This, That, and the Other

Mckenna has her PPE scheduled for Wednesday and I've seriously considered wrapping her head to toe in bubble wrap. I haven't done a whole lot with her this week, the weather has been awful; windy, rainy, and cold. Even with the indoor it's not exactly weather I want to ride in.

I've slowly, nor not so slowly, started perusing DreamHorse and may or may not have set an appointment to go look at a horse when I visit my cousin in NorCal at New Years. A little premature but hey, a girl's got to do something when it's 38* outside with 30mph winds and sideways rain.

Finger and Toes

My friend's client came to try McKenna yesterday. I had had a short and sweet lesson in the morning but we figured the mare would have plenty of energy to go twice. My friend BS got on her first, to show McKenna off and so I could see her ride her. She's ridden the mare a couple of times when I was on vacation and it's always nice to see it.

Unfortunately the mare was a bit of a twit and was getting upset with BS. I think part of it was "You're not mom!" and part of it was that BS was getting after her about things I don't. But McKenna has to learn how to handle other riders. The client, a 16yr old girl who is currently eventing novice/moving up to training, wasn't discouraged at all and eagerly climed up.  She was a very soft rider and McKenna seemed to like her. The mare was a bit jazzed and took off a couple times but the girl handled it really well. Apparently her mare is a huge bucker and she's got the ultimate sticky seat. 

I was slightly pissed at the antics the mare pulled but as I was untacking her the girls mom started talking to about scheduling a pre purchase exam. I guess the girl likes fiesty horses and already loved McKenna. So they'll call their vet tomorrow and hopefully we can schedule the PPE this week. I'm currently crossing all fingers and toes and praying to the gods of PPE!!

She is Herself

In the days after Phoenix was put down I was pretty numb. I had things planned and friends to take me out, but all I wanted was time alone with my horse. I wanted to just sit in the saddle, dink around, and generally not do a whole hell of a lot. I got on McKenna three or four days after that day and I know I can't expect that kind of ride out of her. She's just not that type of horse, especially after almost a week off at that point. But I had a lesson scheduled for the next day and figured I should maybe prep for it.

I turned her out while I did her stall and then lunged her before getting on. She didn't play as much as she usually does and was actually really quiet on the lunge line. I got on thinking that maybe, just maybe, on the day I needed it most she would be that quiet easy ride. We walked around on the buckle and picked up a pretty poky trot. She was soft in my hand, just putzing along and I started to relax. Then we came around the corner and she took off like a bat out of hell. We circled back around at the walk and again she bolted out of the corner. Brought her down again and came back to it and she started to go up. I called her some very, very bad names and jumped off. Put her back on the line where she proceeded to try and relive her racing days. I'm not proud of it, but I might have let my anger and grief get to me and chased her a bit with the lunge whip. 

She ran for a solid 15mins and ended up blowing and covered in sweat. Some part of me was grateful that I had clipped her the week before but most of me was furious that she wasn't Phoenix. The ONE day I needed an easy ride and she turns into crazy mare. Luckily the fury had me fired up and not in tears so I got back on and proceeded to immediately put her to work. Lateral work, transitions, changes of direction, serpentines, circles....you name it we did it. It wasn't our best work ever but I got a good 20mins w-t-c out of it. 

Over the past few weeks we've had some good rides and some like the ones above. It still saddens me that she's not Phoenix or Buddy, that she's not the solid broke horse that can take care of me when I need it most. After having her for two years I would have thought we would be past this point. But it has cemented the fact that I want her gone; that she's NOT the horse for me. I have been going back and forth because she is an awesome horse but not MY awesome horse.  I've come way down in her price, basically taking offers at this point. I do have two people wanting to see her this weekend, one of which is my friend's student which would be great because I'd could keep tabs on her. 

It's weird thinking that I won't have a horse of my own once she sells. I've either leased or owned a horse for almost 16yrs straight, and 6 of those I had multiple horses at a time. I still have goals and want to show; I don't want to take a break even if part of me thinks I should. But I need something more like Buddy or Phoenix. I need that steady eddy, not a wild child. 

Hi There!

Not much as has happened in the month or more that I haven't been blogging.  Some really good rides on the mare, some not so good rides.  We were sticking with our once a week jumping lesson for a solid month but have gotten off the rails for the past couple weeks.  First it was super hot, like 108* hot, then the mare was sore, then she got better and I took dressage lesson, and now she's sore again.  But it looks like she blew an abscess in her right front and the farrier will be out tomorrow to take a look at her.

New fav pic of McKenna

I have had two teen girls out to look at her.  One really liked her, but I was worried that she was too inexperienced of a rider for McKenna, but I haven't heard from her in a couple weeks so..... I have really lowered her price because I'm at the point where I want her gone now.  I don't want to have to keep pouring money into her, I'm going on vacation and I feel guilty having her sit and asking a friend to take care of her, and most importantly I'm starting a new job on the 14th (the day after getting back from NY) with increased hours so I'm not sure what my new schedule will be.  It feels like this will be a good time for a whole new start.

The plus side is that I'm super, super, super happy about the new job and can.not.wait! to leave my current one.  I know a lot of my lack of riding/blogging/general unhappiness is due to stress from my job.  I fully expect stress and issues at the new one but it can't be as bad as where I am now.  And it's going to shave 30mins of my commute each way so that almost equals out the extra hours.

A good 95% of our field rides look like this.  Whoa crazy mare!

I was starting to do some ride on Tia, including three or four really nice and relaxing field rides with friends, until she came up lame and wouldn't work out of it.  We had the vet out and she was very reactive on her suspensory.  Our vet doesn't have a mobile ultrasound so we didn't see what was going on but he felt like it wasn't something major, probably a strain.  She never had any heat or swelling in the leg and was only slightly more lame then she normally is when she first starts out.  She's on 15mins of walking with twice daily Surpass for another week and then we'll recheck.  If she's not better we'll take her in for the ultrasound.  The plan was after I sell McKenna to lease Tia thru the winter but we all know how the best laid plans with horses usually turn out.

This is Supposed to be Fun, Right?

Riding is supposed to be fun. We all love horses and find great enjoyment from being around them. That's why we spend thousands of dollars, and pour our blood, sweat, and tears into this sport. But what happens when its no longer fun?

Part of my silence lately has been because, for me, riding McKenna is not fun. I love her on the ground; she's sweet, cuddly and has so much personality. But under saddle she intimidates me. She's hot and bold, and at times feels like a ticking time bomb. For the most part riding her is hard work and not something I enjoy.

For the past few months I've gone back and forth about selling her. Why keep subjecting myself to something I don't like when I'm going broke doing it? And it's not fair to her to be trained by a nervous amateur who's afraid and scared. She has so much potential and I'd never tap into all of it.

So yesterday the mare was put up on DreamHorse and a few Facebook groups. A couple friends have mentioned that they know people looking, including her former owner so I'm hopeful that she'll go someplace where I can get updates on her. I am more concerned about where she goes than price. She needs a confident rider that can bring her up, not someone like myself.

I'm in no rush to sell her and will continue on as we have been till she's sold. And then the search will begin for the next pony.