tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56208524797625304042024-02-22T03:07:54.970+13:00Life with a Crazy HorseThis is about my horse and my search to find the right way to understand him and solve his problems.Ravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16524344570955242756noreply@blogger.comBlogger99125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5620852479762530404.post-85421407561466815222013-10-15T10:14:00.000+13:002013-10-15T10:14:17.439+13:00UpdateHello to you random people who still seem to be visiting this blog.<br />
I now have a new blog over at<br />
<br />
<a href="http://mymagnificentadventure.blogspot.co.nz/">http://mymagnificentadventure.blogspot.co.nz/</a><br />
<br />
It's bit of me and my musings, bit of animals, bit of food stuff, bit of house stuff, just whatever takes my fancy.<br />
<br />
An update on Fox though. He is now completely retired. After battling for several years to get him sound both of us had had enough. He is happy and as sound as he'll ever be. Sometimes his lameness is noticeable, especially after he's been playing silly buggers, but most of the time he looks ok.<br />
<br />
He is also a pretty happy chappy since being retired. I think he was just trying to tell me again and again with his intermittent unsoundness that he was done with the riding. Since I've stopped riding, he's better behaved, the cray cray has been dialed right down and as such our relationship has improved. He's much more likely to have a snuggle or point out his itchy spots now than he ever has been in the past.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi99MqDbLgmXDnr1Two7Flt5sSDXVlqMy41x_kxB3wPUhXNy9v8v_myN0O6FsqsxI_B6lh_52P9q6eQkui2ajELpu7kX8XjBKjdqegKmRWhgdp0EGaMWEmRNS-MRqfFeRstiyEoFL7E6_0D/s1600/IMG_1263.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi99MqDbLgmXDnr1Two7Flt5sSDXVlqMy41x_kxB3wPUhXNy9v8v_myN0O6FsqsxI_B6lh_52P9q6eQkui2ajELpu7kX8XjBKjdqegKmRWhgdp0EGaMWEmRNS-MRqfFeRstiyEoFL7E6_0D/s320/IMG_1263.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanging out</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Ravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16524344570955242756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5620852479762530404.post-92221608921334913282010-10-08T13:00:00.000+13:002010-10-08T13:01:00.568+13:00Aaargh GrazingA wee while ago, I wrote about the opportunity to move to new grazing. I went and looked at it yesterday and was highly disappointed. I mean I had seen it over winter as that is where Smurf went for a while and is was okay back then. But now Spring has arrived and bugger all grass has arrived just a butt load of weeds. Not to mention it is still soggy in some places when even the soggy paddocks where Fox is now have dried out. but I'm hating it out where I am.<br /><br />Here is my carefully thought out pro and con list.<br /><br />New Grazing<br /><br />Pros:<br />-Close to house which saves time and fuel and I don't need to feel guilty about going out twice a day if I need to.<br />-Somewhere to store my stuff. I could finally move my stuff out of the garage and into a container they have there.<br />-Close to local equestrian park. The all weather arena is locked but I have access to everything else.<br />-Other horses near by. I don't really want Fox on his own though sometimes it does seem easier. - Shade<br /><br />Cons<br />- Grass is rubbish<br />- The fencing is not really suitable for horses. There's a bit of post and rail but that also has wires running in the gaps, the rest is deer fencing - bad and tensioned 7 strand fences - bad.<br />- Fireworks. Houses all round have fireworks at Guy Fawkes and probably at New Years too. He would either have to get used to them, (me too), but it's not really the safest place for that or I would have to move him in and out of town.<br />- Location. The paddock is surrounded by three houses and one boundary is next to a relatively busy road. Not peaceful to say the least.<br />- Wet and soggy underfoot still. I was glad to see the last of the mud and I don't really want any more.<br /><br />Current Grazing<br />Pros<br />- Location. It is up a quiet valley road, plenty of orchards riding and quiet road riding easily accessible.<br />- Grass, lots of it and good horse grass too mostly<br />- No fireworks!<br />- Fencing is two sometimes three strand low tension wire. Good posts apart from a couple of warrants.<br />- Two of the paddocks are a hill, good because it gives him a workout<br /><br />Cons<br />- The arena is always closed and now I'm wanting to get lessons, it is going to be a pain in the butt<br />- The owner, still weird.<br />- Fox keeps stressing out whenever the one other horse that is there leaves. I turn up and he's covered in sweat and the skid marks he leaves are rather alarming.<br />- Two of the paddocks are a hill, bad cause the sight of him running full tilt down said hill is enough to give me heart palpitations<br />- Distance, it takes time and petrol to get there. Though if I start biking it'll just take time.<br />- Nowhere to put my stuff which means if I bike I have to ride bareback<br />- Good shade in only one of the paddocks, the other two have piddly sometime shade<br /><br />To me, it kind of looks like out there is better for Fox, apart from his tendencies to nut out when he is left behind, and in town is better for me. Really, I should put Fox first. But is leaving him out there to charge at fences really the safest thing? I have no idea, I am so confused. What are your thoughts?Ravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16524344570955242756noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5620852479762530404.post-23553441079801910972010-10-01T20:49:00.002+13:002010-10-01T21:18:05.611+13:00October Rehab PlanWell September flew by.<br /><br />Apart from getting Fox cleared for riding, I really haven't achieved much due to absolutely horrendous weather. A storm the size of Australia battered New Zealand and caused havoc. We got off lightly in the top of the South and we had snow, hail and icy cold gale force winds for two weeks. Not fun. Southland had intense snowfall and freezing temperatures. My thoughts go out to all the stock that lost their new lives, 500,000 lambs. Up North, many places lost power and had roofs blowing off. And the last few days, there has been more hardcore rain and flooding in the local area.<br /><br />But in saying that, I have been for a grand total of 3 glorious rides. Fox is pretty stoked about them too. He'll barely stand still for me to hop on.<br /><br />The rehab plan for this month is a not as structured as my last ones have been but I'm aiming to do pole work 2 days a week, stretches and massage two days a week and the rest of the time just hacking building up length and adding some trot work and transitions in.<br /><br />I'm also keen to get a lesson every few weeks to try and get Fox working his body properly. Poles will help and so should the transitions but I'm pretty inexperienced in that area since I'm more of a hop on and go kind of rider so an experienced eye will make the difference I think.Ravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16524344570955242756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5620852479762530404.post-67755718900834721102010-09-16T14:19:00.002+12:002010-09-16T14:34:43.158+12:00Updated Horsie Wish ListLeather bitless bridle for Fox - I'm still not sure what style I would like to go with as I'm not sure about the crossunder style for Fox. There's so many different types now!<br /><br />Saddle for Fox - This could possibly be changed to getting a good saddle fitting as his topline is really starting to look good.<br /><br />Proper equine first aid kit - Still need most stuff but I've got a few things<br /><br />Rasp and hoof knife now I'm getting my head round trimming a bit more. Need a sharpener too.<br /><br />Gloves 2x - one for trimming, one for riding<br /><br />Wheel barrow - my current one is falling apart and is literally being held together with electric fence tape<br /><br />Riding Lessons! - not quite yet but very soon.<br /><br />I would love a proper tack shed and a paddock shelter but they are really just a dream since we don't own our own place yet. One day........<br /><br />And if we're on the topic of dreams a float too!<br /><br />We're in the process of getting hopefully a nice towing vehicle though the BF's ute does an ok job just round town.<br /><br />GOT!<br />Bareback pad - Lovely present from BF, looking forward to some good rides in it!<br />Chiropractor for Fox - No longer needed!!!!<br />Breastplate for Smurf - I got one, should probably sell it now I don't have the little guy.<br />Girth for Smurf - Ditto<br />Poo picking gloves - Simple things make an unpleasant experience so much better.Ravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16524344570955242756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5620852479762530404.post-82357941822810700372010-09-15T16:02:00.004+12:002010-09-15T19:55:25.685+12:00Great Success!!Had Fox's physio appointment today. After a rocky start things shaped up really well. The appointment was supposed to be at 9.30 so I turned up at the paddock at 9 so I could give the mud monster a good groom. Got a message saying sorry can't be there till 10. Ok cool, thanks for letting me know. I gave Fox a super good groom which took till 9.40. Sweet just enough time to give him a quick handgraze.