I haven't blogged much about Ronin {the horse} lately.
Not for lack of drama in that area. Just cuz I haven't had time and my brain falls apart when I start to think about him anyway.
I love having a horse. I am so happy that I got back into riding/horse ownership. I never thought I would after losing a horse right before college. And, I LOVE Ronin. He's been as good of a horse as I could ever ask for, especially given that fact that he's a young, off the track, thoroughbred.
Well, he's been doing great with his show training. He's got one rider now, who's been doing Pony Club with him and taking him to shows all over the Bay Area. She's taking lessons from the same instructor who Roger and I both took lessons from, Ali, who has built quite a business in the last few years. Check her out at HC Equestrian.
Without Ali's help, we would have been up shit creek a LONG TIME AGO with Ronin. She's really taken a liking to him and made sure he has riders that are keeping him learning great things. Can't thank her enough.
That said, there are some bummers.
We've had barely any time to spend with Ronin. This is frustrating as a horse-lover, embarrassing as an owner, and not at all fair to him.
He's gone downhill in some areas. He's become more of a lesson/competition horse and less of a trusting companion horse. He's not fun to be around on the ground anymore. In fact, last month I was unable to get him from his stall down the hill to the vet because of his rude behavior. I'm not confident enough right now to lead him. He walks all over me.
After a number of disappointing experiences, I asked Ronin's leaser to take lessons with Tracy Maurer, of Mon Ami. Her work is amazing. She helped us with Ronin a while back and we needed her again. Luckily, Ronin was able to squeeze in a few ground manners lessons right before Tracy decided that she would no longer be giving private lessons since she will be pursuing competition barrel racing.....happy for her, not for us.
Anyway, those lessons still payed off for Ronin and his leaser. Things are improving.
Still, we've made up our minds. Ronin is going away for a while. He'll be spending some time with my mom up in Petrolia. An indefinite time. Until we're ready to take him back.
I'm looking forward to what he'll learn there. Although he won't progress as much in dressage or jumping, he'll get a lot of ground work that is much needed. He'll have pasture. He'll have people doting on him all the time. And hopefully, he'll be able to take part in helping others, as my mom is growing her therapeutic riding business. I also feel that with the freedom of not having to figure out what to do with him while we're gone, we can go up to my parents' more often and visit him while we're there.
I have very mixed emotions about about sending him away. I don't particularly like the feeling of losing him. I don't like taking him out of the programs he's in now. I worry that he'll get hurt in transport or things won't work out at his new digs. I worry that we'll never get him back :(
We're not the type of people to cop out on our animals. Even though I don't think we are, it kinda feels like we are. It's been a sad choice looming over us for the past 9 or so months.
But it's very apparent that taking care of him is too much for us right now and we have to think about what's best for everyone. Besides selling him, {I die to think of it!}, I think this is the best option. And thank goodness we have this option!
So by the end of May or early June, Ronin will be an absent member of our family. We're planning to have him hauled up north and to follow behind. This should be an interesting {and very slow}trip. It's going to be the whole gang; Me, Roger, Rowan, Trouble, Domino, Buddy, and Ronin. A big family vacay! Let's hope it goes as smoothly as it possibly can.
