Hello from S.C.E.T Headquarters! It has been a long time since I have updated this blog. I have been having some issues with the 'girls' (Tokaj and Savannah if you are wondering who the girls are...).
PHYSICAL ISSUES:
Miss Tokaj went back into steady training... and steadily did worse and worse until I could no longer blame myself for bad riding, and realized that she is having physical issues. On one hand, it is nice to know that I don't stink that badly at riding, and on the other hand... my hopes and dreams horse is uncertain. Tokaj has been off for three weeks following my second attempt at fox hunting. She started having trouble getting her front feet out of the way of her hinds. In four days she destroyed three sets of bell boots. I thought it might be that she was shod differently than she was last time she was in training (before the baby), and that she needed something else done. My farrier suspected lameness and did some flexions tests and they came up positive. Sigh. My super tough Hungarian mare is now mortal. She has arthritis from years of jumping which is not unheard of or unmanageable. So, I have rested her for three weeks, put her on Adequan and injectable joint fluid enhancer (for lack of a better explanation). She also has been given a feed additive for joint care that has anti-inflammatory properties kind of like a human on ibuprofen. Today was her first day back in work and by the happy expression and springiness in her step, I would say that we are finally back on track! She is slated for a few weeks of slowly returning to work with constant evaluation of her soundness.
MENTAL BLOCKS:
This has been hands down the hardest return to training that I have ever experienced. I used to ride anything and everything without fear and with confidence that while I may not be the best rider, I was certainly competent. Well... not anymore.
I have spent the last several weeks, during Tokaj's downward spiral, beating myself up about how awful I am. Everything feels wrong and instead of feeling at home on a horse, I feel like my body is an alien. I know that I need to get into some clinics and lessons to get this riding season started, but I am so nervous because I don't know myself, or my horse at this point. I can just envision myself telling Mr. Clinician that, "I don't know" what level I am at, "I don't know" if I can still jump any sort of fence, and "I don't know" if I even belong at his clinic!! It is really an unsettling thing.
My friend Tammy has been a wonderful support system and has offered me her lovely, and well-trained horse to take lessons on... but even that intimidates me. I know, I know, for those of you who know me, you are needing to pick your jaw up off the floor. Tammy has a nice, enormous Clydesdale Thoroughbred cross who has a lot of training and is completely reliable. I am nervous about messing up Tammy's horse... and nervous about generally making a you-know-what of myself at an upcoming clinic. By the way, the clinic is in ONE WEEK. It is taught by Moray Nicholson, a British trainer who I liked when I audited his last clinic. Tokaj is not going to be ready for the level of work necessary at a clinic, so I have comitted to riding Tammy's mare Chloe. Did I mention that I have ridden Chloe once, and while some things went well.... I had to ask Tammy how to get her to canter? Tammy says I have a mental block and need to just get out there and do it. So... I am taking her advice. I will write about the clinic in two weeks. Yikes.
FUN OF RIDING:
What I learned during this downturn of luck and subsequent fall-out, I have at lease re-prioritized not only my competition season (what competition?), but also my reasons for riding. I am going to focus on the step I need to take today and enjoy it, rather than focusing too far into the future and trying to be show-ready each day. Someday, I hope I will look up and realize that I am ready for a competition, and lo and behold, there will be one waiting for me.
Happy Riding (literally!)
P~
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
Jumping Strides
The Second Chance Team has finally made it's first steps toward jumping. Tokaj has been just great on the flat for me, and we finally decided to start jumping. Unfortunately our first attempt was not so successful. I have not jumped a horse in quite some time, save one leap at the indoor a few weeks ago which does not count. Tokaj has had quite a bit of education in jumping during her past career as a show hunter. Even though I had not jumped in a while, I felt that I could pick it up quickly, and so I set up some trot poles to a crossrail, and also another combination that included two crossrails set up on two strides. No big deal right? Wrong.
I basically committed the cardinal sin of too much rein contact. Tokaj got nervous that I was not going to let go of her mouth over the fence and the rushing began. In the old days, I knew better than to ride, especially a hunter-type horse like Tokaj, over fences with a dressagey contact. The unfortunate result of my riding, was that Tokaj was cantering down the line of trot poles, and rushing the combination. If I had been working with someone knowledgeable (even if I could have been on the ground watching myself), it would have been nipped in the bud right away. However, I missed the forest for the trees for the entire lesson and put Tokaj away wondering, "What the heck?".