<br /><br />10 rolls around, still no sign. 10.05, nothing, 10.15, still nothing. At 10.20 I text her and asked how far away she was. Didn't hear anything back but 5 minutes later she was there. So feeling more than a bit put out I just tried to be polite. I do my best writing first thing in the morning so wasting an hour really peeved me off. Fox didn't mind though cause it meant he could stuff his belly full.<br /><br />She was lovely as usual so my annoyance didn't last for too long. Until she saw Fox's feet and said I needed to get shoes on there as soon as possible. Um no thanks. I just smiled and nodded thinking that would be it but she did rant on about it for quite some time. I really wanted to say to her, there are reasons my horse is barefoot and will continue that way so thanks for the advice but no thanks. She is right about one thing though, his near hind does need attention, the M/L balance has gone out again after being good for a while. Apparently if I trim that side frequently, I should be able to keep on top of it between proper trims. Will be starting tonight!<br /><br />Anyhow, onto the good news. Fox has been completely cleared for riding, she said he is more than ready and good on you for being cautious but it really wasn't necessary. He isn't stiff, you're just overthinking things. So that's one big fat YAY. She said he is feeling and looking really good and there are only two spots that need attention. One on each side of his last ribs and down behind his shoulders. She said keep up the massage twice a week to keep him supple and you'll be good to go. No restrictions on circles or gait. I'm so stoked. I'll still keep it slow and steady but I might be able to speed up my rehab plan a wee bit which would be really great.<br /><br />I might even try and sneak a ride in after work tomorrow providing the weather is good. It has been so crappy lately it's not funny. I'm so over rain and mud and wetness. Another good point, Fox has come through this winter with no mud fever, he does have a touch of thrush but I'm onto that.<br /><br />An update on Smurf. He's doing good today, had a few minor attacks over the last few days but got through them himself. He's now completely off hay to control his COPD and is moving to some new grazing in case it is the change in pasture causing the colic. He is really in the best possible home right now. I'm still so mad at his old owners for putting him through that. I just keep thinking if they had let me buy him when I wanted to, all this would have been prevented. But then I wouldn't have Fox.<br /><br /><br />Another thing the physio said you've come on a real journey with this horse, had a real learning experience. Which jogged my memory about this from the Jumping Percheron blog<br /><br />The Five Horses We Meet in Life<br /><br />1. The Intro Horse<br />We each came into horses in our own way, but it was always with a horse leading us. This might have been a friend’s first pony, or perhaps it was a draft horse on a farm you once visited It might have been a real-life meeting, or an imaginary one.<br /><br />2. The Experimental Horse<br />Once you had crossed the line between “Darn, they’re big!” and “Wow! Can I try that?” you found yourself face-to-face with the horse that would suffer through your early attempts at figuring out the whole horse experience … wherever this horse came from, he probably didn’t benefit from the encounter as much as you did…<br /><br />3. The Connected Horse<br />The first horses we meet don’t really connect with us, nor do we with them. Those are experiences in survival and tests of endurance. The Connected Horse is the first horse you truly bond with. This is the horse that sounds a chord that lives so deep in you that you might never have heard it otherwise…<br /><br />4. The Challenger<br />Into each horseperson’s life, a little challenge must fall. You’ll have read that one final training book, bought yourself a clicker and heading rope, and there you’ll stand, arms crossed, assessing the situation as if you actually knew what the situation was. It might be difficult to believe, as you are flying down the aisleway on the losing end of a braided cotton line, but you actually need this horse in your life…<br /><br />5. Your Deepest Heart<br />There will come a time when you will look at yourself with a cold, appraising eye, and you’ll have to be honest about your continued ability to deal with The Challenger and other difficult horses. At that point, you’ll seek out the horse that will be your soul mate forever… You’ll have bought him the most comfortable, best fitting equipment… Maybe you’ll still go to shows and ride – brilliantly or barely – in the Alzheimer’s class. Maybe you’ll just stay home. Whatever you do, one day you’ll realize that after all the money you spent on animal communicators and trainers, you only had to stop and listen and you would have clearly heard your horse’s thoughts and desires…<br /><br /><br />My Intro horse, a wee chestnut something or other with a blaze called..... Blaze. Tiny, lazy, feisty. The best pony to learn on. On him I progressed from learning to walk, trot and canter to riding out in the orchard and going for my first runs which were the only time he ever enjoyed going fast.<br /><br />My Experimental horse was a pretty dun QHxTB bred for barrel racing but wasn't fast enough. Her name was Clover and she was the sweetest horse ever. I definitely tried a lot of new things on her, gaining confidence and learning how to push out of your comfort zone. She helped me tremendously when I was going through my early teenaged angst years. At the time, she was the only thing that made me happy. Sadly I gave up riding when I was about 15 though I can't remember why now.<br /><br />My Connected horse is definitely Smurf. We just had such a good bond. He would do things for that he wouldn't do for anyone else and we came such a long way with his training. If I could have bought him, I have no doubt he could have become my deepest heart.<br /><br />Fox is my Challenger, for sure. I have learned so, so much and I am so very grateful for the experience I have had with him. As well as learning about horses and Fox in particular, I've also learned a huge amount about myself. I would like to think Fox could become my Deepest Heart but for Fox and I, I think it's early days yet.Ravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16524344570955242756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5620852479762530404.post-75928649187422063392010-09-10T13:03:00.001+12:002010-09-10T13:05:46.094+12:00DishonestyIf you know the start of my story with Fox, you will know that I experienced this once before. Now I and the new owner of Smurf are getting to experience it again.<br /><br />The poor wee guy is very ill. He coliced on Monday night and they were close to losing him. He pulled through only to colic again yesterday and is having problems with his breathing. The vets suspect it is parasites causing the problem at this stage so he in on a long course of wormer.<br /><br />His new owner is obviously worried and distressed, doing everything she can trying to find out what is going on. I was told when he arrived at the end of April that he had just been wormed so I didn't worm him. He was due when the the new owner picked him up so he was wormed a week later. The place where he originally came from have a worming program but it is the standard Ivomectin drench that is bought in bulk, they just fill up a backpack and squirt a bit down the horses throats. They don't rotate drenches, their schedule is highly variable and who knows if the horses are getting the right dosage. Knowing this I should have wormed him. But I didn't.<br /><br />I also remembered that the old owner had given me some homeopathic stuff because Smurf had been ill last Winter eventually being diagnosed with a hay or pollen allergy. I never had any problems so forgot about the stuff. Having the little guy so ill made me remember it so I passed it on to the new owner. She did a bit of investigative work by calling the homeopath and found that Smurf had nearly died in January. Turns out he was diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD by the vets and she had helped treat him. I also found out that he was still being used as a guide horse whilst being on the brink of death. I felt really sick and wanted to cry. The homeopath reckons it was possibly from the moldy hay they were feeding him which she saw with her own two eyes.<br /><br />Needless to say, we are all highly upset and disgusted that this condition was passed off as an 'allergy' when it is clearly so much more. As the new owner said, at least he is in a place now that he can get the proper care and treatment. But still, it really just makes me so wild.