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In Loving Memory...
~ Gogo Fatale ~


6/2/01 - 10/11/11
~ Forever the Marest of Them All ~
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Friday, June 4, 2010

Happy Birthday, Gogo! (And the End of May Analysis!)

Happy 9th Birthday, Gogo!

This past Wednesday, the Princess Pea and love of my life turned nine years old. NINE! I can't believe it. Part of me is really depressed that we've lost so much time due to foul training and recent injury - I really felt I'd have a Prelim horse by now - but life happens the way it does for a reason. I can't get too down about another year going by... at this point, there's no reason to think I won't have a Prelim horse in a year or two. Who knows, maybe because of this injury, I will go on to revolutionize the studded boot market and create a whole new generation of eventers who are concerned and empathetic towards the hoofwear needs of their healthy hardworking athletes beyond the traditional metal and nails. Who knows? Just a few years ago, nobody would have thought anything about their traditional old leather or neoprene gallop boots, and now we are all gaga about vented boots and preventing heat-related breakdown. If she would have never gotten injured, I'd have never even thought twice about alternative footwear. Now, I'm thinking, researching, brainstorming, and coming up with ideas, so many ideas! Because of this, I'm pretty sure that, like all my past horses, she was put on this planet for a reason, and is here to change my life in some mind-blowing way. I've almost had her for four years now.... FOUR YEARS! That's another number I can't comprehend. My other two horses died after two and three years, so I keep crossing my fingers and hoping that if I am at all a lucky soul she will live to be 40 and be in my backyard sleeping when she goes.

So as a full-grown nine year-old lady adult woman, she got a pile of very fancy carrot cake cupcakes made just for her, which she grudgingly shared with the other horses in the barn. Mmmmmmm cupcakes....




She was nommin', that's for sure:





And of course had her customary morning and afternoon grazes, like she always does:




Happy Birthday, woman! Here's to many more years of fun, mischief, and unintentional airs above ground! ;)



And now, onto the business end.... the End of May Analysis!


May Goals:


1) Go back to Dr. Creden for her 2-month ultrasound checkup

Success! We did in fact do this two weeks ago. We found the lesion to be healing just as we expected, and planned out an under saddle rehab program for the next two months. We are entering week three as we speak, where we walk on a loose rein for 30 minutes, and then do simple work on the bit for a following 15. It's a good start!

2) Maybe possibly hopefully if all goes well and the stars align get back on her for tackwalking again!?

Success! See above :D We are walking for another two weeks, and when we reach 30 minutes of loose rein walk and 20 minutes of put together walk, we get to TROT!

3) Research booting/traction ideas for next year
Success! I've done plenty of research and have lots of ideas and thoughts on this. I will have an upcoming post on what I plan to try first. The world is my booty oyster, and Gogo's feet are pearls! Wait.... what? More on this later.

4) Continue to STAY POSITIVE!

Success! I think I've done a pretty damn good job with this one! It helps being back on Gogo though, I'll say that for sure. That gives my life a whole new perspective and refreshed meaning.

5) Make a list of supplies needed for next year (the ultimate wish list).... hey a girl can dream can't she?
I've not really done this, mostly because I've been so busy and now have hock injections to save for, bleugh. However, I'm planning on spending a little more time thinking about it later on in the month, just because why not?


June Goals:
1) Continue to build walk work under saddle up to 30 minutes of loose rein walk and 20 minutes of connected walk
2) Take our first TROT STEPS!
3) If all goes well, be at about 10 minutes of trot by the end of the month
4) Wean off of standing wraps - from every night to every other night, and possibly longer
5) Start thinking about ideas and plans for the end of the year



I left Gogo's wraps off overnight on Wednesday, fully expecting the legs to be huge in the morning, just like they always have during this entire ordeal whenever I try to leave them off. But somehow, some way, when I came in yesterday morning, the legs were tight and gorgeous. I was totally floored. NO WAY! I take it as a very good sign. The rehab program is going right according to plan (at this point, knock on wood), and I'm feeling very structured and hopeful. Two weeks and counting until the first trot!

13 comments:

eventer79 said...

Yay for progress!!! And don't worry, nine is NOT old! Solo and I didn't even start till he was 11 and I've watched Karen O'Connor pilot a 19 year old mare around Rolex, you have all the time in the world!!

