Down, but not out

Lunchtime today was spent with our physio and her youngster Lola. We went for an in-hand walk down some farm tracks, which were mostly covered in slushy snow which made walking hard work. Here is the view:





And Lo of course:



Next up was my physio session. Anna confirmed my squintness :( She gave me some very basic pilates work which I can do whilst offshore. I'll write about that another time...

Last thing to do today was to ride my horse! He seemed keen to come in, but comfortably warm even without his neck cover.

As I was grooming him, I stood back to look at him. He looks bloated again :( Cresty neck and a bloated tummy are NOT what I want to see.

Still, he was a keen bean to be ridden. Certainly we didn't have any grumpiness when presented with tack. I mounted up in the yard and rode down to the school. The school surface was ok, it was hard but broke up easily as we walked on it.

Schooling didn't feel good. I struggled with my co-ordination and my timing. Quadi didn't settle his head-carriage so required constant correction. He was nappy towards Fin and our helper on the ground (we were working up to some polework) and didn't want to release anything to me. I got what I wanted but I had to work very hard and push him very hard.

My stirrups were a hole shorter than normal, which helps place my lower back in the right position and also helped me with my rising trot. I asked him up to trot and kept my seat very forward and light, and controlled the tempo with my seat rises. Hard work for us both but he did respond, which was good because he tends to plunge into the contact and rush in trot. Can't decide which rein was better, it all felt rotten.

Over the poles he really struggled :( This was wholly disappointing. Whilst he doesn't always use his back as he should, I can ALWAYS feel a positive difference over poles. Today, nothing. He didn't feel any different, and he flung his head up as he went over them.

I went for a walk over them in a long rein to at least have a sensible head carriage and a calm pony, and called it a day.

The plan is to order his tummy supplement, look into some specific vit and min supplements, and ulcer medication. A few friends will be visiting to help keep the boys ticking over, hopefully this trip won't be too long.

To say I'm gutted is an understatement. Down. Down but not out, hopefully this is just a blip. But I have a lot to think about.

Now, I must pack. 6am flight, ick!

White Horses Can't Jump (Water Features)

Yesterday was yet another Just Feeding Day. That's not a surprise, and neither was the fact that it started raining just before I got to the yard and stopped just after I departed! For the first time in an age I was able to go up during the day.

The rain and milder temperatures mean the snow is being washed away, hopefully that's the last of it for this winter.

Partly due to my relentless hangover, we didn't hack until the afternoon. Luckily it hadn't rained all day and we were still blessed with sun for our ride. Tacking up, Quadi bit the door when I put the saddle on. A red flag, but he doesn't seem sore? I am just trying to be extra-careful with tacking up, mounting, riding and dismounting. If I weren't going away we'd have the saddler booked but c'est la vie. Hopefully he'll have another massage in a couple of weeks.

We were concerned that the boys would be a little 'up' having not been worked for week, but they were great. Quadi's walk was loose and swinging despite the sometimes nasty terrain. Sometimes frozen, sometimes not frozen, some slushy ice, pockmarked with hoofprints. Nothing we couldn't handle at a walk, and he was lifting his back up into my seat. I gave him a long rein and concentrated on trying to sit straight and tall with my lower back engaged. I try to think of having an extra rib in my left-hand side and it helps a lot as I can sit square without trying to wiggle my weight around.

The least boggy most fun route for our on-foot escort Meg was an alternative entrance to the forest, not our usual route. The reason we don't normally take this route through the forest because the path is crossed twice with little burns/waterways. Fin is still a little sticky with crossing them, and Quadi, whilst he probably would jump them solo, because Fin couldn't do it, neither could Quadi.

First time Kate dismounted and walked Fin over, Quadi followed suit and put in a lovely pop. Second time Kate, Fin and Meg were all across and Quadi became a little confused as to why we weren't with them. I thought it more prudent to dismount and lead him over. Even though remounting with the treeless is tricky for me. We were successful anyway. Rode around the loop and apart from jigging up one part of the track (where both boys clearly felt they should be cantering), they were foot perfect.

