Zoe On Her Way

We leave January 2, 2010 to head for Double Lucky Ranch and training with Jochen.

Evaluation Complete, Still Waiting for Stall

The final analysis of Zoe: "She will be a project." 

However, Jochen said he would take her for 60 days of training and now I am waiting for a stall to become available. He was worried that there might be something wrong with her back because when he was riding he could feel her take some irregular steps at the walk and trot. I know exactly what he was feeling. It feels like she tenses up and threatens to kick and buck. I concluded last fall that something physically must be wrong with her, but thousands of dollars and many tests and scans later, it was left as "undiagnosed". So I believe that her issues are muscular-skeletal. She needs to develop the proper muscle to carry her frame in balance, and there will be a period that is very difficult for her and she will have an attitude. However, I firmly believe that if a skilled trainer can get through the hard developmental stages then she will return to being my ridable and talented horse. So I told Jochen that he needs to kick her ass. Now I am waiting for the stall. 

Big Evaluation Coming Up

I have finally accepted the fact that I am a changed horsewoman after breast cancer, and that after having a young , vibrant horse out of work for so long, the task of bringing her back into training is too big for me. I am quite proud of where I got her before her injury. We competed successfully, I rode with an Olympic medalist, and we were steadily making progress. Shortly before the tendon injury, I came off and scraped my arm on the arena wall. Afterwards I went through 6 months of physical therapy due to the swelling/lymphedema that can probably be attributed to the multiple skin wounds. I have found that since then, I am too aware of the risk that I am putting myself in when I am riding. If I do injure my lymphedema-affected arm, I may have permanent damage that reduces the quality of my life forever. I am not okay with that. So I find that I am riding more cautiously than before, and I also get the sense that this isn't the best way to train this horse. So, I will send her (hopefully) to a top German dressage trainer in the area. He will be evaluating her on Monday, April 27, 2009. I hope beyond all hope that he agrees to take her. I hope beyond hope that I somehow find the money to pay for 60 days of training with him. My mom has committed part of the money for me. I still wonder how I will come up with the rest, but I know I will somehow. I do think this is the best thing I can do for myself and for Z, and I can't wait to have her back once she has been put back into training. I love riding her and I look forward to moving ahead in our training together.