For the Hairy fans...

Handsome Hairy Pone... rider not doing bad!

Enjoying the view from Dunkery

Sod off, we is tired.
My daddy is a racing snake... (horse or jockey?)
And just for fun...
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it the Pied Piper of Hamlyn?
No, its our version of "Mad dogs and Englishmen"

Holibags round two

So Max is officially mended.... and unfortunately the treatments have enabled him to buck/fart/galloplikeloon much more easily. Turn himself inside out. Oh yes.

I nearly contemplated taking him with me tomorrow, but as we are paying this money for treatments, I think I'll leave him to self heal a bit. As he's had 2 weeks off, I don't suppose 4 days of going round in circles is entirely what he needs (although it might take the edge off the swine a bit!)

So Magic and I leave at sparrowfart tomorrow for the teacher training days. Magic is going to be ridden by other folks, although I have put an indemnity clause in that only sensitive jockeys will be permitted to stay in the saddle long!!! The bronking may well return in ernest otherwise!

His trot though. Goodness me his trot is soooo different since one treatment. He's actually comfy bouncy now. Jawdropping revelation, why didn't I do it years ago? Ho hum.

Loads to report on our return, no doubt. Watch this space.

The wanderers' return

And we all had a great time, although I think Aero might have put a call into his union at one point!!

We rode every day except Thurs, when the ponies had a day off and we went and lazed on the beach.... yes, in England, in late September!

They travelled fine, Hairy got off a bit hot, but as he is now sporting the traditional yak look I wasn't greatly surprised. They settled into their field whilst we unpacked and then we went up the stone track and left to Ludslade.

Monday we were going to go to Dunkery, but they were shooting up the track, so we ended up giving Aero a baptism of fire and going out via Court and up the steep rocky track onto Road Hill before descending Curr Cleeve, over the river and back via Lyncombe. 3 hours of rocks, stones and steep combes. Poor Hairy. I did get Simon off for the steepest sections, but he was still a very clever, nimble pony.

Tuesday I thought we'd do a short one. Hairy only really pootling fit... so thought we'd be sensible after the previous days efforts. He showed no sign of a hard day though, which was a good job, as we went to the ford beyond Edgcott and up a permitted path to White Cross that I've never done before, and it was very long, VERY steep and very rocky and stoney. Then a short section of road before back to the ford via a nice bridleway at North Ley. So much for an easy day, sorry boys! Simon ran it the next day, and came back to inform me that that was very hard! No, really??

Aero officially prefers stoney tracks to smooth tarmac, including being more heel first on them. Go figure.

Wednes we went up the stone track and back down "Stone Lane". Called that for a reason, a proper car width track of the best rock face in Exmoor. Lethal. Even I was concentrating, although Magic still had enough time to spook at random rocks. They were covered in green slime as well. Lovely. I nearly got us both off numerous times, but everytime I carefully looked back, Aero was doing a brilliant job, concentrating with head down on each placement of foot.

Friday we did Dunkery. An easy day, as only one climb (all the way there!) and one descent, all the way home. We even got some trotting in, whoohooo!

Saturday we did the Hill Farm bridleway, which even had some grass fields - what are they??!

Needless to say, Magic gets more and more blaze about the going underfoot each time. He really will crunch over anything and never picks his way, and unfortunately, these days, rarely even looks what he's crunching, prefering to glare dangerously at poor unfortunate white rocks/haylage bales/sheep/whatever might be hiding dem lions.

Interestingly though, its proven how surplus to requirement his walls are, even though his soles and frogs are like iron. Because after a week, he's pretty much re-done his mustang roll himself. Hairy's feet are exfoliated beautifully, but proof that he still needs his walls as he has only slightly worn his toes. He'll need a new roll on when we get home!

So, an amazing week for a Hairy horse that has never "transitioned" to stones - mwahahah. How I hate that word - proof is in the pudding - get the shoes off, and the diet and environment right and they don't NEED "transitioning" to specific surfaces as long as you listen to the horse and don't go mad. He's been out of shoes a year, after being in them for 10, he's never seen a stone track since they came off, and his owner reported that he struggled on Exmoor when she brought him down when shod. Yet this week, he never batted an eyelid over the worst stone tracks.

They travelled home really well, and the racehorse rehab contingent were VERY pleased to see the black boys home.

Without wishing to put the kybosh on it...

Max appears to be on the mend :-)

No sign of any poppage, and yet sound in walk and a bit ouchy in trot. I know this because this morning I was treated to the spectical of "the Max and Dan show".

I've been putting them on the front grass for an hour before breakfast, and this morning, they decided to play round the mulberry bush (a fir bush in the middle!) and "I'll stamp on your head if you stamp on mine".