My ankle began throbbing halfway around which made me rather tense, meaning Quadi stopped lifting his back. However, the numerous trees we had to step over and weave through was good physio work :)

Whilst I was untacking I noticed how cresty Quadi is becoming. I'm sad about that, I'm trying very hard to keep his calorie intake down and his workload up. I'll check his current muzzle fits tomorrow and measure him up for another. The one he has is off-the-peg and is ok but I'd prefer one made to fit his head exactly. He's not especially fat in other areas, but it's definitely fat and not muscle :(

Only one more ride until I go away. Boo!

Recent hoof photos

Here is a link to some hoof photos taken on 21 Feb - http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b376/dannir123/Hoof%20pictures/21%20Feb%202010/

They're from a camera phone and I was cold so they're not fantastic, but a good record. I'm finding the exterior of his feet somewhat frustrating but the key is to be conservative. Looking at the photos I'd want to take off more wall flare but the new growth is tight, the trick is to ensure it remains so. Also, I'm not too impressed with the heels and frog on the hinds but I haven't included enough of the pastern in the photos to give a clear impression of how he stands.

I haven't another set of unshod photos to compare them to, I ought to have documented them much better but haven't.

Just to show how tricky it is to get a good clean shot:

Spring Cleaning :)

In an effort to encourage a new season, spring cleaning has begun in earnest. I've already polished bridles and various other leather accessories. Since it has snowed again and it's just too cold and sharp to ride, Monday night was Sheath Cleaning. Ugh. My least favourite aspect of having a gelding but it had to be done. Not half as bad as last time, since I didn't dry-heave my way through proceedings on this occassion. Glad it's done, but definitely a job for outside the stable in warmer weather!

Last night was Hoof Soaking. Quadi has developed a hole in the sole of his off-fore. It's like old, stretched white line so it's either from a laminitis episode or an abscess. Either way, it has to be kept clean until the sole sheds (as it looks like it might do) and since he is prone to thrush I thought it prudent to soak each hoof. We also did some hind leg stretches and I tried a little more Equissage. He still stands rigid with paranoia whilst I use it but he didn't run away. Possibly because his front feet were in poultice boots but no matter(!) He got treats for touching it and lots of praise when he relaxed.

I guess this week is set to be another write-off but at least I'm keeping out of trouble whilst my ankle and foot continue to heal.

I'm due away back to work next week, hopefully not for long. Very much hoping for some sensible weather this coming weekend so that we can get more work under out collective belt before I scoot off to West Africa.

Where were we?

The past week just wasn't worth blogging about. Kate did a little ride-and-lead on Wednesday, so he got a leg stretch alongside his buddy. I tried to lunge him in the Pessoa on Thursday but in my usual disorganised manner I didn't check the school surface before I took him in. Frozen. Bum.

So I took him for an in-hand walk down the track in the dark. I though I'd put him in the Pessoa loose just to get used to wearing it without it affecting him even if he had a bobble in the mud and dark. To further prove how disorganised I am, I hadn't checked it's fit before we left the yard, the sheepskin round the bum was fine but the rest had been run up to be stored so it was much too short and my digits were little frozen sausages so I gave up and left it off.

On Friday it snowed and snowed and snowed. So nothing happened except feeds.

Yesterday (Saturday) was gorgeously sunny. Given that we are lucky enough to have a tarmac road on our doorstep which is closed except to access, we headed along there. Figured it would be better to hack on the road in the sun than undercover in the forest. Quadi was left unbooted as we didn't want to go too far. There is a hill about a third of the way along which was icy, plus both boys will need to build up their feet after so long on wet and snow. It was just so pleasant to be out :) Even when Quadi was ignoring my gammy right leg (it's nigh on impossible to use my leg correctly right now and he knows it!) and trying to have full body contact alongside Fin. My boy looked very pleased with himself upon return, I love when my horse looks so happy having been worked.

