A long week!

I didn't really feel like blogging this week, lots to do and not enough time. The temperatures have been dipping down to as low as minus 20C overnight where we keep the boys. Sometimes we find them with icicles in their ears, frozen whiskers and stiff rugs, but they seem happy to be out as long as they have hay and water :)

I got a call from Kate on Tuesday to say that Quadi came in on three legs, but she didn't want to call until she'd had a look at him. No heat in his leg, no swelling, but a really stinky foot! Seems underneath his frog had gotten infected. The frogs on his hinds have looked 'turgid', for want of a better description, for a while. He's usually more stoic with abscesses and the like, but infections in his feet are, according to Quadi, crippling. Kate soaked his foot and removed the icky frog and he walked out to the field feeling better already. I'm just grateful it wasn't a busted tendon or ligament, by comparison abscesses and infections get two thumbs up!

I stuck to physio stretches in the stable for the next couple of days, he's tight around the shoulder in his off-fore. Our equine bodyworker, Liz Briscoe http://www.equineinmotion.co.uk/, is coming to see the boys between 16th and 20th. Both boys are overdue a visit from Liz and Quadi now finds the whole process very relaxing.

We went up a few night later to find Quadi resting the OTHER hind! Same thing as the other foot only not nearly as bad. All taken care of now and am back to disinfecting his feet with a spray of iodine and hydrogen peroxide until further notice.

Since he's returned to soundess we went for a hack this afternoon as the sun was setting. Quadi seemed happy to lead apart from when people appeared on the horizon, but he's improved greatly in his confidence. We had a couple of cheeky canters, and apart from my not having too much in the way of brakes he was fantastic. There were a few fallen branches and trees which Fin didn't want to go over or through, whereas Quadi set his ears back, stuck out his chest and cleared a path. Of course we both got covered in snow in the process, I took several tree branches to the face and we got a little lost in the dark with only headtorches and the snow for guidance. A great hack, I laughed so much I was in tears :D Hopefully more of the same tomorrow, and I'll be better about keeping my blog up-to-date.

I'll huff and I'll puff

I was fortunate enough to get a lift from my Dad (aren't parents fab?!) today. He and Mum were most cheered when they dropped me off, to see Quadi having a good old roll in the field. Mum knew he had a brand new rug and thought it typical he was trying to get it dirty *lol*

The boys were funny about being caught, because I checked their water before putting on headcollars they were most put out and wandered off. I'm not too offended ;) I think their little herbivore brains were confused...

Quadi was weight-bearing on his hind so I decided to do some physio stretches with him, to decide whether he'd be ok for a mooch in the forest. He was a very good boy, and seemed evenly supple in all stretches for his hinds. I also massaged his backside, all seemed loose and couldn't find any knots. Kate said when she prodded the inside of his right thigh yesterday he winced, but not for the left side. He didn't react at all today. I also did some foreleg stretches, and he was tight in his right shoulder. Need to email his sports massage therapist, I think both boys are overdue an appointment. Not that Fin is showing signs of tightness, but it's always good to check your pony is unknotted.

Since he was weight-bearing and striding evenly I thought it would be ok for a controlled wander in the forest, taking care over the terrain. My feeling is that getting the muscle warm and stretched would be beneficial.

Kate and I thought it would be good to swap mounts :D I rode Fidget-Bum Fin (who finds standing for girth and stirrup adjustments most bothersome!) and Kate rode Fatso Forgotso Quadi. And set him in the lead early on. He was much better with her on board, he takes a lot of confidence on her. She asked for his attention and a soft jaw. Whilst most people fixate too much on head position, for Quadi it's crucial that he is not going along upside down and asking him to soften brings his back up and lowers his haunches, all good work for him. Fin had been worked for two days in a row so we had minimal jigging except in places he thought would be really good for a canter.

Quadi did throw a strop down one of the tracks. Kate could feel him tense up, as if he were getting ready to stop. She pushed him on but he slammed on the anchors. Couldn't possibly take a step further and she was being most unreasonable to even ask, such an imposition on a little horse. It's like he wants to take charge but loses his bottle. And he likes to have an tussle, we figure it's worked for him so many times he'll probably never get out of the habit. I know he'll grow to be an old rogue from the middle-ages rogue he is at the moment.

He decided that he could only go backwards and I employed our previous tact of walking Fin away, which inspired forwards momentum from Quadi. When he wouldn't walk past Fin he tried to go back again, so Kate walked him backwards in the direction we wanted him to go in. Everyone else was calm except Quadi, he got so cross about being out-foxed, then he went in the lead and was totally relaxed. Funny horse. He planted a couple more times but was easy to ask forwards. I think some solo hacks are in order to build his confidence in both me and himself.

