What a lovely, lazy weekend. No hiking at all. Not that I don't like hiking. I would have gone if my foot were all happy, but it's still pretty cranky. So instead I watched "Being Human" and enjoyed it very much. And I went to sig-beer and enjoyed it very much. And got a *lot* of looks for my sweet purple Members Only jacket. Almost all of the looks were from young men in their twenties. You know they wanted that jacket. Mmm hmm.
Friday night I tried sleeping without drugs and as a result I was soo stiff and sore when I woke up on Saturday. I'm definitely not ready to go drug free. Saturday night I took my old standbys, Flexeril and ibuprofen, and I woke up feeling like a million bucks this morning!
After a long, slow, delightful morning with breakfast and kitties and the Internet, I tootled on out to see the horse. First I got some pumpkin for my old friend Sam the Rottweiler. I've been buying him joint supplements for a little while, and he doesn't really like the taste. So we're going to try mixing it with pumpkin like I used to do for Paige. I hope it takes, as I hope to see Sam around for a few more years. He is such a sweet boy. When I stopped by the house to drop off the pumpkin, he mosied over so he could lean against my legs and look up at me while I scratched his back. And that's why he's getting joint supplements. He made me love him.
I got Pluto out too. He was not incredibly enthusiastic about the prospect of riding, but he dealt with it. He wasn't too enthusiastic about being shed out, either. Mainly he just doesn't like being groomed. He's like one of those little boys who doesn't want their mom to brush their hair or wipe the mud off. I hear him muttering "Aw, Mom, stop!" every time.
I took him over to the arena to longe and then see about riding. He got away from me TWICE. The first time he wasn't in a good spot for running away so he stopped in a few feet. I tied up his reins so if he did it again, he wouldn't ruin his bridle. And sure enough, in another hundred feet he pulled away from me and took off again. Somebody caught him and held him for me, but not before the dang horse had run all the way over to the other side of the farm.
So, third time around I made an impromptu rope halter out of his longe line, and once he realized that pulling made it tighter, he kind of gave up. Also on the third try at walking over to the arena, Timber was right in front of him. I think the company helped.
Ironically (I guess?) Timber was kind of a wild man on the longe, while Pluto was lackadaisical. Timber basically cantered the whole time, whereas Pluto would have been content to stand still. I got him to trot for a while, and chased him into a canter, but eventually he turned and looked at me with that "I'm not longeing anymore and you can't make me" look. And sure enough I couldn't. At some point he doesn't care about yelling or the whip, he is just not leaving my side.
Tara decided (wisely) that today might not be the best day for her to ride, but she kindly stayed with us so I could have company while I rode Pluto. I haven't been on since.. 2011? I don't know. I've lost track. He was fine, though. We did some figures and whatnot.
I specifically wanted to longe and ride so I'd know if Pluto's cough is aggravated by exercise. The answer is no. He's coughing up some stuff, but exercise isn't hurting him. Wish I knew what it was all about. The vet is coming out Tuesday, and I sincerely hope her magical powers of diagnosis apply. It bothers me that Pluto has been so often sick in the last year. Makes me wonder if he's immuno-depressed, and why.
It was really nice to spend a little quality time with Pluto (and Tara and Timber.) Sergio says Pluto misses me. I haven't been the greatest owner for him - illness and hiking have pulled me away from him a lot. I spent a lot more time with Playboy when he was alive. But, I had a very different life then. A life with a LOT more free time in it.
Ah well. I do the best I can for the Stinker. On good days, he does the same for me.
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