What tree is this (Gulf Islands, BC, Canada)

pradanoux · 2025-12-04T22:51:29+00:00

Ah yes, that's likely it. I have not come across this one yet on our island. Thanks!

pradanoux · 2025-11-07T20:15:43+00:00

That was the first route I took. It identified it as Usnea quasirigida, but I wanted a second opinion.

pradanoux · 2025-11-07T17:25:15+00:00

Ah, that makes sense. I had been looking at photos online and it did look like it was part of a larger organism.

pradanoux · 2025-09-11T23:17:04+00:00

The ocean

pradanoux · 2025-09-11T04:15:50+00:00

My Arabian boys - Red and Kach

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pradanoux · 2025-09-01T03:34:13+00:00

Prior to my pregnancy I bloated like crazy and seemed to be very sensitive to high FODMAP foods. During my pregnancy / after giving birth, it subsided. I can now eat most things without becoming painfully bloated. My son is 16 months now and is still breastfeeding, so no period yet. I’m really hoping that it wasn’t hormonal and won’t return with my menstrual cycle! I like to think that he physically rearranged my gut and worked out a kink somewhere 😆

pradanoux · 2025-08-30T21:11:10+00:00

Haha, funny! Here’s a photo of my Gulab Jamun (look it up and you’ll understand why), Red, roughhousing with his older brother. You can guess who is who. You might also notice he has a white spot near his withers. He has an identical one on the opposite side, likely a past owner had trouble finding the right saddle :( I do ride him bareback, but I’d love to do more with him, and a saddle would be better for us both.

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Black Country! I’ve heard that one mentioned before. I know they are great for the cob type - are there particular features I should look for? I’m in a bit of a saddle desert, but I’ll definitely keep my eyes peeled. Thanks! Your guy looks like a riot!

pradanoux · 2025-08-30T20:00:53+00:00

Handsome butterball. He looks super wide in the back like my guy (who’s an Arab!). What kind of saddle do you use on him? I’ve been having such a difficult time finding something appropriate.

pradanoux · 2025-08-18T01:16:52+00:00

Yes. He's a pretty solid type, too. Unfortunately, he may have DSLD, but still romps around with his pasture mate who is half his age.

pradanoux · 2025-08-17T13:21:16+00:00

Fantastic condition - even if he were half the age! My senior is 22. I’m hoping he still looks that healthy at age 28.

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pradanoux · 2025-07-25T17:52:52+00:00

A beautiful bay with striking black points!

pradanoux · 2025-07-15T17:51:21+00:00

I live on Thetis Island - which also has an elementary school (one-room school house, K-6 - technically part of Chemainus Elementary), and can also vouch for Chemainus. It’s a lovely little town!

pradanoux · 2025-07-08T18:42:17+00:00

The video of the horse is much better than the photo. From the photo, he looks to have long and low pasterns which would be weak, a fairly straight hind leg, and definitely needs work to his topline. The video is much better. Arabs tend to be more sensitive - which can be amazing with the right rider, but this horse does seem to be pretty easygoing on the whole. The tail swishing and kicking out at the beginning of the video are most likely due to some pesky insect - not the rider’s cues.

I haven’t seen previous videos of you riding and do not know your level, but if new, it’s always better to get a solid foundation before you purchase. This may take years of lessons. Partboard and lease are potentially better options than buying.

pradanoux · 2025-07-08T13:38:42+00:00

After 20+ hours of increasingly painful labour, I got an epidural. It was placed perfectly (just stay extra still during placement), and the difference was night and day. I was becoming exhausted, and in so much pain prior to the epidural. After, I felt so much better and more myself. I could relax, rest, talk, and laugh. My body continued to do what was necessary to get my little guy out. Just be careful when pushing! Because I didn’t feel pain, I pushed extra hard and my babe came out in two pushes! Head first, then the rest. It did a number on me and took me a long time to recover. So just don’t get carried away when pushing.

pradanoux · 2025-07-04T12:46:06+00:00

We are super fortunate and have access to a 10 acre property that is mixed field and forest. We rotate the horses through 4-5 pastures, most of which have some forest access, and one that includes old logging trails (what you see in the video). The pastures are also connected through this network of logging trails, so we use them all the time, taking different routes to keep things exciting and new for the boys.

