Of Course It Cooled Down
The day after I got heat exhaustion.
Tuesday I was outside far too much for the temperature that it was outside and, lo, suffered from the exposure. I don't think I've ever had heat exhaustion or other heat-related issues before, but there's a first time for everything and probably explains why I didn't know I had it until the day after. The really odd thing is that I didn't feel nauseous until the evening rather than while I was outside, so I initially thought it might have been something I ate, but now I'm rather positive that it was simply being outside in the heat too much.
As prescribed by Mother Trout I drank lots of water yesterday and downed a 32oz thing of gatorade throughout the day. I'm feeling much better today and the change in weather definitely helps.
It went from 105 or so on Tuesday to 95 or somesuch yesterday and this morning it was in the 60's and, I think, will barely be topping out at 90. It seems that October arrived and the weather suddenly realized that it's supposed to be Fall or something.
Today was pretty good. Started out by spending over an hour trying to get the new Macate reins on the Bosal/Hackemore for Sunny. The ones that came with it are horsehair and, which they kind of feel cool, they are pokey and scratchy because you really can't get single strands of horsehair that long. The Macate reins are some 20' or so long because not only do you get the loop that goes to your hands, but it also makes up a 8' portion that is loose that can either be used as a lead or as an "assistance" like a crop or somesuch. I redid the knot several times before I finally got it right.
After that (and feeding both the horses and myself) it was off to driving, which was good and slightly exciting. They blocked off the area that we normally drive down, but we didn't notice it until, well, we got all the way down, which required turning around and heading back. There was some slight harriness (not actually a word, but I'm using it anyway) when I had to ask the mare to move between a large concrete pillar and the bubbling irrigation water. My instructor took over and got the mare moving before we got ourselves into a mess because I didn't just tell her "yeah, go forward" and she started goobering a bit at it.
Overall it was a good drive and a good lesson, I'm still learning a lot and it's starting to feel like I'm getting the hang of it and have some more control over the situation. My hands are definitely getting better and the whip is getting moderately easier to manage. I need to get myself a better whip as the ones I have are not large enough, at least the little stock whips aren't. They might be okay once we get the cart all fixed up and I'm sitting up in it, but as far as ground driving goes they're entirely inadequate.
I also need to do more ground driving. The weather's getting to the point where I don't really have an excuse to not be working horses outside until noon or so and, well, groundwork (driving specifically) is something I can do without much worry even when no one is around.
After driving Mom and I headed off to the San Tans for a trail ride. We ended up being out for about two hours or so, which was rather nice. Dakota was as slow as molasses and Sunny and I had to play "Lost in the Desert" in order to prevent from 1) running her over and 2) leaving her in the dust. Had Mom lead most of the time (it seems almost any time I'm out on a trail ride I'm in the lead ... regardless of the horse I'm on) and by the end of the ride she had Dakota moving out and off of her leg fairly well. It helped that she now had a crop (my suggestion) as, truth be told, she's not terribly effective with her leg, partially due to not knowing how to use it and partially due to physical limitations (part of me still wonders if most of it isn't in her head...).
Sunny did most excellent, especially considering the last time she went out was January first and since then her time under saddle has been sporadic to say the least. I've done two lessons on her, ridden her maybe three times, and Chris had ridden her a couple times and that's about it. She's my mother-in-law's horse and, well, despite the best intentions she hasn't ridden much. It's a good thing Sunny's a horse that can sit.
There was some initial "Oh I'm outside, I've gotta go somewhere!" but all she tried was a little jogging, which was easily managed. The couple times I asked her up into the trot she volunteered a canter (which for Sunny is about as fast as most horses trot...), though she came back down well enough. She's a good horse, even if at times she feels like she only has half a brain. She did quite well with the bicyclists that we ran across. The last one she was so disinterested as he passed that she turned away and looked the opposite direction as he came towards her. Unfazed, but easily distracted.
Mucked, freed the horses to enjoy the arena and the moderately cooler weather, took a nap, and here I am.
I'm almost done with page 29 of Shifting Times. If I'd been working on it instead of typing this I'd probably be close to finishing the last panel, but ... y'know. I need to do better about that "Sacred Studio Time" thing. It might be easier once it cools down and that's the first thing I do in the day rather than cramming it in the middle and putting it after the horses and other things. Wake up around 5, feed horses, feed myself, draw, paint, and whathaveye until 8 and then start the day with the horses or whatever else needs to be accomplished. Sounds like a plan.
