The Return of the Spode!

Man oh man, send Spode to school for 2 weeks and she wants to spend 24 hours with you when she comes back. Holy moly, I'm worn out already!

In all seriousness, it was lovely to see her again. 2 weeks with no Spode was rather dull for me. Sure, the first week of holidays was nice, but then I got bored and started getting jealous of my pasture pals when their owners came out. B-O-R-E-D. Luckily Spode's mum came out to take care of me and say hi, otherwise I would have been beside myself.

Over the past 2 weeks I've eaten lots, flaked out in the sun, and watched youtube videos of dressage horses. I imagine Spode does the same at school. I'm not really sure, to be honest. There must be a little bit of school work thrown in there too I suppose. I should ask her.

Anyway, I was mighty happy to hear her calling my name yesterday. I almost thought I was imagining it at first, but once I understood I came running! Alas, my leg was actually a little sore that day. I knocked myself and had some swelling on the inside of my leg, so Spode said no riding. Aww. Even though I wasn't lame (as she could see by the fact that I ran to her) she still wouldn't get on. She spent most of her time dressing me up in her new gear she bought me:

We are not amused. Must I remind you that I am not a barbie horse?

I don't remember why I like you so much. 

The blanket was a little snug, leading to much chastising from Spode about my weight. Ugh, yeah, she's not very nice to me sometimes.

She did let me outside in the sand ring to give me the option to run if I wanted, and run I did.

I'm trying out reining for a new sport. 

Turns out it's harder than it looks to stop that fast. Oops! 

Of course, that only lasted a few minutes. Mostly I wanted 3 things (as I always do). One, I want to eat.

This is the tastiest grass ever. I hear you're a vegan, Spode. Want to join me? 

Try it, you'll love it.

Two, looking dashing and dapper to make Spode feel warm and cuddly on the inside:

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And 3, hanging out with my bestie:

Have you noticed we become more and more alike the more time we spend together? We even make the same faces in our selfies. 

Literally every single selfie we took, we are pulling the same face. Maybe it's just Spode's new hairdo, but it's uncanny!

We did so much goofing off yesterday. We both got down in the sand for a good laugh. Luckily I have an owner with a sense of humour.

This is my impression of tweaking. Pretty damn good, right? This was just for Spode. She needs to keep on top of all those teen trends. 

Now I'm like one of her students when she starts talking about literary theory. Come ON Spode! So boring! (Just kidding, Spode! Don't be mad!)  

Excuse me, you're disturbing my rest. Leave me be, I don't want to get up now. 

Alas, it's not al fun and games. My eyes continue to be the bane of my existence. The latest is that I have not only cataracts, but protein deposits in my eyes as well and it's making my vision blurry. My retinas are not so healthy anymore. Surprise, surprise. I detest uveitis. I really do. But Spode's patient, I'm patient, we're getting through this together with the help of Mrs. BestVetintheUniverse. 

Not good, my friends, not good. 

But let's not get dragged down by my eyes. There's been too much of that in my life so far. Let's be as optimistic as Fitzgerald's Gatsby. I've got my Daisy--what more is there to life?

Spode needed some quality time with me the past 2 days. Something on her mind, but I've managed to bring her out of her funk in 2 seconds flat. Shove my face in her face, and job done. Easy peasy!

Today was even easier because my leg was no longer swollen, which means riding! Spode and I had a a lovely easy ride. But first she dressed me up again. Because if there's something green, Spode's gotta have it. The green light is EVERYWHERE, I tell you! Sorry, Spode's future students, she is going to bring it up every chance she gets.

I can see the green light, I can see it in your eyes. Yes, yes. Florence and the Machine are great, I agree. Can you just get on me already?

We didn't go out for very long because I'm out of shape and Spode's too paranoid to push me even a little bit more than she's comfortable with. Not that I mind. I'm a bit lazy, old sports.

Spode was a bit too distracted by my bright green eyes to work me very hard anyway. The benefits of having a rider with ADD. 

And that's how we've spent our 2 days! 2 more days of riding and treats to go. Oh my goodness, you should see the apples she brought me. They're too die for--so juicy. I love the fall.

Although Spode has spent way too much time with me in the 2 days she's been here, I'm not really complaining. In fact, I was most upset to see her go today. She let me out, put my halter on the hook, and I showed her what I thought. 

Um, actually, can we pretend you just got here and go again? Starting with the treats?

Look, I bet I can put this on myself if I really try. 

Please!

I'm not tired, I swear. Let's go again!

