Pearly Whites

So, not much to write about lately, at least on the horse front. This is mostly irritating to me...though let me say off the bat I am so, so, SO happy Miles continues to gain weight and has worked really well for me the 2 days I rode him this week. Here's what's going on.

OK, I know, I KNOW I've written so much on here about the weather. If I look at my tags, I'm pretty sure "weather" has to be the most common one. Seriously though? It. Is. Horrible this year. Every fricking day, with very very limited exceptions, is hot and humid as all hell. I've never seen a summer like it and I've lived here all my life. Even living through droughts we've had, or extended heat waves, didn't come close to being as miserable as this swamp like weather we've had. You guys, I let the lawn go for 2 weeks, and when I mowed it, there were SLUGS looking at me and the sun like "What? Where is our rain forest cover? I could have sworn we were in Brazil or wherever the frick there's lots of rain forests." Never, EVER, have I seen slugs here, and never, EVER EVER do I want to see them again. Nope Nope Nope.

Hey, guess what happened on Sunday? Central Air go Boom! EFF ME. So, that's been super fun! Hey, it's only the old furnace, which can be fixed for a paltry 2 grand. FML.

Also in the last 2 weeks, we've had our giant maple tree in the back yard split in two and fall down go boom. My Father in Law is wonderful and made the trip down from Escanaba to help us deal with this super fun development, thank goodness.

You all know about my old girl Mojo and her issues (weird neck thing continues to get smaller, though something is still there, and she's been SUPER itchy lately. She becomes much more comfortable with a little Benadryl, thank goodness, and it's not fleas...I'm chalking it up to all the mutant skeeters and other bugs around here). Overall, she still is doing well, thank goodness.

My 90 year old grandma, the only extended relative I've been really close with in the past and lives near us in Lansing, has been struggling with seizures in the last 2 weeks-not the falling down passing out kind, but she gets a headache and involuntary arm/leg shaking. She is amazing in that she has all her wits about her and then some, but after an initial hospital stay she refuses to go back. She is on medication but it's not working, at least not yet. My parents have been dealing with the docs and neurologists and checking on her at least once a day. We are a very small family, so it's been very hard on them and I've been thinking about her, and my parents, a lot. Please keep her in your thoughts if you don't mind.

So, there's all that. Miles also had his purty teeth floated again on Wednesday. Looks like he is super special and the kind of horse who will need to be floated twice a year (high maintenance thoroughbred is high maintenance). He was done November last year and was apparently looking super sharp and quite in need according to Doug LaRose, Equine Dentist Extraordinaire for those of you in Mid Michigan. Doug uses no sedation, just patience and an amazing technique to get the job done. I had to work during the time he was at the barn on Wednesday, but I held Miles for him in November and it was truly a pleasure to watch him work. I'm convinced you do NOT need sedation in most cases, with a true professional like Doug. If you want more information about him feel free to ask! He does not charge a farm call, even though he lives in Riverview which is not exactly close to Charlotte where we are. He's my equine dental hero. At 50 bucks a pop I'm more than willing to get Miles floated twice a year if that's what he needs-hopefully this only continues to help with his weight as well.

I'll ride Miles this weekend, even though, again with the hot and humid. He still really enjoys being worked-actually, he just really enjoys PEOPLE, and any kind of interaction, which makes me happy:) He's such a sweet, good boy-every time I leave the barn, even if I've only spent 20 minutes there, I'm in a good mood. Thanks for that, boy. It's sure been welcome these last few weeks.

The Princess and the Bean

So many titles ran through my mind for this post.

A bean in the hand is worth two in the bush?
Miles and the bean(stalk)?
I came, I saw, I de-beaned?
A bean of a different color?

Hey, I didn't say any of them were good. You all know what's coming, right? Well, those of you with geldings or stallions do. Those that don't...you just consider yourself lucky and go hug your mare.

Yesterday was a particularly beautiful Michigan day...in fact, so is today, and the weekend looks gorgeous. This is an important detail. Nice weather emboldens me.

(Amanda, who helps me stuff my horse with nootrishus beet pulp when I cannot, tells me he's been quite bum-itchy in the stall the last two days. Hmmmm...tapeworm? Sweet itch? Dry skin? Could be a million things. Sheath? Oh sure, sure, could be, but it could be OTHER things. I pick up Listerine and Baby Oil in hopes of "other things". ANY other thing.)

I arrive at the barn, and Lovely Miles was lovely. He's looking so fit and healthy, and he was in a spectacular mood; relaxed, good appetite, all that stuff. No sign of tail rubbing. Hooray! I threw his tack on and took him to the arena to lunge before riding.

He's a good boy on the lunge, with the exception of two HUGE monster bucks...again. Miles just...doesn't buck. Not two lungings in a row.

(What's that you say? Bucking can be a sign of discomfort?? Possibly GENITAL discomfort? Hahaha, let's not jump to conclusions! He's just happy it's not 90 percent humidity! Look, there, he's showing off for his mare-girlfriend who's watching him! What are you, some kind of perv?)

Pshaw, other than the two bucks he's moving really well. I get on and we have a super ride, all things considered. He's a bit lazy and seems to be taking full advantage of the fact that I've forgotten my crop, but all in all I'm happy. We quit after a particularly nice 20 meter circle at the canter.

(See he's fine! Phew, that was close! Always looking for the worst!)

I lead my good boy back to the barn for many pettings and treatings and hosing-downs. He adopts the pee-stance, so I hurry him into the stall where he goes. And stops. And goes again.

(CRAP. My mission is now clear.)

So, he's eating his dinner and acting just fine. I'm a little nervous and twitchy, knowing what I have to do. Do I wait for him to drop? Do I just go to town and start, um, exploring as is? I don't have gloves, dammit. OR soapy water. Maybe this can wait until tomorrow....

Just then Amanda leads her two mares into the barn. Miles raises his head, gives his Casanova nicker, and resumes eating.

Dropping!!! We have dropping people!

NOW I'm nervous. I look around. No witnesses-Amanda's back is turned, busying herself with her girls (damn lucky Amanda with her girls!). Here is where impulse takes over. We have no logical thought process from this point on-this is all some weird reptilian brain-stem instinct. A summary:

GrabItDoNotThinkAboutWhatYouAreHoldingInsertFingersWhereTheyOughtNotBeInsertedOMFGWhatISTHATHookFingerAroundItPLOPItFallsOut

And Scene!

Miles best WTF was that?!? face

Actually, he barely noticed. By the time he raised a hind leg in annoyance the bean was on the floor, as it were (if anyone is curious, it truly looks like a bean...an off-white kidney bean. Don't think I didn't consider taking a picture, though it turns out I do have limits. Who knew?). He never stopped eating. I like to think it was my Mad Skillz.

Actually, I don't. I do not want to think of myself being skilled in this area, ever.

In fact, we shall not speak of it again. I did what I had to do. And so would you:)