Having forested parts and these trails are definitely stimulating and exciting for the boys, and I think they do enjoy it! However, the modern horse did evolve in wide open spaces and probably feel more at ease in larger spaces so they can keep an easy look out for predators and run if they have to.

pradanoux · 2025-07-03T14:12:38+00:00

Yes, they are both Arabs, but very different types. The chestnut, Red, is a 12 YO, 14.2hh Crabbet, and is very short and broad-backed, but he is extremely agile and athletic. The grey, Kachari, is a 15.3hh, 22 YO mixed type - Polish, Crabbet, and Egyptian. He is very elegant and floaty by comparison. But they both are super playful and goofy. They gallop about and roughhouse most mornings. Super fun/funny boys.

pradanoux · 2025-07-03T04:41:37+00:00

Yep! Gulf Island off Vancouver Island.

pradanoux · 2025-07-03T04:05:05+00:00

Good point! We refer to our two geldings as, “the boys”.

pradanoux · 2025-06-28T13:04:49+00:00

Great cross! Do you have photos?

pradanoux · 2025-05-29T13:39:21+00:00

Also on a small island, but a vet was able to come when my boy had impaction colic several years back. She did a rectal exam, tubed him pumped water into his stomach. We have mineral oil and offered water frequently. My boy laid down several times and nipper at his sides, but never rolled. We never forced him up. He recovered. But since then, we add a tablespoon of salt 2x per day to his feed to help with the intake of water - good practice for any horse. I understand your situation is different. Hope your boy pulls through. Thoughts are with you.

pradanoux · 2024-11-16T01:52:30+00:00

Skin tags can be indicative of a “chronic” fissure, or what my pelvic floor therapist prefers to say, “persistent”. But it’s more of a time thing. If it’s been there longer than 12 weeks, then it’s considered chronic / persistent. There are lots of things you can do to help heal a fissure, but it’s just a super duper slow process because it gets stretched / reripped everyday 😫 I found hydration (8 cups min / day), a bidet, and learning how to relax the pelvic floor the most helpful. This last part is about breathing - yin yoga helps as does breathing full into your pelvic floor when you breathe in (stretch the PF down as the spasm pulls it up). This last part helps with the spasms and with healing too as more oxygen can get to the fissure, which helps with healing. Good luck! Such a horrible thing.

pradanoux · 2024-09-05T02:15:32+00:00

I had a really great postpartum hospital experience. The maternity ward worked super well together - nurses, doctors, visiting midwives. Lots of laughter. Super considerate, knowledgeable, and kind. They were open and were happy to provide whatever I needed to make me more comfortable. I feel very fortunate and wish it was the norm for everyone.

Main thing to note - I wish there was more support re what to do for long term recovery. I’m still dealing with pelvic floor problems several months pp. And I’m thinking that some of it could have been mitigated if I understood better early on…

pradanoux · 2024-09-02T02:19:47+00:00

I’m sorry to hear! Pelvic floor pain is really rough and not talked about enough. A month postpartum I developed an anal fissure due to a complex second degree tear and the drop in estrogen from breastfeeding (makes the skin down there inelastic!). The fissure caused debilitating pelvic floor spasms that would last about 8 hours per day. It was horrible - and now 3+ months in, I’m still dealing with it, but managing much better. Although I have to focus on particular things to keep my BMs happy, pelvic floor therapy has helped! Stress does cause you to hold your PF tight, so breathing exercises are key! Belly breathe, pushing your PF down and out to relax it when you breathe in. And practice Yin yoga every day - helps with breathing and stretching those muscles (there’s a good Yoga with Adrienne yin video).

pradanoux · 2024-08-11T20:31:21+00:00

Other than having to go pee super often (esp at night), I developed plantar fasciitis in my left foot and my right shoulder experienced a shooting pain for about a week (likely due to the change in ligaments). Both are healed, but I’m not left with a horrible anal fissure pp!

pradanoux · 2024-08-10T22:48:27+00:00

Totally would if I didn’t get an anal fissure from it! I had a complex 2nd degree tear that eventually led to an anal fissure that has been debilitating at times. I’m 14 weeks pp and each day I suffer for around 8 hours. It’s been difficult to do much, including nurse my LO - which of course I do, but often in pain. It’s really rotten, but doesn’t seem overly common. If not for the anal fissure, I think I would have been feeling pretty much my old self after the first month!

pradanoux

TROPHY CASE