Fall 2017 IRL
| November 3, 2017 | Posted by Melinda under Training journal |
Fall is when the colors on the trail are my favorite, the long stretches of 100 degree days back to back are mostly over, and you get a rain shower or two but nothing that interferes with footing on the trail (usually). It’s the perfect time for birdwatching, long runs and rides, kayaking, camping, and […] more
Farley’s Retirement
| October 26, 2017 | Posted by Melinda under Uncategorized |
This season I made a decision to offer MerryLegs the chance to be my primary horse and semi-retire Farley. It’s a lot less tramatic to make this transition because of choice of everyone involved instead of a traumatic sudden death. Farley is sound (!) and she may do an LD this winter. MerryLegs is young […] more
Surgery Stuff
| October 6, 2017 | Posted by Melinda under Vet & Sports Medicine |
Are you curious what difference age makes when spaying a dog? Warning, *graphic surgery images below. *By graphic I mean that yes there is blood. And surgery instruments. And a piece of tissue (a uterus) that used to be inside the dog that is no longer inside the dog. There is NOT gaping wounds, anything […] more
Seasons and Off-Seasons
| September 15, 2017 | Posted by Melinda under Uncategorized |
I live in California. I’ve come to equate this with: I can do whatever I want year-round because I’ve been told California doesn’t really have seasons. Unfortunately this isn’t true. The ostrich strategy of putting my head down, ignoring mother nature, and powering through the winter has not worked a single year. It works for […] more
6 questions to ask before buying tack
| September 7, 2017 | Posted by Melinda under Gear |
It’s a well-known fact that the sport of endurance is an exercise in buying tack, figuring out why you hate it, and buying more tack. It’s complicated to find the perfect gear at the point where two biological organisms merge so is it any wonder we have the “great saddle” hunt, a boxful of bits, […] more
IRL August 2017
| September 3, 2017 | Posted by Melinda under Training journal |
In this “In Real Life Post” Introducing Sunny Dee Updated picture of Farley’s hoof Why I didn’t run in Yellowstone Tess’s toe update Summer is ending but *this* year I have the best plan yet for not getting all mopey. There sure isn’t a lot of miles on the trails for August to explain how […] more
The Three-Toed Tess
| August 24, 2017 | Posted by Melinda under Vet & Sports Medicine |
….or “In which another one of Mel’s animals has half its foot chopped off”. I came home from my nine day vacation in Yellowstone to find this: Did some poking and prodding and determined it was not a foxtail, not painful, not an abscess and promptly ignored it for a week hoping it would go […] more