Needless to say, Max looked fine. Sigh. Not sure it will have "helped" the situation, but I guess at least he was moving!

Dan came in covered in scratches.

The two black boys are far too intelligent and had heads down munching, except when expertly sidestepping the ex-race tanks charging them. :rollseyes:

Magic feels fantastic. We galloped up the steep steep hill yesterday, having cantered the air strip twice. He absolutely flew up the hill, the best he's ever done, even when he was eventing fit (which he sure aint at the mo!).

He has decided that as he's back to first string that the elusive work-shy cough will return, but there's nout wrong with his wind as he soared up the hill.

And the saddle had its first test of hills and didn't move a muscle. Yippee.

All set for holibags on Sunday. :-)

Max and his sicknote....

So after our two lovely rides, where he felt so fab and was soo keen to be out and about and doing stuff....

He is now pegleg with a bruise or an abscess. Sigh.

For a while I had a horror that it wasn't foot, but that I'd broke him letting him do so much after treatment... but we now have big pulse and quite an inconsistent lameness, so thank goodness. He's about 2/10s lame in walk, so no biggie yet...

The good things... he didn't wait til we were down on holiday so I had a week's hols with a broken horse. The fact that Magic is fit and is going instead. The fact that he's a total dude and has barely noticed... I think he feels its an inconvenience... he certainly doesn't seem to be in pain... not compared to how he used to look when he arrived.

The bad things... I may have to go on hols and leave broken one at home.... How did he manage it when I've only ridden him in boots the last 3 weeks or so? Ha, hooning round the field and yard no doubt... feeling better doesn't agree with the selfharmer?! Pah. Contrary fella!

Lesson report

Max has a sicknote (more later!) so in the end, Magic went.

He was a very good boy, and I got even more lightbulb moments than ever!

So, my big deals were:

* wrap whole of self round saddle - from "bolt on boot" to other bolt on boot. So no more pigeon toed knees facing in... as this was starting to to pop my seat bones up and making everything that much harder. If I am wrapped then my seat bones stay level front/back/left/right. It also keeps my back corners down and makes me stronger.

* core strength.... we found out where its lacking... at the top! Just below bra level. Am fine otherwise. The deal is that in trying to keep left thigh on (or be strong in any way actually!) I scrunch my front... its back to the oldest habit of all which is collapse front and round shoulders.

So I need to think legs wrapped and push out core at bra level, and suddenly, I sit straight (ish!) and rise smoothly! All helped by Magic being more comfy now as well, but it was a proper "good un"

I feel really bad now...

I've only ridden my two, but rode out with Mum and C on Dan and Aero yesterday. They were both fine, Aero walking much better and Dan apparently more comfortable (for the rider!) in trot. Also, Dan has had even sweat under his saddle 2 days running, usually if he's sweaty its more his girth and less on his back.

Max didn't feel much different in walk, but definately better in trot. Today we also had a canter, which he was really keen to do, but then would only canter on the left lead.... :rollseyes:

Magic. Well. This is where I feel bad. Why didn't I notice? We went out for trundle yesterday, and had one trot, and he was looooooads less jarrily bouncy :-) Plus after a week off, he wandered out, turned left (the scary way!) and went the whole way round long necked, floppy eared. Never seen the like. Especially after a week off.

Then today we went down to the river meadows to test canter and it is TOTALLY different. I don't know how long he's been tight in the shoulders, but the only way I can describe the difference is to say he felt really free in front but really over his back. I don't know if he ever felt like that in canter.... I have to say, given how much I've always hated cantering in tests etc, probably never.

So the combination of his reaction to treatment, his total chilled out status all week, his new found less-bounce trot and his canter, seems to tell me that the treatment worked?

:-)

Given that Magic was fresh in hand yesterday...

What chance did I have of keeping them calm so their treatments weren't a waste of time and money?

Apparently, they all feel MUCH better!! :-)

Coming in for breakfast, Max's had a much bigger heel first landing in front, and a waaaaaaaaay longer stride, even on the lumpy gritty concrete... he also looked loads more confident on his feet... which given he's on same amount of grass can only be attributed to the treatment helping his tightness in his body.

Aero was even weirder, he came in with a much longer stride behind - usually his front moves and the back end shuffles along behind! Today, he came in, had much more heel first landing behind, and really swung the feet through (rather than round with a hock wobble!), had a real toe flick, and then went to set the heel down first and then did that "where's the floor" kinda hesitation, before thunking it down. Very very big change in action .... from one treatment! Obviously, he has been sooo stuck in his lower back/pelvis, and its helped so much already.

Magic and Dan were both "so?" although Magic is having a good week - it might be co-incidence, but he didn't shy at anything in the yard this morning and didn't try to leap away from me when I approached with scary rug/boots/etc. So he's certainly more centred.

