planBE

Life lessons from my horse: Hold on señorita, Ill protect you! Its been a rough few weeks work wise. More work than I can handle, conflict and temper tantrums from graduate students, and an emergency bathroom renovation, along with preparations for the revival (after a 3 year pandemic hiatus) of the biggest St Patricks Day house party … well Im teetering somewhere between high anxiety and anger with a heavy dose of insomnia. Not good. Ive been trying to ride a few times a week but certainly not as often as usual, and my trips are short and abrupt. 45 mins, WTC, mostly solo. Grooming, thats for sissies. 😉 Yesterday, my horse was a tool. He tried to attack my friends horse as she passed me (albeit a bit too close), he tried to bolt when a cross country skier was crossing behind, he reared when the sleigh crossed our path with the double team, and he was just crabby and ears pinned whenever anything came nearby. Today before I left for the barn my husband warned me to stay safe, and lung...

 -1C with soft squishy snow and lots of cantering and trotting on spongy footing. Q was brilliant, in part because I lunged him for 10 minutes before my ride and got the silly spooks and bucks out. By the end of the fast 50 minute ride, Q was tired. We havent had that fast a ride in months and it was a true delight. Work is rough these days with too much piled on, plus a surprise emergency bathroom renovation and a massive social calendar. Which is why it was even sweeter to have a great quick ride with Q. If I wasnt so embarassed, I would make a stupid video of me inventing words to imaginary songs in cadence with his loping stride as we navigate our wide trails while Q flicks his ears back at me. The songs have silly lyrics like “my Q is so sweet/riding is such a treat” 🤪 Its such freedom to be silly with my horse in the woods. Like a kid all over again.

Its been a rough go these last few weeks between a significant increase in work, brutal cold snaps, icy trails and skating rink parking lots. Ive only ridden a handful of times on those rare occasions where the universe converged. This has made for a spicy pony and while it makes me more prudent on how I engage in speed when the brakes are fairly absent, it also makes me super appreciative that this spicy horse does keep his excitement under wraps most of the time. Clearly Q is fit and feeling good, and his daily turnout with bestie Chester is absolutely insufficient in expending energy. Especially since these two lazybouts just stand in a corner watching the world go by.  We went out today after a little snow fell to cover our thick ice. Footing was good, and it was our first outing in over 10 days. The strategy is always the same: long steady trots for 5-10 mins until Q starts relaxing and blowing through his nose in loud bursts. During the first stretch we kept on trotting throu...

The deep siberian freeze is here and planning to stay for a few days. Temperatures at -25 to -35 with wind gusts at 50-60 km/h, creating « feels like » combined temperatures of -40 to -45. Im not afraid of cold weather and often ride at -20C, but this is too much. So when the weather cracked a mild day of -4C before the deep cold, I hurried out with barn bestie for a little spin in the woods. Q was hot but kept it at a brisk walk. Q turns 10 next month, and it makes me happy to see that he can keep his emotions contained at a walk even when he is ready to bounce.

My Q is back. The steady eddy, point and shoot, Q. We got in two solo rides this week with the fresh powder and got in our first canter on trail, and then went out today with fellow barn bestie and trotted front and back to our utter delight. I then pointed Q to a snowbank and he dutifully plowed right through it. The weather was colder (-6 to -10) but the sky was blue and the sun was shining. We were protected from the wind in the forest and kept warm with trotting bursts. It was lovely. Im looking forward to some faster solo rides this weekend and happy to see my lovely Q so relaxed and confident again.

