Pony Problems

I have taken two good falls off of Harlan Pepper this spring. The first time was understandable; it was the first ride of the spring, we were by ourselves, the ground shifted underneath him.

The second time however, I moved my leg and it sent him into a tizzy that involved a spook, buck, turn to bolt home, and trip which landed me on the pavement with some nice bruises from the saddle collected on the way down.

This isn't like Harlan. He was such a good pony last fall and throughout the winter: I could ride him off by himself, he was calm and trusting, and we had great adventures on farm and off farm.

But now every ride involves a pent up Harlan spooking from side to side, freaking out if I move my legs or put the slightest pressure on his sides. He is amazing to pony alongside Tanner (non horse folks: ponying is when you ride one horse and lead the other one alongside) and still has wonderful and respectful ground manners.

So something has changed. It's now the Great Mystery to figure out what, be it either behavioral or medical.

Behavioral Possibilities
1. Spring jitters: Possible, but I don't think likely. He is so good ponying and on the ground.
2. Lack of trust in me: Also possible and we are taking lots of walks together (me leading him, not riding) as well as ponying alongside Tanner to increase confidence.
3. Assholery: He doesn't have it in him to be this much of a jerk. I keep telling everyone that he has such a good brain and such a sweet personality, which is why this whole thing is so frustrating.

Medical Possibilities
1. Lyme disease: Negative. I really thought he might have Lyme because some of the symptoms include extreme sensitivity to touch and crankiness under saddle. But his tests came back negative. Yay!
2. Vision problem: For a little bit I thought maybe he was having issues with his left eye in particular since he was more reactive on that side to my leg moving. This could still be an issue, but his eyes look fine to my untrained eye and he isn't reactive to me being on the ground on either side of him.
3. Ulcers: This is my new "diagnosis of the day" for him. It wasn't until Saturday's ride that I put together the pieces of the puzzle that he spooked from my leg moving resulting in me falling off, and that any movement from my leg or any pressure on his sides makes him flinch and shoot forward.

I talked to my vet this morning about the possibility of ulcers and she thought it would be a good idea to start him on the treatment. Diagnosing ulcers involves a gastric scope which her practice doesn't do, and I imagine it costs a pretty penny to do it. The treatment for ulcers is just a stronger dose than the prevention for ulcers so it won't do him any harm if he doesn't have ulcers. Fingers crossed that this does the trick.

I don't want him to have a medical issue, but it would also be a much easier explanation of his behavioral changes and if ulcers, it's a straightforward solution. And also I hate the thought that I'm getting frustrated and giving him negative feedback to moving away from my leg if he's uncomfortable because of ulcers or another physical ailment.

But it is entirely possible that I'm looking for excuses that aren't there. If the ulcer treatment doesn't do anything, I'll move forward on the assumption that it's behavioral and we'll do a lot of desensitization. I put up a tiny temporary riding pen in the pasture and I rode for just about 10 minutes last night. Once he stopped reacting to my legs swinging up and down and around and the presence of my legs on his sides, we were done with the lesson.

Either way, I am sad that Harlan is struggling no matter the cause. I am confident that we will work through it; I love that big dino-head.

Side note: I feel so lucky that even though Harlan is confusing and frustrating me right now, I still love working with him and never get tired of rubbing that big dorky face. That wasn't the case with Piper and Cooper - both of them are great horses with great hearts but neither were the right horses for me. My friend and fellow blogger Amanda decided that her pony critter isn't the right one for her. She's getting some flak for "breaking up" with her horse, but horses really are a relationship and if it's not right it is better for everyone to find new partners before everything turns completely sour. Just like with dating, it takes multiple attempts to find the right relationship and that is completely okay.

Party Time - FOR REALSIES

Hope to see you there!!

My Yellow Pony

Oh mah gourd I love him so much.

I saddled up both boys, jumped on Tanner, and ponied Harlan Pepper along for the ride. We walked up the hill with no issues despite a crazy turkey crashing through the trees...it's been at least 6 months since I rode Tanner and I forgot how easy and relaxing it is to ride a point-and-shoot horse!

On the way back down I decided to switch horses and see how Harlan would do. However a) I didn't have a halter on Tanner and b) Harlan was walking too fast for Tanner's ambling pace.  So I decided to just set him free and see what happened.

Aaaaaand just as expected, he just followed along. If he got too far behind he'd trot to catch up or Harlan would stop and wait for him.

I can't even handle it.

In other news, I apparently have tendonitis from shoveling horse poop. Yeehaw.

Another Birthday Rolls Around

Tanner is 17 today...

Happy birthday, old man!

