So Much Excitement!

Hallelujah, Olivia has finally made her debut!!! :D I don't remember how much I've actually mentioned about this but, my boss/partner/trainer/barn manager/friend finally had her baby today. We have all been waiting soooo long to see her! I can only IMAGINE how Amanda has felt but I was starting to think she was never leaving the womb, hahaha. There's been so much anticipation with it being her first and a first for the barn as well. I got the stunning text at 4pm or so saying "Amanda is in labor. can you check the horses. Will let you know when Olivia arrives". So that was exciting in itself. I figured we had a pretty good wait ahead of us (I have no idea when she actually WENT into labor). Wrongo. 5:26pm ~ picture of brand new baby Olivia! And, she is of course, ADORABLE and looks just like her mom :) I can not wait to see her in person!

On to more somewhat exciting news (I mean, how can you top newborn baby, right?), I worked with Bubby Monday evening over some small cross rails. With the help of my friend Ali of course, haha. Who knew the Bubbers would actually take a liking to it??? Well, the little stuff had him really excited. When she set actual little X's up....let's just say neither of us were terribly thrilled. One, I reiterate, I have a terrible fear/anxiety associated with jumping. Thank you lousy, waste-of-a-whole-year-and-money "instructor" at Wilson >P BUT, on an upside, I have worked with Bubby enough and know his personality well enough that I do trust him to get me over it. As much as I appreciate what the Ol' One has taught me, I know he's going over the jump with or withOUT me....not always a totally comforting thought, haha. Besides, he and Christina are great jumping buddies. Who am I to ruin it?
Here is also where my good friend and I start to gently clash in training theories. One, we are schooling two very different green horses. One day I will devote part of a post to the differences in training OTTBs and OTSTBs. Two, I'm working with a fear I truly don't think she can understand. It's even rather hard to explain without me sounding uncharacteristically whiny. But it is what it is. I've battled it before and had minor victories. I know how to handle it, I just need TO handle it. Three, I know my horse inside and out, just as she knows hers. You don't own one for 10+ yrs and not. Down to the tiniest detail, I know his mood. Whether the tenseness is frustration or or pissiness. If the big trot is excitement or fear. You just know after a while. And I could feel him into some of the "bigger" (haha) cross rails he was not comfortable, it was too much, too soon. Some horses can handle that. Trust me, he doesn't do well with sudden change (sometimes, we are too alike in personalities, lol). I outright refused some of the true cross rails. I wasn't feelin' it. Did I mention he can read ME like a book??? Yeah, not a good combo.
So, we're going to take it slow. He prefers it, I prefer it. There. Settled. He's starting to try really jumping the teeny stuff. He needs to figure his legs out anyway, haha. the front end jumps, the back end trots. He likes it though :)

Oh, and we got our picture in the local paper today :) They were covering the MD Horse Census for 2010 and interviewed Amanda. They needed pictures so I ran out to the barn. I thought Bubby would be wore out but he was quite spunky. Could have been all that dang wind though! I've never had my picture in the paper before, lol. Whereas most of the rest of the fam has (normal sports stuff of course ;). Kinda cool....even if the paper chose the one where he was spooking away from the camera...think I can feel my ears burnin now, lol.

Til next time :D

I WIsh Mommy and Daddy Would Buy Me A Push Button Pony Too...

NOT! Don't you just love seeing some of the young "talent" coming up through the ranks. HA! Yeah, if my dad was a rock star, I guess I would have access to the really expensive, thoroughly broke HUNTER/"Jumper" horse too. What a laugh. Any discipline really. I have learned so much from the green and unbroke horses in my life, I can't imagine where my riding would be without them. It's hard to learn the concept of "seat" when yours is never tested. The theory's in riding are truly learned via green horse and good trainer. Combined. Well, my belief anyway, haha. But, how do you learn how to get THERE, if you never take a young horse through the motions??? Yeah, pet peeve much, lol?
All I know is that I bought my first horse for $600. I had the crappy tack for years because I couldn't afford anything else. I didn't have a trainer to work with the both of us because I didn't have a trailer. But I kept riding so one day hopefully I would get a chance to ride with someone and MAYBE one day we would compete. That was 10 years ago. And I get no bigger thrill than when we have a break through in our training or when we move up in our training.
Where's the thrill when it's just handed to you? Where's the feeling of accomplishment? Hey, maybe its just me. Really. But I don't get it. It's like having a blue ribbon just handed to you. I have 3 hanging in my room. And I don't count any of them. Why? Because there was no one in my class. AND my scores were less than desirable.
I don't want it handed to me. I want to earn it. Plain and simple.
And on that note, we had a very good ride yesterday. Almost slipping on ice and all, haha. Very forward, and TONS of impulsion. Love love love :D Not to mention, a DREAM over trot poles. He didn't raise his head over any of them. Tempo and rhythm did. not. change. Love love love love love!!! I can not wait for show season to start! He has come so far in his training the last few months it's unreal. The light bulb went off this winter, hahaha. Could you ask for a better partner? I think not ;D

