# My Life With R.A. And Horses



## Losthope236 (Feb 9, 2009)

I figured it might help to start to keep a journal of what I do with my horse and the others at the rescue I volunteer at and others that I end up working with. As well as keep a tab on how I'm feeling these days. 

Here's a bit of background on me, I've been involved with horses practically my whole life. I honestly believe they are one of the reasons I've been able to stay out of a wheelchair. R.A. for those of you who don't know is Rheumatoid Arthritis. At ten months old I was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid, many years and many things later I now have it through out my whole body, I have severe contractures, and was recently diagnosed with scoliosis. I have one joint fused at the moment. And am in some kind of pain every day. Yet I get my self involved in the things I love most, the horses. July of 2010 I got my filly Araya and for the past 6 or 7 months have been training her. We've come a long way and she's making great progress. I also volunteer at a horse rescue and work and ride some of their more difficult horses. 

*March, 9-10*
Went down and saw Araya on wednesday and thursday. Let her lose in the arena and watched her run and buck and play. After she got some energy out I started to work on desensitizing her to ropes. She has a thing about ropes and being haltered. Let her drag it around in the arena while I did some chores. After I finished one of the trainers at the barn helped me desensitize her to a towel. She did wonderful. Took her for a walk around the place and she started to get nervous the farther away from the barn she got. She would try and walk faster, prance a little, look around and started to call. Took her back to her towards her stall and she refused to cross a patch of snow in front of the stable. Took her around the back and managed to get her through the gate in to the neighboring stall. But she would not come out of that stall. Kept pressure on her till she finally stepped out and into her stall next door. Groomed her and let her be till dinner time. 

The next day she had a fit about being haltered like usual. Once haltered she refused to step out of her stall. Managed to get her out of her stall and she refused to come out of the stable, there was that sheet of melting ice/snow in front of it. Told her to relax and follow me, which surprisingly when I told her to follow me she tried to before stepping up behind me next to the stable where it was dry. Let her lose in the arena but she didn't really feel like running today. At least right away. I let her observe a few horses and she would mimic them a little. After a few minutes I got her moving, and she got some energy and her bucks out. She did really well when I told her to change directions and come in. Best she's done in a long time. I worked on the rope thing again and was able to toss it all over her without a fuss though she tried to bolt sideways and rear a little. She even tolerated it being tossed over her head and touching her face and under her belly and everywhere. I was very proud of her. Took her to a different round pen today and on the way there there was a blue tarp she had spooked at the other day, she didn't even flinch when walking up to it and I made it move, she was more interested in the hay it covered. In the round pen I let her run around a little and watch kids playing/yelling on the playground and the cars going by. Then I desensitized her to scary plastic bag. After rear, sidestepping, walking in circles she accepted it to being put all over her body. After her lesson we went for a walk and into another arena she had problems with before. She was really cute on the way there. She would stop suddenly look around at where we were going then she would look at me and keep walking after I asked her to keep going. In the other arena there are barrels and two small jumps. She got all huffy at one jump then when I walked over it she walks around then tried to walk over it too. She was not in the least bit afraid of the barrels set up for barrel racing. She figure out she could push them over and move them with her head. She thought she was funny when I tried to put it back up and she pushed it over. She doesn't like the fast cars on the road next to that arena though so I'll probably bring her over there more often till she gets used to the cars going faster than they do in the stable grounds. Took her around some trailers and she did good as usual. 

I'm feeling pretty good today, no soreness that I usually get after working with her which means I'm getting stronger or this new med is working better than I think it is.


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## apachiedragon (Apr 19, 2008)

I sympathize. My mother and sister both have RA. Both had it show up in their adult years though. One of my past lesson students had the Juvenile kind, she was unable to ride some days because of the pain.

Subscribing.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Wonderful and descriptive thread. YOu seem to have a good way with the younguns.


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## Losthope236 (Feb 9, 2009)

Thanks guys, sorry to hear that RA has affected your family apachiedragon. Hope they are doing well.

I didn't give much info on what I've been doing these past few years that may come up in this journal. I'm trying to become a horse trainer. An insane and crazy minded feat for someone in my condition, but its what I want to do, and I can't think of anything else that would make me truly happy. I'm hopefully going to college in the fall, I've been accepted into an equine business managment program, and may be switching to the horse training and managment program her soon. In the mean time I'm working on my reputation and my skills with the horses and plan to continue doing this. Araya is a now 11 month old QH sorrel filly, she will be 1 year old on April 13th.

