5th metatarsal

is broken and i have a plaster on

out of action 4 weeks till it comes off...

it that foot is really cold now (shorts were agood idea this morning but not now ...

casualty

and all my own fault ...

I didn't check the girth properly after I'd got on (i didn't check it at all after I'd got on, tbh). not a problem until I got into canter - happily, we were inthe arena and there were others there, amazingly - and then I seemed to slip slightly to the left (we were on right canter lead, except I think she was on the wrong lead); I felt my ankle get turned and then I was losing my balance and fell off, landed heavily on left hip. I knew I'd done my ankle/foot before I landed, I was right, it's broken. And my own fault? the saddle slipped.

Molly was very good, just stopped - just as well, there was emily & her mate riding, wouldn't have been clever if everyone had gone totally pear shaped and molly skating about. she just stood there. I eventually was hauled up and limped back to the stable - gaynor put molly in and untacked her - but after 5 minutes i was non weight bearing and knew I had to go to hospital.

So this entry is late - i was there 3 hours (not bad really, they were very very busy) it should have been done earlier.

and all that was after Molly had pulled back yet again, this time succeeding in breaking her head collar .... so she's going to have to be put in her stable in stead of tied up outside.

I am not happy, quite apart from the pain, and the fact that I can't drive, and I can't afford the time off work having been off Monday, it's the inability to do anything.

Might be better after going to hospital tomorrow. Last time I did this, life was a lot easier with a pot on.

flies

we haven't been really plagued by flies so far this year, but they were certainly out tonight - must be the damp

it's the last week in june - hoppings week in newcastle, wimbledon, therefore it rains. (the hoppings is the fair on the town moor, it always turns into a quagmire!)

so gaynor & I rode.

Molly pulled away and broke the twine she was tied up to twice; guess she wanted back into the field, as that was where she went. When I eventually got on, she was back to tanking off, and threw in a few minor bucks as well tonight, not helpful

we set off round the 20 acre, then up the hill in canter, then back round the top and down the back of the geldings field. the only time we were free of flies was when we were cantering, or when we were on top of the hill in a breeze. doing the gates was a real pain, flies buzzing round our heads, the horses heads, euch. we'd not thought to put fly repellent on first. and the hill down the back of the geldings field is seriously steep, I hadn't done it before, and cant' see me doing it too many times in the future, not downhill and certainly not when it's been raining- scarily slippy! very steep! we didn't like it!

but we had a good ride. Molly is odd. she'll do a nice steady canter but then prats about at a gate for no reason. Hope she behaves herself when she goes on her holidays, will be a bit of nightmare if she doesn't!

missing another night ...

because i wasnt' well yesterday ..

tonight, there was absolutely no one about; the people who usually ride tuesday night weren't, and the girl who rides katie had already set off by the time i got there. so ...anyway, the saddle pad wasn't dry, so i would have had to use the treed saddle ...the plan is for gaynor to ride out with me tomorrow...

damp weekend - but good grub

so yesterday afternoon we tootled down to my friend's in North yorkshire. didn't go to plan. Friend had been called to help another friend who'd been hauled off to hospital having been kicked in the face by a horse (happily, not nearly as bad as it could have been) and didn't get back till 9pm. so we should have taken a lot longer to get there. her partner (another superhubby, without the ring as yet but still .....) was cooking away for today's party. the plan was, barbecue. weather forecast was supposed to be showers. they forecasters omitted to mention the damp fog that settled over the entire area for the entire day ...... food was good though! and there was too much talk of horses and law for my partner's tastes!!!!

but it's a small world, another friend had brought her horse over for the weekend, turned out we knew each other from way back when. Amazing horse, latvian import that doesn't know any english (say good boy and it stops dead, so hate to think what that is in latvian, she says she has to be really careful not to say that in the middle of a show jumping round!!!!). it was in the paddock next to the mares (one of the mares can't be trusted with a gelding) and all was fine if the mares were just over the hedge, but he got very agitated when the mares moved off, at one point apparently (I didn't see this) he jumped the (empty) hen coop and certainly gave several thoughts to jumping the fence! happily he didn't!!!!

So when we go down for our holidays in august there'll be some good company horse wise as well!!!!

enjoyable ....

for the first time since I got Molly I felt I enjoyed a ride; which shows how much progress we have made.

5 of us went out, which normally i wouldn't have done as it can be too much. I picked where we went - down the park, under the road, canter up the hill, round the top and back down. Molly stayed in front for most of the way; the canter stayed in control even when she wasnt' in front (and that was my fault conflicting signals!); she did nap twice - once for no good reason and once because she wanted to go through a gate! - but on the other hand opened three gates, one of which is a total pig as the catch is overgrown by bushes, and didn't blink at trains over head. A total star. One gate I couldn't get her settled for and she was going backwards up the hill we'd just come down, but stayed at least pointing at it. so we were all very pleased.