Today we still couldn't use the school but it's been so good all winter no-one minds a few days here and there. So a forest hack was on the cards.

We swapped ponies! Fin isn't in need of so much 'aiding' as Quadi and frankly will move off the brush of the calf, so he gave me an easier time. I could concentrate on my seat with him. When I was riding him a couple of weeks ago, I unlocked his forwards, swinging walk. I feel I've taken a step or two back of late. I'm back to using the wrong part of my back and tensing my seat. I got some nice walk out of him but it wasn't as easy. I could also feel a lot easier in his treed saddle that my seatbones and pelvis are squint. Most probably compensating for my dodgy shoulder. It's looking like physio will be easier next weekend rather than midweek so that should turn up what needs sortin'!

Quadi was in a most amenable mood today, Kate said he was no trouble and he was fine to lead once or twice without stropping :) Happy horses and smiling riders. This is why we have ponies!

This week I am phoning the saddler to trial a WOW and see if it's worth the extra or whether an Ideal Jessica will be goodly enough. The latter fits him really well but am curious as to the adjustability of the former. Neither of us are suited to the Fhoenix but it's been perfect for what we've been doing until now.

I took some hoof photos today, lots of interesting happenings but I need to sort through them first.

And the vet has been booked for next week. Third time's a charm!

Bad times

Apologies for the grotty war-wound, but it is quite spectacular:



The other side of my ankle is just the same. Black and blue and green. The green bits are turning purple, ick! My foot looks like a prop from something like CSI, like it ought to be found in a dumpster wrapped in a black bag :s

I'm not really up to much. I went over my ankle again on Monday night, so am back to square one and under strict instruction to rest...ha!

My friend who cycles, and has received a similar injury in much less extreme fashion, has learned some new strapping techniques and strengthening exercises, I'll be sure to memorise them by the end of the week. And Anna is coming to visit me next week for some hoomin physio work. And pilates, she said I need pilates!

Between the ankle and other things I'm not having a terrific week really. A few things lingering in the background, so Quadi's having a few days off. His paddock has a sheet of water on top of it, I really am starting to lose my sense of humour a little but every day we're a little closer to Spring.

Sweaty pony brings pangs of guilt :(

Instead of lunging, Quadi was put through his paces with a bit of free jumping.

He went well when he didn't go thumping through and actually balanced himself, too much time was spent with the poles on the ground when actually he could have been jumping sooner. We stopped once he put in a nice balanced effort both ways.

I'm not sure who was more puggled, he or I. He was puffing like a train when we stopped yet he hadn't gone round and round in a panic and we'd been asking for calm as opposed to pushing him on. I think it's because he has a full coat, unclipped, and got hot :( I felt awful and had to walk him around for 10 minutes until he regained composure.

I'm now swithering about clipping him as he's not started shedding coat. But I'm not sure that's a good idea, I don't want the clip showing through his summer coat and of course I don't want him to be that puffed out again. We've done a lot more work on hacks and in the school lately, so his tiredness puzzles me if it's not from having too-thick a coat.

My ankle is much better. Despite this, I'm leery of doing too much in case I twist it the wrong way (again!). Hopefully I can get back to schooling soon.

I also took up hot water to soak his foot. Kate collapsed in laughter when she saw that I'd soaked the wrong foot. D'oh! And when I tried to swap the boot to the other side he lobbed it across the stable. So I gave up.

We are planning to trailer them to a local forest next weekend in preparation for a summer of clinics and shows and competitions :) And maybe a beach ride before the weather gets too much warmer and the coast starts to get busy.