Sometimes Its Truly Rewarding :)

So here I sit...kind of whining....kind of recooperating, haha. Business has been slow. Nothing unusual for the time of year. Most people get their horses' teeth done around the same time they have the vet out. Which, for this area anyway, is Spring/Summer. However, this week is kicking my butt a bit. Starting with last Friday.
Is it really hard to tell if a road is clear or not??? Oy. I love my little Honda. After having been told that the road was okay for me to come down, I turn down a road that no plow, at any point in time, EVER passed over. I truly didn't think I was getting out of there. My little car is good but not THAT good. Thank God it surprised me and me made it to and from the appointment! A very interesting appointment too. I thought I was pulling wolf teeth and floating 4 horses. Turns out, the one did not have wolf teeth (he had canines....not unusual for the first time horse owner, haha) and there were 2 horses, 2 ponies and 2 mini donkeys.....that does not add up to 4....just in case you didn't know.....lol. BUT, everyone is done every 6 months and are very good for the dentist...Well, except that damn pony. I'm thinking it a TMJ issue. He had HUGE ramps and small hooks on his 2nd premolars. So much so he had a WAVE on his incisors! How cool! How interesting! So, I'll be back this Spring to correct that and check on the ramps and hooks. The ramps he let me get...the hooks, HA! Little bugger. The points are gone but I couldn't get them fully >:/ After 30 minutes of getting drug around the stall and beat up in general, you just have to call it. Nothing is in his way anymore, its just not perfect. Oy. Just wait, little pony, just you wait.
Monday was long just because the appointment was 2 hours away. And my weekend was long. No, not that kind of long. Just on the go all day Saturday AND Sunday. Sleep? What's sleep? :P it was a good day though. I went back to a horse that we couldn't do a month ago. He was rescued by his current owners and lord only knows what his history is. he was underweight, malnutrition and still recovering from a car accident. When I pulled up Monday, I did not recognize him. He is GORGEOUS. Buddy is filled out, not limping hardly at all (from the accident) and has lovely conformation! Who knew! His owner is brand new to horses but she has a good friend who is helping her and they are taking fabulous care of this boy. Lucky, lucky boy he is :)
Yesterday...oh boy. First, we left 2.5 hours late due to ice. Then, getting to the barn on a driveway that can't really be plowed....good thing we left late, haha. The horse was a 17hh TB. Huge and super ADD. Hence, I have a few battle wounds as a result of "distractions". Yeah, grit on table floats WILL cut your palm open. In particular, when the equine makes a sudden movement upwards. Don't get me wrong, he was a good boy.....just easily distracted, lol.
That was one 1.5 hour drive South. We then headed another 1.5 hours East on an urgent call. Older horse suddenly dropping weight and overall declining in health. The vet thinking he has an infected tooth causing most if not all his issues. And, has been off his grain for the last few days. We weren't quite sure what we were getting into. Sometimes, we dentists can't resolve the problem. Sometimes its too late.
When we arrive, the old guy is in his stall. He was alert, which is always a good sign. But he was jaundice and had low, low blood pressure. Oy vey. The initial dose of sedative the vet had left wasn't enough. Again, somewhat of a good sign that he still has his opinions about him. So, we wait for the vet to come out to sedate more heavily. He has at least one tooth that needed to come out and was very very sharp. With the sedation, we got the first tooth out (note: first). Then, as I had ahold of the second, he went down. Crap. He backed into the corner, rested his hind and just laid down. Never worked on one laying down. First time for everything! The vet and his owner had to hold his head up but I got the other 2 bad teeth out and floated what teeth he had left. Turns out, his condition was a result of bad divorce. Great. To punish you ex, to take the horse and then don't take care of him. Nice. Real nice. Jackass. I hope we weren't too late for him. There's no way to know if the infection progressed to his other organs. He's back on antibiotics and his teeth no longer cause him pain. His owners are really pulling for him and I hope I hear from them soon that he's making a turn around. Time will tell I suppose. If nothing else, at least he'll leave knowing he was loved and appreciated. It just sucks that we may have been to late because someone was holding a grudge.

