Ermahgherd Snurr

You guys are the best. Literally. Thank you for reading through that last post, ignoring my flavorful language and dropping all the positive comments my way! This is why I blog :D

In other news, I jump started the "Feb goals list" this week and did alright with it. We only ate out once this weekend, probably because we are both broke as shit, but hey, it counts right? Not one drop of alcohol either. Also because we are broke and did not participate in bar life frivolity. This might prove difficult later in the month. I did not work out, specifically, but I mucked stalls and sprinted to and from the barn because of cold, so that counts too right? In the ways of riding I actually rode THREE times, yay goals! I couldn't believe that actually happened because I had dental surgery Wed and will get the other side done this week too. I did get a lot of adult things done though, like register my car and get a license and all that junk.

In other other news, the weather, like we all know, is intense and making life ridiculous per usual. It was rather nice this week, minus the mud due to snow melt, and then it POURED Sunday and then it turned to snow.

ERMAHGHERD SNURR

Levi, I believe, is the ONLY one that likes it at this point. I feel SO bad for the East Coast. We only got 3 inches and the roads were shit today. I know because of course I ran out of grain yesterday and put it off until today and had to trek into town to spend all my money on feed.

Oh also, Blankesicles!

Yes, its standing up on its own.

Luckily, I have a thousand blankets, non that fit poor Lilly, but the blanketsicle problem turned out to not be one. Just hilarious.

#QHProbs

There are worse problems to have than a blanket too small, but I definitely need to convince The Rents to invest in a QH sized blanket. Whats comical & unfortunate is that Bacardi's 78 doesn't fit her.

wat.

I'm guessing her wide shoulders & quarters fill out what would normally fit a horse her size (78??), but still...goodness mare! Bacardi is huge compared to her in height and I couldn't believe that his blankets didnt fit her!

Determined to ride today in the cold and snow, I opted to take both out at the same time. It was...interesting.

Adorable

Turns out B is turnt up no matter what we do, and I've come to accept that this is how it is in winter. (Sidenote, I WILL NOT not board next winter if I haven't relocated south.) Luckily, Lilly is solid as a rock and didn't put up with his shit. He reared once, and Lilly just stood there like "WTF man," and rolled her horsey eyes at him.

I've ponied him several times since I've owned him and never had issues, so I  wasn't really surprised considering his track record this winter when he pulled some fuckery.

Very concerned with things off in the distance

I packed my pocket with treats and everytime he spooked I would just halt Lilly, let him fret for a second and then he would come over to me, sigh and stand there. At this point, I would stuff his face with treats and love on him. Seemed to work pretty well and after 40 minutes he relaxed enough to trot a little. Lilly's demeanor was most likely the contributing factor in repressing his explosions and I thank her.

Lilly giving zero fucks while B gives many

We trounced around the fields for a while and then walked down our very snowy road. Despite the baby acting like one, it was relaxing and wonderful. Lilly seemed to enjoy herself too and power walked the whole time.

SO CUTE CANNOT HANDLE

I know what you're thinking, and that is their matching game is on point. Surprisingly I didn't even try this time and it just happened that way. I just own a LOT of blue shit. Love it when that works out.

my majestic lil nuggets

Hopefully I can get out to the arena this week, but the weather might make other plans for us. We will see!

Godspeed to any East Coasters out there! Stay safe and warm <3 p="">

Battle & Breakthrough

First off, THANK YOU to all of you beautiful & majestic unicorns for your tips and suggestions for what I should do with the Lilly situation. I think my POA is to get a blood panel and a fecal test, add beet pulp, and begin blanketing her and see where we can go from there. Thank you all again!

Now, the rest of this post might be lengthy and wordy, BUT I also have plenty of pics [and mostly happy ending]. Terrible quality, video stills, very grainy and mostly blurry, but still...pics! I took them myself with my iphone propped on a barrel. #flawless

Prefect angle for photography -_-

So to say my ride yesterday was the worst of my entire 24 year existence is no exaggeration. I realize I said that about Tuesday's ride, but I shit you not, yesterday, I rode a dragon from hell. Fucking hell.

Words cannot express the level of fuckery I experienced with my darling animal, but I will try my best.