As an aside, I've been noticing that he's been scratching his sides after he's been untacked. I can only assume the buckles from the dressage girth are bothering him, and he's quite tight in behind his elbow with a very forward girth groove. I think a call to a saddler or two is in the offing. I imagine it's the equivalent to my wearing an ill-fitting bra, that would be more than sufficient to make me grumpy!

Quadi being Quadi

For all that my ankle is still bruising and swelling, I'm almost sound in walk :)

The order of the day was road-hacking. It was warm in the light of the sun, and since the forest is shady a hack along the closed road near the yard seemed the best plan.

Quadi was a little short on his feet last time we went this way, so he wore his front hoof boots. I was a little leery of using them for a long hack but getting off halfway to remove them wasn't an option. Partly because of my bum ankle and partly because I'm hideously useless at mounting from the ground.

I managed to mount up without disaster and decided that I would indeed use my right stirrup instead of letting my leg hang. I placed my foot just so in the stirrup knowing that I could remove it easily. We set off behind Kate and Fin leading the way.

I think Quadi was a little fresh from not being worked for two days, and was also feeding off a little bit of nerves from me. Sadly it was impossible not to be a little tense about how I'd get on with a gammy ankle. He's not difficult to control but he knew I was slightly incapacitated...

There wasn't anything specific, he was just being a little bit of a toad, not that I mind. We went out for a long hack and it wasn't until almost home that he was relaxed. My squintness and tension being a major factor, but also a little bit of it was just Quadi being Quadi. I rested my foot out of the stirrup on the way home, stiffness was more of an issue than movement.

But he didn't ditch me or wipe my sore leg off of a gate so I'm happy I rode. And I managed to get my muckboot on and off without wincing.

After our ride it was so nice we tied the boys outside for their feeds and tidied up their hooves.

The order of the day tomorrow for me is a little bit of schoolwork at walk, with poles to get Quadi working his abs. And then I'm ground crew for Kate and Fin practicing jumping :)

I'll have to post some gory photos of my foot once all the bruising has surfaced!

Less said the better!

I have a black and blue cankle. Went right over it, but thankfully it's not broken and only two days after it's already weight-bearing. But yesterday and the day before were a write-off. I am dosing up on arnica, ibuprofen and Biofreeze to take the swelling out of it.

Just to catch up:

I rode in the school on Monday night. A little to-ing and fro-ing to get him into the field with the school but we got there. I laid out five trotting poles down one long side. I wanted him to be calmer about the polework. I also tried to work on softness through all transitions. I think they were about 50:50, so something to work on. At first we walked over the poles, and I got the distances just right and could really feel him lift over his back. We also tried a wee trot. He was rushy but I controlled his tempo with my rising and once over the poles once or twice he understood he couldn't rush them so collected and bounced his trot really sweetly over them. I gave him a pat, a kiss and a sweetie, very good boy!

Tuesday I was at my pole-dancing class. Next week is the last week and I'm not sure I want to do anymore. I think until I get fitter and lose weight I won't progress and I do get disheartened when I can't achieve things. And it's not like I can practice in between! Haven't decided yet, but I also miss seeing my horse that night. I want to focus on him.

On Wednesday I decided to do some groundwork. Whilst Monday was good, I wanted to spend a bit of time on my feet in the school. My squiffiness is causing some confusion and I won't be able to properly tackle that for a little while, so I want to stick to groundwork and hacking. I know that I'll still be squint on hacks but Quadi finds this mentally relaxing and long, straight lines help me improve my feel.

The original plan was to long-rein but his belly was too muddy for tack so I tried to long-rein without a roller. I got my knitting in a knot before we'd even reached the school so the plan was switched to a bit of free schooling, just for the sake of doing something. What we ended up doing was free lunging because when I sent Quadi off he went straight onto a 20m circle :) He spent more time bent out than in, but I was able to run alongside with the point of the whip on his girth area to ask him to flex inward. He was obedient to my voice aids and was very good about changing the rein without too much excitement. Once I was tuckered out I called it a day.