I am a little creaky after today. My right knee and hip are sore. I need to get in the school and work on my position. It's hard to tell because when I'm cold it's tricky to relax (excuses excuses) so I think it's hard to just let go and let the horse move me. I am in need of some thermals!

All in all a great day with the boys, I probably won't get back in the saddle till next weekend as I'm back in the office. Boo!

Today...Naughty Ponies!

Last night I had to call my Dad to come and collect me as the bus drove right past me(!), so I was left stood next to a dual carriageway in the dark as the temperatures reached minus six! I will be calling them on Tuesday morning to voice my concerns against the driver!

Because of that, and the fact that it snowed again overnight, I elected to stay home and search for cars for sale online, in the hope that I could find some cars locally to go and look at. Nothing fancy, just something which costs less than four figures with an MOT. Sadly there is nothing to be found up here but there are some cars further south which will warrant further queries. If there are enough cars still for sale as next weekend approaches I'll be going on a road trip!

I don't need a car, but I'm heartily sick of being cold and paying a fortune to catch buses that are never on time.

Onto the naughty ponies! Yesterday I had to follow our electric fenceline to remove snow and frost from the tape as it was sagging. In some places, it was sagging to the floor! With their hay and water within the confines of their mini-paddock, the boys have no need to test the fence or to try and leap it!

Kate called me today to say that she arrived at the yard this morning to find only one horse in the field. The fence was down, the metal stake of one fencepost seemed to have snapped under the weight of snow. Quadi was up at the far fence line, where two of the mares are. Two real sweet girlies with eyes for our boys but Quadi has a habit of striking out with his front legs and the fence between them is barbed. We weren't quite at the point of hot-taping all the no-go areas as Quadi is still on restricted paddock rest. I guess he didn't listen to the vet! Anyway, no harm done but I'll have to get some more tall posts bought PDQ. Our intention was to tape off the the fencelines we didn't want them chatting over, but Quadi was obviously feeling impatient ;)

Fin was the horse remaining in the field. What is very funny is that Kate discovered two sets of hoofprints leaving the field, and one set returning. Fin was stood as if butter wouldn't melt, looking horrified at how naughty Quadi had been to leave the field, and wasn't he a good boy for staying put *lol*

Quadi's still resting the hind leg but only when Kate is looking at him, and he will weight-bear onto it. Hopefully tomorrow he'll be feeling better still :)

Gimpy Ponies

Fin on the left, Quadi's on the right. The latter's grumpy face greeted us at the gate this morning. Don't think he was too thrilled about being made to wait! He had snow on his back and snow in his tail but was toasty warm under his rug, so I didn't feel sorry for him :p

There had been a fair bit of snow overnight, perfect footing for a hack :) So off we set! Both felt like they had the wind up their kilts, they were generally good but spooking at silly things. Fin was jigging which was flinging snow from his feet up to his belly, causing him to jig more, and so on, and so on! Quadi started out well, leading when needed but when both boys started getting a little fruity he had his stubborn head on. Trying to canter and buck behind Fin, and then refusing to lead. Because I'd asked him to go in front and he'd refused I had to see it through. I hadn't set out to have a battle with him but it's not a good idea to give in to him because asking a 12 year old horse who CAN lead isn't traumatic like he makes it out to be!

I asked him to pay attention to me with a soft mouth, not to gaze around us and not to stick his ears up my nose. I managed to get him to move a step sideways into my open hand, and then step sideways in the other direction, under Kate's instruction. As she said, and I agree, sometimes it's just a case of unlocking the feet and obtaining motion. He reverted to his favourite response of backwards backwards backwards, but every time he did that Kate took Fin forwards, which mean the friend he was trying to hard to stick to was getting further away. Hoomins 1 - Quadi - 0!

Eventually Fin ended up round the corner out of sight and suddenly Quadi wanted very much to walk forwards, imagine that! I wouldn't say I was truly successful in educating my horse but I did manage to obtain a soft contact with forward motion, his attention on me and no teddies being thrown anywhere! I did have to nag for it. We're pretty much back at square one with him and I wasn't physically or mentally prepared, as such, for this little 'session' with him but I didn't give in and the only person not being calm was Quadi!

When we went up one track towards home, I got Quadi in front. Fin was cantering at our walking pace behind (they were taking turn about to be loonies!) and Quadi felt very 'up'. He was in my hand and his back was right up, but I thought he was just preparing for a buck...which turned out to be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Locking my seat + defensive riding = a stroppy buck but it wasn't malicious, I don't blame him really. I should have accepted his mouth and his back more graciously, and I guess when your buddy is behind you doing his best airs a little buck isn't terrible...