For new readers, and others alike, I've had some serious issues this winter regarding Bacard's spooking and rideabilty. I've tried and thought of almost everything that could be wrong or of use in our situation. Everything. Yes, that includes teeth and eye exams, etc. Sans scoping for ulcers, everything. The damndest thing is he was FINE in summer/fall and I didnt change a thing.

So yesterday. I decide to try a fleece girth cover, last minute, to see if that would help. B is SUPER sensitive [makes clipping a real joy] and flinches on almost every inch of his lower body even when being brushed. Don't even think about asking for a change in gait, or lateral work, with more than 3lbs of pressure on his sides. So why not try and see if this makes him more comfortable.

Anyways. He was bad. From the get-go he was snorting and making a fuss. You know, the wound-like-a-rubber-band feeling beneath you?

yes, like this

Yeah, we haz it. All the fucking time. I didnt even ask for anything other than a nice big walk and he was already jumping sideways, snorting, rearing, twisting and dancing underneath me. And I had barely picked up the reins. Tried to ask for lateral work to give his brain something to do...wrong move. Cue explosions. Yes, many. Think chain reaction explosions. Bombs going off, knocking pillars over. Throw in a few MASSIVE crow hops and bucks and a few bolting episodes and you have the recipe for frustration. He was having NONE of it yesterday.

The last few rides, if I distracted him with transitions or lateral work, he would simmer down and only pop a few rears here and there. (Still not acceptable by any means). What broke the camels back was, after 15 minutes of his shit, me just wanting him to WALK in a normal fashion and he refused and just jigged. So I asked for a halt, patted him when he stood for .8 seconds, and the instant my hand touched his neck he reared, twisted, landed, bucked, bolted and crow hopped until the cows came home. I have no idea how I stayed on. I had to one rein stop him for fear of losing my life, but that only made matters worse and it was probably a good 17 crow hops later before he stopped.

This is tame, actually

Like I said. No words describe it. It was awful.

So what did I do?

I cried.

Like a fucking baby.

Bawled my eyes out for at least 8 minutes. No joke.

I was SO done. So frustrated. I've NEVER owned a horse that was so intent on killing me, or himself, and or just being a complete ass for no reason. I've never had a horse shiver at my touch. I've never been afraid to ask for a trot. I've never had to worry about possibly flipping over backwards in the next 4 seconds. NEVER had this much trouble with any animal, ever.

Why couldn't I do this? Why was B so impossible? WHAT was I doing wrong?

And you know what?

Apparently everything.

While I was sobbing, I dropped the reins, hung limp like a sack of potatoes and just sat there. B continued to walk around, but I noticed after a few blurry minutes that he wasnt jigging. Wasn't exploding. Wasn't flying sideways or backwards or upwards.

FUCKING DUH.

Then it hit me. I had been going with what I knew because my methods were tried and true with all of the animals I've ridden and horses I've owned. Even the Thoroughbreds. But B isn't every other TB. No no, he's a Sensitive Sally, Prickly Prince.

I should've put it all together.

He was definitely abused. So he's already sensitive to quick movements and heavy hands. He also raced, so his has a mildly stunted brain in the ways of learning. I've done my best to be gentle and kind. But he still always twitches when I girth him up (slowly) and if I use "too heavy" of a leg aid he lets me know. Same with hands. But we managed fine for months. He was perfect. We understood each other.

And then winter arrived.

It got really cold, and I shaved him.

Cue Winter Willies. Which include random spooks. Not a problem in most horses and manageable. But when you have a Prickly Prince, half-halts are apparently fuel for the fire.

An ass thats ready to bolt

A whiel back I surmised that  my half-halts were freaking him out more, so I tried releasing when he spooked and bolted, and then applying steady pressure to get him to stop. When that didn't work and his bolting/rearing got worse, I HAD to use one-rein stops. That only escalated his anxiety.

Basically, I CREATED a monster.

What I can piece together is that his initial spooking was just winter willies. But he could not tolerate the sudden pressure of a half-halt and THAT created anxiety and he spooked/misbehaved more often. Rearing, one way to escape pressure, or fear of pressure, bolting, another. The more he bolted and reared and spooked, the more I would have to half halt to try cease such behavior. In turn, he began to associate the field, me on his back and riding in general as a terrible bad thing. But when you have a sensitive sally, anything is too much & I just never put it together.

