Yesterday was Emil's birthday, quite a bittersweet day. It's been two years, and I still miss him a lot. It is also a special day because I introduced JP to my family at Emil's 60th birthday. Lots of people that were celebrating that day are no longer with us, but will be in my memories forever. JP was a very good sport that day, a French guy, not speaking German, not a hunter -- Emil and his friends (most of them knew me since I was a little girl) were really 'sniffing' him out.
After moving to the States we tried to make it to the special birthdays, and it was always a great time as Emil and his friends sure knew how to party (they made us feel old!). The fun part was that JP and I stayed at the Hunting Lodge, a bit rustic - but oh so cozy.
 |
| JP and I in front of Emil's Hunting Lodge |
Today it was way too cold to do anything with the horses, our thermometer never climbed above 8F. They still were turned out (as there is shelter) and we made sure the boys didn't run out of hay and warm water.
 |
| Good morning, sunshine: It's -22C |
Exercising horses in very cold weather (about 23F to 14F) is damaging to the lungs. When a horse is forced to exert himself, he inhales quickly and deeply, and the body doesn't have time to warm the cold air. The thin layer of fluid that lines the airways evaporates faster than it can be replaced, effectively drying them out, causing inflammation and constriction.
Speaking of exercise: I discovered a fun system today I had not heard of before: GYROKINESIS® for Riders. It was presented by noted physiotherapist and author ("Balance in Movement") Susanne von Dietze-Pollack. I had met Susanne at a clinic in Wellington two years ago, attended her lecture, and found her amazing.
The zoom classes on GYROKINESIS® for Riders are focusing on spinal motions and breathing (today was the first in a series of 4), and did not disappoint. Good news, Remy: There might be hope for your tight rider after all!
No comments:
Post a Comment