Bowen Session 1!

Sophie had her first Bowen session last night. I think it went really well...her right stifle was *very* stiff and tight and her neck/shoulder on that side was even worse. Debbie worked all over her, it was really interesting to watch and hard to describe, but it was very small movements in specific places. She would do one "adjustment" and then step back and wait for Sophie to show some sign of release.

She said that Sophie was very guarded and polite in her reactions and that we'll probably see bigger reactions as she has more sessions. For Sophie the main sign of endorphin releases she showed would be lowering her head or licking and chewing. Nothing major and sometimes those moments would come a full minute or so after the work was done. Sophie will have another session in 7-10 days and another in the same time frame after that. Then we'll reevaluate and see where she is.

Craig and I went to see Sophie today and she was much perkier than normal. Super friendly and bright eyed, it was a little like seeing the change in Jessie after his hock injections. I would have loved to watch her move but it was raining so I just groomed her and gave her treats, maybe tomorrow I'll get to watch her move some.

Jilly, our Papillon, had a treatment as well. She has some hock problems going on, even though she's only a year old. She wasn't too crazy about her treatments in the beginning, but they grew on her. Debbie just did a bit on her, saying that it's better not to overload the system by doing everything at once, since Bowen relies on helping the body to recognize where things should "be" and that the biggest part of Bowen comes in the days *after* the treatments, because that's when things settle into place and the real results start coming through.

Debbie also did a little work on my back as well, since it's been bothering me quite a bit due to the pregnancy. She did this weird thing with my shoulders and they felt a lot looser afterwards. She didn't charge me for that because she called what she did for me "less than half a Bowen" and told me not to judge my results on that. My back did feel a bit better this morning, but the big thing I noticed was my groing/way lower abdomen pain was gone when I woke up, and hasn't gotten nearly as bad today as it normally is by even noon...and it's the end of the day!

So, I'm very pleased with how things went, Sophie's eye is a lot softer today and Craig was really amazed at how much friendlier she was with him. Hopefully I can watch her move tomorrow, but I am shooting a dressage show, so we'll see!

Wow, a Punctual Farrier!

I don't know if I'd posted on here, but I had scheduled Sophie to have her feet done last Thursday, except the farrier didn't show. Since it was my first time using that farrier I decided to just find another farrier, since if he can't be on schedule (or even show up) for my first appointment what's that say about future appointments?

So I asked Debbie, the massage therapist if she had a recommendation, and she did! She recommended the farrier she's been using for the last 12 years, so I called him and set up an appointment for less than a week later (fortunately Sophie wasn't really overdue, I just like to be proactive on feet). Tonight was the night and he showed up 5 minutes early, was done in 40 minutes, and Sophie's feet look great. Needless to say I am very pleased.

Tomorrow is Sophie's first Bowen treatment (and mine, due to my aching back), I'm *really* excited about that!

Busy Couple of Days Coming Up!

Sophie has a busy couple of days coming up! Last night we longed for the first time in Florida, very lightly, about 10 minutes total and that was mostly walking. She did really well, especially considering she hasn't been worked in the dark before (though the arena is lit, just not very brightly) and normally she's very looky and a little anxious when taken out without her buddies. But she didn't put a foot wrong and was very smooth and relaxed. I did a bit of walking behind her while she walked on in front of me to get her used to it for when I add long lines.

Tomorrow the farrier is coming to do her feet and Friday evening the massage therapist is coming. I'm using a Bowen Therapist so it'll be interesting to see how that goes. I'm going to get my back done as well since it's *killing* me!

Deja Vu...

Today I stopped by the barn to see Sophie after work. It was pouring down rain so I just groomed her, delaying our longeing session one more day. As I groomed her I realized how much deja vu I was experiencing, so similar to Sophie and I's first spring together, when I didn't have a saddle that fit so we spent our time grooming and longeing, getting to know each other.

I'm trying to figure out what to do with her tail, right now it brushes the ground and I'd like to find a way to get it up off the ground without cutting it. I'll have to do some investigating I guess. I braided the middle part and that got it higher, but I don't know if I should wrap the braided part so that the hairs don't break.

