The Good, the bad, and the rainy!

So a few highs a lows over the last week or so with Mr C.

He is as jolly and bright as ever... in fact even more so! He has recently be entertaining us with his acrobatic moves in the little chip paddock. Its amazing how high he can rear and I am still giggling about the fact that every time he feels fresh and has a little buck he farts at the same time!

The low at the moment is he is back to restricted turnout. With the recent rain we have had it has changed everything back again. The small chip paddock is saturated and too wet for him to go on for long as it will wreck the chip and the fields are too slippery for him so he can't use those as either turnout or to for us to hack on. It means he is now back to an hour or so in the chip and hacking up the track and back. I am so frustrated by it as movement is key to his healing and strength and even through his stable gives him extra freedom it simple isn't equal to being able to potter for five or six hours a day.

I have upped his in hand work with more long reining which he is becoming a total pro at and ridden work. I have started to introduce a little leg yield in walk plus transitions and.... a little bit of trot! He is still being lovely and forward in his ridden work although as always (its just how he is) he still has the tendency to drop off my leg and forget what he is doing. Interestingly I haven't once carried a stick with him since he has been back at work and can honestly say not once have I missed it. I wouldn't get on him without one before whether it was a jumping lesson or a short hack up the road now leg just has to do!

Carats and the fabulous Equilibrium Pad

The three of us at our little yard (Myself, Jo and Pip) have invested in an equilibrium back pad for the horses. Its a fabulous piece of kit and Carats is having is regularly on his back. I know with PSD horses as they have had pain in hinds they have nearly always got sore backs so I am hoping with this along with the fact he has now been saddle free for six months his back is having a good chance to rest and rebuild muscle without the restrictions of saddles and boosted by a good back thumping a few times a week.

Oh I have also just realised I have not properly introduced you to my lovely yard friends Jo and Pip! With their permission I think my next post will be a little intro to them and their ponies.

Hmmm?

So I have spent the last month hmm'ing and haar'ing. Some days C seems to be fantastic and others, not so much.

Our first group hack!

The bad bits, he quite often 'rests' his rear legs when standing tied up or chilling out. I also think he has has to adjust weight a lot to pick up his front feet when I pick them out etc.

The good (I think) bits. He has been lovely and forward going to hack out, he has now had two group hacks (yippee) which have been wonderful and he has strode out like a total dude. He is also willing to stretch and soften over his back when hacking and long reining which is lovely to see.

Also he has had a few yee-hah moments in the wood chip pen, bucking, rearing and pansying around like a youngster- he thinks he is hilarious!

Generally he seems to be feeling well, however I know that does not mean that he is fixed at all. To be quite honest in my heart or hearts I don't really believe his scans will show any improvement. But a girl can hope.

This month I will up his hacking and introduce a teeny bit of trot so we can get a good view when we scan of how much if at all we can push on.

It was his 15th Birthday last week and to celebrate I took him for a nice walk and let him scoff some lush grass- food is his life so he wouldn't have wanted it any other way! He also got some new hi-viz leg wraps, a snuggy fleece and a box of treats. Fingers crossed to lots more birthdays together :)

Anyway, he is being a spoiled brat lately, kicking his door, digging and head butting people for food.... typical C! Lovely to ride though of course :)

Oh... and LOVING this weather!

Carats Birthday Walk & Hand Graze- yum!

New Views!

I am over the moon that our fields are now dry enough for Carats to walk on. The first field (which I always walk the woofs in) is dry along the edge by the river and it means C can have a change of scene.

We have been into the field for walking and grazing twice now (in hand) and he has been brilliant each time. Quite excited (for C) but good.

Our first field trip! Can you tell how wired he is!? lol

I led him out today with Ethan riding and apart from grabbing huge gobfuls of grass at every
opportunity he was fantastic- he was very happy to change his usual scenery and walked out very very well. Ethan had a whale of a time and he really trusts Carats so although he is absolutely tiny on C he is really happy up there.

Hopefully I can ride C in the fields soon, at the moment I am sticking to in hand work as if there are any slippery or muddy bits we can avoid them but another few more weeks of dry weather should mean we can hit the grass tracks!

Really pleased with my dogs, pony and son today- they all did good!