Fat fighters fitness club!

Only a quick update!
Adam has been on a strict fat fighters programme for around two weeks now. He is coming out every day with Mero for an hours hack in hand. I am very lucky to have such well behaved horses! I Have led them both through open fields, bridle paths and past combines recently and they are just perfect!

Although Adam doesn't seem to be able to resist eating the whole contents of the hedge which slightly defeats the point! He has also had new shoes, and hopefully this will be his last pair of remedial shoes! He will be xrayed at the end of the month and we should then be able to make some more decisions on whether I can either take him barefoot or go back to a more simple shoe with some heel support. We shall see how he goes,  but he needs to see the physio before anything else happens!

Thanks for reading :)

May 2015 - Loosing the tummy, and an amazing difference with the vet.

Firstly, I'd like to mention how happy Adam is. he is almost a different horse. Still out all the time, very happy to be groomed, girthed, scratched, made a fuss of. I am very very relieved, as he was a very unhappy chappy at his old yard.

AND! you may remember me mentioning how much he hates my vet?

"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!"

He was good as gold! What a difference a happy, relaxed horse makes! 

Vet sent me a selfie photo....

Brilliant..

So the reason I had the vet out was partly check on his progress and also show my concerns for a bump which has appeared in his lumber region on his back.

He has SI pain, so I am no longer able to ride him until the physio visits on the 19th May. This seems so so far away! but I am sure it will come around quickly. This would explain why he has been so unsettled down hills. So good to have an answer. So I now have to build up his muscle, without lunging and without riding. So I taking him out with Mero, ride and lead, as well as strapping him everyday. I'm going to be super toned! and hopefully so will he! 

So the diet has started!

Thanks for reading!

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!