<br /><br />At this stage the wee fellow is holding up ok but it is really touch and go so any good thoughts you want to send will be much appreciated.Ravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16524344570955242756noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5620852479762530404.post-79875112200918724102010-09-03T16:28:00.007+12:002010-09-08T13:16:53.855+12:00September Rehab PlanIt's Spring and it's WARM. There's that Spring smell in the air and things look wonderful. Or they would look more wonderful If I wasn't still swamped with assignments.<br /><br />Well week one has kind of slipped by me. I've been super busy with assignments and life in general. So starting from week 2 (which we are half way through now LOL) here goes<br /><br />Week 2:<br /><br /><br />Monday - 30 mins handwalk and stretches<br />Tuesday - 30 mins handwalk and stretches<br />Wednesday - 30 mins handwalk and stretches<br />Thursday - stretches and handgrazing<br />Friday - stretches and hand grazing<br />Saturday - stretches and pole work<br />Sunday - Day off, mostly for me LOL<br /><br /><br />Week 3:<br /><br /><br />Monday - 30 mins handwalking and stretches<br />Tuesday - 30 min hanwalking and stretches<br />Wednesday - Physio appointment!!! Very excited<br />Thursday - stretches and handgrazing<br />Friday - stretches and handgrazing<br />Saturday - 30 mins riding<br />Sunday - stretches and ridden pole work<br /><br /><br />Week 4<br /><br /><br />Monday - 30 mins riding and stretches<br />Tuesday - ridden pole work with stretches<br />Wednesday - 30 minutes riding with stretches<br />Thursday - stretches and hand grazing<br />Friday - stretches and handgrazing<br />Saturday - ridden pole work and stretches<br />Sunday - 30 mins ride<br /><br />Week 5<br /><br /><br />Monday - 30 mins riding with 5 minutes of trot<br />Tuesday - ridden pole work with 5 mins of trot<br />Wednesday - 30 minutes riding with 5 minutes of trot<br />Thursday - handgrazing and stretches<br />Friday- handgrazing and stretches<br />Saturday - ridden pole work with 5 mins of trot<br />Sunday - We'll see what happens<br /><br />Looks a bit boring doesn't it but slow and steady wins the race right? I will evaluate when we get there whether I feel that it's ok to trot. At this stage I think it will be, Fox is progressing so fast but I will reserve judgement until we reach that point.Ravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16524344570955242756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5620852479762530404.post-90753587807488236962010-08-27T15:40:00.002+12:002010-08-27T15:44:44.653+12:00A Dogs PurposeIn lieu of anything exciting to say, this really touched me.<br /><br />Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.<br /><br />I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home. As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.<br /><br />The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.<br /><br />The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's Death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, 'I know why.' Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation.<br /><br />He said, "People are born so that they can learn how to live a good Life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?" The Six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that , so they don't have to stay as long"<br /><br />Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.<br /><br />Author unknownRavenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16524344570955242756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5620852479762530404.post-52073423314276548662010-08-20T13:28:00.002+12:002010-08-20T13:56:13.508+12:00Progress - I thinkAt the end of week 3, things seem to be progressing well. I'm sure Fox has finally started putting on weight. I was really worried for a while as nothing seemed to be happening so I de-wormed and started him on a low dose of Devils Claw again in case it was worms or pain that was causing him to stay skinny. The only other thing that I can think that could be contributing is anxiety/loneliness as he does not currently have a companion. Unfortunately I can't do anything about this at the moment. Grazing owner will most likely have another horse in quick smart as soon as the grass takes off though so hopefully won't have to wait too long.<br /><br />According to my plan, I was supposed to get the physio out next week but I'm going to put it off for another week which means the start of September will be the start of my riding if everything goes well. And I think it is, Fox was running around again the other night and he looked strong and sure, just not very fit LOL. Feeling confident about his recovery is good and I really think having the plan laid out on paper (or on blog) really helps that. Though I have to learn not to stress if I can't do something on a particular day, it's not the end of the world!<br /><br />The pole sessions are going well. I start with them all on the ground quite a distance from each other. We spend some time warming up over those then I put them close so he really has to engage then one pole goes up slightly. We only spend 20 minutes or so doing this as I don't want to push it at this early stage. And it's important, I think, to note that I'm not lunging him over the poles, I'm leading him. Circles at this stage are still too rough on a body like his, we've gotta build some strength before we can start circles.<br /><br />Clicker training has been nonexistent. Previously I've just been using my mouth to make a clicking sound but it sounds similar to a sound I make to go so I didn't think that was a good idea. So I thought I would get a proper clicker. Could I find one. No. I'm weighing up the options of starting with my mouth again then using a clicker when I can get my hands on one. But I'm unsure of how the changeover would be. Would everything have to be relearned for the new clicker, or would Fox not care? Still mulling over this.<br /><br />I have first dibs on the new grazing but the current lady, Smurf's new owner isn't moving out till probably the end of October now. That means we'd move in start of November and with November comes Guy Fawkes. Things were insane with fireworks where we are so I would probably leave him where he is until the end of November. Then I would have to move him out for a week over Christmas/New Year as there is always fire works around then. Or I can figure out a plan to get him used to them. But to be honest I'm a bit frightened about the whole thing after last year. Even at New Years when I knew he was in a place with no close fireworks, as soon as I heard them I felt quite anxious. My problem, not his. Apparently he was getting used to them by the end last year. Got a couple of months to figure it out yet though.Ravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16524344570955242756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5620852479762530404.post-55500896118381277542010-08-09T07:54:00.002+12:002010-08-09T08:14:00.675+12:00SetbackJust a minor one thankfully, but it could have been worse. But isn't that the way, you make a plan that involves a horse and invariably something happens that will disrupt all your hard work.<br /><br />I got to the paddock after work after on Friday, Fox was standing on the top of the hill in a bit of a strange place not moving. At first I thought he was stuck. He wasn't moving an inch. I got close enough to see with relief that he wasn't stuck, not a scratch on him in fact. We were due to go out for some handgrazing so I haltered him and attempted to lead him down the hill. He was acting rather strange, like he didn't know where his feet were going and kept trying to go back up the hill. Eventually we made it to the flat and when he started barging around me shaking his head and stamping his feet that's when I realised. Staggers. I honestly hadn't been expecting it this early but the grass has started growing at a rapid rate so I should have known.<br /><br />As soon as I let him loose he hurried over to the corner of his paddock where there are a few bushes. Fox has rather atypical symptoms, so much so that the first time this happened the vets didn't think it was staggers at all, they thought he was in advanced stages of liver failure. This was only a few months after I had bought him and I was terrified that I was going to lose him. Luckily someone suggested I try a toxin binder and what do you know, after a few days he came right. As well as the typical twitchy neck and shoulder, Fox also gets hypersensitive which leads to stamping and charging around when you try and do anything with him. He also likes to hide in bushes and in corners. No one has any idea why, but if there is a bush handy, he will literally stand in the bush if he can. But now I know his early warning signs I can nip any further deterioration in the bud.