Meanwhile, tomorrow's going to be busy...baby class in the morning, photo shoot in the afternoon, and The Nutcracker in the evening! I already need a nap!

Settling In...

We made the trip to Florida in 18 or 19 hours. We left at 3:00 in the afternoon Monday and arrived at 10:00 in the morning Tuesday! Sophie travelled like a champ. We stopped every 3-4 hours for gas and I checked Sophie at every stop and she never sweated once. It was in the mid-30's until we got to Georgia, then the temperature started rising.

I drove from 2 am to 7 am and Craig did all of the other driving. I like driving in the middle of the night because there are hardly any cars on the road. Once we got in we unloaded Sophie and she looked around a bit before stretching her legs in the arena. She trotted a few laps and then started looking for grass so we put her in a paddock where she trotted over to make friends with her neighbors. She drank some water and ate some hay after greeting the other horses.

Craig and I went home to nap so that we would be awake for the Spacecoast Arabian Horse Club meeting that night, so we weren't there when Sophie was brought in for dinner. Apparently she got a little upset when they started taking the other horses in, but she calmed down and was fine by the time we stopped back at the barn before going to the meeting.

Yesterday I went out and turned her loose in the round pen, she trotted around a bit and I worked on just having her move a bit and turn in response to my body language. She was nervous about being out in the round pen while the other horses were inside. After a bit of work I just led her around the round pen, stopping and backing a couple of steps every now and then to get her focusing on me. I also worked on asking her to lower her head when I applied pressure to her poll with one hand while pulling gently downward on the halter.

Today we went for a walk in the big arena, doing lots of walking, stopping, and backing to get her focusing on me and ensure she was walking on a loose lead. We did a little jogging too, but I just can't handle much physical activity right now, which leads me to doubt what I'll be able to do as far as long lining until after the baby is born!

She does have some kind of issue with her neck, so I have a Bowen practitioner coming out next Friday to work on her. I'm really excited, I hadn't heard of the Bowen Technique before, but after doing more research on it I think it will help her a lot and can't wait to see the results! I may longe Sophie tomorrow, just using the cavesson and letting her stretch out, no side reins or anything.

Sophie's Last Ohio Ride...

Yesterday Craig and I drove down to Dayton to see Sophie and watch Kim ride her one last time. She did really well and is soooooo pretty!

First she was longed to get loosened up...


And then came the ride. I didn't take many pictures as we spent a lot of time talking about Sophie and her progress.



We're leaving today for Florida and will arrive Tuesday morning. Then Sophie will officially be a Florida horse. She does have some wither soreness that we haven't been able to "fix" so she'll get some time off and a chiro visit among other things to see if we can make things more comfortable for her. I hope she handles the trip well...I guess we'll see though!

Hopefully we have time for a nap Tuesday afternoon because there's a Spacecoast Arabian Horse Club meeting that night that we plan to attend too.

200 Posts!

I noticed today as I was signing in that I have 199 posts in this blog...so this will be post number 200! We are now in Ohio, with the truck and trailer. We made the drive in 18 or 19 hours, because we stopped for 20-30 minutes every 3 hours. We left around 4 Tuesday afternoon and arrived around 11 Wednesday morning. I drove the truck and the trailer for the first time ever, doing two 3 hour sessions starting around midnight. I don't mind driving on the highway since you really can't even tell the trailer is back there. I know it will be different when there is a horse on the trailer, but we'll probably do the same thing going back. Craig will drive until it's later and then I'll take over, when there are practically zero cars on the road to need to manuever around. As long as I don't have to drive through West Virginia...I *hated* driving through West Virginia! Too hilly and curvy.

We'll be picking Sophie up Monday around noon and pulling into the barn around 9 hopefully...the next day. Then Sophie will be a Florida horse and I'll be a Florida horse owner. I can't wait to see her. She was supposed to get body clipped yesterday, but we'll see if they had a chance to clip her yet. Jessie (my retired gelding) is a woolball...he would definitely need a body clip if he were going to Florida.

Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I've been participating in a photography challenge and have been keeping my photography blog updated with pictures if you'd like to check them out, just click this link...Stephanie Mills Photography blog!

One week...

One week from today Sophie will be a Florida horse! The trailer is ready and we're heading up to Ohio today. We'll leave next Monday and hopefully arrive on Tuesday, settling Sophie into her stall in Florida!

Pretty in Purple...

To help her adjustment to being a Florida horse I bought a fly sheet, hood, mask, and boots for Sophie...in purple of course! She won't need them for a while, but, at least she's ready, and they were on sale! (Sophie's fly sheet doesn't have a belly band, but purple wasn't actually pictured so wouldn't due for this blog)

Weird, weird, dream...and one more week!

I'm starting to get really excited, we leave to get Sophie in just one week! Of course, she won't be in Florida until 2 weeks from now, but it's a start. Meanwhile I had a really weird dream about Sophie. She kind of just arrived at the barn and right after she got off the trailer I saddled her up and took her for a ride (even though I'm going to do my best not to ride until after the baby is born). Then there was a girl that I guess was supposed to be a working student from my barn in Ohio and she had Sophie hitched up to a red buckboard wagon like what my grandparents had for their pony and she drove her all around the arena.

I remember thinking, well, I guess it won't be hard to teach Sophie to long line!!! Then she got Sophie cantering and turning in a tight circle and she tucked herself in a ball and jumped off the wagon!!! Leaving Sophie cantering along, fortunately Sophie stopped right away but I was very angry with the girl and told her to get out of my site.

Then later in the dream she kind of morphed into a much older woman of 60 and I was trying to find out what I needed to do to get her back to Ohio. And I think Sophie came to Florida with a lot more "stuff" than she left with!!!

Anyway, that was my dream...though I do kind of wish the part where Sophie already knows how to drive wered true!

Went to a Tack Swap Today...

We had a garage sale yesterday and I had some random horse stuff leftover, which was convenient since there was a tack swap at our local park! I sold my too small breeches/schooling tights as well as some other stuff. It was a fun day and I got to meet some more people from the Spacecoast Arabian Horse Club. We took Jilly, it was her first horse show and she handled it pretty well. Some issues with barking at other dogs she saw, but by the end of the day she wasn't even reacting. I think she's *very* tired though because normally she sleeps quite a bit during the day and today she was awake due to the excitement.

In *love*!!!!

I soooooo want five pairs of these, all in patent leather. Too bad they're a bit more than the ones I get off of Tack of the Day!



If you're lucky enough to have the money for them because you're not moving a horse to Florida in two weeks, you can buy them here...People on Horses Sheepskin-Lined Horse Boots

How crazy is this?

I've been thinking a lot about Sophie and what I'm going to do with her once she's in Florida. Well, not what *I'm* going to do with her...what I'm going to have someone *else* do with her. I'd been thinking I would put her in some kind of partial training before starting to rider her myself. But I'm starting to think I may be better off just longeing her and doing in hand work while I can...then restarting her myself. It's what we did after I bought her and things turned out really well...maybe I should do it again. Decisions, decisions. Regardless, Sophie gets a month or two off from riding while we focus on longeing/in hand work and then I'll decide. It's going to be *really* hard to not ride when she gets here though! I've been watching lessons at the barn and it's making me want to ride...a lot!

Sophie's Early Christmas Present...

For Christmas this year Sophie's getting a body clip and teeth floating prior to leaving for Florida...yay!!!

Spacecoast Arabian Horse Club...

Tonight Craig and I went to our first Spacecoast Arabian Horse Club meeting. It was a fun meeting and great meeting everyone involved in the organization. They're having three dressage shows in the winter/spring and I hope to get Sophie to one, somehow, even if I have to find someone to ride her!

Sophie's New Digs...