After mulling it over and remembering other horses I had ridden who had done the same thing and how I fixed it.... I recalled that perhaps it was ALL MY FAULT. So the next ride focused on cavaletti (poles spaced on the ground for those who don't know) and I rode Tokaj on a generous huntery rein length. It was as if she breathed a huge sigh of relief and went about her business and did all the exercises perfectly. Well, all I can say is... lesson learned! Or should I say lesson recalled?
Even though I made mistakes the first time out, I am happy with our progress and that we did not keep doing what was not working and then create a habit of rushing. We are going to hang out and do cavaletti and low fences for quite some time until Tokaj and I are a partnership. I feel I know her in dressage.... but don't know her jumping style, willingness, or ability over fences. So that is going to be our work for the next few months.
Happy riding!
P~
I basically committed the cardinal sin of too much rein contact. Tokaj got nervous that I was not going to let go of her mouth over the fence and the rushing began. In the old days, I knew better than to ride, especially a hunter-type horse like Tokaj, over fences with a dressagey contact. The unfortunate result of my riding, was that Tokaj was cantering down the line of trot poles, and rushing the combination. If I had been working with someone knowledgeable (even if I could have been on the ground watching myself), it would have been nipped in the bud right away. However, I missed the forest for the trees for the entire lesson and put Tokaj away wondering, "What the heck?".
After mulling it over and remembering other horses I had ridden who had done the same thing and how I fixed it.... I recalled that perhaps it was ALL MY FAULT. So the next ride focused on cavaletti (poles spaced on the ground for those who don't know) and I rode Tokaj on a generous huntery rein length. It was as if she breathed a huge sigh of relief and went about her business and did all the exercises perfectly. Well, all I can say is... lesson learned! Or should I say lesson recalled?
Even though I made mistakes the first time out, I am happy with our progress and that we did not keep doing what was not working and then create a habit of rushing. We are going to hang out and do cavaletti and low fences for quite some time until Tokaj and I are a partnership. I feel I know her in dressage.... but don't know her jumping style, willingness, or ability over fences. So that is going to be our work for the next few months.
Happy riding!
P~
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
And the Clouds Part!!!
I told myself that I would not post again until there is some horse news. After all, that is the POINT of the blog! Being in horses, definitely has it's ups and downs.. and I think... just maybe... the Second Chance Team is on an upswing! The winter, while coming in like a lion, now seems somewhat lambish (not to any Californian alive... but for Missouri.). We have been having some wonderful breaks in weather and have experienced some downright tropical-feeling 30s, 40s, and dare-I-mention... even some 50s!!
The horse news is that I have been riding. Not the dedicated five days a week that I would like to, but definitely enough to get Tokaj going and to start changing her physique from hay-belly, rafter hip, to somewhat tighter and rounder! I have been able to haul her to an indoor on the weekends, and have experienced the aforementioned tropical temps which allowed riding at home! And when my wonderful husband is home to help care for our son AND the weather is cooperative, I have gotten to ride during the week too. So far so good! Tokaj has retained the wonderful work ethic she demonstrated when I rode her last winter before becoming too pregnant, and we still have a bond.
Tokaj is easily the smartest horse I have ever ridden (sorry my gentle Mr. Monte!). Perhaps she just seems that way since she sometimes uses her powers for evil as well as for good? Monte my World Champion Paint Jumper was smart, but he was a people pleaser (not a bad thing!) whereas Tokaj decides what is best for HER, then decides if it is worth upsetting YOU, and IF you are lucky, the answer is no... and all will be fine. I am looking forward to seeing how this plays out on cross country! :) Tokaj's brilliance reminds me of a Shetland pony. You can see her calculating the odds at any given time. For example, it took one time for her to get a trailer ride to an indoor arena to "get" what me hooking up the trailer meant... and the next time we ended up having a lesson on being caught up from the pasture. The good thing is that she also can calculate quickly when she is engaged in a losing battle and gives right up. But, you better be able to out maneuver her to her satisfaction. She keeps me on my toes.
