The Beginning...

Well, I've resisted this as long as I can, but I think it's something that I have to do. I'm not a huge fan of blogging, though I do enjoy reading certain ones. I just don't think people will be that interested in what I have to say. So, I'm not doing this for attention, or to inform, or anything like that. I'm just using this as a journal to log our progress and to measure the distance to my goals.

That being said, let me introduce the characters:

Me: short, pudgy, and haven't really truly ridden in quite a few years (I've hopped on now and then, but no shows, trail rides, lessons...). While I was never one of those kids that was fearless in the saddle, I could hold my own and stay on. Over the years, while I've gained knowledge of horses and riding, I haven't really put it to use. I still have a pretty good seat, but that's about it. *S*

Sketch (AHA registered name Etched n Stone): a 15 yr old out of shape chestnut Arabian gelding, about 15.1 hands or so, mostly Polish http://www.allbreedpedigree.com/etched+n+stone (I know he's the product of a father/daughter breeding, I'm not thrilled but he's a good boy anyway, and he's gelded). I bought him in 2005 from a lady who was selling him on behalf of her daughter. Said daughter had wanted a show horse specifically so she could win top honors at a particular show. After she did, she lost interest in him. *sigh* I saw a picture of him at the feed store, under saddle and moving out well. I had images in my head of dressage, so I called the lady, went to see him, and arranged a payment plan ($1500 in $100 weekly installments). I brought him home, and since winter was quick approaching and I don't have an indoor arena he got to rest and adjust to me and his new home.

The next spring I saddled in up a couple of times to find out what he knew. He seemed hesitant, but not uncomfortable. After the third session, though, I noticed that the bare patch on his girth (that the previous owner warned me about) seemed to be bubbling up. When the vet came out to check teeth and do Coggins tests, he biopsied it and it turned out to be a sarcoid. It kept getting bigger so I took him in to get it removed. It was gross and fascinating and I took pictures. The vet stitched him up and sent us home with a topical spray and instructions to take it easy. I put him in his paddock to rest, and go to work for a couple of hours. I check on him at supper time, and the doofus had ripped out every one of his stiches! I put in a call to the vet, who say he can come out and re-stitch him, or we can just let him heal the way he is. Well, I chose the latter, and it took more-or-less a year to fully heal (with a bout of proud flesh to deal with).

Spring of 2007 comes and I'm ready to try riding Sketch again. The day before my day off, a tree falls onto the fence separating Sketch from Rho-Dawn, a stallion I had gotten the year before. I can only guess that Rho went after Sketch, chased him through the fence to the mare pasture (thank goodness I have electric rope instead of smooth wire!), and then mostly left him be to court the mares. The poor boy had a huge bruise and gash along his back, either from the rope or Rho. So, more rest and healing.

Now it's a new year, 2008, and I'm ready to try again. I don't have a lot of safe places to ride, as I live near a county highway with a lot of logging traffic, but I'll find a way. I have a small round pen that I'm going to be renovating (expanding to a 60 foot diameter with wood fence instead of corral panels), so that will help. I've had the saddle and bridle on to check the fit, and I've hand walked him to get used to it all. So I guess we'll see what happens!