Working on My Core Muscles

I did get a lesson this week on Wednesday with Debbie. I told her of my physical exhaustion from exercising too much on my Home Horse and that I would just be walking for my lesson.

MJ started off STIFF. Debbie told me that his leaser and her daughter rode him on Tuesday and I think he felt it in…

“I Want the YUMMY Hay!”

MJ has a fixation on timothy hay. He is outside in one of the grass paddocks that also has a big hay roll 24/7/365 so he always has something to eat. But to the refined tastes of MJ the hay in the big roll is inferior to the timothy hay from square bales. The stable workers spread flats from the timothy bales every day so the outside horses can get some, but MJ also…

Full Summer Arrives

Afternoon temperatures in the upper 90s F. High humidity. Merciless sunshine.

Crippling weather for us with MS.

Fortunately I ride as early in the morning as I can arrange with the stables, 8:00 AM or 8:30 AM. I wish I could ride…

As Summer Nears

It is getting warmer down here. This weekend starts a string of days at 90° F on up. On Wednesday for my lesson I had put on my protective vest, and after grooming and walking to the ring I took it off as I was just getting too warm. I did not even put it on for my ride on Friday. I am hoping to delay…

I Miss Riding

The COVID-19 shut down now looks like it may last for months, not weeks. I want to get close up to a horse to groom, I want to get close up to a horse by riding, and I want to get close to a horse by taking care of it after riding, but, alas, fate is dictating otherwise.

This is a true bummer!…

Weather Changes Impact my Position

When I was able to celebrate the New Years by riding a horse I was hoping that this would precede a winter full of riding. Of course Nature did not agree with my hopes and dreams.

At least I've had a lesson every week.…

Sam Gives Me a Lesson

Debbie could not give me a lesson this week since she went to the OTTB makeover to support one of her daughters who has been schooling an OTTB she bought. So Debbie's other daughter Sam gave me my lesson. This week I made sure to wear my ice vest and the heat did not affect me anywhere near what it did last week when I did not wear my ice vest.…

This Time Bingo Remembered

Earlier this week Bingo had a different rider, a rider different from me in many ways. His rider is a man that goes to Debbie's church and she had been telling him about Bingo and his handicapped rider, me. This man has cerebral palsy, disabled, unable to drive, and I don't think he had ever been on a horse before. Somehow this guy ended up with a Western saddle and…

Two Creaky Old Ladies

Yesterday I got to ride Mia. When I got to the stable the stable hands told me the Mia had hung around the barn UNTIL someone asked if I, Jackie, was coming. Mia immediately headed out to the furthest part of the pen she was in, out to the other side of the riding ring. Then they told me she had done the same thing earlier, hanging around the barn until someone mentions my…

Finally I am Riding Again

And it is SO GOOD to get back into the saddle!

I have just been walking because I got so weak while my cracked ribs healed. My entire body has to be brought back “on line” so I can ride safely and without irritating the horses. Right now walking the horse is the best thing I can do to get my body…

I Just Ride at a Walk Until I Get Heat Sick

The past three weeks I have been sick, again.  My digestive system has decided it does not like food and that it does not particularly want to digest food.  Between constant nausea and diarrhea that will not quit permanently, I have spent most of my time collapsed in my bed.  However, after one week in bed I ended up with horrible back spasms, so I have been trying to ride as much as possible, at a walk since I am so darn weak.  I am hoping…

The Drought is Over—At Least for Now

And all this rain is messing up my riding.

We were in a drought this summer, getting just enough rain to keep the grass growing somewhat and keep some of the crops from dying, but the ponds, lakes, streams and rivers were down several inches. Our local river, the Rocky River, lived up to…