No where near the perfect ride, but in control and listening .... so we are both improving.

Now if we could just get her to stand still at the mounting block....

molly the mule

i didn't have any great plans for tonight - i was falling asleep, having been up super early this morning for some reason - but i did think get her in and groom her would be good. bear in mind she'd been in the this morning for the farrier, and had been in her stable for a bit, i could tell that.

So i went out, and there was three of them in the field shelter over the far side of the field. put the head collar on to get her in; she planted herself, sorry, I'm dozing nicely here and i'm not moving, was the sum total, I think.

ah well .... she obviously didn't want to spoil the week off she'd just had

flu jabs

so the vet turned up and did the flu jab; asked for a vaccination card that i'd never had, so will have to ring up tomorrow to find out what that's about .... i thought it was the passport that was wanted. katie the pony has a dust allergy, which is what i'd thought when fay said; exactly the same as molly, she's been moved into what was molly's box up by the door where there's more air. she can't go out 24/7, however, as she gets acute laminitis if not watched like a hawk.....and the vet impressed all round, i gather, didn't surprise me!

i picked the phone up at 1650 and didn't put it down until 1805. so i was pleased molly had already been seen today.

still far too windy to do anything ....

wind & another scar

was so strong there were trees being blown flat - just not worth the effort of thinking about riding, as I think i've said before, it gets me ratty and that transfers to the horse (and that's before you start thinking about whatever might blow up and spook her!).

One of the other mares has had another go at her; I'm getting really hacked off with this. There had been no problem over the winter particularly, but now it seems every time I look at her there's another place where she's been booted by another horse. I am fairly sure it is always a side on clip from a horse shoe; there's no wire in the field so it can't be that, otherwise one would think it looked like a barbed wire cut. depressing. Don't want to have to move her again, but one day it's going to be something worse than minor lines across the flesh

The only other thought is if there's a nail sticking out from a fence or something somewhere; but if there was, Molly wouldn't be the only one getting caught on it, surely?

mental note (now i've thought of this possiblity) go check fence line and field shelter, just in case. and take hammer with me.

washing

was hung out on the line in glorious sunshine this morning; so i had to rush home to get it in, as there was rain behind me and apparently rain in front of me and more rain expected. since this was the stuff that didn't get dry on sunday ..... and sods law says it won't now rain at all. So Molly got looked at, checked over for injuries, and that was it. It was blowing a gale as well so I don't suppose I missed a lot in terms of a dry calm ride ...

we were going to have curry tonight, but partner has just rung to say that the curry house is closed for refurbishment. damn. that's about a week's meals for the price of one (non vegetable thali with extra nan, goes a long way between 2!); and I'll have to cook, which i had anticipated avoiding....

schooling

Tonight we were in the arena - and that went relatively well, I really start to think we are starting to get somewhere.

Someone had left a jump up, so I took it down and turned the poles into trotting poles; if Molly had been over trotting poles before, it was before I had her so I didn't know what she'd make of them. She made nothing of them, was quite happy trotting over them.

And, I actually remembered how to canter, that is, how to get canter, so we got that and kept it going for a couple of circuits of the arena, so I was really pleased with me about that! that was right rein, couldn't get it left rein, but hey, non the less pretty good.

Course, when we started it was nicely cool and no sun; by half way through the sun was blazing down and I couldn't see going one way which was particularly unhelpful. Can't keep your head up and look through the horses ears when it hurts your eyes!

But I was very pleased with that altogether.

I think I'm getting more confidence now as well, which has to be an advantage!

wet depressing day

you know, we're never happy over here.

Collected my washing and hung it out; it then got soaked when it rained while we were out.

Haven't been able to ride molly as she's soaked - yes I could get her dry but that would take forever....

washer is still broke, it needs a man ...

but the kitchen & bathroom are cleaner than they were, which is good!

off topic photos

of morecambe bay sunset last weekend ...

really good ride

if very hot, and very late - I rang G at 2, she said she'd be there at 3, turned up at almost 4.... but we decided if she'd said 7 it would have been better!!!

Anyway, the really good ride. I said, let's go to the riding school as we hadn't been that way for ages, and in the heat it's a good ride as it's mostly walking.