Unfortunately though, they are all very groomy and kissy.... so there's been loads of mutual grooming, which apparently through neccessity has to revert to full on games. So plenty of galloping around leaping and bucking like loons with me with my face in my hands. Sob.

On the plus side, Max's canter looks totally different, and he did the most almighty buck galloping down the hill, looked very athletic AND managed to stay vertical and never look like he was in trouble!

The 2 not going to Exmoor (so Dan and Max or Magic) have another one before we go, then the 2 that go (Aero and either Max or Magic) have one when we get back.

I think I'm converted though! Just 3 more days before they can be ridden - I can see why for Max and Aero as they have huge changes to try and take on board, but I think Magic and Dan will be climbing the walls by then! Isn't it a good job they free range!!!

Treatments

Following on from Max's last McTimoney, I'd decided they all deserved a session of Equine Muscle Release Therapy.

It was very interesting, it comes from Bowen, but is slightly different.

So, feedback from each:

Magic:

Tried to jump on my head when walked him up and trotted him up for her in the field. Did lots of squeals and snorts and jumping around on the end of the rope trying to impress her!

He has tension in odd places, such as trapezius, and right side in front of hip, and brachiocephalicus. We discussed how Mary had said he has the best "lift" in his back but never uses it. We also discussed how strong his back is and how he should be able to! (and does, when jumping!)

Apparently its likely to do with his "sling", and if we can sort out the odd spots, we will find he can move more freely (oh, god, please noooooo!)

His behaviour during the actual treatment was interesting, with Bowen, he is his usual self, mugging for treats, in your face, generally wanting attention. With this, he quietened down, did mega yawns and chews and then fell asleep... and I was standing right next to him with treats in my pocket! Then after ten mins of sleepy, he lifted his head, rested it on my shoulder and blew in my ear for five minutes.... now usually that would have become a bitey search for treats.... so was very odd that it didn't.

Max:

Watched him walk and trot up and down. Trot wasn't brilliant as on an odd camber and lumpy rutted field, but good that she saw him "at his worst".

We discussed the poor sod and how he blatently has held himself off his feet for years - the size of his forearm muscles, and the amount of locked vertebrae in his spine before he had many McTims... we also discussed the roach back - apparently it is highly likely to be false from him holding himself off his feet. We agreed that now he actually looks worse behind than in front - as I'm sorting his front feet out and they are comfy, he's now stiffer behind from holding himself off them so long.

We also agreed that he should actually be quite an athletic person once he's grown into himself and is comfortable in his body as well as his feet! And that he is fixable - phew! The interesting point was that from a foot point of view, its brilliant that he's so young as there's few years of damage to heal.... but she said that its harder to mend the bodies of the young ones, as they have no benchmark - an older horse that has gone well but "gone wrong" can be got back to neutral easier than one that has never got there as it has "grown" with his issues.... so we shall see!

Initially, he totally shut off the treatment. Was happy for her to do it, but took no part, just munched hay. Then whilst we were doing a bit on Magic, I turned round and he stretched his neck RIGHT up, totally arched and lifted his left hind right up into his tummy at the same time. After that, he zonked right out and started to engage in treatment.

Where he usually looks so tight through the neck (at back of jaw) he looked all loose and "open".

When he was finished, he walked away all wobbly.... so I think it did something!! :-)

Aero:

We discussed how its behind that he seems all "wrong". I explained how he'll stand with one hind leg nearly touching his front heel.... and that when he first came and lost all the fat, there was literally no muscle underneath.

We discussed how short in the back he is, and how his hind end seems tucked under him but with a totally hollow back. How since he's been here we've tried to always have his neck long, but that being a stress bandit, when he feels like it he reverts to tucking chin and chomping like a loon.

How since he's been out of shoes he's been longer striding on his fronts, but not so long striding behind (whereas in shoes he just had a short stride). How I always feel when I see him moving that his hind toes are too long, yet they aren't.

We discussed ulcers, re the long coat/stress/inability to eat anywhere near as much forage as the others, and a totally obsession with grass, that doesn't seem to affect his feet (probably only because they don't get much of it. I need to research Coligone.....

He was very keen on treatment and looked totally different after, almost like his pelvis was a different angle, so he was able to stand with legs under him more easily.

Again, he was very wobbly after treatment.

Dan:

Very much like Max, chose to eat and disengage, but then did a stretch the same (but not as pronounced) as Max and then promptly fell asleep!

We discussed how he is very straight through the hocks and doesn't flex at all. How I've noticed the odd walk up hills, how he's always had issues bending left and that his left fore had suspensory/high heels/bad shoulder and it may be chicken and egg.

He was tightest in his chest inside his front legs, which would make sense, and also had problems with appropriate ab and adducting of the hinds.

