"When a woman gives birth to a crack baby you don't get her a puppy." - I love Gilmore Girls. =)
So I've been taking 5000IU of Vitamin D3 every morning for a month now, per the recommendation of Funder (thank you!). I noticed a difference in my sleep quality the first and second nights, but shoved it aside as a potential fluke because at that point it may have just been in my head, or maybe I wasn't experiencing any stress, etc., etc.
But I can definitely say that after a month of taking it, through stressful times, typical times, and the happiest of times, it is really, truly helping my quality of sleep. I fall asleep quicker, too. I know that if I just lie still for a few minutes I'll begin to get drowsy. Then wham, bam, I'm asleep.
The greatest, most significant difference though? Waking up, feeling rested, feeling ready to get up and start my day. I'm just all, "Okay, yep, time to get up." Not, "Uggghhhhh, FML whyyyyy do I have to get UP!??!"
Griffin is doing well. His I-must-run-from-you-and-play-this-obnoxious-catch-game phase is dying out lately.
He's frequently at the gate with his friends wanting to come in. Tuesday night I drove up to the barn and went inside to prepare his grain/mineral supplement prior to even putting forth effort to call him over. I think I may have whistled a little bit as I got out of the car, but definitely nothing major.
Imagine my surprise when I come out with halter and lead to go fetch him and discover that he's taken initiative to leave the herd, walk across the field, and stand waiting at the gate for me!! Made my little heart go pitter patter to see he wanted to come in andeat spend time with me.
We've worked on driving some more. Had a second successful lesson. We moved from the ring to the barn paddock. Practiced lots of turns and straight lines.
Then I did a mean thing and put the bit back in his mouth for the second time.
No head tossing this time. No giraffe impressions either. And he spit it out at the end like a very, very good horse. We even did a little bit of driving with the long reins connected to the bit (two turns and a halt with two big straight lines). He resisted a little, but did give to the pressure eventually - definitely gave to pressure before it was evil, head-wrenching pressure. I just had to apply a little more than previously with the side-pull halter.
We also did some more tarp work and practiced some more my-mom-is-a-crazy-broad desensitization. The latter consisted of me bouncing up and down in a circle around him while he stood in the middle of the round pen. While bouncing I made strange noises (don't judge me) and patted my hands all over his body (erry'where) with 2x the force of your typical pat-pat good horse kind of patting. Enough force to make a tiny noise but not enough to injure him in anyway.
He stood like a good boy. His eyes rolled around at first though. He thinks I'm a certifiable crazy person, but he trusts me all the same. Win.
As for the mare? I've been hesitant to say much until most everything has been solidified as far as the details of getting her, but I am slated to pick her up (and go on a trail ride over there once more before coming home) on Monday!
D and I are going to pick her up and ride.
Her name? I'm going with a combination of what I wanted, what my friend Andrea (heeyyyy, Andrea!), and my mom suggested. On Queue. So on any sort of writing (vet records, endurance rides, etc.) she will be On Queue, but in every day life I'll just call her Q. (I didn't want to just give her a single letter because that would look really weird in written records!)
This long weekend (a 4-day for me!) looks to be full of beautiful weather and outdoors pursuits. I can't wait to dive into it.
: : : : :
So I've been taking 5000IU of Vitamin D3 every morning for a month now, per the recommendation of Funder (thank you!). I noticed a difference in my sleep quality the first and second nights, but shoved it aside as a potential fluke because at that point it may have just been in my head, or maybe I wasn't experiencing any stress, etc., etc.
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| Bigger than a quarter. Not in my house...yet. |
But I can definitely say that after a month of taking it, through stressful times, typical times, and the happiest of times, it is really, truly helping my quality of sleep. I fall asleep quicker, too. I know that if I just lie still for a few minutes I'll begin to get drowsy. Then wham, bam, I'm asleep.
The greatest, most significant difference though? Waking up, feeling rested, feeling ready to get up and start my day. I'm just all, "Okay, yep, time to get up." Not, "Uggghhhhh, FML whyyyyy do I have to get UP!??!"
: : : : :
Griffin is doing well. His I-must-run-from-you-and-play-this-obnoxious-catch-game phase is dying out lately.
He's frequently at the gate with his friends wanting to come in. Tuesday night I drove up to the barn and went inside to prepare his grain/mineral supplement prior to even putting forth effort to call him over. I think I may have whistled a little bit as I got out of the car, but definitely nothing major.
Imagine my surprise when I come out with halter and lead to go fetch him and discover that he's taken initiative to leave the herd, walk across the field, and stand waiting at the gate for me!! Made my little heart go pitter patter to see he wanted to come in and
We've worked on driving some more. Had a second successful lesson. We moved from the ring to the barn paddock. Practiced lots of turns and straight lines.
Then I did a mean thing and put the bit back in his mouth for the second time.
No head tossing this time. No giraffe impressions either. And he spit it out at the end like a very, very good horse. We even did a little bit of driving with the long reins connected to the bit (two turns and a halt with two big straight lines). He resisted a little, but did give to the pressure eventually - definitely gave to pressure before it was evil, head-wrenching pressure. I just had to apply a little more than previously with the side-pull halter.
We also did some more tarp work and practiced some more my-mom-is-a-crazy-broad desensitization. The latter consisted of me bouncing up and down in a circle around him while he stood in the middle of the round pen. While bouncing I made strange noises (don't judge me) and patted my hands all over his body (erry'where) with 2x the force of your typical pat-pat good horse kind of patting. Enough force to make a tiny noise but not enough to injure him in anyway.
He stood like a good boy. His eyes rolled around at first though. He thinks I'm a certifiable crazy person, but he trusts me all the same. Win.
: : : : :
As for the mare? I've been hesitant to say much until most everything has been solidified as far as the details of getting her, but I am slated to pick her up (and go on a trail ride over there once more before coming home) on Monday!
D and I are going to pick her up and ride.
Her name? I'm going with a combination of what I wanted, what my friend Andrea (heeyyyy, Andrea!), and my mom suggested. On Queue. So on any sort of writing (vet records, endurance rides, etc.) she will be On Queue, but in every day life I'll just call her Q. (I didn't want to just give her a single letter because that would look really weird in written records!)
: : : : :
This long weekend (a 4-day for me!) looks to be full of beautiful weather and outdoors pursuits. I can't wait to dive into it.
Hifive, Vitamin D buddy! I will say the downside for me is that when I wake up, I wake up and can't doze back off. Even if I wake up at 5:30 on a Saturday and I coughed all night, I still can't go back to sleep! But once I beat the cough I'll be back to happy :)
ReplyDeleteYay Griff! Yay mare! On queue, like standing in line, or on cue, like responding promptly to a leg aid? Either one is a cool name.
- I may have to try the Vitamin D...been having problems sleeping lately. :(
ReplyDelete- That spider is seriously terrifying.....
- Griffin is awesome..nuff said. :)
- And I LOVE Q's full name. Loooove it! I can't wait to meet her! :D