Guess I have to wait till tomorrow though. At least I got to use Spode's computer today to update you all, old sports. I'm failing at being such a tech savvy horse! I spend too much time eating and not enough time writing. Spode will be disappointed that I'm not exercising my literacy if I'm not careful. Don't want to get Ms. Wolff angry now (nah, I've heard that's not really possible according to her students!).

Until later, old sports.

Jay. 

You really think you're in control? Well, I think you're crazy

As I approach 1400 lbs, I think Spode needs a small reminder of who's really in control of this partnership. I gave her one yesterday when we went to our third dressage show of the season. But we'll get to that in a moment. First we need to back up a bit since it's been quite a long time since I've blogged (my apologies, old sports).

I've been busy!

So first an update on these damn eyes of mine. They suck. My vision went away in my left eye again 3 weeks after I regained it--a sure sign that the vet was correct in diagnosing me with insidious uveitis. My eyes are following the same pattern that they were prior to my eye surgery. Thankfully it wasn't as long or as severe as last time, so my meds are definitely helping. Hooray for aspirin and echinacea. Unfortunately Spode's anxiety is increasing because both cataracts look worse as well. You can now see my right cataract with just a flashlight, no ophthalmologist necessary.

My hooves tell a tale of bouts of sickness. Thankfully not as bad as my first uveitis. 

I admit I've started to become marginally spooky in the right as well. I try hard though, and Spode says that's what counts. She blindfolded me completely last week to assess my reaction. It was a weird experience for me, but I quickly figured out how to tell when I was coming close to the wall based on where the track was. Spode said I was smart. I told Spode I had to be to put up with her as an owner. The things I do for this girl, honestly...

I will even wear flowers for her!

Life has been much the same. My pastern is healing very, very slowly but is definitely improving. My mud fever is taking FOREVER. So annoying. Sometimes I hate my Clyde genetics. I'm tired of having my pasterns scrubbed. It had better be gone by the time Spode goes back to school, which is sadly going to happen quite soon. Only 19 days of constant Spode left, and then I'm back on "holiday". Apparently we're going to be focusing a lot on my canter for the next 2 weeks, as Spode just realized that if she really wants to accomplish her goal of competing at training level next year, I'd better actually learn to canter in a circle and not just in straight lines. My stifle is still locking occasionally so we won't be circling a lot. That being said, I've improved since getting my toes shortened so maybe I'll keep getting better. Life never seems to be simple for me!

Anyway, let's talk about the show! This show was different because I went with a buddy from my barn. He's more experienced and older than I am, so he was doing a different level of competition, which meant our show times were very far apart. I was not supposed to be showing until 3:45, but we left the barn at 8 am. It was a loooooong day! Spode and I were quite bored.

I made a friend with my reflection in the trailer window. I was that bored. 

There was also a horse being schooled in next door's ring, so that provided about an hour of entertainment. 

The fact that I went with a friend caused a few hiccups in our day. I was not too upset the first time my friend left me behind to be ridden. The second time I whinnied for him a bit more. The third time even more, and the fourth time he left, I kind of lost my mind. Yes. I lost it. I started rearing much to Spode's dismay. Spode decided to lunge me before I became unmanageable. She clipped it on to my halter and I exploded. I bucked, reared, tried to spin and run away at a gallop, and was whinnying the entire time. Spode was frantically trying to use all her muscles and weight to stop me from escaping and dragging the lunge line (and her) behind me. Spode now wishes she had a video, but imagine this but with bucking, rearing, and bolting--and marginally less skiing: https://m.facebook.com/groups/435605529849669?view=permalink&id=696104173799802

She managed to stop me and get a chain on me (much to my dismay) and that meant Spode was slightly less worried about being dragged all the way back to Carleton Place. This song suits. Once I threw my little temper tantrum, I went back to being a calm show horse in the making quietly eating my hay and resting a leg. Just needed to get it out of my system. I don't think Spode has seen me rear that high in quite some time. Although I hack out alone and ride alone almost all of the time, I got quite attached to Shiraz knowing that he was somewhere on the show grounds out of sight. Spode just sort of let me do my thing and didn't make too much of a fuss about my behaviour. I think that people looked at us as "one of those" horse and rider combos after though. The crazy ones. There were certainly admonishments heard from our neighbours at the show (as soon as the galloping started, we had an audience of course), but Spode ignored it. Sometimes a 4 year old just needs to throw a tantrum, am I right?

Nothing to see here, old sports. 

Eventually it got to be my turn to strut myself, and I made up for my earlier behaviour by being completely focused on Spode and went as well as I do at home. I was bending properly, seeking the bit the majority of the time, and only spooked twice when I saw something in the right. I had my left blindfold on which helped with the spooking.

