Hacking beautifully and a happy physio check.

Things are so so positive.

I haven't managed to get Adam out competing much recently. With my granny passing away and family to be around, he hasn't been the top of my priorities. But hopefully partying a little more from now on. My trailer test is also on the cards!

But....!

He is hacking like a complete beaut! 95% of the time he is a different horse. He still has his testing times but with my confidence now more so in clouds rather than the sand, I am able to cope with the other 5%!

He now hacks infront! Something I never ever thought I'd manage with him. He'd either plant, stick himself into reverse gear or spin. If I questioned any of these behaviour problems, it would result in him rearing and me crapping my pants...
Now if he does any of the above, the argument is much shorter, I am much firmer and I ALWAYS win. He very very rarely has another horse take the lead these days.

For those who have known Adam since he was 5-6 or maybe even before, you will probably remember that hacking has never been his strong point. Climbing hedges, sitting on bonnets, waving frantically at cars (him not me!) And using that trusty reverse gear given any opportunity! Funny how it took me years to teach him to rein back...

I'd love you guys to see him now. He's made me very proud! Even if he is 13...

He is also schooling brilliantly...
And I can feel such a difference from using his massage pad for 30 mins before schooling. His transitions are smoother, he's softer much quicker and seems generally happier in himself.
We even managed a counter canter last week which was a real achievement! :)

Our lateral work is still 'work in progress' but it is getting there slowly. Also teaching him to cross over behind from the floor after lunging him. He's getting much better at it!

Now onto the physio! - We had our 6 month check up 2 weeks ago.
She confirmed he has no spinal pain. Just the usual little bits where his muscle is developing and changing. She was really positive with how he is going and looking and said he looks like a different horse. Holding muscle in the right places and much more compact.

We are still using Cortaflex, GastriKalm and our equilibrium products, although it is a little toasty for his magnetic back pad at the moment, very very hot in Cornwall!

Something I am excited about is a product I have just won on Hay-Net blogging site.
All I'm mentioning is that its a calmer. Nothing that I have ever heard of before and something I'm looking forward to reviewing.

I will keep you updated on this!

Hope your kissing spine horses are coping in this heat! Keep positive :)

May - June 2014 - Muscle is appearing and competing!

Its been a while...!

First off - building up Adams top line and preparing him for the show ring...

Here are some photos of our problems following on from my last post!

He had a bump in the trailer 

And another bump in the trailer!

And not holding quite enough top line for the show ring.

So what did I do about it? 

I bought a fantastic product from Shiny Show Horse which encourages hair growth. I had read some good reviews on it online, and had already tried another product which I didn't find very helpful!

I used Shapleys Original MTG to get the face scrapes to grow back, and also put it on his sides where his hair had rubbed from my leg. If you're a regular reader, you will probably remember my gaiter zip rubbed and dug at him one day in the school, I think I have a uber sensitive horse. After all he is p/b Arab! Fine hair!

The Shapleys Original MTG is fantastic. Within a few days I could see new little hairs sprouting through his skin. It is oily so it didn't show up when I had applied it. It smells a bit funny but they do a version which has a more pleasant smell, but I am not too worried! It also bought back the hair on his neck where his reins had rubbed him (such a flower!) as well as having fleecy covers for his reins...so we have been supporting the race horse look! The rubs from where my leg sits is still work in progress, but it certainly looks better!

Then moving onto his weight and top line. 

He wasn't looking his best - He looked fantastic a few months back when he started to muscle up, but his work load increased and I didn't (at the time) feel the need to increase his food as he was on good grass and hay. I also tried and tested a few suppliments to see if I could make his  tummy a little more comfortable.

I genuinly believe that he has probably got ulcers. I wont get him scoped to be told if he has them or not, I just treat him as though he has them. Ever since he had his kissing spine oporation, he has coliced quite easily, especially when going onto new grass. He also used to get very gassy. He'd come in from being in the field puffing and almost burping. Sometimes I would be riding him and I could feel the burp passing through him underneath me - and voila! a horsey burp! very bizarre. He has also previously been very gassy.

First I tried NAF hayledge ballencer which was reccomened to me by someone in a shop. I fed a tub of it and didn't see a huge difference. 

A friend who also has a horse with a sensitive stomach recommended Equus Health's GastroKalm.

Adam is almost like a new horse with this stuff! He is now on his second tub and allows me to brush him stomach, girth him up with minimal problems and seems generally happier and more coaperative to ride. And he doesn't get burpy and colicy!

Overal I am really pleased with the results, and it is well worth the money!

Incase your interested, this is the write up on their website-

Gastro-Kalm is the ultimate gut filter absorbing gasses and toxins within the stomach. It can help with diarrhoea, the build up of gasses, stress colic, gastric ulcers and laminitis. These issues affect 50% of foals, 58% of show horses, 67% of endurance horses, 75% of eventers and 93% of racehorses. 500g is enough for 1 months maintance supply.