*March 13*
Visited the horse rescue and bugged the owner about my letter of Recommendation I need for a RA scholarship due on friday. Of course he didn't have it printed out, which irritated me after I had to write the letter for him. Nonetheless I have to find some time this week to annoy him further, which i hate doing. But it was nice to go there today and see at least someone seemed excited to see me. That made me happy for awhile. Talked to a guy there about his horse Santana, who is a lovely bay paint. He had/has some issues but the guy is doing wonderful work with him. I found it odd when he said Santana didn't like girls yet he didn't even react when I came over and stroked his neck. In fact he started licking and chewing and cocked a leg, especially when I talked to him. When another girl came over his head came up and he seemed to be nervous. I find it funny that this horse will come up to me in the pasture with the others aswell. Not to mention the others, I seem to be a magnet for them as they all seem to enjoy standing near me or following me around, even the skittish nervous ones we have. I didn't get to work with any of them this weekend but I hope I'll get the chance to the weekend after next. I need to find some time to see Raya (Araya) over spring break as well. Hate the fact she's so far away. 

My JRA is alright, the new med is at least taking some of the edge off, I have another infusion on the 24th of this month. Still flaring badly enough to the point where I will grit my teeth in pain and limp around. But strangely there is little to no noticeable swelling. May have to ask the doc to up my dose. 

Heres some pics of my girl at about 10 months (She loves eating and playing with tumbleweeds, not sure why):


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## katiekins224 (Jul 29, 2010)

I was diagnosed with JRA five years ago @ age 15 so I totally understand what you are going through...mine is decently controlled with my meds but at the end of the month when my next infusion is due, it gets really difficult to get around..I can't even imagine working with a young horse right now..I get bumped around enough with my 27 yr old guy haha...so kudos to you and good luck with what you are doing! definitely subscribing to your thread. And if you ever need someone to vent to about your RA to...feel free to PM me


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## Losthope236 (Feb 9, 2009)

Thanks Katie, she's been a challenge these past few months thats for sure. She likes to throw her weight around and act like the baby she is. Sometimes I wonder what I got myself into. If you ever need to vent or just chat feel free to PM me too.
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## Losthope236 (Feb 9, 2009)

I found an amazing job offer last weekend and went for a job interview on saturday. I got the job, I'm now an assistant to a fairly well established trainer. I'll be helping her with her horses. I'll be lunging, grooming, riding, doing ground work. I will even be helping her take them to shows and even possibly showing her horses and my girl along with them after I get her moved to her place. I also get to help her get some andalusian stallions and a mare ready for revision. It should be interesting and a great experience for me. Can't wait to get started. I also rode a horse bridleless for the first time this weekend, it was amazing.
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## Heatherloveslottie (Apr 12, 2010)

Wow, this is pretty inspiring. I was diagnosed with JIA just before my 16th birthday, and it has had a pretty major effect on my life. I feared I would be in a wheelchair for the first few months of being diagnosed and not on medication. I'm extremely fortunate to get injections that pretty much make my joints as normal as possible, to the extent that I can now mount from the floor, which is amazing for me because it's my left joint that's the worst 

If anyone wants to PM then I'd love to 

I love this thread, please carry it on!


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## Losthope236 (Feb 9, 2009)

Just got back from working with Araya. Its been a crazy week and this seems to be the only time I can get to see her for awhile. She was a total butt today. I don't know if its the weather or what but she was jumping, crow hopping, rearing and all that as we walked to the arena. Let her lose and she ran around for a good ten minutes. Worked on getting her ready for halter classes. Then worked on the rope thing again and she did good. After that I just played with her and ran around with her and she'd buck and play. She even allowed me to put my little dog on her back for a minute. After working with her I brought her back to the stable and brushed her out, she would not let me have her feet but once I let her graze she let me have them and pick them out. Put her away then brushed her mane and tail out then let her eat and let her be. I might be working tomorrow or this weekend whenever I hear back from my boss.
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## Losthope236 (Feb 9, 2009)

