SpringStorm
Well it’s been pretty much storm central since my last post. 😑The weather has been just ridiculous
and it’s impossible to get anything done!!
and it’s impossible to get anything done!!
Jessie from Precision Equine Dentistry was out with Fred after my last post. Handily, she does equine
massage as well, so he started with that. Unlike Cu Chulainn, who really enjoyed his and relaxed into it,
Fred was a bit more uptight, pretty much like me when I get a deep tissue massage and have white
knuckles from stopping myself from screaming in pain!
massage as well, so he started with that. Unlike Cu Chulainn, who really enjoyed his and relaxed into it,
Fred was a bit more uptight, pretty much like me when I get a deep tissue massage and have white
knuckles from stopping myself from screaming in pain!
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| Working on his neck |
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| His poll and jaw |
He was tight in a few spots and stiff, so it was a really tough session for him. He was a bit confused,
he knew it was good for him but it was also uncomfortable so he didn’t know what to do! After his
massage it was teeth time. Like many hoomans, Fred is not a fan of the dentist and especially not a fan
of the power tools. This was his second appointment in 6 months because he was pretty bad the last
time.😳 I’m delighted to report that Jessie got all that needed to be done he is good for an annual visit
now!
massage it was teeth time. Like many hoomans, Fred is not a fan of the dentist and especially not a fan
of the power tools. This was his second appointment in 6 months because he was pretty bad the last
time.😳 I’m delighted to report that Jessie got all that needed to be done he is good for an annual visit
now!
I always find things like dentistry and shoeing a tough one for owners. The shoeing is a bit easier in that
it’s quite easy to tell if the horse is in pain because of a foot or not (well relatively anyway). But it’s near
impossible to tell if a horse is having issues because of his teeth, unless he does something drastic like
head shaking. Fred didn’t do any of that. He might get a bit on the forehand and fight you a little but I had
put that down to him being stubborn (which he is!). So I had no clue that his teeth were so bad, like
other owners I had been fairly diligent with keeping their mouths checked over, but seeing as I’ve zero
expertise in that area, I was relying solely on the expert hands I was putting them in ☹ an issue I know
others have had. Anyway, he’s all good now.
it’s quite easy to tell if the horse is in pain because of a foot or not (well relatively anyway). But it’s near
impossible to tell if a horse is having issues because of his teeth, unless he does something drastic like
head shaking. Fred didn’t do any of that. He might get a bit on the forehand and fight you a little but I had
put that down to him being stubborn (which he is!). So I had no clue that his teeth were so bad, like
other owners I had been fairly diligent with keeping their mouths checked over, but seeing as I’ve zero
expertise in that area, I was relying solely on the expert hands I was putting them in ☹ an issue I know
others have had. Anyway, he’s all good now.
I planned to leave him off till Sunday so I booked a lesson for the Monday, with the idea that I would ride
on Sunday. Then Along Came Polly, no, wait Ciara. Storm Ciara to be exact. The morning wasn’t too
bad, but unfortunately I was sitting on my ass for 2 hours waiting on the farmer who I’d bought hay off
to come load up hay for me. Which never happened. Infuriating. I’d spent an hour the day before waiting
and 2 hours on Sunday. Needless to say I was RAGING.
on Sunday. Then Along Came Polly, no, wait Ciara. Storm Ciara to be exact. The morning wasn’t too
bad, but unfortunately I was sitting on my ass for 2 hours waiting on the farmer who I’d bought hay off
to come load up hay for me. Which never happened. Infuriating. I’d spent an hour the day before waiting
and 2 hours on Sunday. Needless to say I was RAGING.
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| They finally got out |
Ciara cancelled my lesson because of a water logged pitch, I mean arena. Disappointing as I wanted
Vida to see the difference in Fred and tell me it ( it’s so much easier when others point it out!).