<br /><br />I haven't got a toxin binder yet, wasn't planning on getting any for a few weeks yet so I didn't have any to give him straight away. I could however move him off the rye grass and onto one of the paddocks that have been resown with horse friendly grass. I also gave him the weekend off. So a wee bit behind but yesterday he was looking back to normal so we will resume our programme today providing he still looks ok.<br /><br />I also did a bit of a scavenge around the orchard and sheds and found 3 PVC pipes of similar thickness and one log that is about the same length and width. So now I have 4 handy poles without having to go to the arena.<br /><br />My wonderful boyfriend also got me a bareback pad. Not the one I was looking at but I'm not gong to tell him that. It's a Zilco one and it has pockets. I'm quite excited about the pockets, no more worrying about where my phone is going to go and I can fit some snacks and a water bottle in there. Sweet. It's nice and cushy so will make the bareback experience for Fox and I more pleasant, I wont have to worry about my bony bits digging into Fox's back or his bony bits digging into me. Won't get to ride in it for a bit but it means I don't have to use the saddle at all until Fox bulks up a bit.Ravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16524344570955242756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5620852479762530404.post-50812502428863988952010-08-06T11:58:00.004+12:002010-08-06T13:03:43.674+12:00Rehab!Turned up at the paddock last night to find my crazy horse being, well a crazy horse. Running and kicking and bucking all over the show. This included sliding stops into the vicinity of fences. Far too close for comfort, not that that seemed to phase Fox at all. Despite my heart being in my throat watching his antics it was really nice to see him feeling good enough to have a good play.<br /><br />We had some handwalking scheduled, (more on the rehab programme a bit later) and I have to say I was slightly nervous at the prospect of taking my very fresh horse for a walk. But he surprised me and apart from getting a bit pushy he was pretty good. Only a few minor spooks at I have no idea what. He was striding out so well that I was hurrying to keep up and he would have liked to have had a trot but I was in my gummies so no running for me.<br /><br />I'm sure he's finally started to put on a bit of weight but I'll leave it for another few weeks before I call the physio. Hopefully he'll have filled out a wee bit more and will be starting to build some muscle so I won't have to be quite so embarrassed.<br /><br />August rehab programme<br /><br />Week 1 that we're part way through<br /><br />Monday - Hand grazing<br />Tuesday - 20 minute handwalk<br />Wednesday - handgrazing with tennis ball massage<br />Thursday - 20 minute handwalk<br />Friday - Handgrazing with tennis ball massage<br />Saturday - Poles<br />Sunday - Clicker Training - going to work on the friendly game, standing at liberty for massage and picking up feet for now<br /><br />Week 2<br /><br />Monday - 30 minute handwalk with massage and stretches prior<br />Tuesday - handgrazing with tennis ball massage<br />Wednesday - 30 minute handwalk with massage and stretches prior<br />Thursday - handgrazing with tennis ball massage<br />Friday - handgrazing with tennis ball massage<br />Saturday - poles with massage and stretches prior<br />Sunday - Clicker training with massage included<br /><br />Week 3<br /><br />Monday - 30 minutes handwalking with massage and stretches<br />Tuesday - 30 minutes handwalking with massage and stretches<br />Wednesday - 30 minutes handwalking with massage and stretches<br />Thursday - handgrazing with tennis ball massage<br />Friday - Handgrazing with tennis ball massage<br />Saturday - poles with massage and stretches<br />Sunday - Clicker training with massage<br /><br />Week 4 - get phsyio out and hopefully get cleared for riding<br /><br />Monday - 30 minutes ridden walk with massage and stretches<br />Tuesday - 30 minutes handwalk with massage and stretches<br />Wednesday - 30 minutes ridden walk with massage and stretches<br />Thursday - handgrazing with tennis ball massage<br />Friday - handgrazing with tennis ball massage<br />Saturday - Ridden poles with massage and stretches<br />Sunday - clicker training with massage<br /><br />September we will reassess and make adjustments depending on the progress of the previous weeks. If all has gone according to plan, add 5 minutes of trot and gradually build up.<br />I would also like to get a collection of poles that I can quickly put out without having to go the arena that I can incorporate in our handwalks, nothing too intensive, just enough to walk him over a few times. We'll still leave the big pole day to the Saturday but I think the extra times during the week would be beneficial. Thursdays and Fridays I work so don't have a lot of time before it gets pitch black but come September there might be enough light to do something a bit more significant. Not that Fox doesn't like getting out on yummy fresh grass.<br /><br />And September is Spring YAY!!!!!!!!!!! Which means he probably won't need any extra grass as we'll most likely be overrun. Bring on the toxin binder BOOOOH!<br /><br />I really REALLY want to be riding this Summer. Don't want to do anything fancy, just ride. Maybe get to the beach a few times, or the river. Just have fun. And at the end of Summer reassess again and see whether he would be able to start some low level dressage training again. Maybe even a wee bit of jumping.<br /><br />So long term I'm hoping the plan will go something like this<br /><br />August - start building muscle and fitness<br />September - start riding and introduce trot work<br />October - increase to longer rides with longer trot work<br />November - introduce circles and maybe canter is a straight line<br />December - Increase rides further, introduce light schooling<br />January, February - Fun times!<br /><br />That's the ideal plan anyway and if takes longer then it takes longer. November may be to early to start circles but we'll just try and take it week by week, month by month, assessing the situation as we go.<br /><br />There seems to quite a number of bloggers with horses in rehab and I just want to give a massive shout out to them. The commitment and time is intense, not to mention the cost. But good on you for sticking by your horses and seeing the process through.<br /><br />I will admit that the thought of giving up has crossed my mind. Putting Fox in a boarding place and forgetting about it. But I love my big crazy horse and I love the time I spend with him so this schedule is a commitment to myself and to Fox that I will see this through.Ravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16524344570955242756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5620852479762530404.post-25267944976684024292010-08-04T15:16:00.002+12:002010-08-04T15:40:17.762+12:00GoneWell the little fellow is gone. I said good bye to him in the morning, gave him a big hug and a face scratch and had a wee cry. In the afternoon his new owner came to pick him up. He loaded and unloaded like a champ. He settled in quickly after putting on a show for his new buddy a tiny wee hairy pony. And that's that, down to one horse again.<br /><br />Fox fretted for hours after Smurf had left. Up and down the fenceline, calling and calling. I found it quite distressing to watch so after working up the courage and writing the text three times, I asked the land owner if I could move him up with the other horses. She said no. At the time I was fuming mad but in hindsight the reason she gave me was perfectly valid, her horse is recovering from who knows what and she didn't want him running around. Then I had to go to work so I had to leave him. The land owner did after a while say she would keep an eye on him which she only had to look out her window to do, till it got dark which was only half an hour but hey that's something I guess.<br /><br />It took Fox a few days to settle down properly but he seems back to normal now. It's nice being able to spend proper time with him and give him the attention he deserves.<br /><br />He's looking like crap at the moment which is awful. He's been out of work for a year now so has no muscle or top line at all, and he's skinny which makes it even worse. He's getting a ton of food and is started to look a bit better now but still not good enough. I'm also working on yet another rehab programme. And I still have to call the physio. *Sigh* so much to do. And it's raining again.Ravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16524344570955242756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5620852479762530404.post-12919787957767261752010-07-19T12:03:00.004+12:002010-07-19T12:46:01.571+12:00Sold<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5YfuKZilqwjAmtdplAq6wHN4DW4HCrp4fGNOOugD2-RBnzfQQIHVc2wO1r2PHg7cR6aWjnPX3_DVYunbS8RphXz2z3iMWv6eEIAJIQRgQXgd_MxWjopiaWqs_7llFkIaykEshGGP_ihG7/s1600/IMG_4240_1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495411796397564498" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 213px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5YfuKZilqwjAmtdplAq6wHN4DW4HCrp4fGNOOugD2-RBnzfQQIHVc2wO1r2PHg7cR6aWjnPX3_DVYunbS8RphXz2z3iMWv6eEIAJIQRgQXgd_MxWjopiaWqs_7llFkIaykEshGGP_ihG7/s320/IMG_4240_1.jpg" border="0" /></a><em>'What you looking at?'