It involved setting off past the house and along the track; Molly went on ahead, had a couple of points where she thought about napping but listened to me and didn't, essentially she was in front - usually by a good way - virtually the entire ride. gaynor had to keep telling me to slow down, hadn't realised how far ahead of her I'd got! the only time gaynor got alongside was going up a stretch of road to the riding school yard itself, don't know why that was. So we were very pleased.

But i'd had to use some of the time before Gaynor arrived bathing a wound - one of the other mares, don't know which, keeps having a go, and today there was a sliced line down the near side back of her quarters that definitley needed bathing and stuff put on.

And she had to be washed off of course when we got back ..... it's now trying to rain, and we hope it succeeds!

oh, and i put my stirrups up a hole, seemed to help ....

night off

bit knackered this friday (couldn't repeat last friday, the exceptional friday ride! ) so came home and managed to get the filter off the front of the washing machine, must do some washing and need to sort that out. took a penny out. should work. doesn't work. which means we need a man out and hopefully we won't have to dismantle the damn kitchen! and going to the office tomorrow to try and get caught up .....

Molly i think was happy to have the night off (certainly didn't want to walk over to the field gate) as if she isn't fat enough. and had managed to turn her fly fringe into a beard, must get one of those velcroed headcollars with fly fringe attached but i've only ever seen one and that was on a pony, not in a shop ....

partners gone to do the three peaks challenge tomorrow, 26 miles pen y ghent, whernside & ingleborough, mad fool!

a new route

I wasn't going to ride tonight, but Liz & Paul were going out and they kindly waited for me ( a pain, as usual Molly wouldn't stand still to be mounted ..... ggrrhh)

We went up the side of the geldings field and then down through the park, the reverse of a route Molly & I have done before. She was very tedious along the top of the field and I got quite panicky - kept napping back at a place where there's a quite steep drop off to the left and nowhere to go ... but did eventually go on, she wasn't allowed to go back as she was in front and there was nowhere to go, we had to do it. Anyway, down through the park she was slighly on her toes but ok, up to the gate, then the new bit, round the back of our farm. the route takes you right the way down a long genlte slope and then through a wood beside the river - you can imagine the type of thing, a coppice of trees and rosebay willowherb (will be when it flowers anyway) and waterside bog type plants, the sort of area that turns into a morass after rain and in the winter, narrow track, a really good ride.

Molly was pretty well behaved through there, particularly as she was behind Liz's horse and molly doesn't really like being behind except when she wants to be, the more so when Liz's horse jeffrey took major exception to some rather large leaves growing in the path (looked like false rhubarb....). So overall pretty good.

But I must take my stirrups up a hole.

And the new pad, whilst loads better than the old one, does insist on slipping back which can't be right, you end up with the edge of the pad under the saddle.

and Molly had to have a really good wash off when we got back, dripping with sweat she was....

shearing

when i got to the yard tonight, the sheep were being sheared. Certainly different from as seen in demonstration at county shows! and a couple of the owners were helping out by rolling the fleeces and sweeping up - but to the extent that Fay didn't clock what time it was until i asked her where gaynor was, fay was supposed to be at gaynor's babysitting whilst gaynor came out riding with me. Duh. I said, if I'm here it has to be at least 6pm .....

so i pottered about the arena, realised i hadn't put the saddle on right so had to get off and do it again, then stood and talked, then went back in the arena, then though, I'll go round our favourite field again only to be hijacked by one of the geldings who always wants to be at molly (or any mare ....) so i gave up, at which point gaynor arrived so i went up to the geldings field and up the side of it with her. that was vaguely successfull as i did get molly to the top of that hill on her own, which was the first time she'd done that and I dind't have my stick with me. so i suppose on balance it was a goodish sort of night...

tired/....

i was tired when i woke up this morning, and even more so coming home tonight; not happy with my driving in consequence and therefore decided not to ride (not worth it when too tired as you don't do what you wanted or don't do it as you should, you know what i mean....). It's going to rain, was in fact raining a bit on the way home, i shall sit here and quietly wilt till bedtime.

slipping ...

I was, on the saddle, which seems to have lost it's non stick qualities (its nubuck leather, should be a bit sticky). I probably need to see where the cleaning instructions are and give it a clean ....

Went out for a ride with Gaynor. I was very pleased with Molly to start with. We were going along the lane, which normally I can't even get her to the beginning of, but she went along the start of it very nicely and then decided to trot. I decided to let her, on the principle that it was forward motion and rather that than have her napping earlier than she might otherwise have done. She then duly napped, despite my trying to prevent her doing so. Got her going again, and then she had several nappy moments at her favourite spot (the orchard gate) and then decided to march on down the lane in front, towards the ford. so far so good, and we went into the field. the plan was to go up Holme Hill, which is a canter track usually, we had two fields to go to get there. she napped and jogged and jinked and I slipped and slid and we decided that holme hill was not the place to go. So we thought we'd go up the side of the big field (it's a climb in itself, but not one where the horses expect a fast canter) and both Molly & Charlie were disconcertred, and so were we, by the length of the grass! normally they keep the field edges mown, but not round this - i wouldn't have wanted to walk it myself, loads of nettles and you really couldn't see if there were any rabbit holes or anything, very disconcerting. Eventually she settled down as we went along the top and back down, but I'd lost some confidence by then.