The joys of shorts, sandals, blue skies and bright yellow sun for 18+ hours a day are over. We returned last week after a 24 hour monstrous return, without our baggage because thats the lingering issue of the day in the airline industry, and with a tickle in my throat. 3 days of suffering later, our bags showed up and I finally made it to the barn. Q’s reaction was priceless. As soon as he heard my voice, he flipped around, head in the air and seemed to say: « waiiiit … WHAT??? … where YOU been? » and proceeded to grope me with his nose. He was hot to trot and our first ride out was a bit edgy. We secured some babysitters from the barn to take us out on trail in what was some of the most beautiful winter wonderland. We kept it at a walk those first two days cuz Q was ready to bolt with excitement. Then I played hookie and ran out to the barn early in the morning to see what he had under the hood. Alone and without fear for any other riders or trail users, we tested Q’s energy and self ...

On the eve of Q’s 9th birthday, I can say that this Florida-born native has finally got his ice legs. Ever since he arrived, in the middle of snow and ice in March 2016, his body would go into a scrambling panic at the mere hint of slippery ice. I took precautions and watched for icy conditions in the shoulder seasons. His turnout was always limited when footing was compromised. We had a few incidents over the years. Crossing a field with fresh snow, we ended up on top of a 20 foot wide slick puddle covered with light snow. Once we were in the middle, all traction was lost. Q panicked, did a 180 and jumped towards the fence plowing my knee into a square wooden post. He was safe, I still have the scar. When trail reports speak of ice, I abstain. Sometimes I will do some road walking with him instead.  I could put winter shoes with studs, but his hooves are spectacular (and mule-like: upright, tough, balanced) and he does really well barefoot. I could put boots on, but I don't bother...

Spring is just a few days away and our recent mild temperatures (and fresh dump of spring snow) have made the trails magic all over again. Ice is still underfoot hidden by a few inches of groomed snow but it was good enough to walk and trot most everywhere and even get in a few canters. The winter term ends in four weeks and I cant wait to have more time to enjoy the trails. But until then, there is much work (aka grading) to do and the spring thaw will likely wreck havoc on the trail conditions. So we do what we can, when we can, and make the best of it. Yesterday, was bliss at 2C and bright sunshine. Q’s best friend Chester.

With temperatures at -10 to -20C, its far from spring weather … but the footing is great, we have four new dumps of snow, and the sun came out to play! Well dressed and moving fast, we plowed through snow drifts and gained some much needed speed in our routine. Q has been a little spicy this week, but not as spicy as his equine buddies so Im grateful. Only one bolt this week!

Had a successful ride today and Q was great … he only tried to bolt once! 😂 I shut it down within the second stride, mostly because he telegraphed his intentions 5 seconds before. Neck up, ears back, back tight, accelerating speed … and then tail tucked in, and boom. I looked behind and nothing. Silly boy. I love my horses sensitive and forward. Q definitely delivers on that front. It requires no effort to get speed … slowing down can be a bit more challenging but he also hates being managed so I telegraph to him my request to slow down. I rarely need to escalate to bit contact. The “mistakes” of bolting have increased this winter but are also driven by my releasing contact and having loopy western length reins. I like it, and Im starting to increase the length of the reins. What I like most of all is that I can read his intentions telegraphically. An expressive horse is a beautiful thing,

So I was a month early in the birthday celebrations but Q didn’t mind the extra carrots. No apologies required. We’ve been hammered by snow storms, ice storms, blowing snow, snow squalls and blizzards lately making for ferocious road conditions. I opted to stay home and make my way out to ride for the first time in a week. Q was good, although he almost quit on me twice while crossing the field we have nicknamed Siberia with some massive snow drifts capped with a few inches of tough hard ice. He plowed through though and Im pretty pleased with his bravery. Once we hit the trail network, the footing was fine and Q wanted to go very very fast. We kept it in check for our fellow rider who was struggling and finally opted to get off and walk home. We’ve all been there, right? I got off too, and we took the road back home. It was nice to walk and get the heat back in my toes. Felt like -16C. Winter can end now, thanks.

Conditions improved and we had a lovely ride today in fresh powder.  One of my blizzard pics went viral and I got some incredulous comments questioning my decision to ride in such conditions. Aside from the fact that conditions changed unpredictably while we were on trail … the simple fact is that nordic riders chase fresh powder like magic fairy dust. We always want to be the first to open trail, and the horses adore the loose light footing. Look at those happy ears!