</em></div><div align="center"><em>Feel the love, isn't the big monster cute? </em></div><br /><br />Most likely, providing we can get Smurf over his aversion to a single float he is off to a new home in the next couple of weeks. We tried for an hour and a half on Sunday to get the little critter on the float but he wasn't having a bar of it. His owner said he has mostly been floated with other horses so facing travel by himself on a single may have been a bit daunting. But the little guy totally had our number so it may have been a people problem instead LOL.<br /><br />I am going to have a wee cry if/when Smurf does go. He's definitely got a piece of my heart and had my situation been different I'm sure we could have been lifelong partners. His owner wants a piece of his tail to make into a bracelet and I have one of his shoes that I will scrub up for her too. I'm going to keep the other one for me though.<br /><br /><div></div>This means I may also be able to move Fox into town. I've been offered grazing at a place a few minutes up the road. This would be so awesome! The price is the same but I would have access to the local equestrian park with an all weather arena with jumps etc. Nice. But I can't go if I still have the two horses so fingers crossed that the little bugger decides he's ok with the single float.<br /><br /><br /><br />There are also a couple of horses there that I could ride if I had the inclination which would be nice. Though I will start working on Fox's rehab more thoroughly again when Smurf goes. But having the option is good. I'm really craving some proper riding, I mean I love hacking but being restricted to a walk and the odd wee trot is a bit tough and being constantly worried that I'm hurting Fox sucks. I'm also really tempted when Smurf goes to start getting the odd lesson. There is a new lady who is apparently great. She has lesson horses too so wouldn't have to worry about Fox.<br /><br /><br /><br />I would have to move Fox away again for the Guy Fawkes season and probably Christmas/New Years due to the fireworks. Last year we had a ton in this area and I'm not going to risk another injury. I could move him out to where he is at the moment which would be fine or set up something temporary at my dad's place. Though the cost of buying an energiser might negate that option.<br /><br /><br /><br />Other good news, I think I've found a chiropractor for Fox. He comes up from Christchurch and is hopefully due in August/September. They are getting back to me about final dates. This (we would have to travel the racecourse in Richmond for the treatment) and the possible move means I'm going to have to start on the dreaded floating issue that I have been doing my very best to avoid.<br /><br /><br /><br />In the meantime, I'm going to save up for a couple of visits from the physio to get the ball rolling. Though I do have personal issue with her (I tell you the things I've heard, it's like one of those cheesy daytime soaps) I want what is best for Fox and at the moment she is it.<br /><br /><br /><br />Interesting happenings here anyways, could be some big changes on the horizon and with the shortest day well behind us now and the weather for the most part being gorgeous, I'm feeling positive and really looking forward to some good weekends with Fox.Ravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16524344570955242756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5620852479762530404.post-43155923054956770402010-07-14T08:03:00.004+12:002010-07-14T09:05:39.481+12:00Gene Ovnicek<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9DQwcSHfc1LjsboyJT65Sj8fJHucU-Do9kA3fjs5p3RoyU5sYHm027IfhG0ZGuabv9koDA2KaeYqp5xi0t2snz_8hMCptkc3aNCTR8cZPK05m457L3aim4HvfQVpWUHL3TpYRhTylFAs/s1600/IMG_4356_1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493491922321232514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9DQwcSHfc1LjsboyJT65Sj8fJHucU-Do9kA3fjs5p3RoyU5sYHm027IfhG0ZGuabv9koDA2KaeYqp5xi0t2snz_8hMCptkc3aNCTR8cZPK05m457L3aim4HvfQVpWUHL3TpYRhTylFAs/s320/IMG_4356_1.jpg" border="0" /></a><em>Fox and I at an unregistered Dressage day last year. My first dressage test ever. You can see how nervous Fox and I both are. I believe we got fourth, the second test I was eliminated LOL. We got best turned out though. </em></div><br /><br />Well last night I was lucky enough to attend a seminar held by Gene Ovnicek. I did take notes but half the time I was concentrating so much I forgot LOL. If you don't know, he is the Natural Balance guy. I was a bit worries that he would be touting his products all night but he didn't. He said the main thing to take away from the night is it is the natural balance trimming style that is important, get that right and what you do or don't put on the foot with some exceptions is largely irrelevant. And everything he talked about just made so much sense, some of it I already knew but those topics were always expanded on.<br /><br /><br />We covered the feral horse studies he had done, how they compared to current domestic horses and the things we put them through. The most interesting thing was that the lameness's that we are seeing now are completely different than what was going on even 50 years ago. Horses mainly travelled at slow to medium speeds in a straight line. Now horses are turning more and more circles. They aren't really built for turning in circles which is why there are so many new things cropping up. The coolest picture I saw was they put black ink on a board and rubbed the feral horses hooves on the board. What they found was that the frog took up the most ink. Some sole around the outside of the foot but barely any wall did. Fascinating.<br /><br /><br />We did a lot of basic anatomy which was really cool. I was fascinated at how important the check ligament at the back of the leg is and how much of a role it plays in a horses movement and the shape of their foot. If you have a short check ligament, you have a club foot, if you have a long check ligament you have a long low foot. Another interesting point was that the pairs of feet do not need to be the same. If your horse has a club foot, let it be a club foot. If you try and fix it by taking the heels down all you are doing is putting added strain on the internal structures of the foot. Same as trying to build heels in a low slung foot.<br /><br /><br />We did a lot of stuff on the breakover and the importance of the sole callous. Having a long toe means that the internal structures of the foot are put under a lot of additional strain just lifting the hoof off the ground. The sole callous is so important as that is where the point of the coffin bone is, if you weaken that, you put the coffin bone at risk of descending.<br /><br /><br />We learned about how a large deviation at the top of the foot by the coronary band indicates a thin sole. We learned about hoof mapping to find the centre of articulation and where the coffin bone sits in the hoof.<br /><br /><br />The section on mediolateral hoof balance was really interesting especially since I had just done some work on it for an assignment. Basically the traditional may of finding the M/L balance is fraught with error as it all depends on where you stand to look at the hoof. His way of finding the M/L balance is to look at how much wall there is around the sole. If there is the same amount of wall over the top of the sole all the way around, the hoof is in M/L balance. If one side is higher or lower then the hoof is not in balance. I'm so trying that with Fox today. He also emphasised how bad it is for a horse's M/L balance to be out. It compacts the coffin joint on one side and causes joint pain and difficulty moving and the horse eventually changes the position of his leg to make it more comfortable.<br /><br /><br />He then showed some remedial work done on pigeon toed horses. Amazing. The traditional way of trimming a pigeon toed horse doesn't see where the proper imbalance is and therefore trims it the wrong way. His way looks at all these different points and measurements and finds out that it is actually the lateral side of the hoof the is longer and trims accordingly. And you have a happy horse who stands straight.<br /><br /><br />He also talked a lot about how the balance of the feet affects the body. Out of balance feet often mean an out of balance body. So all this stuff got me thinking about how Fox's crazy feet have contributed to his overall going and body issues. What came first I guess is a kind of chicken or the egg kind of thing but it is definitely something I'm going to talk over with my trimmer and see if we can get Fox's feet straightened out really well. There is a workshop for farriers and trimmers today that I really hope he is going to. At the end, someone asked a question about body work that I didn't hear properly but Gene said if the feet aren't balanced you can do all the body work you like but unless you sort the feet out not much is going to change. So that's what I'm going to do.