Til next time. Maybe I'll have news by then :)

The Ocala class started in the barn today....

Actually, they're probably still in the barn! Hey, my class was anyway. Jeez. I can't believe this time 3 months ago, my class was in the Equine Rescue Leagues barn doing a ton of incisor work and generally, just learning the ropes. So WEIRD! lol!
And speaking of school, specifically instructors, I talked to one of them last week. I got an offer to possibly do teeth in Georgia this Spring. Funny thing about dentistry....umm.....its not exactly legal in all states....yeeaaahhhh, wasn't sure about Georgia. So, talking with Hubert it was. He was my groups instructor the first couple days at the second rescue. Lets see. How to explain Hubert. Well, he's French, red headed, left handed and a Scorpio. His words, not mine ;) And what an interesting character he is. I don't think the man knows how to hold a conversation without a slew of curse words. Makes for a highly entertaining time to say the least. Remember I said about the van rides??? Anyone else ever had a conversation about the weirdest thing you ever ate? Sometimes it was hard being one of 2 girls in the van, hahaha. We won't go into the weirdest foods. Let's just say, he won....eww. And why wouldn't I mind being put into a headlock?? :-P Oh, and he likes to sing rap songs. Picture "Gettin Hot in Here" via French accent. Told you it was entertaining ;D
Anyway, back to the Georgia thing. Hubert works up and down the southern East Coast in the winter months. After the last few weeks, I completely understand. So, as I figured, it is "illegal" for anyone but a vet to work in the state. But, as he put it so eloquently, "Fuck that shit". Alrighty then! As I already, kind of, knew, there are a lot of EqDT's that work in "illegal" states. Quite frankly, there are only so many trained dentists (vet and non vet) and tons of horses. And owners realize that there are well trained dentists and completely untrained dentists (some vets included unfortunately).
What does this mean for me? Good question. I essentially need to be on my A-game. Nothing unusual, I tend to be a perfectionist (it does pay off sometimes ;). And I need to inform the owners and if need be, the vet or vets. Some vets are cool with, some are not. Whats the old saying "you never know until you try". I'm not trying to undercut anyone and really, I'm not trying to break the law (stay with me). I'm trying to help the horse. Some people understand that, some don't.
Not gonna lie....being the "rebel" sounds kinda fun too ;)

One of These Days....

Watching House apparently reminds me that I haven't written in this blog, once again, in FOREVER. You know, that whole getting back into a routine thing. And of course, having a horse, in training no less, makes the schedule that much more hectic and hard to pin down. Not that I'm complaining, I truly enjoy the busy-ness. Interesting I did not before but, hey, when you don't really like your place in life, busy-ness is just a burden.

Any who, Bubby is coming along nicely :-) I was pleasantly surprised to come home to a very forward, very willing dressage pony :-D He was ridden a few times while I was gone but as I explained to a friend, I am on his case from the time I get on. Understandably, when it is not your horse, you tend tread lightly with them. I thought for sure he would "forget" what it is like when mom's home. Lucky me I have the best horse on the planet ;D Not only was he forward beginning in his warm up but he was using his hind end beautifully and bending like a pro. Maybe part of it was that I hadn't ridden in a month but I swear he has never pushed that much from behind. Ever. Since being back, he's only gotten pissy with me once in the saddle. One bad ride in the last month??? Fine by me.

I also switched his joint supplement. So far, so good! And it's been bitter some days here and NO stiffness. Success! Its the same senior supplement that my old guy has been on for the last year and a half. I did have my doubts at first. A friend of mine tried it on her 20yo TB and it had little effect. I really wasn't looking forward to the search for the magical joint supplement. Nor the expense. Luckily (there seems to be a theme here) it's worked the wonders for him like it has for Darryl. AND, it has pro/pre biotics that I had been getting separately in its own supplement. And, hey, free radicals for the immune system too? Sure!