Tuesday I was outside far too much for the temperature that it was outside and, lo, suffered from the exposure. I don't think I've ever had heat exhaustion or other heat-related issues before, but there's a first time for everything and probably explains why I didn't know I had it until the day after. The really odd thing is that I didn't feel nauseous until the evening rather than while I was outside, so I initially thought it might have been something I ate, but now I'm rather positive that it was simply being outside in the heat too much.
As prescribed by Mother Trout I drank lots of water yesterday and downed a 32oz thing of gatorade throughout the day. I'm feeling much better today and the change in weather definitely helps.
It went from 105 or so on Tuesday to 95 or somesuch yesterday and this morning it was in the 60's and, I think, will barely be topping out at 90. It seems that October arrived and the weather suddenly realized that it's supposed to be Fall or something.
Today was pretty good. Started out by spending over an hour trying to get the new Macate reins on the Bosal/Hackemore for Sunny. The ones that came with it are horsehair and, which they kind of feel cool, they are pokey and scratchy because you really can't get single strands of horsehair that long. The Macate reins are some 20' or so long because not only do you get the loop that goes to your hands, but it also makes up a 8' portion that is loose that can either be used as a lead or as an "assistance" like a crop or somesuch. I redid the knot several times before I finally got it right.
After that (and feeding both the horses and myself) it was off to driving, which was good and slightly exciting. They blocked off the area that we normally drive down, but we didn't notice it until, well, we got all the way down, which required turning around and heading back. There was some slight harriness (not actually a word, but I'm using it anyway) when I had to ask the mare to move between a large concrete pillar and the bubbling irrigation water. My instructor took over and got the mare moving before we got ourselves into a mess because I didn't just tell her "yeah, go forward" and she started goobering a bit at it.
Overall it was a good drive and a good lesson, I'm still learning a lot and it's starting to feel like I'm getting the hang of it and have some more control over the situation. My hands are definitely getting better and the whip is getting moderately easier to manage. I need to get myself a better whip as the ones I have are not large enough, at least the little stock whips aren't. They might be okay once we get the cart all fixed up and I'm sitting up in it, but as far as ground driving goes they're entirely inadequate.
I also need to do more ground driving. The weather's getting to the point where I don't really have an excuse to not be working horses outside until noon or so and, well, groundwork (driving specifically) is something I can do without much worry even when no one is around.
After driving Mom and I headed off to the San Tans for a trail ride. We ended up being out for about two hours or so, which was rather nice. Dakota was as slow as molasses and Sunny and I had to play "Lost in the Desert" in order to prevent from 1) running her over and 2) leaving her in the dust. Had Mom lead most of the time (it seems almost any time I'm out on a trail ride I'm in the lead ... regardless of the horse I'm on) and by the end of the ride she had Dakota moving out and off of her leg fairly well. It helped that she now had a crop (my suggestion) as, truth be told, she's not terribly effective with her leg, partially due to not knowing how to use it and partially due to physical limitations (part of me still wonders if most of it isn't in her head...).
Sunny did most excellent, especially considering the last time she went out was January first and since then her time under saddle has been sporadic to say the least. I've done two lessons on her, ridden her maybe three times, and Chris had ridden her a couple times and that's about it. She's my mother-in-law's horse and, well, despite the best intentions she hasn't ridden much. It's a good thing Sunny's a horse that can sit.
There was some initial "Oh I'm outside, I've gotta go somewhere!" but all she tried was a little jogging, which was easily managed. The couple times I asked her up into the trot she volunteered a canter (which for Sunny is about as fast as most horses trot...), though she came back down well enough. She's a good horse, even if at times she feels like she only has half a brain. She did quite well with the bicyclists that we ran across. The last one she was so disinterested as he passed that she turned away and looked the opposite direction as he came towards her. Unfazed, but easily distracted.
Mucked, freed the horses to enjoy the arena and the moderately cooler weather, took a nap, and here I am.
I'm almost done with page 29 of Shifting Times. If I'd been working on it instead of typing this I'd probably be close to finishing the last panel, but ... y'know. I need to do better about that "Sacred Studio Time" thing. It might be easier once it cools down and that's the first thing I do in the day rather than cramming it in the middle and putting it after the horses and other things. Wake up around 5, feed horses, feed myself, draw, paint, and whathaveye until 8 and then start the day with the horses or whatever else needs to be accomplished. Sounds like a plan.