by Bricole Reincke | …

by Bricole Reincke | Equestrian,…

by Bricole Reincke | Equestrian,…

I Hope I am Back to Riding Again

I had not had a lesson for two whole months. I had not ridden for over 5 weeks. Such is my life in the times of winter and the Covid-19 super-spreader events and resulting surges of cases. The holiday period has passed, the insurrection at the US Capitol ended, we have a new President in the USA (YEAH!!!) and maybe, just maybe, effective action now will be taken…

by Bricole Reincke | Horse Care,…

After taking two months off since my rotational fall, I got back in the saddle once for a nice, quiet ride across the now empty farm fields that stretch along the ridge behind the barn. I didn't even think of going into the sand ring. We just had a nice, calm walk and no excitement, no trotting, no workout. He skirted around the fallen trees from the wind-storms and we didn't go into the forest because of the fallen trees in the forest. We probably wouldn't have gone in anyway because I…

Christmas Books

I did not get to ride this week. Part of the reason is that I am being super cautious about the Covid-19 pandemic, and the other reason is that, for once, winter came to NC just after the Winter Solstice. It is 20º F here right now at 9:30 AM. No snow, just bitter cold.…

A “Second Opinion”?

Winter has arrived, at least for now.

Horses tend to get a little friskier when the winter comes, even if the temperature at that day is not terribly cold. With the changing daylight hormones change, and the shorter daylight hours may bring up instinctive ancestral memories of cold weather=increased…

Finally, a Lesson

When Thanksgiving, with all the travel and massing of people happened, I realized that it would be best for me to keep away from Debbie's rather large boarding/lesson stable for two weeks. This did not please me at all, Debbie gives me really effective physical therapy, telling me when I start losing track of my limbs and making sure that I keep my base of support on…

I'm Grateful I Got to Ride at All

I called Debbie last Tuesday to tell her I would not be riding at her stable this week. I am paranoid about her boarders/lesson students not being careful with Covid-19 preventive measures, a valid concern since I am usually the only person wearing a mask at the stable. I told Debbie I was following the news, and if her clients had been Liberal Democrats I…

It is snowing today. It snowed like this exactly one month ago, which saved my life. I'll explain.

On the day after it snowed, I went for our usual training, some trotting over cavaletti, some canter - stop - turn on haunches - canter again; nothing we haven't done a dozen times before.

But suddenly Oakley decided he'd had enough and threw his nose in the air, then reared. He went up, then slipped, and, before I could get out of the saddle, he was above me, and we both landed…

Then Cider Changes Her Mind

It is getting into the odd season down here. I was just starting to get ready for my lesson on Wednesday when Debbie called, she had a sinus infection and she told me that one of her boarders had tested positive to Covid-19. With Thanksgiving being the next day and all the people coming into the barn I decided it was best for me to stop riding at my lesson barn for a…

Cider Finally Gives Me What I Want

For the last few years Cider has had problems going down-slope. This was very obvious on one side of the ring next to the fence, she would increase her flinching, slow down and pick her way carefully down the slope. She was not happy about it but she is a good mare and did her best to obey my aids even when her front leg joints protested.…

I see a big difference between how people on the internet claim to train their dog and in real life.

Online most people say to only train their dog with positive reinforcement (treats, praise, affection etc). Comments under any video that is only close to correcting a dog contain words as 'abuse' and 'should not have a dog', often much worse than that.



However at the park and in the homes of my friends I see many different methods. Most people in…

Nothing Much Happening

Except for a good bit of rain and being sort of sick.

I did get a few rides in, fortunately, though I did not have much endurance because of whatever it was that I had. I even got two lessons with Debbie!

The first lesson, on MJ of…

Sogginess and Wind Gusts

This week we had to deal with the outlying rain bands of Tropical Storm Zeta, and then the storm itself came through. The river is full, the creeks are full, and the earth goes squish when we walk on it.

I got Debbie for my teacher this week. She has been busy the last few weeks getting herself and…

Cider Said “Yes”!

When I called Shannon last Saturday night to see if I could ride on Sunday I excitedly told her that I finally had a double bridle made up for Cider. I asked if I could introduce Cider to it, and Shannon said yes! She told me she had never used a double bridle herself, and had not used one on a horse, and she was eager to see how it all worked. I warned her we would probably…

Sam Agrees About my Lower Leg

I just got my lesson in this week since we have been having plentiful rain at times.

Debbie was going off on a trail ride when I got to the stable so Tercel was out in the hall. I went up to say hi to him, and Debbie told me he had turned 20 years old. Apparently, from what Debbie has told me,…