Stephanie Mills Photography

I haven't really posted about it on here, but I have my own photography business now (Stephanie Mills photography website). I currently specialize in Equine Photography but hope to branch out into Canine Photography soon and eventually human portraits and weddings. So if any of you live in Florida and need some pictures taken of your animals give me a call!

I posted some pictures on my photography blog (click here). I'm doing a photo challenge this month so be sure to check the photography blog to see what I've been up to. Meanwhile I'll post a sneak preview picture here...



Today's pictures were taken at the stable where I'll be boarding Sophie. Tomorrow's theme is "environment" so I'll probably be posting quite a few pictures of the facilities themselves.

A New Adventure...

To prepare for Sophie and I's Florida adventure I have started stocking up on groundwork, longeing, and longe reining materials. I've started with four books on those topics, which I'm going to share with you in this post. Eventually I plan on buying or possibly renting some DVDs, once Sophie's here and I can apply what I see right away!

You may be asking how I picked books relating to something I know nothing about...easy! I just went to amazon.com and did a search for groundwork and long lining and long reining, opening every result that looked applicable. I looked at the content and then also at the reviews of other users and went with the ones that had the best reviews.

So...on to the books! I will do more in depth reviews after I receive them and begin to explore their contents.

Long Reining: The Saumur Method (Hardcover)
~ Philippe Karl http://www.amazon.com/reader/1570762384?_encoding=UTF8&ref_=sib%5Fdp%5Fpt#noop

Schooling Horses in Hand: A Means of Suppling and Collection (Hardcover)
~ Richard Hinrichs http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1570762058/ref=s9_simz_gw_s0_p14_t1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0QKSQ9AWA3VZG6PS94ST&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

Training the Horse in Hand: The Classical Iberian Principles (Hardcover)
~ Alfons J. Dietz http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1592287069/ref=s9_simz_gw_s0_p14_t2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0QKSQ9AWA3VZG6PS94ST&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

Horse Training In-Hand: A Modern Guide to Working from the Ground: Long Lines, Long and Short Reins, Work on the Longe (Hardcover)
~ Ellen Schuthof-Lesmeister http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1570764093/ref=s9_simz_gw_s0_p14_t3?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0QKSQ9AWA3VZG6PS94ST&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

Resurrection...

This blog has been pretty dead...ok...really dead. Sophie's been in training in Ohio and doing pretty well. I was thinking I'd sell her, but instead...she's coming to Florida! Craig and I are going to pick her up Thanksgiving weekend. I found a great stable just 12 minutes away to board her at and have begun stocking up on groundwork/long lining resources to help keep us busy until the baby is born.

Speaking of the baby...everything is going great with him. I'm still due March 2nd (22.5 weeks pregnant now) and in case you didn't catch the "him"...it's a boy! Right now we're naming him Edward James, but that may be subject to change. Between the baby and Sophie coming to Florida I am on a severe adrenaline high!

If anyone has any suggestions for groundwork/long lining resources please let me know...I ordered four books to get me started that had decent reviews, but I'm always open to more ideas!

I'm Pregnant...

I realize it's been a while since I updated here...but I thought I'd let everyone that may still check this blog know that I'm pregnant. Almost 10.5 weeks. The baby is due March 2nd, so Sophie won't be coming to Florida this winter. I've decided to leave her in Ohio for the winter, where she'll have the winter off and then resume full training next spring. Then she'll be coming to Florida next December, hopefully schooling Third Level! I'm hoping to work on photography when it gets a little cooler though, and attend as many horse shows as possible this winter, both locally and in Wellington!

A Picture...

I have to get to bed, but wanted to share a picture of Rose first. Sorry about it being dark, this is straight out of the camera since the computer doctor messed up my Photoshop.



As you can see, she fits into my "ride only dark bays" trend nicely!

Fourth Ride on Rose...

Today was my fourth ride on Rose. When I arrived the barn owner was riding and since the arena is small I decided not to ride right away. I groomed Rose really good while she had the first part of her dinner. I then put her in the round pen so that I could get her stall cleaned while she hung out. Of course, she rolled while in the round pen so I had to groom her again and then we got started on our ride.