<br /><br />By the way, you know it's cold when the fridges seems warm and your olive oil has solidified.Ravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16524344570955242756noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5620852479762530404.post-22730319033966619222010-07-13T08:13:00.003+12:002010-07-13T08:53:32.145+12:00Distorsions<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkjrcwYKwBbQaT5makB2exQN1hrjbp1kmkmGv4O8VmCaOe25fDulDBMAEIicFCko59tKo6RK94fN0_e8ENmIyamxTuoMsqpIvbAVuNlb2cpkzYiz2PHvvZo-GaBj42Qa4kvKPIcZT2YAKe/s1600/Fox+xc.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493125166618877858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 315px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkjrcwYKwBbQaT5makB2exQN1hrjbp1kmkmGv4O8VmCaOe25fDulDBMAEIicFCko59tKo6RK94fN0_e8ENmIyamxTuoMsqpIvbAVuNlb2cpkzYiz2PHvvZo-GaBj42Qa4kvKPIcZT2YAKe/s320/Fox+xc.jpg" border="0" /></a><em>Fox and I doing the Beginners level ODE before everything went pear shaped. By the way, I didn't know how little the jumps were going to be LOL.</em> </div><br /><br />I have been mulling over this problem since I saw those photos of Fox's feet. The thing that bothers me the most is I can't tell when it all started. Has he always been like that or is there something that has happened with me that I haven't noticed? I think it was there before his accident in October as the physio mentioned that the mediolateral balance of those two feet were out in particular that back one. But she blamed it on the farrier which now I don't think is the case. Poor guy I feel a bit bad now. Not that he minded me not calling anymore cause Fox was a bit of a pain to do.<br /><br /><br /><br />Another thing that makes me think it is a long term thing is that he's always been a pain with his back feet. Ever since I got him he's been giving farriers and trimmers and me grief. It was one of the things I attributed him to being a crazy horse. Now I'm not so sure and am more inclined to think that it is uncomfortable for him to lift his back legs like that.<br /><br /><br /><br />I thought I knew about horses when I got Fox but never having owned my own, I always put the difficult stuff in other people's laps. Not intentionally but it was like they told me what to feed, what gear to use, the farrier looked after the feet etc. So in a lot of ways I was totally ignorant. Which is not excusing myself for not noticing it earlier, I just genuinely wouldn't have known what to look for.<br /><br /><br /><br />From my research I kind of know what is wrong and the general outcome of these types of problems which isn't particularly good depending on where in the back/pelvis the problem actually is but I have no idea how to fix it. I am very reluctant to use the physio again as after the all this research, some of the things she says just seem like rubbish. But she is a qualified physiotherapist so I could be the one that is wrong. The only other local is the above farrier that the physio thought was doing a bad job. He does some chiro stuff with the local standardbred racing horses. But I have no idea what his knowledge is like. I used him at the start of the year when he said Fox's hip was out and put it back in. So he may be worth a try. The other person isn't a therapist as such but she has a heat gun thing that detects where inflammation is. But since I kind of already know where it is it might be pointless. I could be wrong though.<br /><br /><br /><br />The really frustrating thing is I can do all the rehab I like, poles and hills and ponying him but none of it will change the fact that there is something actually wrong that this stuff just won't fix. And I guess it all boils down to money. If I had unlimited funds, I would be trying all these things just in case one of them would work. I would get his whole body x-rayed as long as it didn't require sedative LOL. But I don't. I run two horses on $80 a week which in the winter with the extra hay, doesn't stretch that far. When Smurf goes, which there is a good chance of as the lady decided the other horse was a bit green she just has to sell her current horse, it will free up a bit extra. Even if it was purely my own money, I would be making myself broke trying to sort his out but it isn't. And because the situation is no longer an emergency like it was in October, I don't get allocated anything extra. And if I could physically work extra hours I would but even the extra four I do really stretches things. I have six assignments due before the 6th of September plus all the required reading. According to my course notes I should be doing 40-50 hours study a week plus I work 20 hours a week, have a house to keep, horses and dogs to look after.<br /><br />But pity party over, I chose all these things so basically I just have to suck it up and deal.Ravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16524344570955242756noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5620852479762530404.post-47508044010275241052010-07-10T11:41:00.005+12:002010-07-10T12:09:04.093+12:00It' a Miracle!!!<div align="left">We've had sunshine for nearly two weeks!! It's awesome. Cold but awesome. This morning at 10 when I went to take covers off the ground was still frozen solid.<br /><br />Still no buyer for Smurf but I've had a good time getting out and about with the couple of people who have come to look at him. The lady who I think would be perfect from a previous post has decided to sell her boy, so it interested again but is going to see another horse this weekend. I've got a feeling that she will prefer this other one but we will see. </div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left">It's been very interesting to see how Smurf reacts to different people. He really is one smart cookie despite not getting clicker training at all LOL. I gave up, not that I really needed to do it with him just wanted to see what I could get him to do. With the lady I would like him to go to he is a perfect snuggly angel. She even got him looking absolutely wonderful in the arena despite him not liking schooling very much. She has exactly the right mix of firmness and softness to keep him in line without being harsh. </div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left">One of the other women who came to see him was lovely but I really think he just didn't take to her at all. He just shut down right from the beginning. And when he figured out that all she would do when he put his head down to eat was tap him on the bum with her hand it was all over LOL. He just walked all over her after that even when she tried to do ground work it was just a mess. I felt really sorry for her. </div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left">I've been riding Fox when I've taken the people out and he has been great. I don't think he is sore a the moment as he is more than happy to run and kick in the paddock. It's always a sign that he is sore when he doesn't want to do that. He doesn't seem to have any twinges along his back either. We still have the persistent funny walking. For one of my assignments I had to do a conformation study on two horses which involved filming them moving and analysing how they stand and their feet and everything. Was very interesting. When he trots his near hind swings inwards but his off hind swings more the outside. His near hind foot and off front foot are all funky. The mediolateral balance is a lot better than is used to be but the solar view is quite distorted. To my limited knowledge that is indicating a compensation for something further up.</div><div align="center"><br /><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492060476592363570" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjL2zApRF1_Nk-OXS38Bm3Se53ZNo_bctefSIeARrNd1Ett1RUP6Xyt-CZS84KMi3GeIYztiuZ8cBHmqhYicFeeht66yvkt_mxkRyULQNUC-7zIAHAr7r52ErJaFRGUR6byES-0WdwKXMo/s320/Fox+off+front+solar_1.jpg" border="0" /> <div align="center"><em>Off Front</em></div><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492060465778333634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEBxRDa33hxsquN2A7fj1XT-Xtp7zzzmj646ZEeq-VHgte6p0yXFi6xNkVoOCnVr6xieLLKD-ylRene_frku1TkVaAldwYDljuon_fG8EHCiIry2NjR7kQ2dVRRd2AzIWqmDWduVwmnNDM/s320/Fox+near+hind+solar_1.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><em>Near Hind</em></p><p align="left">Compared to the other diagonal pair. </p><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492060478562548306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVkAgv7HLsbdMYQk7wosdgDC9T2qt_jQU3xjfmWBlK65KNtd8p5SQsIwCtl2rfm4VXbj_jrOX-5CIfWEHim3jF-un5LdQQARg5DbJ2gbwFcxeU5uJheyy4BvT33UbfinSsVFZ7KfNDvK2m/s320/Fox+off+hind+solar_1.jpg" border="0" /><br /><p align="center"><em>Off Hind</em></p><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492060464244784642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh58LIY1w2obV_PPXBVhTLn6FPlwiiQgapi59xG7HcJkCwWDhoPns6hkmcGacuohJi0AAS7qeu6hPSJPRzhoAthNnnmbqc_0e11FLGhsVa7-bng3BXxZE3k4hTI1ObstZzp-4661b49JHLh/s320/Fox+near+front+solar_1.jpg" border="0" /></p><p align="center"><em>Near Front</em></p><p align="left">Thoughts anyone?