Its super stupid cold today at -30C, so its a “stay home and make soup” day. Italian wedding soup to be exact, and its coming together deliciously. Had some good rides this week, and after a good old fashioned free lunge and buck around session Q was an absolute mellow angel and we got back to loping all over the trail network. Big snowstorm is coming on Monday which might, hopefully, dump a foot of fresh snow. So Ill look forward to cracking open some new trails this week.

It was one of those days, where roads were treacherous, cars were in the ditches, snowplows were out, and you needed 2 bottles of windshield washer fluid to cover 50 km. As I watched my husband make me breakfast before I headed to the barn, I prided myself of managing a return to riding Q this last week without a single lunge or free lunge session. We rode, we conquered. And then, the universe laughed. After a few days off (I was SO sore), I returned in the worst weather to tackle up my horse in the balmy -1 degree temperatures and score another ride on the good footing (while it lasts). Well, Q was having none of my silly walking business and he blew past my 10 minute trot phase like he was on fire. We were going so fast, the sideways snow was stinging my eyes. I was blinded by the snow. Q then proceeded to bolt a few times down the path (where we often canter) and so instead of getting all directive on him, I decided we just needed to walk it home. Which we did. But clearly either Q ...

Well I had some good rides lately. The last two I amped up the speed a bit (although my horse had definite opinions of what a slowpoke party pooper I was) and just let Q trot his little heart out without much intervention from me. I find that 10 minutes seems to do the trick, on a loose dropped rein. He starts out all tense and tight like a sewing machine, and then at the 10 minute mark he starts to drop his head, relax his back, swing into his gaits and then he starts to blow through his nose. Im still enjoying the Warwick Schiller podcasts and one of the recent ones with Ben Atkinson spoke of the importance of being your horse's emotional anchor. It echoed with how Ive been riding Q lately, where I let him look at whatever is bothering him but I just stay steadfast focused on the path/pace ahead and our goal. And this week, with his heightened sensitivity, energy and concern, it really became quite apparent. We are trotting down the path. Q throws his head up and looks with conce...

A new year. Paradise gone, now its curfew, confinement and constraints in the land of cold and dark. Death notices of friends are rolling in. Not covid related, but massive heart attacks way too young. Another reminder to embrace every moment. Carpe Diem. The trip home was eventful with flight cancellations and a sense of feeling stranded in a sea of panic. But it all turned out ok, with my husband the ever flexible planner in emergencies. He found us a red eye flight on an empty plane which allowed me to stretch out across three seats and literally take a nap on the way home.  Today I made it to the barn, with a blanket of fresh snow. When my Q got over his surprise at seeing me after 5 weeks, all he wanted was a proper ear scratch. The one place on his body he wont let anyone else touch. He was groomed and lunged while I was gone, but was happy to get some love. I dont usually ride my first day out after a long absence as Q usually needs some bonding and connection time to regain...

Annual Trail Rides: 44/200 Im happy to report that my mild hamstring sprain does not prevent me from mounting, dismounting, trotting or cantering. Im not ready to throw myself into deep snow just yet, and if my horse spins and dumps me I might be in trouble. But if I can manage the risk and be a bit conservative, I do not need to wait 3 weeks to return to activity. While my range of motion is still a bit compromised, I gained a good six inches of flexibility bending down today and I can almost touch my toes. Walking is doing me a world of good, as well as the anti-inflammatories, rest and heating pad. When I can bend forward with palms on the ground I will be completely recovered. It was a beautiful day for a solo ride in the woods. My horse made me giggle with his mind reading today. We were heading back at a relaxed walk and I was thinking it would be best to switch from the narrow slippy path to the wider groomed trail so that we could trot back. So I cued with some neckrein and the...