The weather for the week ahead was not looking any better. I boxed over to the indoor down the road on
Tuesday to get a quick spin. It was literally a flying spin because I nearly turned around to go back
home. I was cold and unmotivated. Stubbornness made me stay and I was dying to feel the difference
in Fred. He felt great. We did a little bit of lateral work and he moved a lot easier on the left rein. Also
correct leg in canter. EACH time! #winning
Tuesday to get a quick spin. It was literally a flying spin because I nearly turned around to go back
home. I was cold and unmotivated. Stubbornness made me stay and I was dying to feel the difference
in Fred. He felt great. We did a little bit of lateral work and he moved a lot easier on the left rein. Also
correct leg in canter. EACH time! #winning
Cu Chulainn literally got walk, trot and canter, with some flying changes to change rein and then thrown
back in the box. At this rate I wouldn’t get any practice in for the dressage comp on Sunday that I’d
entered. I also keep forgetting to learn the tests. I had at least written them out once and made some
notes of how to do the movements (giving myself less room for niggly errors, which always happen).
back in the box. At this rate I wouldn’t get any practice in for the dressage comp on Sunday that I’d
entered. I also keep forgetting to learn the tests. I had at least written them out once and made some
notes of how to do the movements (giving myself less room for niggly errors, which always happen).
In order to get some much needed practice in I decided I'd need to get a bit of riding in before work. I
got up early Thursday morning. I was dreading it as Wednesday night was horrific. I was pleasantly
surprised though because it was a beautiful morning. Just up and down the lane at home with Fred,
some lateral work. Same again Friday morning, but that was ghastly ( god I love that word and just
picture Edina or Patsy saying it!).
From Thursday onwards events started to be cancelled. My show was one of them. Rightly or wrongly, I was secretly delighted. My motivation to compete is low……..I do want to go out and do a test, but I
don’t want to clean and plait him and myself! I’m still in the winter woes side of winter…….just going
from day to day without planning to far ahead.
got up early Thursday morning. I was dreading it as Wednesday night was horrific. I was pleasantly
surprised though because it was a beautiful morning. Just up and down the lane at home with Fred,
some lateral work. Same again Friday morning, but that was ghastly ( god I love that word and just
picture Edina or Patsy saying it!).
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| Fred was not impressed |
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| Sun rising |
don’t want to clean and plait him and myself! I’m still in the winter woes side of winter…….just going
from day to day without planning to far ahead.
My birthday is coming up and I wanted to do something nice and horsey for it. I was thinking a beach
run or something but with the weather being all over the place, that could be too much to ask and tides,
low/high tide has never been my strong point. If it was somewhere like Donabate that wouldn’t matter
too much as I know the beach, but here it’s a bit different. So instead, I booked a lesson with Seamus.
I still don’t know when I’ll get going on CC, but a jumping lesson is fun and less hardship then a
dressage one (not that I don’t love them!). Not wanting the lesson to be my first time jumping this year,
because CC loves it and would be overly excited wanting to do it all at his speed! I organised to go
over to Creagh Eq centre before lessons on Saturday. Goodbye sleep in…..
run or something but with the weather being all over the place, that could be too much to ask and tides,
low/high tide has never been my strong point. If it was somewhere like Donabate that wouldn’t matter
too much as I know the beach, but here it’s a bit different. So instead, I booked a lesson with Seamus.
I still don’t know when I’ll get going on CC, but a jumping lesson is fun and less hardship then a
dressage one (not that I don’t love them!). Not wanting the lesson to be my first time jumping this year,
because CC loves it and would be overly excited wanting to do it all at his speed! I organised to go
over to Creagh Eq centre before lessons on Saturday. Goodbye sleep in…..
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| Spot the rolling patch |
I brought CC in first and we put down the jumps in the arena to a nice welcoming height, probably 80s
or lower for some. What I wanted to work on mostly was between the jumps, so I didn’t want to have
to focus on the actual jumps too much. As expected, he was DELIGHTED to be back jumping. But he
was very well behaved, a little strong at times, but nothing I couldn’t handle (although between that and
mucking out yday my arms defo got a workout this weekend!!). We did a few cross poles to start. I
didn’t jump the second jump unless he was in control. So we did the whole course 2 jumps at a time.