</p>Ravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16524344570955242756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5620852479762530404.post-37377727290190070952010-06-25T16:26:00.003+12:002010-06-25T16:32:14.814+12:00CravingsI'm craving sunshine and riding Fox. Only problems are the weather won't cooperate we are getting more damn rain and my horse is still broken.<br /><br />Called the chiro, she is now on maternity leave and apparently there is no one else who does quite what she does. Bit gutted. She is going to try and see if she knows anyone else that comes this way. She is back in October so I will still keep her in mind just in case.<br /><br />There is another lady coming to look at Smurf sometime, another local thank goodness. It makes a big difference. Haven't worked out how I feel about the whole thing yet. A bit relieved, a bit sad and a bit anxious that he goes to the right person. He hasn't felt like my horse anytime since I've had him, I just want my Foxy back to be honest so it's probably for the best since the owner can no longer take him. I still wish she could and if I won lotto I would send him over there for her. And I never thought I would be able to say that! I guess it's Kind of like when you see an old boyfriend that you thought you would never get over. Then you see them and don't feel what you used to. It's good and bad.Ravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16524344570955242756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5620852479762530404.post-74405841099557569162010-06-24T12:46:00.002+12:002010-06-24T12:54:55.113+12:00For SaleSorry, another long break, exams suck!! But all over now, just have to wait for results :(<br /><br />Anyway, Smurfs owner has finally decided to put him up for sale. Pretty heartwrenching decision on her part but probably the most sensible. She hasn't been able to find the work she is after as quickly as she thought so sending him over has become a bit unrealistic. So we are on the hunt for the best possible home. Both of us are going to be pretty fussy too. She is taking the initial e-mails and I get to meet the people and show them Smurf.<br /><br />Had the first one on Sunday. It ended up being a no go as she decided to stick it out with her current horse. Would have been perfect as I know her personally and she is a local. Next best one seems to be from Auckland. Very far away but looks like a fab home. Will be interesting to see how it pans out. I've never sold a horse so will be an educational experience.<br /><br />And I have to say, I'm looking forward to being a one horse woman again!<br /><br />I can also cross a breastplate and girth of my wish list. Spent total of $45 on both. Yay for Trade Me! Next up is the chiro for Fox.Ravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16524344570955242756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5620852479762530404.post-16474781503507741232010-06-11T16:28:00.003+12:002010-06-11T16:41:50.137+12:00Shocks!I had the trimmer out at the weekend, he pulled the shoes that were on Smurf's fronts. he has lovely feet, far too good to ruin with shoes. Fox on the other hand is constantly unbalanced. The trimmer is certain it is coming from somewhere in his back end. Yes that old cookie again. I have e-mailed the chiropractor to see if she comes this way. Fingers crossed that she does!<br /><br />Anyway, I showed the trimmer all Fox's muscle wastage and strange bits. His first thought was that Fox's body belongs to a much older horse. So he looked at his teeth. He reckoned Fox was about 20, not the 14 he is supposed to be. I have no idea about teeth but I have to say that the idea that Fox is older had crossed my mind before. It would make his body issues make sense.<br /><br />The trimmer said he would do some research online and let me know. Sure enough, he reckoned 20 if not older. From what little I could see and what the trimmer pointed out to me, I did my own research. Yes indeed it looked like Fox was older. I was gutted. I did not want it to be true.<br /><br />So the next day I went back to the paddock and looked at Fox's teeth again. It is a mission let me tell you to get the big guy to stand still long enough to have a good look. I took mental pictures of all the things that indicate age. Angle and shape of teeth, spots in the middle of the teeth, Galvayne's groove, everything. And I went and did more research. And I went and looked at his teeth again. My conclusion is, whilst the marks on the top of his teeth look consistent with an older horse, and initially his Galvayne's groove looks like it is at the bottom of the tooth, the shape is not triangular enough and the angle of his teeth isn't acute enough for him to be 20 and his actual Galvayne's groove only extends down a small bit of the way, a lot of what looks like the groove is actually discolouration of the tooth not the actual groove. So everything I could see was consistent with him being 14.<br /><br />Who knows though as I am not an expert. The dentist is due in a few months so I will ask him. I also e-mailed the old owner but I think she may be overseas at the moment.<br /><br />So what do I have, an old horse with old age muscle wastage and arthritis or a middle aged horse with a fucked up body?Ravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16524344570955242756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5620852479762530404.post-40826260363820266482010-05-28T13:08:00.002+12:002010-05-28T13:22:54.337+12:00Oh The DramaStill raining, we also have snow on the hills and it is bloody freezing!<br /><br />Went to check on the boys last night, purely with the intention of covering Smurf and chucking them their daily allocation of hay, that is all as I said it is bloody wet and freezing.<br /><br />We pulled up to the paddocks and what did I see, a little grey horse, not where the little grey horse is supposed to be. Oh crap! Instead of being on the hill, he was in the paddock below Fox's. His paddock gate was still closed and the gate of the paddock he was in was open. So he hadn't been moved by a person. Oh crap!<br /><br />Still from a distance, I analysed his movement, looked for patches of red. Nothing. My heart was racing as I ran up the laneway that felt a million miles long. Smurf stayed on the far side of the paddock, not letting me get a closer look. Then I saw the state of the fence of his proper paddock. It had totally been destroyed, there was wire everywhere. Oh crap! There is no way he managed to get through that unhurt. On top of that, in between that fence line and the laneway and other paddocks is a ditch. The wire had been dragged completely across the ditch. What the hell had happened!<br /><br />Smurf let me get a bit closer but he was very skitterish, I eyeballed him all over. Nothing. What the hell? I waited till he had calmed a bit and ran my hands all over him. Nothing. What the hell? How on earth he got through that unscathed, I will never know! He was jumpy about me covering him, not too sure about anything. I threw him some hay and breathed a huge sigh of relief as he settled in to eat.<br /><br />I'm going to give him another thorough going over again tonight in case I missed anything. I have no idea what made him do it, did he get a fright that made him go through the fence or was he being a monkey and trying to get through the fence and gave himself a fright in the process. I guess we will never know. I am just supremely grateful that he wasn't badly injured.<br /><br />Land owner is NOT happy. But then, I did tell her that section of fence was unelectrified and that I would like it on.<br /><br />Horses!Ravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16524344570955242756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5620852479762530404.post-10705181624923056572010-05-27T16:11:00.003+12:002010-05-27T16:30:53.410+12:00Horsie WishlistStill raining.........<br /><br />Here is my current wishlist of horse related things<br /><br />Leather bitless bridle for Fox - his current one is crappy looking synthetic and a crossunder style that I find doesn't give a good enough release<br /><br />Chiropractor for Fox - Another opinion on his issues<br /><br />Saddle for Fox - Since his old one doesn't fit anymore, going to be a loooong time coming though!<br /><br />Girth for Smurf - Fox's is too big, it needs to be at the top hole on both sides to be tight enough<br /><br />Breastplate for Smurf - Saddle slips back, planning on getting some cheap second hand gear though not new stuff<br /><br />Rasp and hoof knife now I'm getting my head round trimming a bit more.<br /><br />Gloves 3x - one for poo picking, one for trimming, one for riding<br /><br />Bareback pad - cause the saddle's going to be a long time coming<br /><br />Proper equine first aid kit<br /><br />Thats all for now, I'm sure there's something I've left out though LOL.Ravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16524344570955242756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5620852479762530404.post-84719235748614245112010-05-26T13:24:00.004+12:002010-05-26T13:45:28.198+12:00Rain, Rain and More RainWhat gives Weather Gods?! Drought, now rain, rain and more rain. Makes life difficult I tell you!!