He seemed pretty unfazed afterwards.

I think Magic and Dan coped best as they have had the most treatments, Magic 4 yrs worth of bodywork, and Dan nearly 2. The others were shellshocked and space cadets to say the least!

Following on from my dressage gripe...

We were at Burghley on Friday and watching the eventing dressage was a totally different experience.

I know I'm biased but in high winds and biting cold (!) the horses looked like happy (if sometimes a bit sprightly!) athletes. They all had a partnership with their jockeys. Lets face it, eventers need to have a relationship with each other - both their lives depend on it!

There was little sign of the domination/sweating buckets/tension/hoiked in necks and handyness that was so obvious at Windsor. I'm not saying the eventers are better at dressage. They aren't! In the main they are performing school tricks as they don't neccessarily have the ability or the neccessity to collect like the pure dressage queens do.

Don't get me wrong - there was plenty of tension - trying to do a dressage test on a very fit eventer that wants to gallop and jump, not ponce round in circles, tends to breed tension in both horse and rider! But generally the tension was about the wind, the atmosphere, the stands of people, not being allowed to gallop etc etc not the sweating buckets kinda unneccessary and UNhappy athlete scenes of Windsor.

The thing I found most interesting was the extensions. Here, the eventers really let 'em go - medium and extended canters were going for it, and they got to their markers to collect and just collected, like it was easy, with nothing to physically see.... none of the leaning back, gobbing it in the mouth with a curb, socking it the side etc etc.... and generally in a snaffle!

Which begs the question - if eventers can produce happy athletes that also have to be "jacks of all trades" but that are controllable and containable and polite.... why can't the dressage queens, when their sport is all about "training"?

Ha, it does rather make a mockery.... doesn't it?

Max's solo blustery day

And he didn't falter! I don't know what's come over him, but work certainly suits him! He's enjoying going out and likes to go new places, so all bodes well for Exmoor.

We went out alone with only Echo for company, and he was an absolute star. And it was blowing a howling gale. And he feels amazing in canter now too, not down hill, big strided.

Yesterday we went out in the wind and rain with Si and Aero, not soooo successful as the foal in a nearby field was cold and wet so galloped around up and down the fence alongside us. Aero was a star, but it was enough to put Max right on his toes and do his roaring dinosaur impression! But the tracks were all turned to slippy clay, and they both had good traction, even Max in his renegades.

On the downside, everyone is in rugs for the first time :-(

Boohoo, winter is upon us :-(

On the plus side, I've only got four to do! :-)

Everyone gets to work.... again!

Really must stop this, every horse working every day routine... they will begin to realise they are not either retired or rehabbing any more and start throwing spanners in the works! :-)

Magic and Dan

We went out with P and worked on us.... both P and I red in the face with burning thighs after not too long, ponies perfectly content! Magic was good and I held the walk at slower-than-even-Dan-speed from me not my hands, hurrah!!

We had a long trot along the airstrip with us behind, and Magic was very good again! Not pulling my arms out and proper rhythm etc, :-) Dan managed to trot well and not attempt to canter the whole time, and had a long neck and loose rein. Most impressive!

Then up the stubble, still trotting... still going well :-)

Then next loooong stubble field, P trotted then cantered, Magic trotted strong, then cantered and tried to pull my arms out and bog off, but somehow, I had him (thighs, narrow, buffers etc).... I kept thinking "any moment we are going" and it never happened. I even got him to lighten up on my hand, and then trot well before the end of the field even though Dan still cantering. And this in the dummy snaffle! Woohoo!

We walked home bemoaning our thighs, Magic behind Dan who was cooperating, but not fully... Magic was fairly cross not to be allowed to walk home at warp speed, but we ended up with sucky Magic (when he is saliva-ing and sucking rather than chewing like a mad thing - success!!)

Max and Aero

Si and I went round Hampton Lucy. Max tried to tell me he had never seen a slow sign before (ahaha) and a few other sundry "stares" at things but generally very good again. Aero and Si managed to keep up mainly, and Aero was fine when we were overtaken by a horse box (he used to be a bit traffic shy). Max didn't notice it, needless to say. There's nout like an ex-racer for being bombproof in traffic!!

Onto the bridleway, Aero very good over the stoney bit and both excellent along the narrow barbwire edged overgrown treed track. Got off Max to do both gates and he was very good to do them and stand low so I could get back on.

Si said he really enjoyed Aero on the track, they led the way as I'd had to hold the last gate, and he said Aero was marching along :-)

And across the stubble, we walked, but Aero had to trot to catch up and Si kicked and he just trotted along to catch up! Even this time last year walking on the stubble was enough to set him off for a canter whether asked for or not. So he is a totally different person to a year ago!

So alls well, everyone gets today off and then Si and I riding tomorrow night.