Lucky he likes jumping, because I was so focused on a nice steady canter at one point that I forgot to
put my leg on and he was like are we or aren’t we jumping?! But jumped it and had to drag me over it.
Oopsies. Good lesson to start with! We went on to do the course and our good steady pace went out
the window for the related distance :/ I came around to do it again and it went better. Baby steps. We
did the course twice and we were both out of breath, mostly from keeping him steady! I have to say he
was great considering he was alone in the indoor with the wind howling and the rain banging the sides,
a cat sneaking around a dog locked in temporarily, and it’s been a long time since he was in one (bar a
quick spin Tues).
or lower for some. What I wanted to work on mostly was between the jumps, so I didn’t want to have
to focus on the actual jumps too much. As expected, he was DELIGHTED to be back jumping. But he
was very well behaved, a little strong at times, but nothing I couldn’t handle (although between that and
mucking out yday my arms defo got a workout this weekend!!). We did a few cross poles to start. I
didn’t jump the second jump unless he was in control. So we did the whole course 2 jumps at a time.
Lucky he likes jumping, because I was so focused on a nice steady canter at one point that I forgot to
put my leg on and he was like are we or aren’t we jumping?! But jumped it and had to drag me over it.
Oopsies. Good lesson to start with! We went on to do the course and our good steady pace went out
the window for the related distance :/ I came around to do it again and it went better. Baby steps. We
did the course twice and we were both out of breath, mostly from keeping him steady! I have to say he
was great considering he was alone in the indoor with the wind howling and the rain banging the sides,
a cat sneaking around a dog locked in temporarily, and it’s been a long time since he was in one (bar a
quick spin Tues).
Next up was Sir Fred. Today I was ready to give him a good spin, although time allowed would be short
unless I went outside into the storm (that was a hell no for me by that stage!!). I started with my jacket
on, because my phone was in the pocket and no one was around when I was on CC (safety first
folks!!). I did have to take my jumper off when I was on CC though because I was pumping sweat
within 5 mins. The full thermals were not necessary that day. Oh well. The jacket did not last long.
unless I went outside into the storm (that was a hell no for me by that stage!!). I started with my jacket
on, because my phone was in the pocket and no one was around when I was on CC (safety first
folks!!). I did have to take my jumper off when I was on CC though because I was pumping sweat
within 5 mins. The full thermals were not necessary that day. Oh well. The jacket did not last long.
I decided to work on my sitting trot, by work on I mean do all sitting trot except the warm up, cos if
you’re gonna get out only once, ya might as well go big? The hips won’t lie though... We did shoulder-in
in walk transitioning to a trot to come around again. It went well, he was supple, just lazy, so I got a
stick for myself – he was all go then! When I moved on to the shoulder-in in trot, I transitioned to a
canter then did a half 15m circle to counter canter, transitioning back to trot and did a shoulder-in on
the opposite rein. I quite liked that exercise and will do it again. We had some issues with the counter
canter on the left rein, the jumps in the way didn’t really help me prepare him for the movement. We did
a small bit of leg yield in trot then from the centre line out to the track which I was definitely delighted
with that. Nice easy movement sideways. I was very happy with how he went, I just could have done
with a little bit longer, but as long as what you do is quality, the length of time at it isn’t overly important.
We got home and I let them go back to the stables themselves while I reversed the box into the shed.
I forgot I closed the door to the stables and they wandered back to me. Oops. They were happy enough
to stay inside in the warm stables, looking out at the crappy day whilst munching on hay. They were in
from Friday evening to Monday morning which is a very long stretch for them. There was just no point
sending them out in that, to the mud patch.
I forgot I closed the door to the stables and they wandered back to me. Oops. They were happy enough
to stay inside in the warm stables, looking out at the crappy day whilst munching on hay. They were in
from Friday evening to Monday morning which is a very long stretch for them. There was just no point
sending them out in that, to the mud patch.
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