I was an absolute saint in my first test, earning us a score of 70.9%--Spode says that was well deserved. I made her pretty happy! By the time we got to the second test my brain was starting to turn off so I wasn't quite as focused on Spode, but I still did very well. 66.7%.

I wasn't as soft the second test, but the judge still said that Spode and I were a lovely pair, which is the kind of comment that pleases Spode more than anything. The judge also commented on how well presented we were, which makes Spode a happy camper too since she fusses about how I look so much. God forbid I have a manure stain anywhere on my body. And a green spot on my stocking? Well the world might as well be ending! She's very silly.

Her obsession with matching green stuff is getting worse too. Poor Spode's mum has been doing a lot of sewing for us...

All in all, my Spode is a happy one. And I just love all the attention I get at shows because of my size and my look. I feel like Gatsby himself. New money West Egger "warmblood" amongst all the East Egg show horses. People just seem to love me, most of all Spode of course.

As much as I enjoy dressage, I'm looking forward to a little break from it. We'll be doing some free work, hacking, and canter work so I can get some more variety. My next show is in 2 weeks so we don't have long, but I don't need to get in too much practice time either. My fourth show? It's pretty much old hat at this point! Last walk trot green bean classes for me--I'm nearly a professional!

Until later old sports.

Jay.

Taking a page out of Spode's book--injure yourself and get out of work!

I still say I was doing Spode a favour by standing on her foot and breaking it at the beginning of this summer. By breaking her foot, I got her 2 weeks off and a holiday with me (cough, cough, I may have also cost her her job requiring her to get a new one, but that's a minor detail).

After a busy few weeks preparing for Sunday's horse show and a lot of breakthrough training rides, I figured I deserved a break. Spode gives me days off regularly, but I'm looking for a longer break. There was only one way that would happen: an injury. Something mild enough that I wouldn't be in too much pain and require too much treatment, but something bad enough that Spode would enforce a strict rest policy for me. The opportunity presented itself on Monday in the form of an electric fence. More specifically, a rope electric fence that was conveniently turned off. I have a habit of eating over the fence and eventually the rope snapped and voila! One swollen, rope burned hind pastern later, I have myself a holiday!

Ok, now that you wrapped me up I am feeling a little bit sorry for myself. 

Jokes aside, I am actually more sore than I had hoped. When Spode initially found the leg in question, she thought it was simply my mud fever that is currently being battled on my other hind leg. My Clydesdale genes are terrible for mud fever--I get it every summer no matter what the weather or what my hair length. It's almost healed up and gone already now, but initially my burned pastern appeared the same: scabby, not swollen, not lame. However, the next day my pastern and cannon bone had ballooned and the burned spot had opened up. Ouch. I'm pretty sore now. Vet called and treated upon their recommendations, but Spode was still fretting the next day so she called my favourite vet out today to get a proper look. It was weird seeing Mrs. BestVet and not having my eyes checked! Well, my eyes were looked at anyway just because. Habit I guess. Or anxiety on the part of Spode. All good there. Aspirin is wonderful.

Anyway, I was lucky. The tissues and ligaments in my leg have only a thin membrane covering them. The rope cut me much deeper than I had intended, so I only just saved myself a lot more veterinary care. I'm on topical treatments and a course of antibiotics. I do hate syringes. And my weight is my downfall in this case because I have to have sooo many pills! Heavy horse problems. 1400 lbs=28 pills a day, along with my 50 aspirins and my stomach supplement and my eye supplement. Lucky I have molasses to sweeten the deal or I'd refuse to open my mouth for anything at this point. Worming season soon, I'm told. Ugh, the worst.

So I'm out of work for the next while but my Spode time has increased to two visits a day because if she doesn't treat me in the morning she will fret all day. Oh well, double Spode inevitably means double treats. I was already feeling a little bored with my 3 days off today so Spode decided to teach me to bow while I'm unable to work. It doesn't require any hind leg movement but gives me something to think about. But I already bowed twice and this was only her first day of training, so I don't think the entrainment value will last very long. I don't quite understand exactly what Spode wants by her concept of bow, but I'll figure it out soon. So far I know she doesn't want me to move my legs and she wants my nose to be under my chest. Weird. Is this part of dressage?

Speaking of dressage, my second show went great! I walked off the trailer like a professional player, old sports. I was cool, calm, and collected (scratch the collected part, actually. Spode says I was not collected enough). But yeah, Spode was over the moon with my behaviour. I kept it classy this time. No trying to run away with her in the excitement of it all. I had a sense that I was here to do my thing and then we would go home, which is exactly what happened.