Had a relaxing weekend with my girl. On saturday I went down to see her. It was very very windy so we mainly stayed in her stall. I worked on getting her to back up and getting out of my space. I worked on her foot issue and she now doesn't have as much of a problem with it. Which is good for of. I even worked on getting her comfortable standing tied and completly giving to pressure on her halter. She did a wonderful job and only really pulled back on the rope once while she was tied. After that I let her out in the arena and she ran around bucking and playing. After a few minutes of this I desensitized her to being sprayed with water. She so hated me for that. She really hates water and mud, wonder how she'll be in a few weeks when it should be warm enough it give her her first bath. Not looking forward to that exactly. Afterwards I groomed her and fed her her dinner then left for the day.
On sunday I went to see her after picking up some slick an easy grooming blocks from the tack store. Caught her fairly easily then brought her in and 'tied' her up. Set to work getting rid of all that shedding winter fur. Have to say I love these grooming blocks and so did she. I was using it on the side of her neck and she was pushing into it slightly and partially closed her eyes. She didn't even flinch when I did her legs and under belly. I still can't believe how much hair I got off of her. It was amazing though note to self never do that again on a very windy day and don't talk lol. After grooming her and refreshing the lessons she learned yesterday I revisited the towel and put it on her head and started slapping it lightly on her sides as it was a fender or stirrup of a saddle. She did well. Then a wrapped one leg up in it and she could care less. Wrapped two legs togethsf like hobbles and she tried to move but settled after half a step then just looked at me like she was asking me what I was doing. Did the same to the back legs. Thats when our neighboring horses owners showed up.
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## Losthope236 (Feb 9, 2009)

Their horse I guess looked a bit colicy so they took her out to walk her. I decided to take Araya out as well as she was upset they took her buddy away. So we followed them and the other mares owner allowed me to turn my filly out with her mare to see if Araya could get her to move some. The owner has arthritis too and can't exactly walk her mare around for long. The two got along well, Araya got a kick to the chest which she deserted for being pushy and getting in the mare's space. My girl wanted to play with the mare but the mare wasn't feeling to good so she drove Araya off. After a few minutes the lady asked me to work with her mare for her so I did and my grandpa turned Araya back out into her stall. I walked her around for awhile trotting a little then I gave her a break and a massage then walked her around again before giving her back and saying goodbye to them. They offered to let of turn my filly out with their mare again when I down there next time. Which is good because this mare sees herself as raya's momma and teacher her manners. She's also had a few foals before so she knows how to handle the younguns. Its funny though because Araya is bigger than the mare, she's a tiny Paso Fino mare, by at least a foot. The owner also offered to let me ride and work with the mare for her. It was an interesting afternoon I'm now tired and sore, but thankfully not in to much pain just a dull throbbing ache every now and then. Though I think this recent infusion is starting to wear off.
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## Losthope236 (Feb 9, 2009)

Their horse I guess looked a bit colicy so they took her out to walk her. I decided to take Araya out as well as she was upset they took her buddy away. So we followed them and the other mares owner allowed me to turn my filly out with her mare to see if Araya could get her to move some. The owner has arthritis too and can't exactly walk her mare around for long. The two got along well, Araya got a kick to the chest which she deserted for being pushy and getting in the mare's space. My girl wanted to play with the mare but the mare wasn't feeling to good so she drove Araya off. After a few minutes the lady asked me to work with her mare for her so I did and my grandpa turned Araya back out into her stall. I walked her around for awhile trotting a little then I gave her a break and a massage then walked her around again before giving her back and saying goodbye to them. They offered to let of turn my filly out with their mare again when I down there next time. Which is good because this mare sees herself as raya's momma and teacher her manners. She's also had a few foals before so she knows how to handle the younguns. Its funny though because Araya is bigger than the mare, she's a tiny Paso Fino mare, by at least a foot. The owner also offered to let me ride and work with the mare for her. It was an interesting afternoon I'm now tired and sore, but thankfully not in to much pain just a dull throbbing ache every now and then. Though I think this recent infusion is starting to wear off. Lol I forgot to say that when the lady told me she had arthritis I told her I did too and she gave me that yeah right look lol it was funny. Also I should mention that the lady that supposedly hired me has suddenly for some reason dropped all contact with me. So as of right now I don't know if I have a job right now. Which really sucks. Hopefully she'll contact me or at least finally return my phone calls or emails and tell me whats going on.
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## jdw (Mar 17, 2011)

Inspiring. My aunt has RA and some friends as well. I hurt alot and am afraid to even get checked out~hang in there and fight it as you have been. I hope it all continues to go well for you working in the field of your passion. Never give up!


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## Losthope236 (Feb 9, 2009)

Thanks. Don't be afraid to get checked out jdw. 

On saturday I went to where my friend has her horses. That morning I went out there to practice for my upcoming riding interview for a college I am applying for. I may post a video or two later for a critique. I rode a 15 some odd hand chestnut QH gelding with the most amazing but freaky blue eyes. He had not be ridden or worked in over a year but he did fairly well. Was very lazy and slightly barn sour but not bad after having a year off. Did walk, trot, and after much prodding and insisting I managed to get a good lope out me him. Found out he side passes, backs up, and flexs like a dream. Especially when he doesn't want to do what you want him to do. I even managed to get a little gallop out of him too. Will go back over the next few days to get in as much practice as I can before wednesday. I also found out that I sit crooked because of the scoliosis and I think that was confusing him. And I'm awful at keeping my heels down. Oh well just need to remember to relax and ride. 
Went out and saw Araya as well later on saturday. Didn't do much just let her run and groomed her out real good.

