When life gets in the way

I had a pretty good run in May of having plenty of time to ride and not having a bunch of competing life priorities.  It appears that time has come to an end for the moment.

While I did get plenty of riding time in over the long weekend, I am starting to feel the strain and my rides are getting noticeably lazier.  The rapidly increasing temperature hasn't helped my motivation or work ethic, and Odin is feeling it too.

Saturday we had a good jumping lesson - still keeping it small but he is jumping really well.  He did stop a couple times the first time he was aimed at something and we need to prevent that from becoming a habit, but nothing too concerning at this point.  The rest of the time he loped around like an experienced guy, even cantering down a line of cross rails.

Sunday he got a training ride where she worked on his lead changes, which he did perfectly.

Monday was hot and Odin was tired.  I think in general he has been a little bit crankier.  Maybe the weather getting warmer, maybe as his work demands get a little harder, who really knows.  The horse is still super friendly but it has been little things like not wanting to walk in the cross ties, making more grumpy faces than normal when tacking up, kicking at the leg.

Lies, it is all lies.  I am perfect

He was generally obedient but I couldn't get him forward for anything.  I had to pony club kick him into the canter!  My sensitive-don't-touch-my-sides-TB - booting him along.

Anyways, I have had minimal energy to overthink this, which might be for the best.   I have seen many horses go through kind of funky, cranky phases and they usually adapt and get better.  Going from 50 to 80 degrees can't have helped.

In the meantime, I have two sick dogs.  Jasper has developed pannus - an autoimmune eye condition - that refused to respond to either the antibiotic eye drop or the steroid eye drop.  So tomorrow he goes to a specialist.  We have been told that he needs to stay out of sun (impossible) and would be healthier at a lower altitude (um, great) or he could go blind.

He loves hiking

I have no idea what to do.  He is only 7ish and HATES to be left behind when we go hiking.  It seems so unfair, he was abused prior to us adopting him: missing tooth, missing toe, all the toes on his one foot were broken at some point, he has had two ACL repairs, he has arthritis in his back, and now this?  This dog has no luck.

These were not an acceptable alternative

Then because that wasn't upsetting enough, while hiking on Monday Maya collapsed only a mile into the hike.  Maya is a 5 year old border collie/cattle dog mix that gets exercised by a marathon runner and who thinks 18 miles is a reasonable day.  But Jon had to carry her back to the car.  The emergency vet thought it would be heat stroke, but nope.

Her liver enzymes were 5 times normal values and everything else was fine.  The vet had no clear ideas and by the time he was done evaluating her she was back to normal and wondering when she could go hiking again.  The assumption is she had a seizure but whether that is tied to her liver values is unknown.  She is on antibiotics and liver support drugs for a week, then we retest.

Currently no real diagnosis or path forward.  I guess her liver values could indicate liver failure or could indicated almost nothing.  It is confusing and stressful.

Summit of Bear Peak a week earlier

So tonight, I figured Odin and I could both use a break.  We saddled up in the hackamore (his first time) and took a trail ride with two other barnmates.  I think it was good for us.

Baby brains and stressed out adult brains sometimes need a break!