She was pretty good, testing me more like the first day, but more forward when she wasn't. She's doing *really* well with leg yielding though. I really wish I could carry a dressage whip to back up my leg but that's not ok yet. We'll keep working though and maybe I'll be able to start using one in a little while.

One good thing is that she's really cut back on snapping her teeth when I tighten the girth. She hardly did it at all for the initial girthing up, and then the two girth tightenings after that she didn't gnash her teeth at all!

I'm not going to ride tomorrow, or even make it out to the barn, since I have to pack up our hotel room so that we can move to a new hotel room for a couple of nights. We'll board the animals for those days since we have to stay in a non-pet room. I *really* can't wait to move into our new house. Really, really, really.

Third Ride Today...

Today Rose and I went on our third ride together. She was a very good girl, picking right up where we left off last time, staying forward around the rail and even maintaining her energy pretty well when crossing the arena to do figure eights and changes of direction. So we started some baby leg yields, she would do 2-3 nice strides of leg yielding at the end of the long side, though losing a lot of momentum when doing it.

We did a lot of walking between the trot work and only rode for about 15 minutes. It was 80 degrees but Rose still didn't break a sweat. I wasn't sweating as much today as last ride, but I wasn't having to work as hard to keep her going. My left leg is very weak, she leg yields much better to the left than the right because of that.

Next ride we'll work on more of the same I think. I hope to add spiral circles in a few more rides, though I know they probably won't resemble spiral circles. I just want to have control over her body in case she does get spooky or looky in the future, though she's shown no signs of it so far.

No Riding Today...

I did go visit Rose, groomed her, hand grazed her, and cleaned her stall. I'm really sore from riding the last two days and I thought it'd be good to bond with her a little without riding. Plus that way she doesn't associate me with only riding and work!

I forgot my camera, again, so no pictures yet, hopefully tomorrow.

Second Ride Today!

I went out to see Rose again today. We had a short ride, this time trotting a lap, walking a little, trotting a circle or a figure eight, walking, trotting a lap, and so on. We work on forward for the laps around the whole arena and on the concept of trotting while crossing the center of the arena (ie doing a circle or a figure eight).

She started out just as good today as she was by the end of the ride yesterday. We worked a teeny bit on leg yielding, more trying to get her from off the rail onto the rail by moving sideways, not a true leg yield by any means. She seems to prefer the rail, so I'm using that natural draw to teach her the concept of leg yielding, that way we can start spiral circles once we can trot forward on a circle and not just around the ring!

I forgot my camera today, so I'll try to remember it tomorrow.

I Rode Today!

First of all, hello from Florida! Craig and I have been here for 2 or so weeks, we found a house that we love a thousand times more than the house we were going to buy and it's already gone through the appraisal and inspection and passed with flying colors. We are staying on base in lodging with Kitty, Elphie, and Jilly.

I posted an ad on Craig's List, asking if anyone in the area had more horses than they could ride, on a whim, and actually got a good response back. One horse is just 15 minutes from the new house and 20 minutes from the base and sounded perfect. She even looked perfect, since she's a dark bay! She's stunning in person and an absolute doll. She's mainly been walking/jogging the last 7 years, so we're working on improving the working trot for now. She's for sale, so I don't know how long I'll be able to ride her, for the owner's sake I hope not very long!

I had a great day at the barn, I got to groom, ride, and clean stalls. I'm quietly scoping out boarding barns, since Sophie still won't be coming to Florida until December. I like the barn this mare is boarded at, but the arena is a little small for dressage, and the footing too deep for a dressage horse, though it's good for barrel horses!

I Did It...Finally!

I went to the barn today. I groomed Sophie and detangled her mane and tail. Her mane is soooo long and pretty. She looks awesome, *nothing* like when I bought her last year. It's crazy, she looks so good. After I groomed her I took her into the indoor to see her better and she was trotting so prettily. She was also the only horse in the barn that Jilly didn't bark at. Fortunately Jilly wasn't barking loudly at the horses (and wasn't scaring them), I didn't even hear her barking, but Craig told me she barked at them. Sophie seemed to remember me though, and she stood with her head over the stall door the whole time I was there (after I untied her) and didn't go back to her hay at all.