So, after feeling terrible for creating this problem, I decided to test a theory.

1lb pressure on the reins, sitting the trot and little tiny baby half halts (or total releases) on inside rein whenever I felt him getting "wound up". By 1lb, I MEAN 1lb. Like, I tried to imagine that the reins were feathers and I would crush them if I gripped or pulled "too hard".

And motherfuck, it worked.

That vest is not flattering

JESUS GOD I AM THE WORST HORSE MOM EVER.

I KNEW he wasn't like most horses and didn't like much pressure anywhere, but I did not correlate ME correcting HIS behavior (as it should be) as the issue.

Is any of this making sense to anyone?

He didn't spook once while I rode him like this. He got a little apprehensive, but when I did not react to it, he relaxed instantly. What the shit Bacardi.

Note the very loose inside rein

I think it will take a few rides of me riding him this way to reassure him that I am not some massive bitch, but I think FINALLY I have figured my horse out.

Finally.

Gratuitous Levi shot doing dressage

So much more relaxed & willing with loose reins

Not that loose reins are accepted in dressage and we will have to work back up into true contact, but its a plus that I can fully drop the inside rein and ride just on the outside. We will get there.

Tired pony

Also, should probably do more work in the dressage tack, but his shenanigans were getting so ridiculous/dangeours I felt more secure in the jump tack.

One last thing I've been noticing and not putting it together...

Happens after every sweaty ride.

What the fuck.

Is he allergic to his own SWEAT?

What else horse, like come on. Could this be another reason his skin is so sensitive? Allergies?

Anyways, fingers crossed for a *hopefully* relaxed ride tomorrow. Thank you all for hopefully making it through this post.

Old Lady Horse

I still haven't cleaned my tack, did not work out this AM, ride yet & I had cheesecake for breakfast...

Pretending none of that happened, goal achieving starts...NOW. Must. Motivate. Self.

I did paint two paintings last night though and finish all my new-hire paperwork at my fancy new new adult job. Paperwork= cool things like insurance and other neat things so I'm not complaining. I REALLY am becoming a real real adult now with this job.

All of that aside, I come here today to beg ask for help. Because bloggers are the best of helpful friends and I value all opinions and take them for what they're worth...WHICH IS LOTS OF GOLD. You guys are awesome.

You guys probably have seen Lilly Belle pop up form time to time in my blog. Shes this stinkin cute, jet black, QH mare that is boarded here on our farm. And as of Feb 1st, she will belong to the Vollmer Family. Not going into details, but her owner couldn't afford her anymore and my dad loves her so much that we said we would take her. Besides, she's on the older end of things (16) with pretty atrocious lower limbs (sound, just hideous) and a really bitchy streak at times...I didn't think anyone would want to buy her. So, dad and I did it again and collected another horse and pissed The Mom off.

Dad loves her (pictured in August)

I kind of love her too (pictured in July)

Whatever, horses are like chips, yada yada.

However, she's RAPIDLY been dropping weight since about October. She showed up here in late June and was fat, shiny and swoll. Classic QH muscle and a big fat ass. Her owner was paying me to work on her attitude and skills (I will go into that at a later time) so she was getting ridden 3xs week and was on 24/7 turnout. She bleached out in summer, but never sropped an ounce and continued to build a topline and her manners throughout the summer.

Ass

He then couldn't afford to pay me to train, so she stopped getting ridden around, you guessed it Oct. He also barely came around, maybe 3xs month, so she was just sittin pretty in the pasture.

In November I started to noticed a steady decrease in her topline (muscle loss) and ribcage (fat) and switched her over to SafeChoice Senior and added CoolCalories into her rations. She also still had full access to pasture and twice daily rations of hay in addition to pasture.

Near the end of November I gave all the horses round bales and 24 hr access to said round bales. They ate like champions, and I usually dole out a round bale every 2-3 weeks per horse. Lilly is known for her food mongering and can kill a round bale in 2 weeks pretty easily, by herself.