He hasn't done anything the past two days. My fault for being so clumsy. I'll ride him tomorrow but my ankle isn't up to any shock absorption so I'll ride stirrupless which won't help my seatbone position but better than getting my sore ankle stuck in the stirrup.

The school has been levelled so it is running a little smoother, so if I have to stick to groundwork I should be safe.

I'm Meg-sitting my favourite Meg again tomorrow night, shame I'm not fit for a ramble around the forest with her!

More fire and brimstone

Today Anna, our physio (http://www.vetphysio.org) visited to check out Quadi. We ran out of time for me sadly!

Firstly she checked out Quadi in the stable, we decided to use the foaling box as it's huge and the floor is flat unlike our usual cobbled stalls.

He was a little resistant to the reflex points in his buttocks being prodded. He lifted a leg to Anna and hopped but she was quick and told him that thinking about booting the physio is not OK! It's ok for him to have an opinion, especially if what is happening is sore, but it's not ok to threaten to hurt anyone. I think perhaps Quadi suspected needles were about to be involved. He settled down and allowed Anna to prod his reflex points. Which is good, it means he wasn't sore, just unhappy about the fuss!

Anna also found a sore spot where Liz had shown me a fortnight ago. Sadly this means I haven't managed to alleviate the issue there but it's a work in progress.

Apart from that, two thumbs up. She thought his muscle development was symmetrical, and that he was looking a lot better with a straighter back (as opposed to dippy). No muscle atrophy anywhere. In fact, he is building up really nicely.

She was happy to hear we do regular stretching and has modified one of our carrot stretches. I normally ask him to take a treat along his flank in one stretch, and to take one by the outside of his front fetlock in another. The former can cause the horse to dip their back in order to reach-around, so we'll ditch that one and modify the latter. Which is to take a treat from the outside of the hind fetlock. Eventually, we'll have to build up to reaching right around without falling over. The idea is that he really has to lift his abs and back to do this.

I'm pleased that we're doing everything right and very happy that when Anna checked his range of movement he knew what he was being asked. Stretching is so important, and a great task for a rainy day or a day off of ridden work, as well as a fab warm-up and warm-down.

Next we moved into the school for ridden pole-work. I warmed up with Kate and Fin as Anna laid out our poles.

Immediately he set off in the right frame and moved very sweetly from my leg. Tried to cling to the outside track as we worked on the 3/4 line, but lots of shoulder-in and -out got him thinking. Even when we moved into trot he was good, he struck off soft and when he rushed and got strong I was able to half-halt to rebalance and use my rising in trot to dictate pace. He did fall in on his circle so my inside leg had to remind him to bend and not lean.

Once we'd walked and trotted I thought I'd better try a canter. Sadly with another pair in the school plus poles this was all a bit too much for his little brain and I received more bum-touching-hat bucks. I was determined that we weren't going to get into the habit of bucking every time we struck off, but it just wasn't the right day. I know he can do it and he's not sore. But I need a quiet day with the school to ourselves, or on a solo hack. His downward transitions were also a little disgusting. But from halt to walk, walk to trot and even halt to trot, he went up and out softly. Progress!

Our first exercise is a slalom of poles to serpentine along, with ends raised. Eventually we will be able to leg-yield over them, at the moment just getting four legs over with an angled approach is good enough for me. We can also do small 5m circles over them which will really engage the inside/outside hind, depending on direction.

Next is trotting poles at a distance which means the horse has to slow and flex to get over. Especially once they have alternate ends raised. Our target is to have them raised on a circle and to trot them.

Today we couldn't even trot them on the floor without little Portuguese explosions happening! He tried to bounce each one, then cat-leap, then came out at a canter and bucked as he turned (at which point I thought I'd eat sand but I was better anchored than I thought!), jig-jogged with his head in the air, etc.

I got a trot in each direction without dramatics and was grateful for that. We decided to only do those at walk when ridden, and to work on them in-hand until it's less exciting.

