Busy week.
On Sunday, I finished a 1,200 word paper in three hours. Got perfect marks on it, too, 'cause I'm just that badass.
On Monday afternoon, I went to the barn to give Sharif a bath. Wasn't intending to do anything else, since Bonnie had to work late and couldn't make it out. After I finished, however, Kelsea (Belle and Star's owner) and Lisa (Mr. Graham's daughter and Smokey's new-ish owner) were all like, "TRAIL RIDE! :D :D," which are the magic words to make me game for just about anything. Anyway, since I was wearing shorts, and shorts + English saddle = PAIN, I borrowed a spare Western saddle, which was kind of embarrassing since I had to ask Kelsea to lift it for me (otherwise I would've been fibro'd so hard). Still, it felt good to ride Western again. I didn't realize how much I missed it until then. Anyway.
The ride was sort of fun, but it was a lot longer than I realized, and Sharif was being a real brat at times. We rode about two miles out, I'd say, up to the middle school, where Kelsea and Lisa cantered around for a bit. Since Sharif has some...issues at the canter, I just tried to hold him back. He wasn't happy about that, but I was less happy about the idea of him spooking or stumbling at a canter, so I won. I think he spooked at everything on the way back just to get back at me for that, actually. By the time we turned around, of course, I was exhausted and in a fair amount of pain, but they were having fun and I don't like to let my illness spoil things for everyone, you know? It got pretty hard when Lisa (who is like my dad in many ways) stopped to talk at length to everyone we saw. When they decided to extend the ride by going down to Mr. Graham's girlfriend's house for sodas, I was actively cussing at Sharif with every spook. Still, soda sounded good. I put mine in my *ahem* Victoria's Secret Compartment for safe-keeping until we got back to the barn, since I was using all of my concentration to keep Sharif in line. In hindsight, I should have stuck to that, but when we stopped to discuss various health issues with a random neighbor, I decided that I couldn't wait anymore and tried to take a few sips. This is when Sharif started flipping out even more than before, and the freshly-opened can of soda ended up on the road. I said some very nasty things to Sharif which I later apologized for (to Kelsea and Lisa, not him. He had it coming).
Anyway, by the time we finally got back to the barn, I was near tears from the sheer amount of pain I was in. I'm not even kidding. I almost collapsed when I got off of Sharif. I had to sit down for a few minutes before I could even untack Sharif, which was just as well, as I had to wait for Kelsea's help with the saddle. Then I hosed Sharif off (again) and went through the whole after-ride routine, then put him back in the pasture, where he trotted away from me in a rather sulky manner and refused to approach me for the rest of the evening.
Really, the ride was fun at times, and I think it was good for both of us in many ways, but it really left me feeling terrible, and not just physically. I felt (and still feel) so weak and useless, and like I was holding everyone else back from having fun. It made me wonder if Sharif deserves a rider who can keep up with him and doesn't have so many issues. I could never sell him, but maybe that's just me being selfish, and he'd really be happier with someone else. I don't know, and it hurts to think about it.
In less depressing news, Uncle Johnny was released from the hospital today. He was supposed to come home on Monday, but the doctors were worried about his bedsores and made him stay a few extra days. He seems to be doing really well, and has been pretty upbeat. Having that kidney taken out has made all the difference, and having him at aunt Beth's house will be easier on everyone. Yes, even her, since now she doesn't have to drive across town every other day to stay with him.
In even less depressing news, Raven the new dog is starting to grow on me. She's a sweet little thing, even if she is kind of a drama queen. Well, that's Poms for you. I'll try to take some pictures tomorrow and post them along with a long-overdue fannish rambling post.
On Monday afternoon, I went to the barn to give Sharif a bath. Wasn't intending to do anything else, since Bonnie had to work late and couldn't make it out. After I finished, however, Kelsea (Belle and Star's owner) and Lisa (Mr. Graham's daughter and Smokey's new-ish owner) were all like, "TRAIL RIDE! :D :D," which are the magic words to make me game for just about anything. Anyway, since I was wearing shorts, and shorts + English saddle = PAIN, I borrowed a spare Western saddle, which was kind of embarrassing since I had to ask Kelsea to lift it for me (otherwise I would've been fibro'd so hard). Still, it felt good to ride Western again. I didn't realize how much I missed it until then. Anyway.
The ride was sort of fun, but it was a lot longer than I realized, and Sharif was being a real brat at times. We rode about two miles out, I'd say, up to the middle school, where Kelsea and Lisa cantered around for a bit. Since Sharif has some...issues at the canter, I just tried to hold him back. He wasn't happy about that, but I was less happy about the idea of him spooking or stumbling at a canter, so I won. I think he spooked at everything on the way back just to get back at me for that, actually. By the time we turned around, of course, I was exhausted and in a fair amount of pain, but they were having fun and I don't like to let my illness spoil things for everyone, you know? It got pretty hard when Lisa (who is like my dad in many ways) stopped to talk at length to everyone we saw. When they decided to extend the ride by going down to Mr. Graham's girlfriend's house for sodas, I was actively cussing at Sharif with every spook. Still, soda sounded good. I put mine in my *ahem* Victoria's Secret Compartment for safe-keeping until we got back to the barn, since I was using all of my concentration to keep Sharif in line. In hindsight, I should have stuck to that, but when we stopped to discuss various health issues with a random neighbor, I decided that I couldn't wait anymore and tried to take a few sips. This is when Sharif started flipping out even more than before, and the freshly-opened can of soda ended up on the road. I said some very nasty things to Sharif which I later apologized for (to Kelsea and Lisa, not him. He had it coming).
Anyway, by the time we finally got back to the barn, I was near tears from the sheer amount of pain I was in. I'm not even kidding. I almost collapsed when I got off of Sharif. I had to sit down for a few minutes before I could even untack Sharif, which was just as well, as I had to wait for Kelsea's help with the saddle. Then I hosed Sharif off (again) and went through the whole after-ride routine, then put him back in the pasture, where he trotted away from me in a rather sulky manner and refused to approach me for the rest of the evening.
Really, the ride was fun at times, and I think it was good for both of us in many ways, but it really left me feeling terrible, and not just physically. I felt (and still feel) so weak and useless, and like I was holding everyone else back from having fun. It made me wonder if Sharif deserves a rider who can keep up with him and doesn't have so many issues. I could never sell him, but maybe that's just me being selfish, and he'd really be happier with someone else. I don't know, and it hurts to think about it.
In less depressing news, Uncle Johnny was released from the hospital today. He was supposed to come home on Monday, but the doctors were worried about his bedsores and made him stay a few extra days. He seems to be doing really well, and has been pretty upbeat. Having that kidney taken out has made all the difference, and having him at aunt Beth's house will be easier on everyone. Yes, even her, since now she doesn't have to drive across town every other day to stay with him.
In even less depressing news, Raven the new dog is starting to grow on me. She's a sweet little thing, even if she is kind of a drama queen. Well, that's Poms for you. I'll try to take some pictures tomorrow and post them along with a long-overdue fannish rambling post.