Lucky Ducks

What is this craziness - 3 posts in 3 days?!

I just had to share though. I got a call today from Shannon, the woman who picked up the duck with her husband and 5 year old daughter yesterday. Their duck Gideon had lost its mate Lois and was beside himself with grief. He would call and call for her and pace back and forth, refusing to settle in for the night.  While Mother Ducker (or Duckin' A) wasn't that sad to lose his friend, he certainly seemed lonely when he would run after the car leaving the driveway, or just hang out on the porch quacking.

My duck, renamed Lucky, and Gideon have already become best buds and are currently sunbathing together. Gideon has stopped his pacing and the two of them have been waddling around quacking together.

From Shannon: "This is such a blessing really. Gideon was breaking my heart with his pacing, and now he and Lucky are pals and both so happy with having a buddy to waddle with."

My little heart is warmed...I couldn't have found a better home for Lucky.

Reduced Numbers

It's a sad day here at Blonde Bomber Acres. Not only did I jinx everything by believing it was spring and so it snowed all morning, but we are down to just 2 horses, 2 dogs, and 3 cats [besides Julie and her 2 cats].  No worries, everybody else is fine and dandy, just in new homes.

Hattie the donkey went out on trial a few weeks ago and has settled in nicely guarding cattle.

Mother Ducker (or Duckin' A) was picked up today by a lovely family whose own Pekin duck lost his buddy.  Hopefully these two lost duckies will bond with each other.

As I write this, Daisy Mae is on her way back to her owner Jacki. Casey decided that she needed a break from being responsible for a horse.

It'll be weird not having the sounds of a braying donkey and quacking duck, but I feel good about where both of them went.  They will both be happier in their new homes:  Hattie is getting spoiled with one-on-one attention as well as having a job to do and the duck will have a buddy again.

However I am incredibly sad about Daisy going back. Casey and I had a bunch of riding trips planned this summer; I will go solo on a couple and hopefully rope in another riding friend or two on the other adventures. It won't be the same though. :(

Entertaining the Neighbors

It was so nice out today that I am cautiously believing that spring is actually here.

After a Maine Mounted Search and Rescue meeting, I came home and decided to work with Harlan for a bit before taking him out for a spin.  We just worked in the pasture, where Daisy followed us around and Tanner slept in the sun. I stored the cart whip on Tanner's butt momentarily and promptly forgot about it. Five minutes later it was still on his back because he hadn't moved an inch. Oh how I love that doofus.

After getting Harlan's mind engaged and stretching both of us out, I hopped on. We zigzagged up the road, Harlan trying to walk as slow as possible and sneak opportunities to turn around. I pushed him on, past all the horse-eating obstacles and on to where the paved road turned to dirt. I rode through his spook that segued conveniently into a bucking fit and thought we were finally relaxed and enjoying the ride.

Pre-ride cuteness. And dirtiness.

I vaguely remembered the farmer up at the top of hill saying to avoid the dirt part of the road in the spring, but I thought it was just because it was muddy. Nope, it's because it turns into sinkholes. 

Poor Harlan found it out the hard way; when it shifted underneath him he spooked and spun and I got slung off. (I landed on mud and had my helmet on so was completely fine.) I tried to hold onto the reins as I was falling but was perilously close to pulling him down on top of me so I let go. He spun in a circle and at least had the courtesy to pause and wait for me to get up...as soon as he saw I was up and mobile he took off for home at full tilt. Finch abandoned me to chase Harlan - not sure if she thought I was still on him or just left me for something more fun. I choose to believe the former. 

The farmer's wife saw Harlan gallop by tacked up and shouted to her husband, who got in his truck and came to find me walking down the road. He gave me a lift home, past ALL the neighbors who had come to the end of their driveways after seeing Harlan run by. Nothing like having witnesses to a fall, right? 

I found Harlan in the barn eating hay, looking out the door at me as I walked up. I calmly got back on and we walked allllllll the way back up to the hill, both as a lesson and because poor Hobbes got left up there.

[Side note - As we were walking up the hill for the second time, I thought to myself, Hmmm...this method makes sure Harlan gets twice the workout with minimal effort on my part. Maybe we should make this a thing, like a ski hill! Ride up the hill, let the horse run back down while you get a lift in a truck, and ride back up again.  Anyone want to go into business with me?]

It's times like these that I really wish I had a riding arena or round pen. It would've been nice to get some energy out before heading into the treacherous wilderness that is Smith Road. No harm done though and tomorrow's a new day. And here's the best thing - it was SO NICE out today that I don't even care that I fell off.

And at least the neighbors got a show.