All joking aside, I am very excited about our partnership. I think I may have the perfect horse for me at this point in my riding life. She is not easy, or push button, but she is fair, and gives it her best if she feels that you are treating her fairly and appreciate her efforts. I get off her at the end of a lesson with a big beaming smile. We may have lots of work to do to be competitive in reality, but in my mind, after each ride, we are a winning team. She makes me feel like I can ride well, even when I know my fitness is not great at the moment, and that my timing and aids may be a bit off. Who could ask for more than that? Oh... okay one thing more... we took our first jump. We should not have, but it was beckoning from the center of the arena, a leftover from someone else's jumping lesson and I could not resist. We had just had a wonderful ride, and I wanted to see what would happen. She jumped it with ears up and lots of power. It was a great feeling.
I am happy the winter has so far been kind, and also that the indoor arena, which is very limitedly available, is being made available to me. I am going to be able to ride consistently three days a week and hoping to add more days once my husband is able to be home more and that is right around the bend.
The meat of my training right now is just basics for both Tokaj and I. Fitness is priority one, and dressage is priority two. We are working the very basics of quality of gait. Moving freely forward, without hesitation, while maintaining balance. We are only doing training level dressage, so there is no real uphill balance for the moment, but my contact with her mouth is consistent and soft, and we are working on her pushing actively ahead. I have been reading alot through my off-time and had an AH HA moment when I read that the gaits should be forward enough that the rider feels he might even need to restrain the movement slightly. Hmmm.... I had not thought of that! I had always heard that the movement was to be forward and energetic... but did not know how to quantify that into what was enough and how to feel that it is enough! In other words it is like someone throwing you a baseball... it might be going forward, but fall short of the catcher's mitt. The energy of the ball needs to be enough so that it reaches and can be received without pain into the soft spot of the mitt... like the energy of the gait into the soft, steady rein contact. AH HA!! So that is what I am working on with Tokaj. And she is very agreeable about it so far.
Savannah is embarking on lungeing lessons. She is right now learning to walk, trot, and canter on the lunge in a quiet, responsive manner. She is doing quite well at it, and once she is more established, I intend to introduce the side reins to encourage her to stretch her neck down. Savannah likes to carry her head very high with underneck muscle bulging. If you look at the photo on my blog and you would never know it, but it's true.
Well, that's the update. Thanks to my friend Molly for her kind comment. I needed that! I am going to chill out and become a bit more Type B+ ish, or more realistically, more Type A- ish, and if the winter gets worse, I am going to take your advice and hang with the little guy who brings me more joy even than riding. :)
P~
The horse news is that I have been riding. Not the dedicated five days a week that I would like to, but definitely enough to get Tokaj going and to start changing her physique from hay-belly, rafter hip, to somewhat tighter and rounder! I have been able to haul her to an indoor on the weekends, and have experienced the aforementioned tropical temps which allowed riding at home! And when my wonderful husband is home to help care for our son AND the weather is cooperative, I have gotten to ride during the week too. So far so good! Tokaj has retained the wonderful work ethic she demonstrated when I rode her last winter before becoming too pregnant, and we still have a bond.
Tokaj is easily the smartest horse I have ever ridden (sorry my gentle Mr. Monte!). Perhaps she just seems that way since she sometimes uses her powers for evil as well as for good? Monte my World Champion Paint Jumper was smart, but he was a people pleaser (not a bad thing!) whereas Tokaj decides what is best for HER, then decides if it is worth upsetting YOU, and IF you are lucky, the answer is no... and all will be fine. I am looking forward to seeing how this plays out on cross country! :) Tokaj's brilliance reminds me of a Shetland pony. You can see her calculating the odds at any given time. For example, it took one time for her to get a trailer ride to an indoor arena to "get" what me hooking up the trailer meant... and the next time we ended up having a lesson on being caught up from the pasture. The good thing is that she also can calculate quickly when she is engaged in a losing battle and gives right up. But, you better be able to out maneuver her to her satisfaction. She keeps me on my toes.
All joking aside, I am very excited about our partnership. I think I may have the perfect horse for me at this point in my riding life. She is not easy, or push button, but she is fair, and gives it her best if she feels that you are treating her fairly and appreciate her efforts. I get off her at the end of a lesson with a big beaming smile. We may have lots of work to do to be competitive in reality, but in my mind, after each ride, we are a winning team. She makes me feel like I can ride well, even when I know my fitness is not great at the moment, and that my timing and aids may be a bit off. Who could ask for more than that? Oh... okay one thing more... we took our first jump. We should not have, but it was beckoning from the center of the arena, a leftover from someone else's jumping lesson and I could not resist. We had just had a wonderful ride, and I wanted to see what would happen. She jumped it with ears up and lots of power. It was a great feeling.
