Dog and Pony Show

I mentioned in a recent post my idea of hosting a clinic, or riding in a clinic (or both.)

Since I got back into horses around six years ago, I have attended many clinics. You might not have heard of some of the clinicians-(insert sarcasm here......).... Parelli, Buck, Clinton..... Those are like household names in the horse industry, whether you like them or not. I have also seen Ken McNabb, and a little of other smaller, lesser known-clinicians such as Chuck Kraft, Kathleen Lindley, Barb Apple, Steve Rother.. among others whose names I can't recall. I actually really enjoyed Kathleen Lindley and the book which I have been reading and wrote about in this post. Okay....I just realized that I'm starting to look a little like a clinician junkie....

I primarily attend and audit clinics because this is affordable to me. Riding in a clinic can be quite pricey. And, I didn't always have a good way to haul my horse to a clinic. And truthfully, I am a bit nervous and timid about riding in front of a group and an "expert."  This is also the reason I most want to do it- I think the experience itself will be a huge confidence booster for me. I have also decided that since riding horses is something I am going to be doing frequently, hopefully for the rest of my life, and because I am primarily "self-taught", it will not hurt me to get some feedback and work on my horsemanship.



One of the issues that has surfaced for me as I have watched clinics as how so many of them spend a lot of time showing you what their very well-trained, fancy horses can do. While I admire the fact their horse can climb a ladder, balance on all four legs on a large rubber ball, and spin for an hour on their nose when you point at them with your pinkie finger, I need practical, real-world help. While it is inspiring to see what you could possibly end up with (I particularly am interested in a ladder-climber) when you get back home to your own needs-to-be-dragged arena and groom your own fuzzy pony, those flashy dog and pony shows just don't really take you anywhere.

I only got to see a small bit of a Barb Apple clinic. I think she was working with four riders. She was on foot, she wasn't on a horse. I liked that right off the bat. I could listen to her better, because I wasn't just watching her horse. I spent more time watching the other "regular" riders in the clinic on their horses of assorted breeds.

She made a comment (somewhat jokingly) about how all she does is train riders (not horses) and I love that theory because I think it typically is US that needs the training and skills to be a better horseman and help our horses do the things we'd like them to do and the horse we'd like them to be. So, I am going to audit another one of her clinics (I know, here I go auditing again!) to confirm for myself that coughing up over $400 (gulp) and signing up for one of her clinics makes good sense for me. The great thing about her is that she is local for me, she has a ranch here in Washington so she feels very accessible in terms of needing additional support after a clinic.

Have any of you ever participated in a clinic? What were your thoughts, and any advice you have to offer me?

 Ranch Girl

Happy Birthday to My Ranch Boy!!

I am the luckiest Ranch Girl ever!!

xOxO

p.s. I am offering a 20% discount in my Etsy shop today only until midnight, in honor of my Ranch Boy's birthday! So get yourself some cowgirl duds!! 

You can the link to my Etsy shop on the side bar or here: Rockin Heart Jewelry

Enter coupon code RANCHBOY at checkout to get the 20% off!!

Spring Ahead & A Goodbye

That photo about sums it up.

There are going to be some changes for me this spring. For one, in a few weeks I will only have one horse. Loretta is not getting better. She has been on ReguMate for almost a month and the vet said I should have noticed a difference if it was to help with her over-active ovaries. I feel that we have tried everything, with multiple vet visits, except the ulcer treatment. Why didn't I do the ulcer treatment? Honestly, the number one reason is that it would have cost me $984 for 30 days and I don't have $984 right now.

Second, I am not 100% sure she has ulcers, based on the somewhat inconclusive scope she received at the clinic. Her symptoms are so varied, so random (yet chronic) that it could be something else entirely (so why spend $984 on a treatment that might not work?)

So, Loretta will soon be returning to her previous owner, who was willing to take her back. Perhaps a change of environment will do the trick for her. Perhaps the lengthening daylight hours and her body will be able to cycle and get her feeling better in her reproductive areas. I don't know. But I know that I can hardly touch the mare right now and I can't do anything for her. I have been stressed out about this horse since last December. I can't look out my kitchen window in the morning without worrying about what she will be doing. I have felt helpless and unsure how to help her. I was to the point of considering having her put down.

My heart is broken. I can't think about letting her go without getting tears in my eyes. I fell in love with Loretta the minute I saw her and knew I wanted her. I don't just do that with any horse. I was so excited to have her as my up and coming trail horse. Her potential is amazing, which is why this is so much harder. If she was an older horse that had lived a great life, it wouldn't be so hard. But knowing that she is young and her life as a saddle horse was just beginning makes this so hard because once she is out of my hands, I ultimately have no say in her fate or where she ends up, even it it is the auction.

We don't know about her past, we don't know what kind of damage could be going on inside of her, the vet even hypothesized adhesions in her gut. I wish I was a millionaire. I wish I had the money to get more ultrasounds and scoping, and spend thousands on potential treatments. I love my pets like they are my children and do anything for them within my means. But I've always said that the line has to be drawn somewhere when it comes to finances. Some of you might not understand this and it is very hard for me to share it with you, but I need to.

Looking forward, I am going to shift my focus on My Boy this spring, and perhaps signing up to ride in a clinic, or perhaps even hosting one, too. I have plenty of project horses to work on at the ranch, including the colt (soon-to-be gelding) Howdy who will turn one this summer, and a few new horses that were purchased last year but not ridden much.

Other than that, I started a new teaching job that will keep me busy for about 30 hours a week when I am not at the ranch. I am also busy making my jewelry and while I am not going to retire rich on it I certainly love the creative outlet- I crave it and I love helping customers find something that makes them happy!

I am excited to start blogging more regularly, too. I am sorry to have been so distant I have just had a lot of things on my plate. I am ready for the renewal of spring, for a new beginning. I am excited about spring AND summer~ riding, spending time with family and friends, being outdoors round the clock, cooking, crafting..... just enjoying life to the fullest.

xo, Ranch Girl