Photos were taken, as was video of his attempts at trotting poles. I'll see if any of them are worth publishing, good or bad!

I'm itching to do more schooling, we will nail these transitions!

Well Sat...?

Quadi was just in one of those moods. Not terribly compliant. Couldn't lead, couldn't keep an appropriate distance behind Fin on our hack. The only thing he could possibly do was walk right up Fin's backside!

We went around the forest and round the loop twice. Mostly because the first time Quadi wasn't well behaved enough to warrant going home and partly because Fin still had such a tickle in his toes that he needed more time under saddle.

I had several handstand bucks, which directly correlated with taking up a contact and asking Quadi to be soft and not stargaze. And I couldn't get him in the lead. He made a big deal about it which meant that this had to be addressed. We got there in the end, after several backwards walking phases when he wouldn't walk forwards. He chose not to do as asked so life became more difficult for him as I asked him to go in my chosen direction, in rein back. I'm amazed I didn't pop out the front door on several occasions when he bucked. All week on solo hacks he's been fab.

He was rather puffy on the way home but eventually settled onto a long rein. Crazy pony!

Once back I did some carrot stretches and introduced Quadi to the Equissage. He was suspicious but let me use it on him, so hopefully it'll become a more useful tool as he relaxes about it. I think he's lost weight and his back looks flatter as opposed to dipped so despite his antics it's been a good day.

Our physio is out tomorrow so he'll get a good MOT from her. It's a good way of checking that his bucks aren't pain-related. I can't think that they are, but it doesn't hurt to check :)

Just lunging

Back to the office today, which meant I wasn't up at the yard until after teatime.

I decided to lunge them both. Fin was quite good, really flexing his joints. But a little bolshy with me. And he got wound up at the dog barking at him. Which is understandable as I was about ready to brain her for her antics tonight.

Decided it would be best if she was in a stable whilst I lunged Quadi. I think he wanted to roll, but he didn't. He did spent a lot of time 'peanut-rolling'. I'm not sure if this was because he was scoping out the surface for a roll, or because he was trying to stretch over his back. It's not good for his pelvis to work like that the whole time, but I did reward him verbally when he stretched forward AND out.

It was also tricky to gauge his bend in the dark. When I asked him for more bend, he did sometimes throw his head up. Hard to get everything together. But upward and downward transitions were easily achieved in a relaxed frame. Plus he was nice and responsive to my body language. He did take a spill in canter mind you. Which is what can happen to a horse when they try to motorbike the circle instead of bending. I didn't press him into canter, and he didn't take off at a rate of knots, but was lazy and took a spill for it. Mostly just sat his bottom in the snow, and seemed fine afterwards.

Truthfully I can't wait for this week to be over. I'm really tired with other things going on and didn't get my week off like I wanted. I'm going to attempt to clean some tack before bedtime. Hopefully this weekend will bring a lie-in for me!

At least I hope they were foxes!

So much for two days off. I am bushed!

I checked the boys first thing, and gave them more hay. They were sweltering under their rugs, so I put on lighter ones. If I'd been hanging around I'd have left them out naked for an hour in the sun, to roll and groom. As it happens I was taking Meg to the beach so I couldn't stay.

Not that taking Meg to the beach turned out to be much in the way of fun...and she got bored *lol*

I find it hard to get up and go up to the boys if I've already been out. I'm putting this down to having to walk everywhere in the cold. My bones and joints ache, methinks I am meant for sunnier climes!

I brought the bridles home yesterday to wash the bits and was too lazy to remove them from the leather. Plus the bridles themselves could have used a clean. I was too lazy to take them back up to the yard tonight so rode both boys in a leather headcollar with reins.

Fin was up first. I concentrated on having a relaxed seat to swing along with him. I never used to be able to feel his back or legs, on account of my locked seat. But today was good :) However, if I took up a contact on the reins, he would slow down and start travers along the path. I know I feel squint so I'm wondering how I'm doing this to him when I've been concentrating on a soft and supple seat?