I am happy the winter has so far been kind, and also that the indoor arena, which is very limitedly available, is being made available to me. I am going to be able to ride consistently three days a week and hoping to add more days once my husband is able to be home more and that is right around the bend.
The meat of my training right now is just basics for both Tokaj and I. Fitness is priority one, and dressage is priority two. We are working the very basics of quality of gait. Moving freely forward, without hesitation, while maintaining balance. We are only doing training level dressage, so there is no real uphill balance for the moment, but my contact with her mouth is consistent and soft, and we are working on her pushing actively ahead. I have been reading alot through my off-time and had an AH HA moment when I read that the gaits should be forward enough that the rider feels he might even need to restrain the movement slightly. Hmmm.... I had not thought of that! I had always heard that the movement was to be forward and energetic... but did not know how to quantify that into what was enough and how to feel that it is enough! In other words it is like someone throwing you a baseball... it might be going forward, but fall short of the catcher's mitt. The energy of the ball needs to be enough so that it reaches and can be received without pain into the soft spot of the mitt... like the energy of the gait into the soft, steady rein contact. AH HA!! So that is what I am working on with Tokaj. And she is very agreeable about it so far.
Savannah is embarking on lungeing lessons. She is right now learning to walk, trot, and canter on the lunge in a quiet, responsive manner. She is doing quite well at it, and once she is more established, I intend to introduce the side reins to encourage her to stretch her neck down. Savannah likes to carry her head very high with underneck muscle bulging. If you look at the photo on my blog and you would never know it, but it's true.
Well, that's the update. Thanks to my friend Molly for her kind comment. I needed that! I am going to chill out and become a bit more Type B+ ish, or more realistically, more Type A- ish, and if the winter gets worse, I am going to take your advice and hang with the little guy who brings me more joy even than riding. :)
P~
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Two Steps Forward, One and Three Quarters Steps Back!
Hello! I have been dreading blogging. This post is read by quite a few family and friends, and it keeps me honestly evaluating my progress, or lack thereof. Despite my best intentions to get my training underway, life intervenes! Am I not dedicated enough? Is that it? Is it that now is not the time? Perhaps in the Spring when mother nature is kinder and baby is older and on solid food? Will that be the perfect storm of circumstance that I am needing? Perhaps when I am 80 I can be the oldest eventer alive? ;)
The weather has turned bitter. It was 12 degrees without figuring the wind chill this morning. Snow lingers on the ground, and the footing of the arena is frozen solid. I was hoping the footing would somehow have just a bit of fluff on top so that I could ride, but that obviously was just some California Dreamin'.
A couple of setbacks have been suffered by the Second Chance Team. Firstly, we have lost our staunchest supporter... at least for the short term. My husband's work has been taking him away for weeks at a time, and therefore the morning riding has been a no-go as the baby needs supervision. Until his workload becomes more manageable and LOCAL, we will be searching for alternative ways to get the riding in. If that is at all possible.
The second setback has been what I call a Monster Cold that both my husband and I caught. I have never had a cold like this. On Thanksiving I started coming down with it and had 48 hours of fever and chills. No riding out in the cold (first snow at Thanksgiving too!) for me. I ended up wussing out and going to an Urgent Care clinic on Sunday because my husband was leaving for a week on Monday and I wasn't sure how I would do without his helping take care of the horse chores and the baby. I went through a whole course of antibiotics that week and had to call and get a different prescription so that something would help. Luckily the sweet baby has not caught the cold. I was envisioning us at Children's Mercy if he did.
The horses are utilizing their stalls and barn at night in this bitter cold. They are doing great as far as pasture/stall ornaments go.
And... we are back at square one. Is it kindest to myself to just lay off the ambition for the winter? Do I keep pushing and making myself crazy? It is times like these when I wish I were a Type B personality.
Until next time.
P~
The weather has turned bitter. It was 12 degrees without figuring the wind chill this morning. Snow lingers on the ground, and the footing of the arena is frozen solid. I was hoping the footing would somehow have just a bit of fluff on top so that I could ride, but that obviously was just some California Dreamin'.
