Thinking Ahead

2011, the year that was. Or is that wasn't? 2011 was very good to me, in many different ways. A new shop, a new place to get working happily again. I really hated the old digs. I mean, HATED them. I liked the neighbours, the people, heck, I liked the one small (by Toronto standards) mall. I hated the drive, and the traffic, and the crappy old building I was trying to breathe in. The decades old crud just overwhelmed me, and since we had too much square footage.. I know I've typed this before.
Just keeping my tape-recorder tuned.

So, moral of the story, smaller can be happier:) The whole process, so far, knock wood, has been unwinding smoothly, with all the things that I thought would happen, once we shrunk, actually happening!

I think ahead. A lot. Too much, but that's another ramble. Or maybe this IS the ramble. We'll see:)

What a silly expression, really. Think ahead. Well, how do we think behind? It's a huge problem if you drive, either way, if you like to take things to extremes, like I do... When I first started driving (cars, they had them back then, too) I'd look behind me too much, worried that I was annoying cars behind me. As I've gotten older and more experienced, my "normal" mode is imagining a myriad of "what is about to happen", in every single scenario I encounter. It's a little tiring.

I was reading a car section of the paper, with a driving instructor admonishing people to think about "what would happen if___?" Telling them to think ahead! It sort of hit me then, that maybe I was slightly more abnormal than I thought. People generally don't think ahead, I guess.

I think ahead every single minute of the DAY! You'd have to blindfold me, in order to make me tail-gate. It's not that I drive slow. But I'm always watching for a leopard to pop out of nowhere.  I must have been a prey species in my previous life. I guess I can blame it on my hyper-disease.

Some people can "see things coming", and some people can't. Or won't. I always thought the "won't"s were the majority. Now, I'm not so sure. I really think many people just can't. Otherwise, why would people drive like I see on "Canada's Worst Drivers"?

Lots of people prefer not to think ahead. They don't want to know what will happen, until it happens. I am forever thinking about the things that could happen, might happen, will.. Do you know what I mean? I don't think I have precognition, but I do (in everything I do) project ahead with the next action. Whatever that might be.
I remember, as a super weird kid, wondering why exponential growth (I understood it, even then) was considered a good thing. So many good things. So many bad. The balancing act the planet is planning is going to be interesting.

The same prescience comes in handy with horses. All animals of course, love thinking ahead. My dogs love Walk? Toy? Dinner? Belly-rub! Bliss! Well, my dogs' lives can be summed up like that, anyway. My point is they look forward to what's next, and they live right now, for what's next. It's a lovely way to live, if you have the right attitude about it. Life, that is. Animals have that schtick down pat.

Working with large animals means everything that happens next could injure or kill you. Without a sense of what the animal is planning to do next, you can very quickly get thrown, or kicked, or whatever. Bitten, in the case of dogs. Stomped, if you're an elephant keeper. That's one of the reasons it's so important to work slowly around animals. They can and do mirror our actions. It's easier to plan ahead, when you move more slowly, too.

Everything is always possible, in every instance of every day.

Be prepared, is my motto. I try to be prepared for everything... Any idea how hard that is?!

I am NOT saying this is such a great thing about me. It makes me kinda nervous:) You can't really over-prepare, unless you have OCD, which maybe I am. Maybe because of the nuclear fallout shelter in our basement when I was seven.. Who knows, eh?

We always want to ride our horses forward. At least, I would. With every step your horse takes, you have to be there. Aware, as he is. Ready for that ghost in the trees, or that squirrel chucking walnuts at you. The same is true of any animal you work with. They are seeing a future, with every movement.

We tend to hang in the present, or the past. Maybe it's time to give some lessons in not thinking with your behind:)

Merry Christmas!

I swear, taking that bald face shot, that Butch had eye-shine.. My antique first horse still has his tapetum lucidum. Wow. Sadly, the camera didn't quite capture his innocent, sentient, elfish expression. Butch loves red sequins, and for some strange reason, so do I:)

The Stanley Report

Stanley's thyroid continues to be medication, he was high again, so Doc ordered "up the tapazole". Unfortunately, this medication is more expensive than replacement thyroid meds, since I cannot afford to nuke his thyroid. Hmm. I should do the math, really. Hard to prognose a cat with an unknown future.

Stanleys' now is wonderful. He enjoys having his very own house, with his very own human. When I visit, Stanley will happily cuddle, but eventually he'll leave, and lounge at Dad's feet.

If Dad isn't home, Stanley will gladly snuggle on your lap, and when you do have to move, he'll try to push you back down again, mreowr-ing his mild annoyance. He has his own backyard, with a soft bunch of dirt handy for business, and the area is safe and secure. Stanley can't jump very well, from an old injury perhaps, he won't say. And since Stanley arrived declawed, he cannot climb out, either. He has a loud meow, which he knows how to use. He and Dad seem to have a nice little routine worked out.

Dad went away for a week, and I was able to enjoy Dad's wonderful house for a few days, in order to keep Stanley fed/pilled/accompanied. Stanley was not thrilled by having canines in his house, but adapted quickly, as Stanley does know I have two dogs. Plus, I am the original food lady, and Stanley does love to be fed. Both dogs quickly decided it was just easier to give Stanley the upstairs.
Stanley is BosS, and Flip avoided his baleful glare/hiss/spats, while Blaze just looked sadly hurt & confused by Stanley's incomprehensible wrath. By the end of our little stay, Blaze finally managed to sniff Stanley's butt. Once.
Stanley wasn't looking.

Humpfh.

Dad has reported Stanley's interest in Dad's Scotch whiskey. Stanley was allowed two licks. It's something else they have in common:)

And something else I have to worry about...
But not now. Now is good, for Dad and Stanley.

Fear of trotting (Thanks for the title, NCC)

Why is the trot so scary? Well, that's an easy one. It hurts. MAN, does it hurt. Get out of synch, and torture awaits that most sensitive of areas that we all try to protect. The horses' sheer power as he pushes off his diagonal legs is scary. Horse can THROW you forward just as easily from a trot. Well, of course he can, he's moving, isn't he? 600 to 1500 pound horses all have a lot of power behind their movement. It's physical. Physics. Ya know??

Every reaction has an equal and opposite reaction, and all that crap. Riders have this perception that they are in control of the horse, and that first shove of your butt can be disconcerting. Horse is saying, come along. If you fall back, you bother him, and this can translate into further kerfuffle as you attempt to accelerate, fearfully or foolishly, as this rider is doing here. It's a moebius loopy thing. You want to accelerate, but you hinder his forward, by falling back as he shoves forward off his diagonal hind legs. You both dislike it. Trotting becomes a drag.

To be continued, following a short commercial interlude from our sponsors, brought to you by HorseSticks!

Only one rider in this group would NOT be able to post the trot, without bothering the heck out of his horse. Her horse, whatever. Sticks have no gender. Mind you, I've never really looked to make sure;)

Here's an example of some slightly better riding;)