Today I saw Araya again, took her out let her run then worked her in the round pen. Attempted to then load her in a trailer and it clearly wasn't happening today. She would knock her front legs against the trailer but she refused to get in. She's still nervous about being trailered and hasn't been in one in almost a year. Anyway I worked lunging her on a line and she was really good and soft on one side and hard and fighting me on the other. Her changes of direction on the line were decent. Though as soon as I tried to lunge her outside the round pen she threw a fit, running into my space, rearing, nearly kicked me in the stomach. She was a total brat. So i'm going to go back and make sure she understands whats being asked of her and respects me inside and outside of an enclosure. Tied her up while I put everything away and she stayed. Groomed her out then picked up her feet
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## Losthope236 (Feb 9, 2009)

She threw a mini fit but gave up when I didn't let her leg go and she couldn't really move much with the lead wrapped around the fence. Or so she thought. She kept trying to kick me when I picked up her back leg, which i think she cut or scraped on something but nonetheless she got smacked and a firm no for trying to kick me several times. After the second one she gave up and let me clean it out. She is too smart for her own good sometimes. Wish I could see her more. If I did I doubt I'd have anymore of these problems.
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## Losthope236 (Feb 9, 2009)

Rode my friends horse again yesterday and will ride her other horse today this afternoon. He was fussy and didn't want to work. He would pop up when I asked him to trot and then his lope would turn into a gallop or really tight circle. Partially my fault because i think i kept kicking him on accident. The saddle is too big for me so i slide around really easy and almost feel like i'm going to slide right off of him when he gets into his angry gallop or lope. He was awful about staying away from the gate toward the end he would literally side pass from the middle of the arena to the gate then throw a fit when i told him to leave the gate. Which left him irritated. But at the end i got him to calm down and we had a nice gallop to the gate that i asked for. I made sure to keep my legs off of him that time. So later today I'll be riding my friend's black QH mare.
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## Heatherloveslottie (Apr 12, 2010)

I'd get checked out if I were you jdw, if you're hurting then the longer you leave it, the more potential damage you could be doing to your joints. Better to see if you have a problem and try and rectify it asap 

I love this thread, good luck with this other horse and with Araya, I'm sure you'll get there if you keep working at it.


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## Losthope236 (Feb 9, 2009)

Thanks Heather,

Just got back from my ride on my friends mare, she was a good little mare for having 5 months off. She walked nice and trotted when I asked her too, also when she felt like trotting. She had the same gate/barn sour thing the gelding had but not as bad. So after awhile of trotting, she has a very bumpy trot, I figured out a good way to sit to her trot and not bounce all over the place. I also learned what difference half an inch makes in a saddle size, thankfully I was no longer slipping around in the saddle like I had been in the geldings. I also got the mare to gallop from one end of the arena to the other, now this mare does not normally go over a trot but did as I asked her too. The second time I asked her to lope/gallop she gave a big kick (not in her normal behavior either) and trotted quickly home. She was irritated but I walked her out and got off and let her be, then helped untack her and put her and the gelding away to eat their dinner.


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## Losthope236 (Feb 9, 2009)

*May 13, 2011*

Came down and saw Araya today, She was inspected by our state brand inspector and the inspector said she looked really good and that Araya was a very beautiful horse. Did his job and left. After that I took her out again and we tried to conquer her fear of being trailered. Didn't go well, but we'll try and take it in baby steps over time. Worked on getting her to control herself with voice commands while I free lunged her. She suprisingly did really well and relaxed and did as I asked her to do. Told her "walk on" for her to walk, clicked to trot or I said "Trot, slow trot, easy trot" depending on what she was doing, then made the kissing noise for a lope and tried to work on her changes of direction, trying to get her to not turn into the fence when she changes, but she's getting better. She is really getting her transitions down pat and seems to enjoy doing them. Went to the Rodeo last night as well and saw some friends and what happens when a horse is burnt out on doing something and is not worked with all the time. Its crazy how some people train their horses. One of my goals this summer is to bring Araya to a rodeo sometime over the summer so she can see what it's all about. Plus watching them, I've come to the conclusion that once Araya is old enough and trained right she'll be kicking butt at these gymkhana's, she's certainly got the natural talent for it, wether or not if she'll do it undersaddle is a different thing however. Also I tried to lunge her on a line instead of free lunging her, and she got frustrated with me when I asked her to move her butt away from me and kicked me square in the knee, thankfully she didn't break anything and its only bruised and a little sore.

