Summer?
Sunday, August 26th, 2007
Well, it’s the end of August already and I’m feeling that I haven’t achieved anything! Not riding wise anyway. Don’t think I can be blamed for all of it mind you. V has decided to injure himself on a fairly regular basis. First he was kicked rather badly (OK, so he didn’t do that himself but am fairly sure the wee beggar deserved it!) and it needed stapling, antibiotics and him some boxrest. I bring him back into work and get his hinds shod for the first time. Then he overreaches badly (in the field where he is now out alone) and it’s sore. I have to keep it clean and dry when there is 6 inches of mud everywhere. A week later he is sound and I bring him back into work. I turn him out in brushing boots and overreach boots. He decides that its fun to jump into his neighbours field. And back again. He kicks himself where the boots don’t reach. He has a couple of days off. I bring him back into work and *grabbing wood* he’s OK. Oh, and why he was out of work he got a bit fat so I bought him a grazing muzzle-the expensive kind. The kind that’s hard to get off…………if you’re not a Lusitano. So, due to wet weather and mad grass he’s being kept in overnight, being fed soaked hay and I’m still mucking out!
Anyway, we were back out hacking. A brief window in the wetness that is July 2007 one weekend led to 2 lovely hacks. Quite reminded me just why I have my own horse again being out in glorious countryside.
Well, a week later he starts being all spooky and reactive. On trying to get his attention by schooling through the village, he starts tilting his head. He’s a complete bisum for the whole ride except he does behave for the bad motorbikes and huge logging truck. Hmmm. Get vet to check him when he does his jags and it turns out top tushes are on the way. Joy. Right one appears alright but left one turns into enormous bump and just stays like it! It’s obviously giving him gyp when he’s eating his hay etc. I get hold of a Dr Cook’s rip off-he really doesn’t like it and I feel very insecure in it. Feel like a failure as various websites tell me I should be able to control my horse without putting metal in its mouth….. Am not game for a hackamore either, I like my steering and I don’t feel my seat is good enough for one.
I do lots of longreining off the lunge cavesson and we have a bit of a breakthrough –start a bit of shoulder in and get him working very nicely. We do pole work once a week and get him lengthening and shortening his stride. Very pleased-I enjoy groundwork. Just as well! Previously he’d started this weird behaviour on the lunge-he wouldn’t always go forward from halt, sometimes from trot he’d go into halt instead of walk when asked, and then nap when asked to walk on. This was odd-he’s always been good on the lunge and his reaction voice commands excellent although I do have to be very careful that he doest start anticipating.. I couldn’t work it out, I’d asked him to move on, he’d give me a ‘good grief woman’ look and either refuse to or go off kicking! Well, it seems as though I’d been a bit sloppy of late with my body language-I realised (need a ‘I’m with stoopid’ sign) that when he did this, I was standing too far forward ie slightly in front of his shoulder. The withering look was warranted! Its not happened since.
The couple of times I try the French link it’s obviously uncomfortable and cue mad reactive pony. I therefore get a flexible mullen mouth and he seems much more comfy in that (had to order it in, what sort of 15.2h horse has a 4.5 inch mouth!). Five weeks after the vet visit and left tush is just below the surface. Surpress urge to squish it 
He’s back in work although he did manage to throw a shoe recently he has been in work consistantly. I have even started riding without stirrups to help stop me riding like a numpty and we have some lessons booked up soon, now that I am financially solvent again!