Have You Sold Anything on Craig's List?

I'm selling some horse blankets and other miscellaneous items on Craig's List. The guinea pig cage went quickly, and the freezer should be picked up tomorrow. I've only had one bite on my horse blankets so far, and that lady ended up asking me if I'd ship them...kind of the reason I'm advertising on Craig's List and *not* the internetz. The lady said she could come pick it up Monday, we'll see though. I may see if Kim is interested in bartering blankets for board since she has big horses.

Anyone have tips for me on selling on Craig's List?

Preparations for the Big Move...

While Sophie is in training with Kim I'll be leaving my saddle, bridle, and dressage sport boots for her. As well as a hefty supply of Raspberry leaves and fly spray (oh, and tail conditioner!).

I ordered this saddle bag from Smartpak (and had it monogrammed too, lol) to help protect my saddle while it's in Ohio without me. It's huge (big enough for two saddles), but awesome. It has ventilated pockets on the sides of the saddle flaps and a big zippered pocket on the top to store saddle pads.


I also got this bridle bag. It's ginormous as well, good for me, not so good for my saddle staying in Ohio, but I wanted them to match...so, it's what I got.


Also, click here if you want to see pictures of our new house! (You might need to scroll down just a bit though) Click me to see Stephanie's new house!!!

I Win! (Again)

Tonight Craig was looking at karate schools in Florida. He is a black belt in Soo Bahk Do and soon to be black belt in a Korean sword style. I tease him about dressage being older than Soo Bahk Do because Soo Bahk Do started in the 1950 or soI think, and dressage of course, much earlier.

Now that we're moving he has to choose a different style, as the Soo Bahk Do school he had been planning on joining closed in the last few months. He was lamenting the need to buy new books for his new style and that it will be harder because the new style is older.

I asked if that meant his new style is older than dressage. He said he had to check, and then comes back with, well, maybe, this one started in the 1920's, no wait, the...

In the meantime I send him this link: Wikipedia Dressage Masters

He immediately bursts out laughing and says, no, his new style is not older than 427 BC. He also said, you just had to show me that, didn't you? I told him I thought it'd be useful for him to see what he was up against, since he was still in the 1900's. It was funny, but maybe you had to be there, lol.

Parade Horses and a Llama...

I took these pictures in September. They're from the 2008 Fredericktown Tomato Show Parade. I used to ride in this parade every year with my 4-H Club, or as Equine Queen when I was Equine Queen.

It was a very overcast day, so I was worried about the pictures turning out, plus it was in the middle of the day, when lighting is the worst. But it was a great chance to get pictures of a variety of horses.

I Don't Know If Anyone Still Reads This...

I've had a really hard time going to the barn since the miscarriage. Well, more than just a hard time...I haven't...at all. Part of it's the weather, but it's mostly the emotions that well up inside of me when I think about it. So instead Craig goes. I know Sophie is in good hands, happy and healthy, and doesn't care if I come out anyway.

Sophie is going to be staying in Ohio when Craig and I move to Florida. She'll remain in full training with Kim, and when Kim moves to Florida for the winter next year she'll move to my new instructor's barn to be in training, because hopefully I'll be pregnant by then. Kim is going to send me a DVD of her progress every month, plus I'll call and ask for weekly updates, lol. Kim has also offered to show her for me, not just show, but take her to Sport Horse Nationals, which would be awesome.

So, in the meant time I'm going to get out to the barn, at some point. While in Florida I plan on going to all of the shows I can and working on my photography. I also want to do agility training with Jilly. So I'll keep updating this blog, with my experiences, they just won't be lesson recaps like before. Well, maybe, I might take lessons in Florida on a lesson horse for a while, we'll see.

I just noticed that this post is exactly 2 months after my last post...that wasn't planned at all, in case you were wondering, just a coincidence.