lantairvlea: (Default)
I'm going to try and be better at both posting and being involved here. I blame getting distracted by Discord and also writing like MAD. When I'm not working I'm most often poking at my manuscript(s), even if it's just bits and bobs and little snippets here and there. It feels good and I'm close to finishing book one, but I guess it isn't going to end there because I have three more planned, but! Yes. Anyway! This wasn't going to be me rambling about writing.

FB_IMG_1735172233906.jpg

This comic pretty much sums up some of the feelings.

But yesterday! The little spaces in the physical journal aren't enough to cover it all.

I had my montly Rio Verde/Scottsdale grouping. They didn't want to start until 8am so I still got up around 5am and fed the herd and myself before striking off just after 6am. I had errands to run! I had left my bit bucket at Linda's Thursday so I needed to acquire that. From there I ran up to Amaris' place to pick up shaft tips that will hopefully work for Linda's cart and replace the shaft that Panda bent when she spooked early in her training.

I forgot there was no Mesa Drive entrance on that part of the 202, but wandered through Lehi/the Indian reservation to get to Gilbert Rd and swing up to Rio Verde. I made it just on time and managed to avoid most of the traffic.

We started with Kris and Carmella. The little Quarter Horse mare is coming along nicely and we're starting to get Kris on the lines more. She had some nervous moments, but that's okay. Carmella did quite well and is settling back into the job.

Knight was up next. We swapped out his bit to a 6" and while it took a bit to persuade the bridle on his head he warmed up really nicely in the new bit. He drove well and Brian and I discussed that maybe part of his bit-taking issue was the bit having become too small for his mouth. They're going to try out the glroy/victory mouthpiece as well and see how that goes over the next few weeks. There was a huge difference in how Knight long lined and drove over last time when he was very sour to the NW corner of the arena. He was much easier to maneuver this time and barely thought of falling towards his favorite corner after an initial correction in the warm-up.

Theresa got to drive Sharan's Welsh cross mare Ginger since Buttercup is currently waiting to hear back from the vet on her bloodwork. They suspect cushings. She had some pretty obvious sinus swellings last month and her energy wasn't up to where it usually is either. Theresa really enjoyed the chance to drive Ginger and feel out a four-wheeled vehicle as well as playing with cones and more precise work in the arena instead of just down the road.

Jenny and Galaxy were next and Galaxy put in a pretty relaxed drive. We even asked for the trot and did some work with the cones as well. He's slowly improving in how he handles the turns, but it does take a lot of concentration to be sure he carries himself through the turn instead of dive-bombing.

Sharan and Ginger were last. Sharan is pretty funny because she gets what she wants and doesn't want to belabor the lesson. She doesn't need to suck up the full hour and if she gets what she wants 30 minutes in she's perfectly happy. Fine by me!

We worked on precision to the cones and how to set herself up to come through them, even when they're just a few inches outside of her wheel base. The big thing for her was thinking about steering and setting up for the rear wheels because the front of a four-wheeled vehicle are so mobile and you have to line it up for the hinds and can change the front at the last second to make it through. She was starting to get it and was pretty happy with ther homework assignment to do inbetween.

From there it was to Pam's to deliver the wheels and axle she bought from Sue and Henry. The axle was the right width so we didn't have to worry about taking wheels off and on, however, it wasn't a simple matter!

The axle connection to the body was strange, a series of four bolts and plates that wedged against each other to hold it in place. I managed to get those pieces off and we went to slide the axle off and ran into the upright holding the seat up. Bugger. Ok, take out the four carriage bolts there. One of the bolts broke as I was unescrewing it so we sent Pam off to get new bolts.

Seat support removed, we moved the wheels back and ran into the support backe at the back of the vehicle between the floor and the base of the shafts. Crap.

I tried undoing the bolt at the last floorboard only to realize the piece of metal runs ALL the way to the front of the vehicle and includes ALL of the floorboards. So the top it was! It was only a 2" brace point, but it was that point that was supporting the top of the seats, the fenders, and the whole of the shafts. This made maneuvering the axle up and over it a trial. We ended up removing one of the fenders and still had to fight and wrestle the dang thing to get the old axle off and then more muttering and wrangling and resetting of the vehicle as it's trying to fall apart to get the new axle and wheels on. Those fenders are beastly things to deal with. We got the back end put back together in time for Pam to return with the new carriage bolts for the seat.

She missed the fun part, but also the slight heart-attack that may have been enduced by seeing her beloved cart handled so brutishly as we dismantled and put it back together.

Cart re-assembled I headed home. I made a stop to deposit money and made it just in time to do my 4pm art lesson.

I also got the idea for a new podcast episode featuring The Meadowbrook Cart: Carriage Driving Right of Passage.
lantairvlea: (Default)
I should have posted this on the 20th, apologies. Update coming soon. In short surgery went well.



This is what happens when you don't listen to your own advice.

I had stopped wearing my leg case working with more questionable horses a couple months ago because I had felt the lines think about getting hung up on it.

Well, wouldn't you know working one of mine I got tripped up by the lines, jerked off my feet, and landed badly.

As I tell my students, it's not what would happen, it’s what could happen, and if you treat the situation as if something could go wrong you're much better off.

I hit the urgent care yesterday, they place they referred me to was out of network. Found one in network and got an appointment this morning. Bad news is surgery with a plate and screws, good news is the plates with screws gets me stabilized fater and I"m not locked in a cast for six weeks.

Had a minor heart attack when the out of network place called to set up the appointment as I was waiting for the set-up call for the surgery. I was confused for a moment and set up an appointment with them Monday. The surgery scheduler called me a few minutes later and I realized what was happening and canceled the Monday appointment.

The bad news is I have to be in Phoenix by 8am, but the good news is I should be heading home by 12.30pm.

My clinic in Utah is still on, they want my brain, not my body, ha!

In other news the Patreon for my Easy in the Harness podcast paid out for the first time and it got me an annual Kinemaster subscription so I can edit video on my phone at a higher level than I can on the computer. The best feature is the autocaptions so I can include subtitles on all the videos going forward. I still have to double-check it, but it is way faster than me scrolling through and replaying over and over again to recapture the text by hand (this is where AI programs are gold!).

I guess part of my downtime will be spent working my videos for the driving training course.

Current thing I'm working on. I got the sketch finished before I busted myself and am working on the coloring with my off hand.





Dinge

Mar. 5th, 2024 09:24 pm
lantairvlea: (Default)
Dreamed I left the hose on by Panda. It ended up cutting out and exposing deep clefts in the ground and a tunnel. I was attempting to shovel dirt back into place rather unsuccessfully.

Today was busy until the end. Both my afternoon lessons canceled, but I was hither and yon here and gone today. Beverly at home working with pastels and then off to trim Ballad, Jenny, and Pebbles. From there it was Melinda and her crew before heading home for a lesson before going and riding Zeke. I then worked Panda and was done for the day. I did some futzing around with my files and videos and got some more stuff in line to be posted to the Patreon. Currently I have 25 followers, more than half of them joining the last week from my sharing the podcast on a bunch of FB groups. Only two are paying, but it's a start!

I should do a "welcome everyone" post. I also need to record a couple more episodes and get them to Amaris to build aome backlog.

February 2025

S M T W T F S
      1
2345678
9101112131415
1617181920 2122
232425262728 

Syndicate

RSS Atom

Most Popular Tags

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
Page generated Jul. 10th, 2025 08:51 pm
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios