Maybe soon we'll get to do SOMETHING?

Lately the footing has been horrible! All I've been able to do is just walk around. Not for long either. It's boring for Poncho and for me. But oh well at least we're doing something?!

With all the snow for a couple days I had to stay up around the barn. Luckily the last 2 days I've managed to get around the whole field! Today we even TROTTED!!!! Although he did cough a little at the start. And a couple times had a few spells where his breathing got quite heavy - but it passed fairly quickly. With any luck things will dry up more and thaw out some so I can actually ride in the coming week. Fingers crossed!

Poncho says HELLO!

Hopefully a solution?

Well with the craptastic last week we had with all the rain and snow, we were under about 2 in. of water by the end of it. There is now a line of ice cutting the ponies field in half from where the puddles froze before they dried up. Because of course now that the precipitation has stopped we now have temperatures in the high 20's - low 30's lucky us. Needless to say the footing has been less than desirable.

However I was still determined to ride. Sunday rolled around and I managed to get off of work a little early - SCORE. Then I got to the barn and poor Poncho was starting to have another coughing attack. I gave him some Banamine and Dex again, then in about 20 minutes he was a okay. Obviously though I was not going to ride! So I figured hopefully Monday he'll still be good and I can have a nice hack. Nope that didn't happen. He was okay though, I just found out that if I wanted to get my hair done I had to be there at 4:30 so I had no time to ride. Boo.

Finally yesterday I got to "ride" I use the term ride loosely. It was mega, mega windy and cold! Poncho was being a gentleman so I figured okay I'll give it a go. I was just going to hack around the field a little he was being good until all the horses moved towards the front. Then he started to bunny hop. Soon after I aborted my plan.

Today we had the vet out for shots and to figure out what the heck is going on with my boy. It's definitely a hay allergy. At the rate he's going if we don't get it under control he's going to get heaves! Needless to say I'm pretty much freaking out about that. SO now I have to get the BO to soak his hay instead of her idea of just rinsing it. Hopefully that will go as planned and he'll be 100% in no time. Also Poncho was a super star for his shots (he's notoriously crazy, killer, crazy) the vet was so proud of him! I was so proud he's come such a long, long way!

I even got the chance to have a quick hack today. Unfortunately the ring was so frozen it didn't last long and we never went above a walk - boo hoo. But atleast he's gotten ridden 2x this week he's happy. He gets wayy to cranky these days when he's not in work.

Product Review: The Nibble Net

At the end of last month in an effort to help with Poncho's hay allergies I bought him a Nibble Net. (The Picnic Model) Not just any hay net would do though. If you knew Poncho personally you would know that his mission in life is to destroy. Not because he's mean or anything but because everything is a toy to him and you "kill" toys. Needless to say I needed a sturdy hay net. After much searching I discovered the Nibble Net.

Once it arrived I was extremely pleased with the quality of it. Poncho seemed to figure out how to get the hay pretty much as soon as it was put out. I was also able to get it in "his" color. That's right Poncho has a color preference, go figure. Not the point however.

Overall I love his Nibble Net and won't hesitate in the future to purchase different models.

In the clear and plucking along!

Poncho seems to be officially over his virus HOO-RAY! He's been off his medicine since Monday and no fever, only minimal cough (only when we first starting "working" in the ring and kick up dust).

On Monday I hacked him around the ring in his hackamore just to get him out and about. He was a super star of course. He was quite pleased to be finally going back to work. Tuesday I gave him off because it would be his only day off for the week. Go me for working this week!

Wednesday he was freaking super duper star in the ring. He was so forward and soft! He got his canter perfectly on the left lead - I was beyond ecstatic!!!!!!! His trot was to die for and he would stretch all the way to the ground and lift his back. SWOON!

Thursday my knee was k-i-l-l-i-n-g me so I just hacked Poncho up and down the driveway for about 20 minutes. Nothing spectacular by any means.

Yesterday it was so rainy and yucky. I got to the barn and Poncho had rolled in a puddle with his sheet on and gotten thoroughly soaked through. So I spent forever trying to dry him off enough to turn him back out. That lasted about an hour. I wasn't planning on riding but I came out of the tack room after getting my drink and guess what...Poncho was standing in the crossties like "hellooooo let's get to work now!". So of course I couldn't say no to that face! Off we went. Just walk and trot since it was so wet and goopy. He was also quite spooky but that wasn't a huge deal. He was however so nice and forward!

Today I failed epically! I pushed him too much. I knew once I got on I should have just hacked him out today. But I prevailed. He was good for his trot work and canter work on his right lead. However when I tried for the left lead we completely fell to pieces! It was horrible I could not get it today to save my life. We tried and tried and finally got a glimmer so I called it quits immediately. I have several theories that led to our demise (it could just be wishful thinking though). 1. his feet. He's currently barefoot and wearing his feet unevenly all of the sudden so maybe it's making it difficult to canter on the left lead. 2. I mentally made him do to much in the ring so he fell back to this bad habit. 3. my thinline pad. I haven't been riding with it lately and just started again, possibly it's too much padding? Who knows. We'll see.

We're going to hack for the next two days and then re-evaluate where we are. Fingers crossed!!

Poncho conquers the COWS!

Those are in fact cows right behind him!

That's right today when I got to the barn Poncho was near the cows!!!!! He trotted up to me looking all happy and then trotted back over to the cows, then looked back at me like "Look at ma' new friendz!" Go Poncho! Of course after conquering the cows he decided that a garage door opening today was earth shattering while we were riding. Goober.

A couple rides and an emergency call!

I had a couple of nice rides on Poncho Man. We worked in the ring to get his confidence up in the ALONE! It did in fact yield some positive results. We got some very nice trot and canter work, after a little bit of persuasion.

Then he had the farrier on Tuesday which apparently led to a string of unfortunate events. It turns out that the BO's horse had some sort of respiratory issue and was put on SMZ's. I don't know if that is the connection but when I got out there on Wednesday Poncho started to have a fit. It appeared to be choke - even the vet thought so and came out for an emergency call. Once she got there though we determined it was actually pretty much an extreme asthma attack. He literally was struggling to catch his breath for a half hour! It was quite intense!!!!! Luckily we got him back under control and on some medicine. AND thank goodness that since he's been on the med's he seems so, so, so much better. Although I am beyond tired. To get out to the barn before work (he of course needs something 2x/day) I have to get up at 4:00 to get myself ready and head to the barn.

Poncho this morning.