Lilly in July

By December, she had a fully wooly coat, seemed happy outside, and was still inhaling hay like it was her job. She still was not gaining weight on Senior/CC so I upped her grain, started adding alfalfa to her rations and hoped that would do the trick. Mind you, she wasn't getting ridden, AT ALL.

And here we are in January and I am DEEPLY concerned for this mare. Through the thick hair I can feel every rib, her backbone, hips and her quarters are sunken in. I'm guessing her body would be about a possible 3 maybe a hard 4 and that makes me want to cry. I am STUFFING her face everyday and she has not gained an ounce, and even seems to be losing. Hay belly does not count when I can feel every single on of her ribs. I stopped with the CoolCalories and tried something else called CocoSoya. I've heard nothing but good things about it, especially with hard keepers, so both the beasts get it in their grain after a lot of research.

Even before we talked about transferring ownership, I refused to let a horse in my care dwindle in body condition. I feel like I've done everything I can and I don't know what else to do.

Lilly this morning. 

I've dealt with Senior horses MANY times in the past and haven't has this much trouble keeping them in healthy condition through the winter. Hell. Shes not even THAT fucking "old". Granted, we had a few weeks of HORRIBLE weather, but really the winter has been mild. I have a few ideas of other options but considering I am literally feeding her everything I can, I don't know what else to do in the way of food.

Here's where bullet points help.

• Blanket her. I tried letting her have her thick coat and just "be a horse" but perhaps its time to blanket the mare. I'm worried she will overheat, so maybe clipping her chest and neck will give her a vent. I'm wondering if she's expending all her calories on staying warm, even though she has a huge furry coat.
• Ride her. Worried riding will expend even more calories, but I know that with OTTBs they gain weight the more you ride. Especially muscle. I've never had issues with any QH being underweight, but they were also in moderate work. Lilly has been just sitting around eating and pooping.
• Change feed again. I am a HUGE proponent of label reading and did not make the switch to Senior lightly. But perhaps she needs what Bacardi is eating, because he is a slick, fat, happy horse RN.
• Stable her at night. Since she's been on the property, she's mostly been on 24/7 turnout. Only time I've ever brought her inside was for inclement weather and I mean like, tornadic events or freezing rain/crazy winds. Otherwise she PREFERS to be outside. She really doesn't like a stall. (Neither of my current horses do actually)

I'm really at a loss here. Shes UTD on shots, teeth and deworming. I've exhausted all my brain thinking and need to recruit other brains.

Am I worrying too much? Is she just "old" and having a hard time and will bounce back in spring with grass and more riding? Or do you have any suggestions on what else to do?

HALP.

Uhhh dorable

Blog Hop: Fitness

What better way to continue on the new year goal train than to hop on with the rest of my blogging friends! Herro Blog Hop! Theres no better way, actually. Its the best way.

I would like to say however, that I have yet to clean my tack...but thats irrelevant-ish here (THANK YOU for all the WDW responses by the way! So helpful!)

Tracy from Fly On Over was the origin, to my understanding, but I've also read many other posts and felt the urge to join in.

Because accountability.

And since I'm still sore from riding my beast on Tuesday, its safe to say I have fallen off the exercise wagon. HARD.

No one is this happy to work out

Granted, Bacardi was LITERALLY the worst animal in existence on Tuesday, and I am not fucking exaggerating, but I haven't been sore in YEARS from riding. So that was a wake up call.

A picture of us

Could be the twisting, explosions, bucking and rearing fits that had me hanging on for dear, sweet life (thighs of steel yo), but still, sore? From riding? Please.

A couple of posts ago I had admitted that I am the absolute worst at sticking with goals or being motivated. The actual worst. And that is especially true for the gym. No matter how hard I picture an insanely hot, toned bikini body, it cant make me get up at 5AM for more than a few months. No matter how much I know that extra plate will go straight to my ass will prevent me from stuffing my face like a true American glutton. Its a real problem.

