The super flu….they lied!
So, I have come to realize that the super flu isn’t super at all, it more of a wretched awful thing. Yeah, I know what they mean by calling it a “super” flu…im just being geeky….let me have my moment here!
In the last week or so the flu started infecting various individuals in my house, watching everyone fall sick I will admit I started having visions of a zombie apocalypse and I also started to DVR all of those crazy dooms day prepper shows. What if the flu was the end of civilization? *ahem, it could happen….maybe?*
Anyways, I soon realized I had been bitten….I mean infected. I have been feeling like a shriveled up hot little….well, I can’t think of a suitable comparison. Maybe a raisin in a microwave? Wednesday early morning I woke up feeling ill and now its friday and I still am having chills/fever and feelings of general malaise.
Luckily, I did go out to the barn Tuesday evening before I started feeling sick…I rode a different horse to give Skip a break and allow me to be more active during my riding. I decided to ride Jack, a stout quarter horse, per the recommendation of the BO. I went to get him out of his paddock and he was laying down asleep….when I pulled him out I noticed a slight limp on the foot that he had been laying on and hoped that his leg might be asleep. After standing for a bit while grooming and tacking him up it didn’t seem to bother him so I hopped on…..and even in the walk I felt it. *banging my head against the wall* He definitely was off….booo. I had seen him worked Saturday and he was fine but I know that the woman who leases him comes out and does trail rides with him on Sundays, perhaps he stepped wrong along the trail….it is a little mucky and slippery at the moment.
Feeling defeated I got off after a few walks around the arena and took him back out to his pasture. At that point…well, I thought I heard someone cough from the direction of the field/trails (sometimes bums can be found back there) and it scared me so bad I latched his paddock and took off at a dead run back to the barn…I didn’t even want to take the extra two seconds to clip his halter to the fence…so it came with me. I am such a wimp! Of course, I acted as cool as a cucumber when I got back into the presence of other people and the safety of the barn……I totally pulled it off until Rachel asked my why I brought the halter back with me….heh.
Oh well, riding didn’t work out that night but I got Titan out and lunged him for a good 30 minutes with lots of transitions….gotta build up that muscle again! I then worked him a bit with a dressage whip, asking him to lift his feet. I think he started falling asleep at one point…but of course when I was grooming him and he saw my scary blue buffer cloth he lost it! I had to calm him down before he pulled the whole damned fence off! I then untied him and did pretty much the same thing with me holding his line….we finally got that scary blue thing up and over his face…I don’t think it would be an awful idea to introduce all of my “scary” grooming supplies while I am holding his lead (instead of tying him). He seems to take some small comfort from my presence at his head…which is a good sign I suppose.
After grooming him Rachel begged me to let her ride him around bareback while I led him…I would have none of it! I want Titan to trust me before I go and slap someone on his back. Plus, I want Rachel to have the BO permission before riding him….and…I don’t want to be the one responsible when she falls off. She pouted for a bit but brightened up when I allowed her to stand on the mounting block and lean against him.
Ah, that about sums up the evening at the barn…we put everyone away and left around 10:20….oops. I am still waiting to see if I will get some kind of slap on the wrist…we are supposed to be off the property with everything off and locked up by 10pm.
In other news, I do have my dressage lesson tomorrow…..not sure if my fever will be gone by then but I am hopeful! If I do go I am going to stop worrying about looking stupid and I will try and take some photos of everything!
misadventures with mel 