Millie's ad

July 2008

Millie – is a very small black female who was a stray. She’s no longer in the prime of life and being treated for hyperthyroidism but otherwise in good health. The only treatment she needs is two tablets a day which she takes very readily wrapped up in a piece of ham! A lively little cat who will be rehomed under our Golden Oldie scheme which means help will be available for future veterinary costs. All she needs is a comfy lap and the chance to enjoy strolling around a garden again

RIP Millie Cat

Sleep well sweetheart, you'll be much missed.

Torture by PomPoms

So off to Arrow for an overnight stay.

SATURDAY

Blackberry

Reviewed position left/right and got it wrong (!) more work on rising canter, SFO put Blackberry up to 3 (gallop) and I had to stand in my stirrups and let Blackberry gallop underneath me.

This seemed to improve my rising canter no end!

Pooh

Worked on rising trot on lunge (point soft) then off lunge, SFO wanted longer reins this put me out of my comfort zone. Will do work on the buckle or FDO but not longer reins (WTF?)

Anyway persisted with it and achieved some nice moments.

SUPPER

Had lovely supper with SFO, some interesting points most especially about learning. O
In a nutshell one of SFO's pupils had said to her if you want me to do E then which of A. B. C or D do I drop because I can only do four.

I guess this is why I can do point/soft and say sit right but not stretch right too. Not enough brain space.

Lovely single accommodation, great shower, warm, kitchen and comfy bed. I fell asleep to the sound of an owl @wub:

SUNDAY

Because of Millie cat being ill elected to only have the one lesson of teaching, so had ten minutes on Blackberry and forty minutes on Pooh.

Blackberry / Pooh

So started out on Blackberry rising canter with pompoms and I nailed it still can't quite believe that.

Onto Pooh on the lunge with pompoms and it was so much easier than last time.

Off the lunge and with imaginary pompoms still pretty good but failed to rise to trot whilst hands descend, whatever which way I tried my hands rose as I rise to the trot.

Had the best ever canter but failed to sit enough right and resorted to kicking. :-( Need to sit right more, if he isn't going forwards it will be because I'm not sat where I need to be.

Very pleased at progress made wrt riding with a longer rein, whilst I still when I lost the contact went to shorten the rein, on Sunday I managed to stop myself doing it and send him forwards to take up the rein.

Sunday was probably my best work on Pooh to date and yes I did apologise to him for my mistake.

Millie - 14th Jan -

14th Jan
07:00: Squidgy pooh seemed a bit quiet but had pill as normal
19:00: Refused pills I was not as home, so un pilled

15th Jan
07:00: Refused pill so booked into vet. at 11:40

11:40 Temp 39.7C, given SQ fluid, injected with antibiotic, pilled

19:00: Looking brighter starting to eat a little, pilled manually.

16th Jan

07:00: Pilled manually, feisty cat returning.

14:30 Temp 39C, given 7 days Clavaseptin AB pills and Mirtazapine (appetite stimulant) given syringe to give fluids orally. Suspect I may well die pilling her and giving her fluids

19:00: Pilled manually.

Tuesday 17th Jan

07:00: Took pills (Felimazole and Clavaseptin)in 'normal' way that is rolled up in piece of ham; was then actively looking to be fed :-) has eaten full portion of minced lamb.

12:00: More minced lamb

19:00: Pilled with ham looking for supper

21:00 Vomitted

22:00 Seen drinking

Wednesday 18th Jan

07:00 Very flat pilled manually; refused food

08:00 Drinking

09:30 Vet possible pancreatitis, colitis or tumour

Coping

Elaine M got me thinking after a FaceAche Inbox conversation.

Am I coping because to me it is all about being with them and I'm really not actually that motivated by riding?

I remember my first time at Ashen we did an exercise (memory fade) where you sit in front of the class and answer a set question out loud and someone else writes down your answers. You're not prompted to fill in any silences and the order the answers appear in is part of the 'analysis'

I do recall being surprised at and disbelieving of my 'analysis', as at that point I had Chorrie and I'd bought him specifically (or so I thought) to go out and compete on. My 'analysis' showed I was more motivated by just being with them than riding/competing. Yet I loved lessons, still do hence driving 200 miles to go to Arrow, yet actual riding was a fair way down.

So is that why I'm coping? Was this analysis actually correct? I wouldn't have predicted this but here we are. For Chorister it is going to be 18 months post initial injury before I'm back in the school and at this point I have no idea if he is going to be sound.

People are like tea bags IMO you've no idea what they're really like until you stick them in hot water, then and only then can you gauge their strength (and flavour )

I am NOT an Earl Grey tea bag!