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!