By the time I tacked up Quadi it was getting dark. But I have a headtorch, so no problem!

Unless of course the rider is a little scared of the dark and then starts thinking about horror movies whilst riding through the forest is twilight! Luckily I didn't seem to pass on my tension to Himself. He was swinging along really nicely, and despite the lack of a bit his head carriage was level, no giraffe impressions.

Because of my overactive imagination and silly phobias, I was somewhat edgy. What didn't help was when my headtorch reflected something in the distance :o

At first I thought it was reflective dog collars, and assumed someone was out walking their dogs. The reflection turned out to be two little green globes. So I thought I'd caught a couple of dog's eyes and expected to see their owner come through the trees any second...

They never appeared, but the couple of pairs of eyes were moving in the trees and watching us. Eek! I guess they were foxes, or badgers? My brain galloped off with the idea they were werewolves or gremlins!

I was jittery all the way home. But Quadi was totally non-plussed, and he got me home. Good pony!

I took the time to hot-towel him tonight, and trummed his fetlock hair, and disinfected his feet. And changed both their saddlecloths.

Am very much looking forwards to Sunday as our physio is coming to do a review of how we're getting on. I've also asked her to look at me. I'm in agony at the moment, and combined with my apparent squintness in the saddle, I feel something needs to be addressed. I have to source some white electrical tape so we can mark points on my body to highlight my balance.

A day not-quite wasted

Such plans, slightly scuppered by my lack of motivation!

But I did enjoy a lie-in, most lush! The sun was blazing and I took Miss Meg for a walk before lunch, past the boys in their field. They were sunbathing, very sweet.

Once I'd sat down to lunch I found it impossible to get back up, like an upturned turtle! By the time I'd finally galvanised myself to getting off my backside and up to the yard it was snowing. Not put off by this, I set about tacking up Quadi. It was still snowing when I mounted up but we set off. Quadi stopped in the yard and Oh No thinks I. But I asked him forwards and he obliged. I think the issue was that he was worried about ice, but he listened to me as I directed him along the path and relaxed forwards and out, and was lifting his back. Until I concentrated on it too hard and froze my seat!

The snow became heavier and thicker until we were in a blizzard. Quadi's ears were pricked the whole way, bless him, but my face was stinging so we about turned and were only out about 15-20 minutes. I also forgot to put on an exercise sheet so he was a little sodden when we returned!

Here he is upon our return. The snow is plastered to the saddlecloth, I couldn't get a good shot of his forehead, which was covered! I also like how his neck looks here, muscles in the right places :)



I'm happy that I got him out for a walk, that he listened to me when I asked him to keep going, and that he was so happy to get out. However, I'm disappointed that I didn't get off my backside sooner. I obviously needed a few hours slobbing around.

Fin, well, he needed to be ridden but I ran out of time. And the sun came back out once I was home. Typical!

I bought a whole bunch of horsey books at the RUBooks.co.uk sale, am looking forward to settling down with a cuppa to read them :)

And some days you should just stay in bed.

Two days off, woo! I really, really need them, am looking forward to doing fiddly little bits and pieces with the boys. Hot clothing, trimming fetlock hair, washing bits, etc. All the things not of our normal routine.

I was going to massage both horses last night but I could barely be bothered to bring them in for their feeds.

This morning I checked them before I headed to work. Fin bit the tip of my middle finger. My fault for having it near his mouth but he wouldn't let go. If I hadn't had my gloves on I'd only have 9 and 3/4 fingers. It's particularly painful. Then, as I stood sore finger in hand, Meg leapt at me excited about something or other and punched me squarely in the crotch with her muckle big clawed feet. I arrived at the office two hours after I set out, on account of people not being able to drive in snow. And I fell up the stairs once in the office.

One of those days I guess!