<br /><br />Took Smurf and Fox out on Saturday when we had a bit of a break in the weather with a friend of mine. Didn't go too far but did a bit of exploring of some tracks I'd always been curious about. Unfortunately they were all dead ends. Well dead ends if you're on horse back anyway. Was really great to be getting out again. Fox was keen, ears pricked and striding out well. No sign of discomfort from his back until I went downhill. I jumped off quick smart as soon as I knew what he was telling me. He seemed fine without me though. Obviously me + bareback + downhill = not very comfy so get the hell off!<br /><br />I'm going to stop riding him again, as much as I want to, I do think if I can strengthen his back first it will make things a whole lot better in the long run.<br /><br />There is a method of training called Kukkuli, which is in short:<br /><br /><em>"The Kikkuli Text, a horse training text dating back to 1345 BC, caused the Hittites to become a powerful Empire whose warhorses surpassed all others. Hittite horses had to march hard for 4 weeks then gallop all day in battle. . . . . In 1991 I (the Author) replicated the Kikkuli Text regime with 10 arabian horses, and this became known as the Kikkuli Experiment. The training programme set down by Kikkuli lasts for 7 months and in the Kikkuli Experiment the training regime and feeding programme were followed precisely. The methods used in the Kikkuli Text enable modern horses to be trained without injury. One of Kikkuli's techniques was to use long periods leading the horses in their work rather than riding them. The use of long periods of leading in the first half of training strengthens horses without straining them."</em><br /><br />The Kikkuli Method:<br /><br />- makes much use of leading the horses at the gaits of trot, canter and gallop before subjecting them to the weight bearing and psychological stress of a rider or driver.<br />- uses interval training. At no time is the horse brought to the point of fatigue, thus reducing the risk of injury.<br />-allows the trainer to pinpoint the precise moment in training at which the horse has adapted physically and mentally to its training.<br /><br />The Kukkuli Experiment can be bought as a book and sounds fascinating but *sigh* books are sadly not in the budget at the moment.<br /><br />BUT, I think these basic principles are worth exploring with Fox. I mean, I have the two horses and I think the outcome can only be positive.<br /><br />So this means a new rehab programme.<br /><br />3x a week ponying from Smurf, 1 hill day, 1 longer day and one day where I will be introducing short trots to get the transitions.<br /><br />5x a week pole work, 3 short days on the days that he gets ponied and 2 more intensive sessions<br /><br />As many times as I can manage, massage and stretches.<br /><br />It's a bit of a compromise, but I really think it'll work.<br /><br />Just have to fit it around the weather!!!Ravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16524344570955242756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5620852479762530404.post-26959314517851191432010-05-21T13:38:00.002+12:002010-05-21T13:52:22.005+12:00MovingWell I've been given the go ahead to move the boys to a different paddock, only problem is its on a slope and apparently that's not going to be good for Fox's back. I'm wondering if this may have contributed to his long recovery time as his previous paddock was also a slope and he would always do little slips.<br /><br />I'm looking forward to there being some more grass for them, current paddock is getting very sparse! I'm also looking forward to having electric fencing again, YAY. Smurf is a nightmare with fences. It makes me very frustrated and honestly quite worried, he leans on them, goes through them, under them. Last night I found one of the fence poles has become wobbly, both horses are intact though so not sure what happened there.<br /><br />I'm going to try and sweet talk the owner into letting me put Fox into the only flat paddock left. Fingers crossed that goes ok. Which means they will have separate paddocks which is both good and bad. It'll be nice to be able to feed them separately and Fox won't get chased anymore but on the downside, they are both used to being in with other horses. Fox tends to pace a bit when he's by himself. They'll still be able to see each other though and another horse is moving back soon too, so there'll be three of them. Which is really useful when I want to take just one out. Not sure how Smurf will go on his own, I hope he doesn't cause too much mischief! <br /><br />I've got a few more exercises to try on Fox, and really need to start poles again. I may just lead him over them instead of lunge him, we'll play that one by ear I think! I've really got to start riding again, or riding Smurf and ponying Fox, it's been a while. But I've got exams coming up and I guess they are the first priority.Ravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16524344570955242756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5620852479762530404.post-18171497179023426422010-05-20T09:25:00.003+12:002010-05-20T09:48:24.532+12:00Too Many HorsesWho knew that I would think two horses was too many. Not me that's for sure. I thought I would love having two horses to brush and love and ride. Well I don't.<br /><br />It's not the cost, Smurf is a very cheap horse to run, if only Fox was that cheap then I would be having far less arguments with my boyfriend LOL. It's not the maintenance work, it only takes me 5 or so minutes more a day to do the feeding and mucking out. It's just the whole dynamic of the thing. I don't like dividing my attention, I don't like how Smurf chases Fox which means he's got a sore back again and some nice bite marks, I don't like feeling guilty about leaving one behind, I miss the one on one time I used to have.<br /><br />So if I could give Smurf back tomorrow, I would. Very surprising. I am strictly a one horse woman LOL. Maybe if it was summer I might feel different or he was my only horse *sigh*. I thought about finding him a rider but that's not what his owner signed up for and I don't want anyone else working with Fox not that he's in a fit state for anyone else. I'm very torn, I want to give Smurf the best home possible while his owner is away but at the same I don't really want him there at all. And I don't feel I can give him back. I haven't even had him for a month yet which means five more to go. I'm hoping the owner calls for him sooner rather than later.<br /><br />I've started a routine of massage and stretches with Fox again. I want to get that wee bit of soreness out of his back before I hop on again. If anyone knows any good exercises to strengthen where a horses back meets his butt let me know. That seems to be Fox's weak spot. I'm going to start going up the hill again with him, they were doing some logging up there so I had stopped but that all seems to be finished now. And poles which he really hates on a lunge so as soon as I can get him feeling fine I'll ride him over the poles.Ravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16524344570955242756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5620852479762530404.post-15128466208396574002010-05-11T14:50:00.002+12:002010-05-11T15:02:26.148+12:00EnlightenmentI've always thought that Smurf was the horse that got away, that he was my horsie soul mate. Which is why I went into such a mad panic when I saw he was for sale. But having him with me for the past few weeks has opened my eyes.<br /><br />I prefer Fox. I would much rather be out riding with Fox. I want to give Fox more scratches and give him more treats. This was so surprising for me. It's also been a huge relief. I thought that once I had Smurf, I would never want to give him up again and that I would have to really make time to be with Fox. But now, I'm more than happy to be his caretaker until his owner sends for him. I enjoy having him, cheeky monkey that he is, and enjoy our rides but most of the time I'm wishing it was Fox.<br /><br />I'm riding Fox 2-3 times a week and Smurf the same. If I can get someone to come with me like I managed to last night then it benefits us all. It's going to be an interesting few months juggling both of them. Fox obviously still isn't capable of much though we are going out for longer now and have added a few wee trots. He's feeling good, keen to be getting out more even if it's only to munch some grass. But if I want to go for a blast or a long ride, I take Smurf.<br /><br />I'm actually looking forward to the six months being up which is so strange. I'll probably be sad to see him go but at the same time it'll be good to devote my attention all to Fox again.Ravenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16524344570955242756noreply@blogger.com0