There for a while when I began my real person job, I joined a Crossfit gym and woke up regularly at 5am to gym before work. CF was a very love/hate type of relationship. I actually grew to like the cult gym and the CF workouts & learned all "CF talk", even though I wanted to die while doing them. Like I actually prayed my heart would explode so I wouldn't have to be shamed into finishing a WOD. Dont get me started on the PR talks and protein drink obsessions those people have. But seriously, CF was a great kick in the ass and I lost like 9 lbs and got ripped and really strong. And then the holidays came and I stopped going and kept eating because I am a fat fat fatty.

Nothing made me do work like CF though. Nothing. I hated it every fucking second, but the coaches made me do shit and I got shit done. It was an hour of hell, but so worth it. I would really like to go back, actually, because I apparently like to be tortured... but I know getting back into shape is just so painful and I dont wanna *pouty face*. But I also know that I will not make myself do anything at a regular gym. I need my ass kicked.

Luckily, thanks to good genes and a generally good diet, I can get away with sedentary lifestyle in winter. Barely. I definitely am getting some grandma flapper arms and a little more booty in the back.

I say "generally" good diet because on the weekdays I eat so clean its sad. Like, it actually hurts my soul. And I've eaten more plain chicken and veggies than I care to ever eat again. BUT, it is extremely good for you and since my mom is like, the healthiest person alive (not even joking) the worst food we have in the house is canned soup. I was raised on no soda, so I hate it, and barely any bread, cereal, chips or anything bad really ( I DO love carbs though). So 5 days a week I eat really great (a plus when living with the rents) but when The Boy and I get together its a total shitfest. Pizza, burgers, fries and Taco Bell. MMMMMM GET IN ME. Its terrible. We always say "we need to stop eating out", because a) expensive and b) terrible but we cant stop.

Its time.

Riding has usually kept me in pretty good shape, but since its winter and I'm not doing much of that....

My "fitness and health" goals for Feb:
1) Nix alcohol (a thing The Boy and I are trying)
2) Only 2 "eat-out" meals on weekends, the rest need to be groceries. Out of 6 meal possibilities, 2 isn't terrible. Plus I really like pizza, Okay?
3) CF or gym 3x's week MIN. And actually do something at said gym if its not CF. (this will be the hardest)
4) Ride 3x's a week at least, beneficial for everyone

PS I made some changes to my blog again because I have background ADD, let me know if something isnt working. I don't think the mobile app is connected right/ working because its all black on my app. Hopefully its working for y'all

What Do Wednesday: Tack Edition

As we all are well aware, there is not much to do in winter in the ways of riding unless you live in the south (I hate you bitches!). If you're like me, you become a giant slug that doesn't get anything started because why bother.

I decided to put an end to all that because no one likes slugs, especially unproductive ones. So going along with the "New Year" motivation garbage, I made some mini goals for my winter equestrian endeavors, sans riding.

Like making blanket hooks. Check. Clean chicken coop. Check. Organize back half of barn. Check. Organizing feed bins and labeling properly/updating feed list. Check.

#organization

And cleaning tack.

And then I remembered its winter and everything is frozen, including my saddle soaps.

So whilst they're defrosting in my house into a useable consistency I figured I would bang out a post about tack cleaning.

My mind tends to wander endlessly when there are no distractions and so I began to think about my love/hate relationship with cleaning tack.

I rarely do it for one. I am a seriously bad tack whore. I think it stems form the fact that growing up I owned worthless pieces of leather that no amount of cleaning could glamify and no amount of drowning in conditioner could soften. So I just didn't do it.

Enter Pony Club.

We ALL know how that goes. You're basically considered useless if there's a speck of dirt anywhere on you, your tack or your horse. Practically impossible to succeed at any of that and only solidifying that tack cleaning was worthless and futile.

After PC, I continued to not care. I also still owned nothing of worth. Almost all my shit was pleather, including my saddle, so I just hosed it off when it got sweaty. None given.

I think my parents were trying to teach me something by not just giving me everything I wanted, like shiny, soft, pliable, nice leather goods, even though they could easily afford it (thank you rents).... but teenage me hated it.

Then, I tuned 16, my mother was deployed, and she gifted me a drool worthy dressage bridle from GER as apologies for missing such a monumental b-day.

Yankee modeling fancy bridle like a Sir (bridle is 8 yrs old in this pic)

This changed my tack cleaning ways forever. Kind of.

Once I started making my own money and buying nicer pieces of tack, I also took better tried taking better care of it because HOLY GOD was it expensive.

FFW through college and into present day, I now own all mediocre brand, real leather, second hand tack that I love to death but also take TERRIBLE care of. I am the worst.

I don't know why its so hard for me to clean my fucking tack but it is. I put it off. And off and off and off. I HATE sticky fingers and more than normal dirty nails. I despise having to change clothes just to clean tack.  I hate the mess. I hate nasty tack sponges. I hate tack hooks. I hate scrubbing bits. It requires so much effort ...and its just a PITA.

Jesus, what first world problems.

But seriously, my main issue has always been finding a product thats easy to use and does the job. WHAT in the hell do you use? What is best? WHY? WHO KNOWS THESE ANSWERS?!

In college I had a BO who made us clean our tack after every use. She had reallllllly nice leather cleaner from GER, but I could never afford that shit so I just used Leather New. Doesn't do a very good job.

Then I moved barns and it was the dustiest place on earth and cleaning tack was basically pointlesss. So I rarely did.

I dabbled with Horseman's OneStep for a while when I did my semi-annual cleanings, and found I like that best for quick wipe downs but nothing gets tack shinier and cleaner than regular tack soap and water. But then, for crying out loud, you have to condition it too. MANY PRODUCTS. HOW DO. So I just get stuff from TSC and call it a day.

My main WD question is what brand of tack cleaner do you use? AND how often do you clean yours? (And how do you make yourself do it)
Since I haven't cleaned anything of mine since, oh, September, don't feel embarrassed if its equally as shameful. Spill it!! What do?

Feed me your secrets. 

New Beginnings & All That Shit

I guess I've put it off long enough. Its time. Its my birthday, which signifies January is half over and it really is a new year. Time to be an adult and do shit.

2015 goals.

Win all the blues.

I hate doing a goals list. A New Year does not magically freshen up your life and make things a brand new start.

Just...no.

Its simply a continuation of the same life, just with different numbers on your checks and bank statements.

I never make resolutions. I get annoyed when other people do. People rarely keep them. Like I'm glad they're all for bettering themselves but a New Year does not signify the start of that. I'm more along the line of thinking "Just try and keep your shit together, like, all the time".

keeping our shit together

That all sounds really negative and I'm not trying to make that impression. I just hate how frisky everyone gets over resolutions. Sure, I love watching the ball drop and popping champagne on NYE, but its still the same after that. THATS why I've been avoiding it.

But everyone actually needs goals. Especially if you have a seriously green OTTB on your hands.

future event horse right hurr

I also put it off because I really didn't know what 2015 had in store for us. I still don't really know, but I at least I have a real person job with reliable paychecks, and I don't think I'm moving. At least not within the next 6 to 8 months. I would love to go south & leave all this winter fuckery behind for good, but one needs a savings account first.

So with that, my tentative 2015 goals go a little like this....

But seriously. I can't afford more than probably 3 or 4 sanctioned events. maybe not even that considering they cost a cool grand for the whole weekend when its all said and done.

So my plan is to get B out to some local schooling shows early in the year. First show anywhere close to me is in April. So thats the first goal.

First first would actually be to like, RIDE.

Back when I actually showed 

I'm hoping in a few weeks the world will thaw and I can travel to the indoor a few times a week [lets be realistic, once a week] to get some solid jump schooling under our belts.

B is still SUPER UBER green over fences and I havent really done much jumping in oh, about a fucking year.

Once and IF that all happens, I will feel better about spending money on shows.

Hoping to do one schooling show every other weekend. Because who knows how he will behave off the property.

Then my next goal is to make our eventing debut at Midsouth HT. Its always been one of my favorites and its super close to me and at the end of June, so gives us plenty of time to prepare. If thats isn't disastrous, I was hoping to also compete at Champagne Run and Hagyard Team Challenge. I don't know if baby brain will be ready since those are end of the year shows, but I love those events. We might also hit up Jump Start, because also excellent.

With Bacardi, I just want him to stay in the ring and go over most of the jumps without mishap. Maybe later I can nail down more specific goals like, low 30s dressage tests and double clear XCs. But I'm trying to be realistic.