I have also been feeding him Equi-Jewl. I have previously fed him this a few years ago when he was in hard work and wasn't quite holding what I wanted him to hold!

I've used three quarters of the bag, and the results are amazing! It is high in oil so makes his coat look super shiny and is a slow release energy feed so doesn't make him stupid. 

Before and after - 

After!

And as you can see from the photos above, we have been out competing a bit!

He came 2nd and 3rd at a riding club show. First show on grass for a long time! Was very forward going in the first class, and spent majority of the time attempting to wee in the second class. He was ridden by the judge and behaved beautifully. I was a very proud mother! 

2nd show was at Tall Trees again. He warmed up beautifully in the indoor arena. Didn't let me down yet again. Came home with 3 firsts in large hack, small riding horse and P/B arab. Qualified for Equifest, SPWA and Cricklands. What a super super boy I have. 

He is a true superstar!

19th - 30th April - Hair regrowth, building muscle and Squid arrives!

So I have a bald pony!

His hair has come through fine this year. I'm not really too sure why, he wasn't clipped late! Just a flower.

He has spent most of his week schooling. Keeping him under the thumb and behaving. Unfortunately the weather has been a bit pants, so there hasn't been many people to hack with. He needed the school :D

BUT - we are mastering turn on the forehand! I had one lesson pre op 'attempting' this tricky manover. It resulted in him bucking, leaping on the spot and then rearing vertically, so you can imagine how I felt giving this another go.
I had a lesson with Jo a few weeks ago, and she mentioned giving it a bash to get him listening to my leg and moving away from my leg a little more. She helped me on the ground by giving him a little more encouragemnt. He does it, and he doesn't kill me! Winner!
He has also been re-introduced to rein back (intentional I might add!) and he's coping with it well! So schooling wise, he has been going brilliantly.

Had a highly exciting hack with Jo last weekend, involved being chased by a bull, Adam going really quite crazy and then me VERY NEARLY dismounting. All caught on a GoPro.... super!

Bye bye Baxter :(

Some exciting news also... We have a new horse! We sadly had to say goodbye to Baxter. His tooth abscess wasn't clearing after 3 anti-biotic attempts and he just isn't right. He's gone to live out with Colin for 6 months to see if he comes right. Fingers crossed he does.
He did Lisa's confidence such good, and she's ready now to own her own again for the first time in 11 years.

He is called Calimero. I call him Squid because it sounds like Calimari.
Hes 12, 16hh and has mainly done dressage. We saw him in Southampton last weekend (after staying with the lovely Spider and Andy in Cambridgeshire) and Lisa fell in love. I also think he's quite nice ;)
I will be competing him this season, hopefully cracking on doing some dressage, then aiming to do some BE 90's with him once we have been XC schooling and show jumping a few times :) Lisa will be competing him also, in her own time doing what she fancies :)

EXCITING!

And of course... Adam will still be going to his parties, strutting his stuff.

Adam has lost some condition. So to get him looking his best, he is now having EquiJewl in his feed. Hopefully this will build him up for the showing season. 

Adams attempt at pulling his shoe off in the field. Fail.

Turning 13 and our 8th year together.

I am officially an awful mother - I forgot Adams birthday, again...

Its the 25th March, and every single year I fail to remember if it is 25th March or 25th April...After 8 years you'd think I'd manage it.

We have had a fabulous bank holiday weekend together so far. We have been on 2 hours hacks alone with minimal fuss. Very pleased with him and looking forward to the summer!

Adam this week - 13 years old and happier than ever :)

10th - 18th April 2014 - Hunter Trial and more sunshine!

So - incase you all thought I died during the hunter trial. I live to tell the tale.
I came home in one piece and very pleased with my chap.

He has never even attended such event, let alone compete in one.
I was feeling juuuust a little bit nervous and to top it off - some of my straps for my 5 point breast plate where missing. Fail on my behalf for not checking it before we left. So we made some odd contraption that would be my life line for the next hour or so. As well as my best friend - my neck strap.

He warmed up well. Really relaxed - he much prefers an open space rather than a school. Takes the pressure off a bit. I had the confidence to really open him up and give him a good blast.
Warm up fence was a challenge. But eventually got there following Colin.
Once he locks onto a fence and wants to go, god he gives a fantastic feeling! Really keen!
Its just getting him to it in the first place...

First fence was interesting - got left in the start box haha!
We then got very very lost which resulted in the commentator trying to help us (I don't even remember hearing him saying anything, actually didn't even realise he was there) and mentioning that we where having "A jolly good time" ha!
eventually made it over some fences and whether they where the right fences or not didn't really matter - we where defiantly disqualified by now!
But - I did get him over the ditch first attempt which I am pleased about. And he went straight into the water, but missed the fence after it - probably something to do with me being so pleased about the water and day dreaming.

It was a very funny 10 mins - and I cannot wait to take him again.
For a horse which isn't the easiest to introduce to new things, I think he did ok!
Will be taking him schooling next :)

Setting off to warm up!

Probably the best photo of the day