Because of one spook whilst we were out, Quadi skidded out his off-hind and I thought he felt funny after it but he wasn't lame and was striding evenly, tracking up, etc. When rasping his feet after our ride he wasn't putting weight on that leg. He's not lame on it and our horse physio happened to visit and she said to see how he looks tomorrow. Fingers crossed it's just a silly sprain, I imagine it's like when we jerk our backs on ice when we slip. Even if you don't fall you can tweak muscles.

So no riding for me tomorrow, but a chance to do some physio stretches whilst Fin goes out to play :)

Fuzzy around the edges

Me and Quadi both!

Me because I was up till 4am drinking lethal cocktails and jumping around like a loon playing Singstar. This despite numerous repeated protests that I hate karaoke, so I must have been very drunk indeed! Well, I know I was, since I had to have a little disco nap after midnight, thus giving me a second wind for more drinking. Very Bad Idea.

And Quadi because he's just a woolly little bean! I bought him a new rug today and I'm very pleased with it, he looks cute as a button in his new jacket :) I didn't take a photo of him in it today because I still wasn't firing on all cylinders when I went up to feed the pair of them. I just couldn't cope with doing more than I absolutely had to! If the weather stays agreeable I'll hopefully get a hack in tomorrow.

Thanks to Kate making me a fried egg sammich this afternoon when we all got up, and my Mum's beautiful roast dinner this aft, I'm feeling human. Such a waste of a day though, I hate feeling too rotten to do anything. Glad it's only once a year *lol*

Thinking ahead

As we approach the end of another year I haven't much to report! Up until yesterday the boys were still ice-bound in the field. Quadi and I had a little 'discussion' the other day about whether or not it was polite to steal Fin's feed in the field! Fin doesn't seem to mind too much but he needs the feeds more than Quadi ;)

Yesterday, after a smattering of snow, we were able to bring the boys inside so that we could give them a proper groom and check over rather than the once-over they get in the paddock. We were forecast more snow for today so I popped a fleece under the 450g rug Quadi's already wearing as he's still awfully cool under it. We've had snow and are due more for the rest of today, but it's also sunny so I hope he's not too hot now! Can't seem to get it right. I'm not really one for wrapping my horse in cotton wool but Quadi does feel the cold. It's obviously worse for him in the wind and rain, but this is his first winter out for a couple of years so I can excuse his sensitivity!

Thanks again to the snow the boys might be ridden today. Not sure who will be in the saddle yet, but fingers crossed for a New Year's Eve bimble :)

I had to get my fringe trimmed at the hairdresser today. My hairdresser is in the gym, the gym I've not been to since April :o Technically today is the last day I can use my membership. I didn't feel drawn to go in! I don't think I'll renew it, it's expensive and the very reason I started going, and started this blog, was because I didn't have my horse. And now I do, so I'm back to spending my pennies on my pony!

Even though I got my horse back this year, if I'm honest I expected to lose him before the end of it :( We didn't have much luck with lameness and illness and I steeled myself for the same outcome as Larri @ http://dancingwithbailarina.blogspot.com (I can't do links!) with his sister Safira, whom she most sadly lost this year.

So, looking forwards, I'm more than grateful to still have my tough-as-old-boots little horse with me. There's still a long slog ahead to soundess but I'm not complaining! I'm very excited about another year with Quadrado. A year of success and of smiles. He never fails to make me laugh!

For those who haven't had a great 2009, I hope the coming year brings you love and laughter. And for the rest of us, more of the same please! xxx

Ice, ice and more ice

Not much to report since we can't get the boys out of their paddock! I think Kate and I were both rather hoping that we'd get some above zero temperatures or more sun to melt away some of the ice. Instead, we've had as low as minus six overnight and lots of rain to create some very slick ice on the roads and indeed even pavements. Quadi and Fin are far better off in the field. They're bored, but fed and watered, warm and dry. Feeding in the field is somewhat of a pain because the boys start to forget their manners. And because Quadi hoovers his feed he's always bothering Fin for his. A headcollar and leadrope is necessary to keep him out of Fin's way. Not much worse than trying to eat your tea when someone's intercepting every mouthful!

Tomorrow I shall buy some big tubs of table salt and take them up, see if I can clear some paths. Not necessarily for horses, but at least for people! I almost came a cropper a few times when crossing the yard!

On Sunday our friend and horse physio got her new mare to our old livery :) Kate was the taxi, I headed out as loading backup but didn't have time to stay and settle her in. I am looking forward to this coming weekend when I can go out and meet her properly. She's just turned two in autumn and is a traditional cob x WB. A very even-tempered little filly with a leg in each corner. With her new Mum's permission I shall post some photos after our visit!