So yesterday and today I took Pluto for walks. Yesterday's went okay, with another horse being ridden in front of us. He spun and snorted but he stayed with me.
Today, he figured out that he can get away from me very easily. I didn't take him out of sight of Playboy, but we exceeded his comfort zone.

I got him into the arena, whereupon he ripped the lead out of my hand and took off. The scary end of the arena was away from his field, so he was trapped in there. He ran and bucked and snorted and generally worked himself up. I finally put the rope through his halter and over his nose, which got him out of the arena, but then he took off again.

I hate chains, but I think I might have to start using one on him. Especially considering my hands were bleeding by the time I got him back in the pasture. It hadn't occurred to me to wear gloves just to lead him 100 feet from his field. The rope literally ripped the skin off my hand. The blood running down my hand got distracting, so as soon as I got him back in the field I bandaged it. I hope it doesn't get infected.

Fortunately before the arena fiasco, we spent some positive this time working on his feet. He has to be able to stand still when the farrier puts his feet up on the stand. With luck he'll be better the next time. Hell, with luck he won't take off the next time I lead him somewhere.

While walking with Alex today, I decided to restart my diet on Monday. Why not right now? Don't feel like it. A good diet is something you need to build up to. I gotta eat my last fries and all that.

Things I'm already doing that are good: frequent walks at work, plenty of fluids, low or no-cal drinks.

Things I'm planning to do starting Monday: keep a food diary, start walking the dog in the evenings again, and keep my calorie level around 1500-1600 per day. That means planning my meals better and eating out less. It's really hard keep track of calories at restaurants.

The cold-like symptoms which started yesterday are still in force. Cold medicine has slowed them down but not made them go away. At least my throat isn't still sore like it was all week.

This evening I think I'll find some clothes so I can go out and get a hot dinner somewhere, and then come home and slack some more. I was going to go into the city for the monthly get together, but I just can't face the ride on the metro. Or the smoke filled room. Or the beer, for that matter. I mostly just want to hang out in my jammies, blow my nose, and read a book.

I've been sick now for nearly a month. It's fair to say I'm sick of being sick.

On a more positive note, the SPCA called today to check on Butterscotch, the kitten I renamed to Andy. They were surprised to hear that he was such a handful, as when he was in foster care for nearly six months he was reclusive and shy. I emailed them a picture of him sitting in his favorite box. I gave them a few details of the damage he's wrought in my house. I stopped when the lady on the phone started to sound weird. I didn't want her to think that I didn't want him. Difficult males are nothing new for me.

Speaking of difficult, Pluto was a pip last night. I took him for a walk and he was good, but later on I had to keep him away from Playboy while the old guy finished his dinner, and Pluto was NOT cooperative. We have to come to an understanding about him invading my space.

The older you get, the more you realize things aren't usually as bad as they seem.
The sun will come out, time heals wounds, and mostly everything is okay. But
then there are things which are SO not okay, like that guy in Cali who had
children with two of his own daughters, among others, and then killed the whole
family. How can you feel secure and happy when there are people like
that out there? They could be living next door to you and you'd never know
it until a catastrophic event happened.

I think I need to go see my horses. They don't have secret lives.

I think I should have snacked more at work. I stopped at the grocery store today, and I was tempted by everything. I did pretty well, buying what was on my list, but on the way home my willpower gave out.

So I ate the last few cheese curls that were in a bag in my car. Then I had some leftover potato chips and onion dip from the party. Then I hoovered down some of the excellent honey ham I got at the store, and finally I had a few pistachios. And
a pickle slice.

I don't think it added up to very much, as I didn't eat much of any one thing. Nonetheless, it was weird. I was making "num num" sounds and enjoying myself way too much. It was mildly orgasmic.

I've obviously given up on real dinner with food groups and utensils. I got myself the hell out of the kitchen. I figure in a few hours I'll have some ice cream just to round out the bad food group meal. In the meantime I'm staying at the other end of the house so I don't catch the blood scent..

I came home today and sauteed up a mess of veggies, baked some rolls, and had both with honey ham. Delicious and nutritious. And I washed the dishes on the same day I made them dirty. That happens seldom in my household.

And now I'm washing the laundry. You never know, I might even
do my taxes.

..

Nah.

I've had a personal ad online for a couple of years. When I get bored I go and use the automatic matching service to see who the computer thinks would be a match. I never, ever do anything about it. Every so often somebody emails me through the service. If they seem interesting I'll usually respond.

So last night somebody saw my ad and emailed. But yesterday I was thinking that I didn't want to date anybody right now. I'm just kind of happy doing what I'm doing and not dating. But what if he's Mr. Right and I never meet him because I'm being antisocial? That'd be a pity.

So, I'm torn. Respond even though I'm really not in the mood? Or ignore him and go about my activities like it never happened?

I took this morning off from work. First I went to the oil change place. They replaced my leaky filter, no questions asked.. thereby assuring repeat business. It was speedy and pleasant.

Then I headed on out to the farm. I was going to take the blankets off the boys, but Amy had already done it. I shedded them out for a bit, then girded for war. I got the dressage whip out of the car and threaded the chain over Pluto's nose. We were going to face whatever it is that he fears near the arena.

But today was different! With some hesitation, he walked with me down to the arena and didn't pull away. He got lots of cookies and "good boys!"

It doesn't sound like much but for us it was huge. It was a gorgeous morning. I spent a little while just watching the boys graze in their field, soaking up the beauty. It wasn't even hard to go to work after, I was that happy.

I knew when you got older your joints aged and would start to hurt. I knew your metabolism slowed down and it'd be too easy to gain weight. That experience would finally start to count for more than innate talent.

I didn't think my hair would change.

