Not Speaking

Today was the first day I’d been to the barn since Saturday.  I’ve been so sick and the barn owner has been feeding for me.  I was on my way yesterday when she called and offered to feed.  “Is my horse still alive?,” I asked her.  She said he was fine, but fat.  So, I said OK, go ahead and feed for me.  Today I feel better, just a nose that can’t decide whether to run or stay stuffed. 

Brig didn’t seem too happy to see me, which is the norm after taking more than a day off from seeing him.  He basically ignored me.  He’s a smart horse though, I have to tell you.  When another horse is missing from his or her pasture, he’ll stand looking at the field and whinney, then walk over to me and look at me, then walk to the fence and look at the field and whinney, etc.  It’s as if he’s telling me that the horse is not there and please, can I do something about it?  There was a time at our first barn when the well went haywire so the auto waterers weren’t auto-watering and of course, no one noticed.  I had no clue, but when I went to halter him, he went to the waterer, stuck his face in and looked at me.  He continued to do it, not allowing me to halter him, until I figured it out.  Today, I fed him in his feeder, but decided it was too muddy there and I needed to dump the rain water out of the tray anyway.  So, I took the hay out and put it on a dry spot in his field.  Brig would eat a bite, walk into his shelter, turn around and look at me, walk back to the pile, take a bite, walk to the shelter, turn around and look at me, etc.  So, dutifully, I picked up the pile of hay and walked toward his shelter where he stood and nodded his head.  I kid you not.  He nodded his head.  Of course, he wasn’t nodding it yes, just doing his headbanger, I want it, move. 

Tomorrow I will lunge him so be sure he is sound.  On Saturday I will lunge him with Vienna reins, if all goes well and then I’ll ride on Sunday.  He’ll have Monday off then next week we should be back on track.  Boy, he is dirty and has lost a lot of muscle during this break.  Also, he’s not shed out!  Last year he was practically all shed out in April.  He looks gross.

I had my workout with the personal trainer last night and it was too easy.  I dunno, for that much money I don’t want to be able to move the next day!  It is a group personal training session where there are up to four women, but there are never more than three in our class so we do receive personal attention.  The other two women in my class are thinner than I am, but not as strong.  For instance, if they use a three lb. weight for an exericse, I’ll use a five lb. weight.  If they use eight, I’ll be at ten.  It’s not challenging for me until the end of the set, so I know it’s right.  I think the riding and barn work must make me stronger. 

The eating is going well though I could’ve eaten a dozen doughnuts last night!  I had my workout, went home and ate a sensible dinner, then decided to go to the grocery store.  I was starving!  It was really hard not to leave the store without a bag of chips or chinese food.  Instead, I had some Fiber One cereal with almond milk when I got home.  Oh, and a chocolate pudding cup.  I ended up going over my calories by a little bit, but I was starving to death!