First ride

It has been a long time since I rode, probably last September sometime, before Sinwaan broke my leg in the AHA halter class. This weekend Ruth and Heather agreed to come out to the barn where I board Sinwaan so we could all ride together. I was really glad to have their company because one thing I have learned is that Sinwaan is a much better-behaved horse with company. He prefers to follow, and when he has someone to follow that works out well.

I got there a little earlier so I put Sinwaan in the round pen and worked on walking and stopping. He did great so I brought him in and started grooming him. Just then I heard the trailer pull in so the girls had great timing! We all got tacked up and were ready to go at the same time. Sinwaan's girth was only 1 hole bigger also. I wasn't sure how much weight he might have gained with all this time off but apparently it wasn't much. And it was closer to only being 1/2 hole bigger but I didn't want to make it too tight. He practically threw his head into the bridle, I think he's missed our riding time together.

I also put his red front boots on him since he is currently unshod. I was glad he had been trimmed recently, they went right on without too much fuss.

I was a little worried about getting back in the saddle, but I used an overturned bucket as a mounting block and popped right up. Yeah! Man it felt good to be aboard again.

We headed down Elliot and we walked until we got to the turn, then we did some trotting to the railroad crossing. We walked more to the dirt road and then did more trotting. It was getting warm but while trotting we had a nice breeze. It was a fantastic ride.

I could tell Sinwaan was out of shape because when I would ask for him to transition to a canter from the trot he would stumble on his hind end. He also was slowing down on the way home, instead of speeding up like he usually does.

The hardest part for me of the whole day was getting that last boot off. The first boot was not as tight and popped off pretty easily. The second boot, man, I had to really work at it and I was glad that Sinwaan was cooperative!

It was fairly hot by then so I hosed Sinwaan down before turning him back out in his paddock. The first thing he did was go and find a good spot to roll. What a pig! He looked comfortable and I was thrilled to have finally taken him out for a ride again.

Easing back into barn time

Well it's been a very long time but I finally found myself at the barn again. Chad was scheduled to meet me at 1 pm for a farrier appt. I got out there a little early so I turned Sinwaan out in the paddock surrounding the round pen so he could nibble on some greenery. In the meantime I scrubbed out his water tank and started refilling it. In no time at all I heard a truck coming up the driveway so I went out and caught Sinwaan and brought him in. I didn't notice the time then, but when Chad was done with the trim it was only 1:07 so he must have been pretty early. While Sinwaan was getting his feet trimmed, I worked on detangling his mane again. It sure gets knotted up! I gave him a good grooming, trimmed his bridlepath as best I could with scissors (it looks terrible but works) and then we went out to the round pen for a little refresher. Well Sinwaan started out at the trot like he always does but wasn't as frantic about it as I remember him being when I first started working him when he arrived on western soil. It didn't take too long and I had him walking both directions and stopping on command. Good enough! I took him out of the round pen and held his lead so he could hand-graze on some grass...he earned it today. I am looking forward to the day when I can climb back aboard. Seems our one endurance ride for this season might be cancelled, so there goes my motivation to really get him in shape quickly, but we can still enjoy some rides with Ruth once I am ready.

Leisurely Sunday

Sunday the weather was beautiful. I wish I could have been out riding. A grooming shall have to do... the family accompanied me out to the barn and while Levi chased cats, I gave Sinwaan his spring cleaning. Now that spring has sprung, he is shedding out, I could have made a sweater with what came off of him from just a quick brushing. He was looking good today, no more signs of gas or whatever that problem was a couple days ago. His mane was all in knots again but came out easier this time. His feet looked good but he will be needing a trim shortly. I trimmed his bridle-path as his mohawk was getting quite unruly. Having only scissors it doesn't look fantastic but it will have to do for now.

My mom had given me two boxes of apples so we took one out to the barn for everyone to enjoy. Sinwaan does love apples. It was nice to spend some time with him again, though limited.

False alarm?

Had a bit of a scare last night. I went out and tossed Sinwaan some hay and he was in his usual spot, behind his shelter socializing with the stud colts. He came around and took a bite, so I went to the opposite run and looked for Norman. In the time it took me to do that I noticed that Sinwaan was acting strange. He was turning around in circles and his tail was lifted slightly. He was obviously agitated and not eating (not like him).

I went and fed the stud colts and Garreth, and came back to check on him again. He was down on his knees with his rear up in the air. He was acting like he wanted to lay down but couldn't. So I went into the tack room and called the vet. My first concern was colic and the sooner we could get him help the better his chances would be. Well it was after hours and there was another number to try. That was an answering service but I had to leave a message. I do not have a cell phone and do not answer the owner's phone at the barn so I left a message that I would try back again in 10 minutes. I went to check on Sinwaan again and he was backed into a corner next to his water tank and the railing, standing still. Hmmm.