I mean, sure, hair turns grey. At some point. You expect that. But mine's gotten wavier, not grey. What the hell? Nobody warned me about that.

I can't find a single bit. They've all vanished. I used to have gobs of them. Darn if I can remember where I put them all. I have bridles hanging bitless in the tackroom. So I picked up a 5" full cheek snaffle - your basic bit. I might need a 4 and 3/4 but it's hard to tell without trying it on. Pluto wouldn't let me put it in his mouth sans bridle. I don't even know why I bothered to try.

Today I led him (with the chain) over to the round pen where they've finally replaced the gate. He did a bit of freaking out before we got there, but we made it safely inside. First I free lunged him, just getting him used to the arena and paying attention to me while he's loose. Then I attached the lunge line.

He really doesn't have a clue what that's all about. I chased him all over, trying to get him to move away from me. He was only long-lined before, so working at a distance to me is foreign to him. I finally got him to do a little bit around the sides of the round pen and called it a day. Neither of us were tired, but I wanted to stop when he was doing it right.

He freaked out some more on the way back to the field. There was a car sitting there looking scary, I guess. He didn't take off wearing the chain, but he did dance around some. Later this week a halter with an integral cable should arrive (as well as a Podhajsky book and some long lines.) I'm hoping I'll be able to use that instead of the chain. The chain is a bit awkward to deal with, and it tends to pull his halter around.

I have to say that behavior-wise, he's a lot better than he was a month ago. In his paddock I normally work with him alone, so there's nobody to make him hold still while I groom him. By dint of repetition I've convinced him to stand still while I groom him and pick his feet, and even while I put his feet up on the hoof stand and rasp them. I hope he'll be much better for the farrier this time around. If not, at least I can say I tried.

In another month or so I'm going to put the two of us in training with Amy the farm manager. I'm going to take lessons on Pluto but also have her ride him. He's a smart, smart boy. Amy's a lot like me - she doesn't take any guff but she also doesn't have a chip on her shoulder. I hope that's a good combo for Pluto. He's extremely dominant. I don't think we can softshoe with him. From what I know of him so far, he'll steamroller over me if I let him. Lipizzaners are a bit touchy. You can't abuse them into doing what you want (not that I would.) It's supposed to be much more of a partnership than it is with most other horses. I have a strong feeling that if I can get Pluto working with me, he will be an incredible partner. He's not angry any more at me for taking him away from his home, but he hasn't really accepted me yet.

Good ol' Playboy is being a sweetheart. I don't know that he likes Pluto as much as he liked having his own mare, but they get along pretty well.

Today was lovely. I slept in a bit until a pressing need to visit the loo drove me out of bed. For breakfast I lingered over a hot sandwich - sharp cheddar and shaved honey ham melted on toast. And an icy cold soda. Yummy.

Continuing my lazy trend, I sat with cats in lap and read a book til it was finished. Finally I got up to do something useful but I was thwarted. I was going to caulk a leaky window, but my tube of caulk had solidified. Guess I'm doing it next weekend.

Responsibility averted, I headed out to the farm. It occurred to me yesterday that I'm incredibly out of shape in my horse riding muscles. Rather than get back in shape while riding monsterboy, I figured I'd do it the somewhat less traumatic way with my old gelding. I forgot to change into riding boots, so I gingerly settled myself in his saddle and hoped we wouldn't have an incident. Riding in tennies felt pretty darn good, though. I need to get some riding tennies with heels so I'm safe.

Playboy was feeling pretty good for an old man. I was going to do a mostly walking ride, but he had other ideas. Within moments of entering the arena he started to trot. And not his normal gentle jog, either. A trot with some energy. I ended up posting to save his back. It's been so long since I did anything but sitting trot that I couldn't remember which front leg to rise with. Outside seemed the most familiar so I went with that.

I put him through his lateral paces - shoulder in, haunches in, and leg yielding in both directions. He was more fluid and responsive at it than he had been in a long time. Go figure.

He acted like he wanted to canter, but he also acted like he was going to turn into a headtwisting, crowhopping rodeo horse so I didn't oblige. Let him do that on his own time.

Pluto was pretty jealous by the time we got back. I spent time putting his feet up on the hoof stand and rasping them. If I can do it with no experience and nobody holding him, the farrier should be able to do it no problem. I hope. I don't want a repeat of last time. :O

He was getting more mouthy and this time I whapped him. Probably not the best of ideas, but I have to do *something* to keep him from biting. Time to read up.

I took him for a short walk, where he again acted terrified of water and trees. I don't know what his issue is, but he's going to have to get over it. Water and trees are perfectly safe. If he wants to act scared of tigers, that's fine. Trees are right out.

Fortunately with a chain he's controllable, so I made him walk at a calm pace if not with a calm mind. Back in the field we played "follow me" games.

Finally, (well not *finally* because it's not bedtime yet) I came home and made an entirely kickass stirfry from broccoslaw, sweet peapods, garlic, cilantro, chicken, and panang curry mix. Damn, that was good.

So all in all I'd say it was one of the better Sundays in recent history. And it's not over! I still get ice cream and more bookreading.

I read Dan Sumerel's book on round pen training over the last day or so. I'm really looking forward to trying it with Pluto. I hope it can make a big difference in our interactions. He has not accepted me as dominant yet, not completely. Usually it's something I don't have to work at or think about, but this boy is really challenging me.

I went to the Bally's tonight for the first night of my two week free tryout. The sales rep wasted half an hour trying to sell me on buying a plan right then and there, then I was free to work out. The place was mighty crowded. It's larger than the Gold's and it has more classes and a swimming pool! It'd be nice to have a place to do laps. I'm just not sure if it's worth the expense.