*May 14th, 2011*

Didn't do much today other than worked on her transitions. Then I tried to get her to walk through a puddle/mud which she didn't like to much but she tried to do what I wanted her to do. After that I did some desensitizing to a spray bottle on her legs, which after awhile she tolerated fairly well. Then I tied her up and groomed her out really good. Tried to get as much dirt out as possible, though she really needs a bath. But I'm nervous to try bathing her alone because she absolutly hates water. So I'll have to wait till I have some shampoo and someone to help me. We took a relaxing walk today and she happily munched some grass as I sat beside her as we just hung out for awhile. Affter that I took her back to her stall and left her with a snack till later tonight.

If your interested to see how she's looking, I've posted pictures of her from today and yesterday in the picture thread "Pics from Today".


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## Losthope236 (Feb 9, 2009)

*May 15, 2011*

Went down to feed Araya first thing in the morning on sunday, fed her and while she ate I brushed her out and picked out her feet. Which she tolerated fairly well. After that I left and came back a few hours later. Grabbed her, after a minute of her refusing to stand still to be haltered. Let her loose in the arena and she didn't feel like running around all that much. But she did when I told her to or made a kissing noise I use as she is slowly learning vocal commands and cues. After letting her run around she found a tumble weed and started throwing it around. I stole it from her and ran away. Araya ran after me trying to steal it back. I made her circle around me as she followed the tumble weed trying to get it. She soon stole it then played keep away from me by jumping to the opposite side I was on and lifting her head out of my reach. After I finally stole it back from her we left and went into a big round pen to work on her tranisitions and vocal cues. Which she is doing a lot better at now that she understands what I'm asking her to do. After messing around with that I put her halter back on tied a string to each of the rings by her mouth and acted like they were reins. She did very well, though she was confused at the difference in pressure. She will turn, flex, stop, and back up from the cues on the reins, did the same with a cordeo.

After that I took off the string and put it around her girth and "cinched" it up a little. She didn't even blink just exhaled a lot. Then I found an old broken lunge whip ooutside the pen and pulled it in so she would have to step over it as she moved along the outside of the pen. She seemed to really enjoy this so I used the lunge whip I had as well and made an obstacle course for to go through in the pen. She even squeezed through a cone and the side of the pen with no problem. She really seemed to enjoy using her mind and picking up her feet over the "poles". I would tell her to go ahead and she'd take off running or trotting over the obstacles and threw them. 

Then we went for a long walk up the driveway then back down to where my barn has set up an equine obstacle course. Tried to get her up on a seasaw/platform thing but as soon as she'd try she would try she would hit her legs on the side and stop trying, so it think I'm going to go have to get her some boots or wrap her legs because everytime she hits them she gets confused and quits trying to step up onto something. Same with the trailer which she is scared off again. Just more things to work on. She supposed to be getting a bath when the weather is better, but she is terrified of water and puddles and mud. She's a crazy horse. But I love her dearly. We deffinetly bonded some over the last three days, shame I won't be able to go back down there for another few weeks.


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## Losthope236 (Feb 9, 2009)

Today was my first day at volunteering at a ranch I found via craigslist. I'm basically working to be able to get free lessons and costs cut on show fees if I decide to show. I may bring Araya up here, but I'm still not completely comfortable with the people here and what her board would be like here. Anyway I didn't do much today. 8 o'clock this morning I was up there helping feed the boarders horses, the manager that I work for horses, the horses we have for sale and the goats, sheep and then I got to feed the chickens. After that I helped clean out stalls, paint some new jumps and standards. Held a horse or two to be clipped. I helped bring down some horses to an area by a creek so they could graze on the grass growing there. Then brought them back up and put them away. After that I and three other girls went on a trail ride which was cut short and I rode around the arena for a little while did some walk and trot. Then my knee started hurting badly and I had a weird cramp in my side so I stopped riding and put my horse away and helped do the evening feed which was the same as the mornings. Throwing hay off of a moving trailer is difficult, especially when you are trying not to slip off of it while throwing. I hit a poor little kid (baby goat) with two flakes of hay and he fell down, poor thing. That trailer is so slippery I've slipped on it so many times, getting on it and throwing hay off and just riding it. Its fun though.

I'll be going back tomorrow morning to do it all again. Though I think the farrier is coming and I think I may be going on a long trail ride to a lake. I also have my first lesson that day so we'll see how I do.


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