A couple of setbacks have been suffered by the Second Chance Team. Firstly, we have lost our staunchest supporter... at least for the short term. My husband's work has been taking him away for weeks at a time, and therefore the morning riding has been a no-go as the baby needs supervision. Until his workload becomes more manageable and LOCAL, we will be searching for alternative ways to get the riding in. If that is at all possible.
The second setback has been what I call a Monster Cold that both my husband and I caught. I have never had a cold like this. On Thanksiving I started coming down with it and had 48 hours of fever and chills. No riding out in the cold (first snow at Thanksgiving too!) for me. I ended up wussing out and going to an Urgent Care clinic on Sunday because my husband was leaving for a week on Monday and I wasn't sure how I would do without his helping take care of the horse chores and the baby. I went through a whole course of antibiotics that week and had to call and get a different prescription so that something would help. Luckily the sweet baby has not caught the cold. I was envisioning us at Children's Mercy if he did.
The horses are utilizing their stalls and barn at night in this bitter cold. They are doing great as far as pasture/stall ornaments go.
And... we are back at square one. Is it kindest to myself to just lay off the ambition for the winter? Do I keep pushing and making myself crazy? It is times like these when I wish I were a Type B personality.
Until next time.
P~
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Long Time.... No Post!
Sorry it has been so long since I have posted to my blog! I have been trying to ride at 0' dark-thirty in the mornings... and that, along with motherhood has definitely left me with little time and energy for posting updates! :)
Let me see... where to begin? Well, Miss Tokaj has had the dust groomed off her saddle patch and has been an absolute ANGEL for having been off work for many months. We are mainly working on both of our fitness levels. I have ventured into the jumping saddle too. Wow, that used to be my home! Now it feels so foreign. Did I really ride with that short of stirrup? I am definitely more comfortable in my dressage saddle. So, basically since eventing is 2/3 jumping, I will be doing far more time in the jumping saddle this winter. I am still hoping to attend some of the Fort Leavenworth Hunt Club outings this year, but need to get in much better condition for that. It is definitely not for the unfit or faint of spirit!
The arena is riding really well. The footing may be a tad deep in places, but I recently acquired a springtooth rake to redistribute some of the depth. It is holding up just great with the rainfall we have had. Now I am envisioning a course of really beautiful fences out there this Spring... of course "someone" (me and perhaps my husband with some bribes) needs to paint and build jumps first.
I have ridden Savannah some more. She is very unimpressed with the whole riding thing. She turns her head to the side, cocks an ear at me like, "What? Like this is a big deal? Sit there all you want!". She is looking more and more like she is going to make a great all around horse, and a future schoolmaster for my son! She is now learning to go forward, stop, turn, and back up. She is a lot of fun.
The bad news is that winter is rolling back in. Wasn't it just here a few weeks ago? I have had one morning of riding in the twenties. And this is only NOVEMBER. We will see how it goes. The time has changed and I am riding in the darkness... well, I have lights on the arena, but there are lots of shadows. It is not like stadium lighting by any means. It is somewhat disorienting to ride in the semi-darkness too. I am not complaining though. When I force myself out into the cold for a morning training session... the rest of the day goes much better. It is rather like exercise in that you hate to get up and do it, but when you do you feel a million bucks all day.
Happy Riding!
P~
Let me see... where to begin? Well, Miss Tokaj has had the dust groomed off her saddle patch and has been an absolute ANGEL for having been off work for many months. We are mainly working on both of our fitness levels. I have ventured into the jumping saddle too. Wow, that used to be my home! Now it feels so foreign. Did I really ride with that short of stirrup? I am definitely more comfortable in my dressage saddle. So, basically since eventing is 2/3 jumping, I will be doing far more time in the jumping saddle this winter. I am still hoping to attend some of the Fort Leavenworth Hunt Club outings this year, but need to get in much better condition for that. It is definitely not for the unfit or faint of spirit!
The arena is riding really well. The footing may be a tad deep in places, but I recently acquired a springtooth rake to redistribute some of the depth. It is holding up just great with the rainfall we have had. Now I am envisioning a course of really beautiful fences out there this Spring... of course "someone" (me and perhaps my husband with some bribes) needs to paint and build jumps first.
