Mustang Diaries

I was beginning to think I was going to have permanent nerve damage in my fingers, but a stop at the chiropractor today has provided some hope. A week ago today I soaked in a warm...no, make that hot...tub, and when I got out my shoulder hurt like the dickens. I lay on the bed wondering if it would ever feel better, when suddenly I heard a small pop! A huge amount of pressure was relieved and I could actually move my arm without feeling any pain.

However, the lower arm still had something going on, and both my thumb and forefinger were feeling like a pair of fat lips at the dentist office. In other words...numb. Occasionally I could feel the pins and needles tingling, which let me know blood was beginning to circulate, but it was alway followed by severe pain in my forearm. And as it's now been two weeks, when I stopped at the chiropractor today I told him I was beginning to think I'd just have to live with it forever at this point. He told me that since this was originating in the lower arm and not up in the neck (which we'd originally thought), that my fingers would likely recover with no problem, and to just keep stretching that muscle that is so incredibly tight and causing the pain.

So...thats what I'm doing, and I can feel the blood going back into the fingers as I type, but that muscle is not happy :)

Enough about fingers, though. Today I went back down to Curt's and had my second 'colt starting' lesson in anticipation of the upcoming Mustang Challenge. My body isn't nearly as sore as it was two weeks ago. After a 15 year break in any real riding my muscles had gone into shock once I was off the horse. But a day or two later I was feeling fine, and today it was as though I'd never stepped out of the saddle. I sat deep, my legs stayed where they were supposed to, and my body stuck with the rhythm of the horse. We worked on stops (I need to learn to stop a colt rather than a pleasure horse), turns, and then...well...

Curt pulled out the Hyrda Bull!

Now, that's not me up on that horse there, but rather a photo I took this summer of someone else lessoning down there with him. But doesn't it look like fun? I've wondered if I'd ever get to chase that bull of his, and all I can say is What A Blast! No more rail horses for me, I'm afraid. Trotting in circles is a thing of the past. I wanna chase me some cows! Or fiberglass bulls...

JoJo is helping me learn to ride. Not a mustang, but a very talented young mare; a perfect training tool for me because she knows how to do things if I ask correctly. But she's still green and hot enough to give me a work out similar to what I'll be facing with my Mustang Challenge horse.

The days have been so nice here that when I came home, I went out to catch up Firecracker. Darling was just climbing off the bus, so she came out to watch. Up until now it's been just me out there with FC. But with the longer days upon us, and sunshine to boot, Darling's been hanging out at the rail. FC's not so sure about having an audience, but today she had to get over it as I left her in Darling's capable hands for grooming.

Do you think she's enjoying it? I do! Unlike Jet, FC loves to be groomed. Her fear level is diminishing a little each day. I've been able to pick up all four feet, saddle her, walk behind her, and she's even standing tied at the rail. There's a lot left for her to learn, but it's been nice to make such headway.

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