Speaking of Darryl, I had a revelation the other week. I'm starting Bubby over fences and cantering for the Spring eventing season. I haven't jumped in a couple years and obviously, we aren't cantering right now. Hmmm.....and I have a certain school master that's back in shape thanks to an awesome dedicated teen......I could use this to my advantage! So, Monday, for the first time in ages, I rode the Ol' Man.....and more importantly, cantered AND jumped him. Oh boy, where did my two point go? lol. thankfully, I have really awesome friends/cheering section that have been willing to help me get back into this whole jumping thing. Maybe another blog another day on my jumping (lack of) confidence.....we're getting there...

So to end on a great note, I have missed both my boys terribly. I haven't been able to stop smiling when I'm riding them. Riding the best horses in the world is good for the soul I think :-)

Does he look 30 to you??? ;-D

I'm Back!!!

Oh boy, where to start. First, I have had no motivation nor TIME to sit and write anything. To say I've been busy is, well, an understatement to say the least. Oy. Haha. Not that I haven't wanted to share my thoughts. Really, who doesn't??? But today is an impromptu day off (so far) and its driving me nuts. The girl that could sit around for hours with nothing to do seems to have disappeared in the last month. On to that subject...

I will say it now and I will say it in 10 years: Dental school was the best decision I have ever made. Period. Was it chaotic? Yes. Was it a hell of a lot of fun? YES. I'll give you basic run down. The first week and a half, you spend in a classroom going over anatomy and physiology of the horse, specifically the head and teeth (duh). Along with the different weird stuff that can happen when teeth are not cared for properly, HOW to care for them properly, the differences in the breeds in relation to the teeth, sedation, tools, etc... Then, you go to the barn. Dun, dun, duunnnn. We started out at rescues where basically nothing has anything really normal going on in their mouths. Power tools (think human dental drills times 10), pulling teeth, sedation, and more sedation. Truly, no better learning environment. And your instructors/drill sergeants make the the experience even more fun ;)

So you spend two full weeks in barns doing everything from regular floats (once in a blue moon in school), pulling teeth, removing caps, incisor work, molar cutting, I could go on. And by the end of two weeks, you are sore, running on fumes.....and floating teeth all by yourself and looking for more :)

And I could go on about the van rides to and from appointments. The inside jokes. The lunch and dinner outings. It was just too much fun. You get used to being busy and working and tired and whatever. But you never hear complaining. Because we were all there with the same goal in mind. And we are all having the time of our lives, for that short period of time.
So now, I get to call myself.....an equine dentist. And that just hasn't sunk in yet. Nor the fact that I CAN put EqDT after my name. Holy cow! I have a purpose in life!

Oh Dear...

Alright....its been a while....*sigh* Well, I KINDA have an excuse (as I type without my right index finger, explanation to come). So, I think I left off with the boys getting ready for Oktoberfest.....a month and a half ago. Yikes! Good news, both shows went well :D Bubby was absolutely FANTASTIC for the dressage show that Saturday. As usual our first test was kind of a bust. Not as bad as it has been but still... Now, his Intro B ~ SPECTACULAR! He came in and went out looking like a true dressage horse :D I *heart* my boy. Then Sunday, both went and did the Greenhorn division at Olde Hope Farm. Darryl took 2nd. Not too shabby for an ancient ;) And Bubby and Kylie took 8th. BUT, the child wanted a brown ribbon and that is precisely what she got :D I could not have been happier.
Now for the bad news. So, while thinking about writing the blog on the show, when I FINALLY had time to even think about it, I received a sucker punch to the gut. My Drill mount from college had to be put down after a bad bout with colic. And as much as I have wanted to write about him, I haven't been able to bring myself to do so. One day, I will dedicate a post to him. But right now, I can't even look at an Arab without thinking about him and wanting to cry. And just never thought of Wilson and Drill team and Ann without him. Colic just doesn't seem like the way he should have gone. Always the good ones I guess.... For another day...
So what am I up to now, you all ask (HAHAHA)? I am 3 weeks thru a 4 week equine dental technician school. WooHoo. Here's the explanation on the index finger, lol. It has been quite interesting to say the least. Again, I will eventually get around to blogging about the adventures of dental school. Quite entertaining to say the least. Til then, you'll have to wait. Just did 2 horses "on my own" today :) So, I'm wimping out for the night.......Don't tell anyone though.... ;)

Til next time!