I knew I still had chores to do so I went out and fed the other six horses on the other side of the property. I was looking around for Jen because I had seen her going out on a ride as I pulled in. She works at the vet clinic that I frequent and perhaps would have some advice, or at least a stethoscope so I could listen for gut sounds and heart rate. Checking on Sinwaan again he was quiet now but still not eating. So I got back in the truck and told Matt to drive around and look for Jen (it was dark out by now). Just as we made the turn around the driveway I saw her coming in. She came over with me to take a look at Sinwaan and what do you know, he is acting normal as ever, eating away on his hay pile. Jen said she would be out there another 20 min and would check on him again before she left.

I went home and then at midnight before bed, we drove back out to check on him. He was standing in his shelter, sleeping. I tossed him a little more hay and he dove into it with his usual gusto. I am not sure what to make of this mystery.

This morning when I went out to feed he was his usual hungry self and acting as normal as could be. I am relieved that he did not need treatment last night but wish I could have had some answers to what was going on with him. :-/ ...puzzled....

Out at the barn

Monday I was home sick from work and starting to have cabin fever. It was a nice enough day so I decided to run a couple errands with Levi to get us both out of the house and into the sunshine. On our list of things to-do was to stop by and visit Sinwaan and feed him some carrots.

It was a busy evening at the barn. Jennifer had just left on Phoebe, I could see her riding out across the barren field. One of Garreth's owners was there with him in cross-ties, with a boom box blaring sound effects. Barking dogs, a crowd, fireworks, trying to desensitize him (I guess) as he is still a young horse.

We went out to Sinwaan's paddock and he had drug his salt block base over into the mud so I went over and put that back on his mat under the shelter and then dug his salt block out of the manure. Not sure if he will have any interest in it now but I couldn't very well leave it there.

Levi watched with great interest as I showed him how to feed a horse - it's tricky to feed a round treat on a flat palm!! I offered to let him feed a carrot a couple times but he was shy, or nervous, about those big teeth. He did want to pet Sinwaan and got in a couple of pats on his face and neck. Not sure if he'll be a natural little cowboy or not. "Sinwaan eat carrots mama!"

Dirty horse

Well it's been ages but I finally got out to the barn today. I did not plan on riding, but with the current season being as it is, I figured Sinwaan would be a muddy mess and might enjoy a good grooming. So that is all I did. He stood behind his shelter, peeking at me from the crack as I cleaned his run, then when I came back in with a halter he finally did walk over to me once he saw my commitment at stepping into the MUD. Yuk. Silly horse. I was hoping he would save me that part. He sure has a sense of humor sometimes.

I opened up the barn doors and let the sunshine in, tying him up at the end so he could stand partially outside if he wanted to continue his sunbathing. It didn't take long and I was peeling off my coat! I was brushing him in just a t-shirt and it felt great. He was FILTHY. He had multiple knots in his mane again but after soaking with detangler I was able to get them loose. I spent the most time on that probably. His mane has grown down past his neck now.

I spent about an hour away from the house. If I had more time I might have been tempted to bathe him, but Matt wanted his turn outside on the motorcycle so I made my way home.

Maybe tomorrow I will get out there to work him in the round pen...? It will depend on the weather and the footing. It's still a bit too wet today even with all the sun.

PNER Convention

This weekend was the PNER convention in Portland, OR. Sinwaan was fortunate enough to be awarded the Rookie Senior Horse of the Year for completing three consecutive rides. I imagine in past years the competition for this award has been tougher but I was really thrilled by both the acknowledgement and the actual award.

Carlene Bensen is the sponsor for this award and personally called me before convention to ask me about color preferences (red of course) and if I would be there to receive it. At the time I was not planning on going but since she called me and I had an award, I got the plan in motion to go.

Matt and Levi and even mother joined me in driving over Friday after work. We always look forward to a chance to spend time with brother Wes and wife Joanie.

Saturday morning I attended the seminar about the Top Ten Mistakes Endurance Riders Make and I found it to be very informative. Afterwards I ran into Candy Schrader and had a very nice visit with her and talked a little with Ernie also as he came and went from the table.


Saturday night Matt and Levi and mother and I attended the awards banquet and I went up to receive the award from Carlene. They displayed a large photo of me on Sinwaan on the projector screen. I thought it was neat how they did this for most people, and during dinner there was also a slideshow of ride photos.

At our table were three ladies I did not know and had never heard their names before, and Laura Applegate and friend Robert. It was nice to meet Laura after so many months of e-mail correspondence.

It would have been fun to stick around and dance and listen to the DJ afterwards but Levi was not very agreeable to sitting still through the awards so Matt had to take him out to the lobby and chase him around for a couple of hours.

Thank you to PNER, Carlene, and my family and friends for their support in attaining this award.