And HEY! Those of us using shoes are still concerned and empathetic -- the barefoot thing didn't work out for us so we just have to use other options. And Solo has never moved better! ;-)

Nicku B said...

Hooray for progress! I didnt know Gogo was born the day before Pongo (5 years before, haha). Happy birthday Princess Gogo! I am looking forward to your post on boots. I have been using the Tri-Zone XC boots. I like them because yeah, they supposedly ventilate, but they are TOUGH...if my horse whacks a XC jump or clips himself I dont have to worry. I am skeptical though about all the claims about the vents and cooler tendons and what not...seems too good to be true, you know?

Meghan said...

Nine isn't that old. My mare is nine, as well, and even with all her setbacks, Gogo is still WAY ahead of Sofie in her training...and probably way less arthritic, too!

Happy birthday, Gogo! Looks like she had a good time eating her carrot cupcakes. :D

Dressager said...

Hey, Greta's 13 and doing wonderfully..... of course, we don't plan on jumping anything over 2' or doing anything terribly and extravagantly dressagey! You got a LONG ways to go!! You and Gogo will be really rocking it soon, don't worry!

manymisadventures said...

I agree that nine isn't old ;) McKinna is somewhere between 14 and 19, and if all goes well I hope to get a Training-level HT in by the end of summer 2011!

Glad to hear all is healing up on schedule. Can't wait to see you guys trotting under saddle again!

gina said...

My mare just turned 9 the end of April. We just did our first show yesterday- a walk/trot test. So don't worry about Gogo's progress at 9! I love your monthly goals and progress reports!

Jen said...

9 is not old. I have an 18-year-old who is still doing everything and anything under the sun. Even Reining. How old they are doesn't determine what they can do.

Happy Birthday Gogo!!

Val said...

Happy Birthday Gogo! I think Gogo is going to be like a fine wine... improving with age. ;)

I hope your readers check out the link to the lower-leg injuries/boots seminar video on the Eventing Website. Kinda makes me think protective leg-wear for horses is not all its cracked up to be. The presenter's research showed that some boot designs and materials actually increase the risk of concussive injuries, not to mention trapping heat on the legs.

LittleRedMare said...

What a lucky mare! Cupcakes! When my gelding turned four this year, he got nothing but abandoned for the weekend. He has the unfortunate luck of being born on Valentines day. I'm sure he thinks he's a lucky boy, he'll always be guaranteed a peaceful day off for his birthday!

I LOVED the video link! Thanks for sharing that! The only thing that helps my obsessing over the care of my horses is tons of knowledge. I want to have all the vet school knowledge in my head, without ever having to use it! Using it means something went wrong...

Amy B said...

Happy birthday Gogo! And 9 is still plenty young. I didn't get my old mare until she was 9, and all she had done previously was race, have a baby, and learn how to be semi-manageable at the walk, trot and canter. Gogo will be going prelim before you know it!

Parelli Central said...

Happy Birthday, GoGo!

So, I admit it, I've been lurking on your blog for a while and enjoying it a bunch! I used to event, have been studying Parelli for about 7 years now, and am super excited to take my mare and all the knowledge I've gained from Parelli and compete again next year.

I am also a barefoot believer, and my mare is lucky enough to have never been shod - so I enjoy reading your posts for that reason, too. Because I do NOT believe she should need shoes to compete, but I realize I may need to explore some more options for booting and traction and all that fun stuff when we reach my goal of doing Prelim. So, please do revolutionize the boot market - I would love to see what you have in mind! :-)

Thanks for sharing your adventures with Gogo!

~Sarah from Parelli

Anonymous said...

Great news on your successful rehab so far with Gogo. I am so interested to read your post on hoof boots. My guy just went barefoot for the first time, and I am very new to the whole concept, esp. hoof boots. I am ready to order some, but want to be sure of which ones, so I look forward to your post.

Parelli Central said...

Hi Andrea,

Just wanted to let you know I enjoyed this post so much that I linked to it in a post on the Parelli Central blog today. You can check it out here:

http://central.parellinaturalhorsetraining.com/2010/06/horsemanship-blogs-and-goal-setting/

Thanks again for sharing!

~Sarah