Fun Ride Time

Went with a friend to do a fun ride on the weekend in support of local riding for the disabled group (RDA Quest).

Day went so smoothly - trailer hitched, horses on, got there a whole hour early but luckily we started early too. Here's a piccy of Oreo and Olivia sharing food in the trailer (not Oreo's idea, by the way)...

Anyway, it all went very well - the ponies seemed to enjoy themselves, no falls or hurts except for at one point on a steep downhill path, Olivia decided to throw her entire body into a small step down rather than...you know...step down it...
Nevermind, everyone has their quirks (some more than others). Other progress is looking fantastic; I gave her a good long stretchy lunge on Monday and she looked FABULOUS on the lunge. Gone are the days when she used to run round with a hollow back and head looking everywhere but around the circle. She was shaped (a parelli phrase coming..) like a good banana, back up, neck down and stretching and really striding out.

Today we had a quick ride in the miserable weather, stretching again because I'm still waiting for this slight tucked-up-ness to go away, but she felt so good again. Very happy :)

Now here's a quick question...I feel every day I spend more time brushing mud out of her beautiful long, flowing mane than I spend riding her. To pull or not to pull?! The dirt is driving me mental, but without her long locks she wouldn't be my pretty pony, I'm torn!

I will let you know what I decide :)

Tucking Up

So today I thought I would write about tucking up, as in the last year this has been a constant bother for Olivia and me. It all started about March last year when Olivia started to get really tucked up with hunting. Back then she tied up twice, and after lots of vets bills she didn't have equine exertional rhabdomyolysis (try saying that fast..)

Well that was then. Once we had the all clear, I brought her slowly back into work and the next few times she was trailered up for a hack she got all tucked up too. But several trips later she was totally fine.

Now it's back!!! She was tucked up after we went hunting again but that went away after a few days, and then when I trailered her for a hack she was again, but it was the excitement of where we were going! That went away again, and then I must have pushed her too hard in the school because once again it came back. I wonder whether it's to do with the cold, does anyone else have a similar problem? I try to keep her well rugged but she is a very warm horse and don't want to keep her sweating, especially as it is so warm at the moment.

She's in light work, and after she's stretched her legs she always looks much better. In fact, yesterday when I took off her rug she looked perfect, and I was ecstatic! As soon as I walked round the corner her tummy tucked in straight away...hmmm is someone faking? I'm still erring on the side of caution, lots of stretching, no lateral work, and no breaking sweat. I've checked her muscles for signs of spasm and there's nothing, so please don't be concerned! However I would LOVE to hear from other people who've had a chronic tucker-uper? What do you do to solve the problem?

Here are some pictures I took of how she looks, it's not terrible but it's annoying for sure!

Over and out!

xox

Welcome Back ... x2

Ok... So it's been a while (again), but I'm back to do more! I've graduated from University, started a masters, living at home and got all my good old friends around me again so things are looking great.

Most importantly though, Olivia has gone from good to better. We are still trying a bit of everything. We started hunting last season which I loved although she got a little over excited and put herself out of work for several months, which in the end turned out to be a muscle strain but at least we've got bone scans and muscles biopsies to prove it..! We also did our first dressage test over the summer, which didn't go well seeing as I forgot my test and had a very tense horse. Oh well ... it was only while I was trying to get Olivia fit again to do more fun stuff like ... DRAGHUNTING! Went the other weekend and had a blast, as soon as I've got transport sorted I will be doing it as often as I can. Towing, using my Dad's audi a6, on muddy fields turned out to be a big no no. We got stuck twice on the grass at the hunt, and then putting the trailer back in the trailer park turned out to be impossible so now it' sitting in the mare's field, waiting to be used again!

I am currently laying down plans to buy a nice big 4x4 with my Mum, I'll let you know how these get on!

Anyway, she's looking better than she ever has and is moving better than ever. I was hoping to go XC schooling today in preparation for a bit of eventing next spring (fingers crossed) but the bloody weather got in the way, thank you Britain! Such a shame, but my friend who was going to take me, and is able to tow in her lovely 4 wheel drive, has agreed to do a few hacks and other xc schooling sessions over the next few weeks which is all very exciting :)

Anyway, after the vet fiasco of last year, here is my current feelings on horse care

Over and Out

xxxxx