Our first adventure in the woods and swimming in the river!

I am not sure how I have avoided it, but Adam had never ever been in the woods. So I had a brave day, and thought we could give it a go! His saddle was fitted a few days before, so I felt happier to sit on him for longer!

I knew he'd probably ask me some questions down there as there is alot of water.  But I won. As usual! He also learnt to walk over a stile. He was fairly argumentative about it to begin with, but decided that it was actually easier to just go over it. The second one he flew and was very pleased with himself. He is funny!

Pheobe, Sarah's lovely horse was very very patient with him. The hardest thing is just wanting to give him a good blast and blow out the cob webs. He is very very fresh at the moment and really could do with more work at speed to tire him out! He just runs off adrenaline! But sadly he isn't aloud to do anything quicker than walking at the moment.

I also took him swimming in shallow pool the week before. The tide was high, and it was utterly bizarre riding in such deep water! It took him a little bit of getting used to! But he eventually got there. Needless to say he argued again!

I now have the vet revisiting him on Friday. He is overweight, and I am struggling to keep it off him because his work load is minimal. His saddle slips forward down hills (now purchased an anti slip pad) and he is very very keen.
So my next plan - buy some calmer, and move forward with the vet!

We have now had Mero for a year, who has been a super confidence giver for myself after Adams terrible behaviour over the years. And also for Lisa to ride and enjoy. He is working beautifully now, working up to Adv Medium at home and is a pleasure to train! We did our first BD event last week, and achieved a very respectable 66.5 in our novice and 67.5 in our elementary! Came home with a first and second. Very pleased and must write a separate post on this!

Thanks for reading :)

Moved yards and those feet are looking better! April 2015

Adam and I have lots of changes recently. He has moved to a different yard which so far has been a really positive thing to do! My reasons for doing this have made a huge difference to his wellbeing. 

He is now out all the time. The hacking is quieter and more 'disabled' friendly and its alot quieter. 

The difference in him is amazing!! He is chirpy all the time, he is loving the hacking and he's socialising with other horses. 

Him being out all the time is helping his mobility, he feels much more freer in his movement and he's happy to girth and be ridden. I believe this is something to do with having access to food all the time and keeping his stomach as happy as possible. 

When we first moved, I gradually turned him out for longer periods of time trying to get his stomach used to the vast amounts of grass which he now has available. Yes he is looking a little rounder than i'd like him, but its difficult to manage his weight when he is only ridden a few times a week at the most. He isn't quite at the obese stage yet though! I think the move is something I should of done months ago! 

Here are some photos of him at his new yard, enjoying his new life style. 

Then a little update on his feet. He has just had the farrier and he is pleased with how much heel growth he has manage to achieve. It was the first time in months I had seen him without shoes on, and I can see a real difference. Last time the vet visited and did x-rays, his pedal bone was creeping out of that horrid minus angle that he had previously, so I am hoping the next visit is going to be really good news and we may be able to start injections into his coffin joint. 

He has hacked twice at his new home, and for the people who have followed this blog for a long time, you will know that he was a chronic rearer when hacking. He wouldn't go out in front, any questions would created huge problems. Our first hack at our new home was around the small triangle. I have rode and led him around it once which was very successful! When the weather became calmer and sunnier, I took him out in company with Mero, and he was totally faultless. He walked out infront the whole way, worked in a good contact and felt so so happy. 

Yesterday we tackled our next hack. This one is about an hours ride at just walk. It quiet, but theres a few things that would of raised some questions. He had to walk through a deep river, which is creeping above his knees. He was a little unsure, and slightly confused but he went in and had a little beverage before continuing his ride. Yet another brake through, and despite the fact that he had no idea where he was going, and what was around the next corner, he walked out in front the whole way with me having to work my socks off. I actually had to slow him down! Totally different horse. 

I am glad he is feeling happier, and it is a weight off my shoulders knowing he is out and enjoying himself. Onwards and upwards for a fantastic summer, hacking and splashing in the river! 

Thanks for reading!