I have ridden Savannah some more. She is very unimpressed with the whole riding thing. She turns her head to the side, cocks an ear at me like, "What? Like this is a big deal? Sit there all you want!". She is looking more and more like she is going to make a great all around horse, and a future schoolmaster for my son! She is now learning to go forward, stop, turn, and back up. She is a lot of fun.
The bad news is that winter is rolling back in. Wasn't it just here a few weeks ago? I have had one morning of riding in the twenties. And this is only NOVEMBER. We will see how it goes. The time has changed and I am riding in the darkness... well, I have lights on the arena, but there are lots of shadows. It is not like stadium lighting by any means. It is somewhat disorienting to ride in the semi-darkness too. I am not complaining though. When I force myself out into the cold for a morning training session... the rest of the day goes much better. It is rather like exercise in that you hate to get up and do it, but when you do you feel a million bucks all day.
Happy Riding!
P~
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
My Office
They say a picture is worth a thousand words... so here are some photos:
The sand is finally here and the arena will be ready in a day or so! Is it Christmas already?
P~
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Stutter Steps
Well, I did not get the start that I had anticipated in my last blog posting. The rain came in, and boy did it ever rain. I was out in the downpour with the tractor digging out the drains off of our driveway to the barn, and laying railroad ties with my super-patient husband to divert the rainwater from the arena. It sure was stressful trying to save the forward progress that we were making on the arena. Sand is due to arrive on Monday (although we have more reports of impending rain!!!!).
Needless to say, I did not get the start with Tokaj that I had hoped either. The grass became wet and slick, and with no sand on the arena... I had to quit working with her. So she is back to burning hay, and rolling in the mud. She's quite happy with that.
You will notice a new photo on my blog. The photo is of Savannah. She is my three year old half Thoroughbred Paint. I caught her up last weekend to trim her feet and groom her. I realized that the horses are growing their winter coats, and I decided to get photos before they do. I did not get Tokaj that day though. I hope to start Savannah under saddle this Fall.
One sad piece of news. I made the very difficult decision to have Bailey put to sleep. Bailey developed cataracts a year or so ago, and also had that lump which was strongly suspected to be bone cancer which was growing larger and in an inoperable location. Bailey started behaving strangely and I don't know whether it was his eyesight or other physical issues, but he was becoming so fearful that he would shy and bolt at anything, even people like me who he has known for years. The last deciding factor was my attempt to get Bailey into the barn before the storm hit. He shied while being haltered, as he has been a million times before, and he reared up and came down hitting me on the head and knocking me down. I thought he had broken my neck or at least compressed my vetrebra after I heard my neck pop. Thankfully, I only suffered some whiplash-like effects. If it had not been wet and slick out, and my feet had not come out from under me immediately... I think worse would have happened. It seemed in the best interest of everyone to make the decision. I felt sorry for Bailey having to live in such fear all the time. I have said it before; Horse ownership can be so heartbreaking.
P~
Needless to say, I did not get the start with Tokaj that I had hoped either. The grass became wet and slick, and with no sand on the arena... I had to quit working with her. So she is back to burning hay, and rolling in the mud. She's quite happy with that.
You will notice a new photo on my blog. The photo is of Savannah. She is my three year old half Thoroughbred Paint. I caught her up last weekend to trim her feet and groom her. I realized that the horses are growing their winter coats, and I decided to get photos before they do. I did not get Tokaj that day though. I hope to start Savannah under saddle this Fall.
One sad piece of news. I made the very difficult decision to have Bailey put to sleep. Bailey developed cataracts a year or so ago, and also had that lump which was strongly suspected to be bone cancer which was growing larger and in an inoperable location. Bailey started behaving strangely and I don't know whether it was his eyesight or other physical issues, but he was becoming so fearful that he would shy and bolt at anything, even people like me who he has known for years. The last deciding factor was my attempt to get Bailey into the barn before the storm hit. He shied while being haltered, as he has been a million times before, and he reared up and came down hitting me on the head and knocking me down. I thought he had broken my neck or at least compressed my vetrebra after I heard my neck pop. Thankfully, I only suffered some whiplash-like effects. If it had not been wet and slick out, and my feet had not come out from under me immediately... I think worse would have happened. It seemed in the best interest of everyone to make the decision. I felt sorry for Bailey having to live in such fear all the time. I have said it before; Horse ownership can be so heartbreaking.
P~
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