I'm not feeling very cool in these shades. I'm a little embarrassed, in fact. 

Spode blindfolded me so I felt calm and wasn't spooky... until we got into the ring itself and I discovered it was full of puddles. Puddles? I've never been ridden in puddles! Living with Spode has turned me into a princess, old sports. I've undergone the same transition as Fitzgerald's Gatsby, and it's permanent. I got over myself by the second test, but I still felt the need to trot like a full Clydesdale with my knees and hocks a snapping' as I plopped through the soggy sand. I also found it quite difficult to balance. Nevertheless, Spode was chuffed. We got ourselves 60 and 61% and a second place, which Spode was very, very happy with. I found it hard to focus on my test right away because I go from one ring to the next and am expected to just do my thing even though I haven't looked around the ring yet. Kind of weird, to me. But Spode says I need to get over it. I suppose I will, one day. Despite my lack of focus, I had moments of full focus on Spode this time, so that's very good news in her books. I'm happy I have an owner who is so happy with baby steps! I kind of enjoyed the show this time around. Spode is happy, my fan club is happy, and I always seem to meet new admirers. Yup, dressage shows are quickly going to become my thing, I think.

What else is new? Spode is happily enjoying my photoshoot photos. That was quite the day. Weirdest evening ever. I was bathed, groomed, and then kept inside until Spode returned not in her usual barn clothes, but in a full dress! What!? And in tow was her brother with camera, her sister with flash, and her mum with daisies, a book, and carrots. Weird experience for sure. And the rain didn't help matters. Still, whatever keeps my Spode happy...

Photo shoot photos here:
Previos dressage show here, because I forgot the link the first time!

I think that's all I've got for now, old sports. I'll be spending my wound holiday reading up on Fitzgerald and drinking mint juleps in the sun. When life gives you rope burn, make lemonade? Did i mess up that saying? I don't care. I just want some lemonade dammit. Spode! Please fetch me a lemonade--I'm in pain. Take pity on me! And hurry up!

Fetch me my treats, young lady! 

Until later, old sports.

Jay.

Back to the Grindstone

Well, I shouldn't really call it a grindstone. I've had 2 days off this week, some easy rides, and a couple of intense ones. Life is pretty good. Today I had 2 showers and a bunch of treats because it was so hot. No riding at all! I got it made.

Being so loved is exhausting

But I was enjoying my cool shower and Spode sprayed water up my nose, which I did not appreciate...

Ah! My nose, my nose! 

Stop laughing at me! I'm mad at you!!! 

Spode and I have a dressage show next week on Sunday, so we're back to practicing our tests. So of course, naturally, that included learning some extreme cowboy obstacles. Because, you know...

Our next dressage test could read "A Enter working trot, X halt salute, proceed over Teeter Totter at C"

Don't laugh, says Spode. It could happen. 

Spode always says I have ADD, but she has it more than I do I think. She comes to the barn and says "right. We need to step up our game and really work on these centrelines. We need to get your inside leg moving further underneath yourse--ooh, look! A seesaw! Let's try it out Gatsby!!" Yeah, ADD all over. I don't mind. It was fun, and we did a bit of dressage later. After trying to side pass and open a gate. 

Despite our lack of focus, my dressage is improving greatly and Spode is super happy. She's also super happy because my vision is improving a lot, and hopefully I won't have to be a pirate horse sometime soon. Before the show would be ideal... It's kind of embarrassing to be a bunch of strange horses while wearing the equivalent of a bag over my head. Oh the shame. Fitzgerald's Gatsby would never do such a thing, I'm sure. 

I'm much prettier with no blindfold!

I also got some pretty things to add to my bridle. Spode won them in a contest--they're a little bit feminine, in my opinion.... but my idol wears a pink suit, so I shouldn't talk.

A Daisy for my bridle, Spode's phone number for my saddle in case I lose her, and a heart for my halter because she loves me <3

So yeah, we have a plan for the rest of the week in hopes of staying focused on the show. But that's only 2 hours a day. In my spare time, I made some new friends--a pigeon! 

We shared a glass of water and chatted about Daisy.

I've also been playing my usual games and getting into everything. Spode just loves it.

This is a hint, Spode. Come back, put my halter on again, and let's do some dressage instead of goofing off bareback! Focus, old sport!
 

I won't complain about all the snacks I've been having though. I love my Spode time. 

Until later, old sports.

Jay.