog/Aussie/goat cross. She weighs about 38-40 pounds and is very intense and full of energy. I often describe her as aggressively friendly. She is very dominant, hard headed, and a one person only kind of dog while still managing to be very affectionate laid back and trust worthy. I honestly never did spend too much time with her on formal training. She is the kind of dog that just naturally follows, comes etc. Not spending enough time laying down the law has really gotten me into trouble with things like destructive behaviors, other dogs, and house training. She is now a well behaved canine citizen but I took the long way around to get to this point for sure! I am currently taking a clicker training agility class to get pointers on my training technique and to spend some much needed time with my little dog. She is doing scary well in the class. She is one smart cookie! It is amazing what can be accomplished when you harness her energy for good instead of evil.

Alright enough gab here are some photos of The wonderful Stella B!

She has one blue eye and one light brown eye. She always has red eye in pictures!


If you look closely you will notice my hair matches Stella's collar. I dyed the tips of my hair a dark blue this weekend.It is subtle and the picture is bad lighting but it is there. Dying my hair always cheers me up

Stella hiking with us in the mountains.

What did you get into this time?

I just wanted to let you guys know that all of your comments on my last post made me feel so much better! Wow thanks. They were helpful, and thoughtful, and positive and supportive. The opposite of one comment I got at the barn on Wednesday...
Boarder: "So what did the vet say about Bodhi?"

Me: "She said it was either a bad tweak or possibly EPM"

Boarder: "EPM! That's horrible! He will be stuck being a walk lesson pony forever now!"

In all seriousness I know she meant well but she almost gave me a panic attack!

Wednesday was our first Rehab session, and when I went out to get him I noticed something else horribly wrong. There was this smell, a horrible, putrid and sweet aroma wafting from my equine...



Bodhi had been skunked!



I wish I could say this was the first time....

It was cold and rainy so no bath. I did not want to get any of my brushes stinky. I was determined to start our rehab so I put a towel over him and rode him bareback. Once on board I forgot all about the smell though. I was so happy to be riding again. Even if it is only for ten minutes at the walk only. I got off after ten minutes and played with him at liberty. He was happy and willing for all of it.
The rehab is going to make me feel so much better about this situation. It is something tangible I can do to help. Am I still flipping out? Yes, but I am trying not to. I am trying to just focus on today when I start day two of rehab on my very.stinky.pony.

Sidelined

The vet came out and took a look at Bodhi on Monday. His left shoulder definitely is the culprit.

He has muscle degeneration along one band of muscle in his shoulder. She has two hunches for the root of the problem. One was a turn out injury where he banged that shoulder hard enough to hurt the nerve that runs along the muscle which then causes the muscle atrophy. Another is much more sinister (EPM). She drew blood and will have tests back in a week.

With either one Bodhi needs to go on a slow rehab of walking walking walking (then trot trot trotting etc) to regain the muscle back in his shoulder. She estimated that it will take around 3 months to heal.

With either diagnose she says that his case is very mild and she thinks he will recover 100%. I am trying not to cry, or despair, or anything until the tests come back. It is really difficult though. How can my jovial youthful little pony be so sick? How can life be this unfair?

Anyone have rehab advise? I know I will be re-reading Grey Horse Matters' post about it! Anyone dealt with muscle/nerve injuries or...

Mostly I am in denial. I really can't believe that this is happening.

I mean look at this face!