Fitter and further!

Not good colour - camera-phone + early morning light makes for weird colour rendition! Just been turned out and quietly munching - at least he's not got the hammer, buffer and shoe lever out to take of another shoe (yet!), he's lost two inbetween two shoeings, each time the right front. Had a new one put on the first time cos I couldn't find the shoe despite an extensive search of the paddock, couldn't find the second either but found the first! *shakes head at the absurd*

Today he met one of the yard cats at close quarters, and the cat was sooooooooooooo NOT bothered! We've been gradually building up both our fitness, Liz has lent me her bendy stirrups - and boy what a difference to the ankle they make, I no longer get off hobbling like an arthritic nonegarian! Today we had our first long canter, we've had a few on the tracks close to home but the tracks are short and quite stony so the canters are brief. As his fitness level is on the up we ventured further afield, there is a wonderful track of about 3/4 mile, of which 2/3 is canterable (or faster if you want!)! *BIG grin!* It takes around an hour of roadwork along the lanes to get there, plenty of uphill and downdale, and you can do a largeish loop home making the ride about 2 hours (depending on how much trotting you do too!) The track was fairly overgrown at the start but opened out just at the "canter point" so off we went - I like to give him a verbal cue, and use "are you ready?" as a verbal half halt alongside the ridden one, requested (and received!) left canter and off he went, nice and easy, bit heavy in the hand after a while as he struggled with his balance so we came back to trot, rebalanced and with another "are you ready?" requested (and received!) right canter, again got a bit heavy in the hand but certainly not pulling or running. And he comes back to walk from the seat and doesn't jig-jog or want to go again - what a little star he is! So we need more fittening work, more hills (easy in Devon!) and more canter work! And that is going to be so EASY - he is such a lovely horse to ride, and with such an easy-going nature too, good paces with rhythm and cadence, makes riding even more of a pleasure than it normally is!

Progress and "Yes" not "Why?"

Isn't he a handsome beastie? He is such a total sweetie - unfailingly HONEST and not a single nasty cell in his body, all he wants to do is be good!

It's a while since I updated this blog - so a bit of a recap, bone chip removed from ankle 08/06, back in the saddle 02/07, first attempt was a bit "bleurgh", 2nd was better, riding the Ancient Orange Git again which, with the benefit of hindsight, was not the best idea in the world ......... bounce, boing, leap, snort, shy - rinse and repeat ad nauseum! and he's 21yrs old with spavins! I gave up with him and got back on the Bugster the following day ..... what a little superstar, 5 weeks with not being ridden and he just walks calmly off the yard all by himself and is foot perfect for the whole 45 mins! So I have been gradually upping the riding, up to hour plus and now including some trot work - I do think that perhaps a pair of those flexi-stirrups would be a good idea, until you can't move something very well you don't really realise how much you use it! The ankle is still not as flexible as the other but at least I don't get the constant pain from the chip - but I have lost my weather forecasting ability lol!

As to the "Yes not Why?" bit ............ well, here I have a nice little horse who just agrees to my requests, he doesn't question why I have asked, he simply complies, not because he is excessively submissive or "under my thumb" but because he likes to please, he has no ulterior motive, no conniving plots are being hatched and he is quite happy for me to take the lead. I never ask more than I consider a horse capable, I would expect them to try new things having been properly prepared .......... adhering to the "6 P's" (Prior Preparation Prevents P**s Poor Performance) ......... and he just tries his little heart out!

The period I had on crutches was a huge learning curve for him, firstly he saw "4 legs" and thought he had a playmate! Within a few seconds it dawned on him that things were not well ...... the look of concern upon his little face was touching ..... almost as if he said "uh-oh, you're LAME" ...... he is a bit of a bumbler, not quite sure of where his body is in relation to anything else, never mind where you are! Within a very short space of time he was totally foot perfect around me and my crutches and would happily walk ever-so-slowly up the road next to me whilst I hobbled up on the crutches, locking the inside ear on me and watching me ALL the time. This learning has stayed with him following the discard of the crutches.

He is gradually becoming accustomed to the to-ing and fro-ing and general hustle and bustle of a busy livery yard and farm ........ he was quite "Bug"-eyed initially!

And one of the best things? ........... other liveries want to ride out with me, and more than once too! (The Ancient Orange Git is not ridden much, so Bugster is the "main man")

I wanted to add some more pics ........... but they keep appearing at the top of this post! and I want them at the bottom, HELP!

Hmmmm - things aren't quite what I expected

No, not the Bugster! My ankle - surgery was 8th June to remove an annoying bone chip - had a go at riding today, rode the Old Boy as I knew he would just walk and would stand like a statue whilst I slid off - the ankle is not as flexible as I hoped it would be and I felt totally useless :-(

Think I'm going to have to accept smaller steps!

New Kid on the Block

There is a new kid on the block.

Meet Bug (the Old Orange one says "Hi buddy!")

16hh of TB x Morgan, just turned 8yrs

Green but willing, hacks alone (YAY!)

Good quality elevated paces and a more-than-reasonable jump :-)

He's come to stay, on permanent loan (thank you Kate for letting such a lovely lad come and live with me) and the name of the game will be FUN!

We are going to try some dressage and some local showing (he's just the right stamp for riding horse classes) and also jumpies.

He hacks off the yard alone and there is no napping, no rearing or spinning, he's fully acquainted with all traffic and is just LOVELY! We've had w,t&c both in front and behind and he's the perfect gent.