At home, it would be awesome if I could get some real lateral work down pat with him. Also, super clean canter departs. If I could nit pick his trot, it would be to work on maintaining proper carriage for more than half a lap- he tends to get heavy in my hands. I mean, have you seen the set of shoulders on that guy? I would also love to dabble more in his flying changes too.

So to recap
1. Lateral work
2. Proper carraige
3. Canter departs
4. Tentative flying changes

1a. April schooling show-don't die
2a. May schooling shows-more not dying
3a. June USEA show- stay in the ring, no refusals
4a. End of year sanctioned events.

Not a very decisive goals list, but its a start

What Do Wednesday: Vacations

I know what you're thinking. 

Beaches, skiis or other vacationing destinations in winter. But I'm not talking human vacations. Vacations of the equine variety.

Horses be like

I stumbled upon THIS article on FB while trying to distract my brain from not being able to ride and found it interesting and thought provoking and definitely worthy of picking my blogging friends brains.

If you don't feel like or can't for some reason or another (mobile app is weird sometimes) I shall sum it up for you...

Written by the all knowing and godlike, Denny Emerson, this article touches on his life in the earlier years and how its drastically changed for the worse (surprise surprise). Post WWII, apparently EVERYONE gave their horses the winter off because no one could afford to build indoors or travel south. In general, horses got about 2 months off, completely, a year. Northern riders gave their horses the worst parts of winter off. The Southerners would give their horses the worst part of summer off. Denny remarks on how nowadays, it seems most (especially top level horses) are shown 12 months a year, with no real big breaks, with southern migrations being a prominent factor. Obviously not the best thing for horses. He then highlights & generalizes 3 different types of riders and what they have to offer "vacation" wise for their horses and it brings up great points.

-->"There are enormous difference of opinion about what kinds of time off are most beneficial to equine athletes  Some advocate the old fashioned idea of "let him be a real horse..get muddy and dirty...pull his shoes and chuck him in a field for 2 months"
-->"Others advocate keeping horses in some form of constant work 12 months a year...if you were a human athlete in good shape would you go sit in a chair for months?"
--> There are other riders ..who advocate several mini-vacations a year. If a horse has been built up to a peak of fitness...the week following a race or show should be limited work to let the horse recover both physically and mentally, as a way of "recharging the batteries"

 I couldn't really tell if he was more for "mini" vacationing or larger breaks, but I know I formed an opinion based off my opinion and experiences in the sport.

As always, before I officially ask, I have to share my side of WDW.

I go with Option 3.

I've never competed at the peak level of any sport, so I have no real pull in any direction when it comes to a certain level of fitness and performance.

That being said, if I were at the top, I would still have the same opinion.

Even at the lower levels, horses/ riders are learning, schooling and drilling and at some point they need a rest. I know with OTTBs especially, their little brains can explode easily and little bits of downtime can be extremely beneficial in mitigating serious meltdowns. In addition, joint & muscle health is  serious concern at any level!

Even when I was showing pretty regularly (1-2 events a month and schooling shows every weekend) I would ALWAYS give my horse 2 FULL days off after a show, 1 easy day back and then school hard for 2.

I will say though I am NOT a fan of throwing horses out into a field to "just be a horse". I try my damndest in winter to continue some sort of "let down" work going (hacks, long and low flat sessions, trails) and same in winter when the temps soar. Like Denny's article said, you wouldn't take a human athlete and sit them down in a chair for 3 months and then bring them back. The yo-yo-ing of getting in peak form, letting down and coming back., I think is WORSE than staying in relatively good condition all year with "mini" breaks ( in the form of a few days off a week, or a week here and there off). Coming from someone who yo-yo's herself, I can tell you its not the greatest. I am either a fat turd or ripped.

While I wish and dream of GA or FL winters, I know its saving me oodles of cash in travel expenses and boarding costs. I could go on about this topic nd the direction that the sport of eventing is heading, but ya'll would get bored with all the words.

So dear readers, What Do? Specifically, you and your horses, or your general opinions on the 3 different general situations. Do you throw them in a field to chill? Do you try your best to battle mother nature and get some work done? Do you migrate?

Tell me your secrets!