March 1st 2015 - Sneaky little sit on.

so, another vet visit on Friday, to confirm that I can start doing some really light work with him.
My super vet is happy with the ways things are going, although he'd still like to see a better angle in his left fore. But the improvement he has made since september is incredible.

Adam hates my vet. Well and truly makes him feel very unloved! I cannot blame the monster, but he has met him quite a few times now! Enough to chill the hell out! Fool!
So the vet continued to wrap his arms around his neck, awaiting a less scowley face. 80% Successful!

I took him for a drag with Mero that day, thinking perhaps he'd be at least slightly excited at the prospect of going out the drive. Nah! cool as a cucumber. He looked more comfortable down hills and seemed 90% sound most of the way around. Apart from waving his head at Mero and trying to wee on every grass verge we passed.

I long reined him a few days after. Complete gent and didn't put a foot wrong. He now has a need saddle (whoops!) and I had a sneaky sit on for the first time since september. A legend as usual! 

February 2015 - Finally in the field and saddle fitting.

Whoooopie! Adam is finally in the field!
He has finally settled down and has his own little paddock to chill in. About the size of a postage stamp but it keeps him sane!

We have also had the saddle fitter out....he is now a wide ;/ Little fatty! So I will be selling my year old saddle and looking for something that has a changeable gullet. VSD, Cob type. I am not planning on getting on quite yet. I want him to be on field rest for at least a month to just get used to being outside and seeing things again. Once I feel he is ready, I will take him out with Mero ride and lead which I'm sure he will enjoy!

I don't miss anything more at the moment then just going for a plod on my little man.

Enjoying some winter sunshine at last.

Peekaboo!

Summer memories of sunshine! Hurry up summer! 

September 2014 - January 2015 - Remedial shoes and a holiday!

Since my last post, Not a huge amount has changed. Things are looking more positive but we have also had some draw backs.

Adam has had 4 remedial shoeings and was feeling rather good. It then bucketed it down with rain for weeks and the field became an ice skating rink for him. I believe he slipped in the field and hurt his neck. I was then presented with the possibility of him having arthritis in his neck (I nearly threw up when I was told this) but it looks like he had hurt his brachiocephalic muscle and it was made worse by bracing himself walking to the field and back. Poor sausage was just trying his best to balance but hurt himself in the process.

So those shoes where taken off fairly promptly and replaced with something that would give him more grip.

Then next draw back - got him in from the field and he had a very fat left pastern. His left foot is his worst, so I called the vet. Cold hosed him for a few days (that really helped the mud fever....not) and the vet came to see him on christmas eve.
He scanned and found a hematoma under his collateral ligament. He was given 2 weeks box rest with minimal movement and Danilon to take the edge off. He has been a super star on box rest, although he is a little grumpy and fed up!

After 2 weeks box rest, vet revisited, scanned and re x-rayed both feet. The ligament had only 15% left to heal (Whoooopie!) and his feet are looking much more positive. Unfortunately I do not have the x-rays to put up at this current moment in time, but his Right fore is now on 3% angle, and the left is no longer in the minuses. This is good news, and his heel is starting to look much better.

I have taken photos of his last shoeing, which was 2 days ago and the vet is very happy with his progress and surprised at how much we have achieved since September.

Right fore

left fore

Left fore

I cannot tell you if he is sound, as I have not ridden him for over 2 months. I figured that the more I strained that tendon, the less likely it is to heal. So he's got rather round and has enjoyed his holiday. Our aim for him is to hack comfortably, even if its just in the summer months and manage him carefully through the winter months. He is looking very well (if not a little too well) and has a super shine to his coat. Today I can take him out of his box for the first time in nearly 2 months to allow him to walk in hand. I don't have any worries about this, he's cool as a cucumber.

The weather in Cornwall has been awful, the walk to my field is very muddy and very deep, so him being on box rest probably hasn't been a bad thing after all.

Although I had alot of worries about remedial shoeing, I spoke to alot of people, and did so much research that I thought my brain was going to implode, but I feel that I have done the best thing for him at this moment in time. Barefoot could be an option later on, but right now the vet is feeling very positive.