Getting Back to Normal

Hmm, it’s just over a month since I last blogged. I’ve been busy – maybe that’s a good excuse for being an inconsistent blogger.

The last couple of times I posted, it was all about the allergy woes that the horses were going through. Things are a good deal better on that front. I’m now riding both horses regularly, and Aero competed in the Provençal Equifeel championships two weeks ago (that’ll be a blog post).

Selfie! Aero and me in a lavender field.

Aero had a second three-week course of cortisone injections. His breathing was perfect the whole time he was on cortisone – no puffing or wheezing, and no coughing. It’s now over two weeks since the second course finished. His respiration rate is more or less normal – it’s definitely affected by the heat, so I’m taking that into consideration. He’s coughing a very little… maybe two or three times during the course of a ride, and generally just one cough each time. More like clearing his throat than coughing. I think the worst of his allergens have gone from the air, and what we’re left with is an irritated airway, which is being affected by the hay and dry grass he’s eating. So I’m Waiting and Seeing for a while. If he gets wheezy and the cough gets worse again, I’ll probably do another course of cortisone.

Flurry’s head-shaking is GONE! Woohoo!!! The only reason he shakes his head now is if he’s being annoyed by a fly. He’s in great form… I feel that we’d lost our connection a bit last year, but now it feels like it’s back again. He watches my every move if I’m doing stuff around their paddock, waiting to see if he’s going to be taken out, I reckon. It’s the same when he’s tied up before and after a ride, he never takes his eyes off me. And no, it’s not JUST food related! He gets almost zero treats these days and his behaviour is much better as a result.

We’ve had visitors over the last couple of weeks, so I’ve been hit-and-miss with my riding, but now that they’re gone I am determined to stick to a schedule. Right now, this involves getting up early, to ride before the heat and the flies get going. It’s working so far!

Yesterday, I rode Flurry at 7am and then came back and hacked out on Aero with a couple of friends at 8pm. The evening ride was far better than I expected. I thought we would still be plagued by horseflies, taons, and mouches plates until it actually got dark, but it was great, none of the horses were being bothered at all. And it was lovely to ride into the coolness, rather than ride into the heat, as I do in the morning. Still, I love my early mornings…

Stopping for a picnic break just before we got back to the farm.

Being a glutton for punishment, I was out on Flurry again this morning… life is good and the lavender is in flower! What more could I want?

More lavender! Flurry and me, out early this morning

PS :
I almost forget to add this! I want to be in with FOUR chances to win a really cool t-shirt from Barn Dog Apparel. These are t-shirts for horse people, designed by horse people – you can tell… just look at the #mareglare shirt! Amanda C from the $900 dollar Facebook pony, is running a great giveaway on her blog – check it out! You too can have four entries in the giveaway raffle – crap, I’m reducing my chances of winning by posting this, but what the heck… #sharethegiveawaylove