Tae Kwon LEAP

All righty - I'm going to use this little survey as a springboard to get myself back into blogging!  So, survey, and then a few updates on the state of the 'Pollo Pony.  :)

Four names that people call me other than my real name:
1. Rinsie
2. Rinz / Linds
3. Hon
4. Babygirl

Four jobs I've had:
1. Programmer
2. Editor
3. Technical Writer
4. Technical Support Analyst

Four movies I've watched more than once:
1. Clue
2. Real Genius
3. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (original)
4. A Room With A View

Four books I'd recommend:
1. Dune by Frank Herbert
2. The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper
3. Young Men and Fire by Norman McLean
4. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Four places I've lived:
1. Atlanta, GA
2. Kuna, ID
3. Saratoga, CA
4. Austin, TX

Four places I've visited:
1. Guatemala
2. London
3. Machynlleth, Wales
4. San Juan Islands, Canada/WA

Four places I'd rather be right now:
1. Bed
2. Barn
3. Road Less Traveled Eventing, Lenoir City TN
4. Mittleider Eventing, Kuna ID

Four things I'd rather not eat:
1. Bell peppers. Love hot peppers, bell peppers are gross.
2. Boeuf Bourgignon
3. Hot dogs
4. Capers

Four of my favorite foods:
1. Pesto
2. My mom's chocolate chip cookies
3. Seafood in general; low country boils and sushi in particular
4. Dim sum

Four TV shows I watch:(recommend, really)
1. Firefly
2. Criminal Minds
3. Daredevil
4. The Flash

Four things I'm looking forward to this year:
1. Going home for Christmas
2. Riding a lot
3. Things getting better at work (or the alternative)
4. A new dressage saddle

Four things I say a lot:
1. Okay, good deal.
2. Oh, for shit's sake!
3. What a good [boy / girl]!
4. Hm. I don't know. I'll have to get back to you on that one.


So at last update, we'd just diagnosed Apollo with mild navicular in his RF.  He then spent two weeks up at NT's while I was away on a work trip.  He got fed and fed and fed, and NT rode him for the two weeks.  He ALSO got a bodywork appointment, which was awesome.  The upshot of this two weeks was that he came back all tuned up, much stronger and more muscled, albeit with terribly past their shoe-by date feet.  Ready to rock and roll!

drooooooooooool
don't stop ever

Then, while trying to load him up to take him on a trail ride at a friend's barn, he got stupid, unseated his RH shoe, and *stomped* on the clip and nail.  Blood (his), tears (mine ... okay, I'm exaggerating), whole nine yards.  (Sparing you the photo.)  I got it clean and wrapped up immediately, which I think saved me an abscess from hell.   My excellent farrier came by a few days later, trimmed him, and shod him with pads and soft packing up front to cushion that navicular and prevent any development of the same in the LF.

NT came out for a lesson, since she was in the area, and I had an asthma attack.  Less than fun.

But we've been working on getting him pushing from behind, really engaging his hocks and getting that inside hind to really track up.  This is our constant battle, honestly.  I feel like he might benefit from hock injections or from something like Adequan, but right now the next two things on the Buy list are hay and stall mats/bedding.  So I ride him with a huge emphasis on that power and push on the flat, and I'm working a lot of gymnastics and Circle of Death for jumping exercises.  Power and push for him, position for me.

I'm down to one saddle now.  I sold both Collegiates, jump and dressage, in the last week.  The money goes into the New Dressage Saddle fund. I have about half-ish of what I need for a nice used saddle now, and any minute now I'm expecting paychecks for freelance work. Anybody who wishes to contribute may contact me directly.  *grin*

HOW many horses have you got in there??  Where do they all fit??

We also finally have the arena up and running!  Lovely thing.  There are some tweaks to make - like putting some landscaping fabric around the kick board so that the (#@*&% footing doesn't run out when it rains ...

Arena!

Harrowing the arena is both easier and harder than I expected.  I have to admit that the tractor is kind of intimidating.  It's old and a bit rickety, and it takes holding your mouth right and the wind blowing north-north-west (like madness) to get it to lift the bucket, drop the arm, go into neutral, etc.  Just when I thought I had gotten the hang of it, this happens:

I was wondering why it felt funny.

I'm really hoping for a four-wheeler or something instead; tractors be scary, yo.


That's all I have for the moment.  I'll try to be better about updating, but no promises.  :)

LOOK AT MAH SEXAY HORSE!  LOOOOOOK!
Seriously, he's looking way better than he was, even
though he's filthy in this pic.