Jackie Cochran's Blog – August 2009 Archive (5)

Some Small Signs of Progress

Another wonderful week, in that I got to ride 3 times. If my energy keeps up I could get to like this!

Although the heat has started to moderate down here in NC, it is still incredibly muggy. I am grateful that those horrible flies I call buzz-bombers (you know, the ones over 1" long) have yet to appear in great numbers.

Mia surprised me Friday. The jumps in the arena were being re-arranged, with various parts of jumps temporarily being stored just outside the fence. Every other… Continue

Added by Jackie Cochran on August 31, 2009 at 2:30pm — 4 Comments

Sweet Sweet Cider

This was a wonderful week. For the first time in three months I got to ride 3 times in one week!

I got to ride Mia twice at Debbie's, which was nice. Even though it was still hot on Friday I gave up ignoring Mia's hooves and hoping that what the farrier did would be enough to see her through. So I got out my rasp and hoof knife and started on her front feet, trimming the sole a little and evening out her hoof wall. Her back feet may have to wait a few weeks as I get stronger and better… Continue

Added by Jackie Cochran on August 24, 2009 at 1:00pm — 9 Comments

I'm so tired

Well this week I got to ride Friday and Sunday on Mia and Mars. I did not get too tired from riding Mia, the poor mare was still sore from her last trim, very reluctant to extend, but being the Arab that she is she tried to do everything I asked for even though she hurt. So I practiced my jumping position at a walk, trotted some and worked on my leg position. I did not get terribly tired.

Then on Sunday I rode Mars. He is getting resigned to being ridden again, but I fear that it… Continue

Added by Jackie Cochran on August 17, 2009 at 11:30am — 8 Comments

Reading Dusty Tomes of Horsemanship

I started reading non-fiction books about horses for about 47 years ago when I got my first serious horse book "Cavalcade of American Horses" by Pers Crowell. Since then I have been trying to read just about every non-fiction horse book I have run across. In 1963 I got access to books on HOW TO RIDE in my junior high school library and have been reading books on how to ride ever since. In high school I finally got access to two serious riding books, "Common Sense Horsemanship" by Littauer, and… Continue

Added by Jackie Cochran on August 10, 2009 at 10:00am — 3 Comments

I did not melt in the rain

This morning the ground was wet, so I looked at the TV weather and it looked like there would be a tiny gap with no rain, so I decided I would ride anyway. Shannon thought her ring would stand up to it as we are mainly riding at a walk now. I got to the stable, it had stopped raining, so we tacked up.

Mars was a little happier today, I changed to my dressage saddle, and Shannon… Continue

Added by Jackie Cochran on August 2, 2009 at 1:00pm — 2 Comments