A total contrast to last week, when I had confidence and so did she, and I wasn't slipping about all over the place, but I coulnd't get it together tonight at all. And I think if we'd gone Holme Hill I would have been too tense to be sensible ....

But overall, Molly did well, and it was a good ride really - I think half my problem was probably that I was starving, no tea before I ride..... never a good plan that, really, but not a lot of choice!

Flat work tomorrow in the arena, and a ride out again on wednesday.

too hot

far too hot this evening. Had I been at home this morning, I expect it would have been cool enough to do something; but by the time we got back from Morecombe (via hutton in ribblesdale and hawes, not mention leyburn and bedale stuck behind caravans..... and constable burton hall gardens which we found ourselves passing) it was far far too hot to do anything. I got the fly repellent and head collar, went into the field, caught her, put her flyveil back in place, covered her in fly repellent again and came away.

But we had a nice time last night and I've got some really good photos of sunsets.....

morning ride

decided to ride this morning as we're going to morecambe again for a party (driving down while the match is on, should be no traffic about LOL).

So went down a bit too late to go out with a couple of them,never mind. Got her in and groomed etc and decdied to put on the fly veil I'd bought at the sale t'other week, it attaches to the bridle. She did not like that. She pulled back as it went over her face, pulle d the tie up ring out (it had been fixed to the stable door) and I got a rope burn, ouch. then later I realised she'd in fact pulled the door, I think the door jamb, so the door won't close. Will have to keep an eye on her in case she's done something to her poll/neck/back in consequence.

But went out for a ride anyway, young emily was out, just round the 20 acre yet again, in trot, I wanted to work on getting the trot better, which I managed, then a bit in the arena when we got back.

Then mowed the lawn when I came home; all before breakfast! had asked partner to mow the lawn, but ..... didn't happen.

forecast for thundery showers tomorrow so might not ride at all if it's doing that when we get back.

two days down

blogger was. no reason given just unexpected technical failure. I wasn't clever enough to write it up in word to paste in .... so three days worth tonight!

Wednesday - we discovered Molly has no objection to someone drilling holes in sandstone wall, but takes serious exception to a hoover (she broke the baler twine and took herself back to the field, lucky there were others about as I was sitting on the loo .....). I decided to lunge her; she decided she woulnd't go right rein again. TBF, it is a long time since I've lunged her, I've been keen just to ride her when I can, but it was tedious! what she did on left rein was pretty ok, but what a cow the other way. And the saddle rack is up, so can leave saddle locked up at yard, glad to get it out of the car at long last! And the person I sold the endurance suberpad to, is a regular reader, hello Jan! it's a small world, isn't it .....

Thursday, got the cheyenne back. the difference between the new pad and the previous was immediately obvious just taking it out of the car, clearly symmetrical. the difference is clear riding as well, feels a lot better and no rub. And no movement. Allison came out with us, we just walked round the 20 acre yet again!

Today - exceptionally, I'm usually too tired by Friday, rode again and gaynor came out (exceptional for her as well, but she'd been ill all week till yesterday!) and we walked round the 20 acre then turned right over the ford, along the side of a copse, through to the field, back through another gate and back along. Molly trotting and Charlie cantering, not at full tilt but Molly had her nose in front. We had planned to just walk, what with the heat. I wished afterwards I'd suggested we canter up the hill, they would have both enjoyed it and I need to get some faster work into Molly really.

Anyway, that's the quick recap on the week!

heatwave?

from freezing to boiling in one week - and the forecast is to stay good till the weekend at least!

We rode again tonight; still no dints behind the wither. Tomorrow I'll try it without the gel pad. We went out in company tonight, 4 of us but just for a walk. Molly did 4 or 5 naps on the way round, and was sticky at a couple of gates (but very good going through some sheep!) and very good round the 20 acre - which we did going to the yard, not my usual away from the yard.

It was all in walk, too hot for anything else

But the gp is very hard compared to the treeless - although I have at least found my seatbones again!

And of course, I'd forgotten to put my suede seatsaver back on the saddle, no stickiness! and very perched...

the news on the barefoot is that i was right, there was a fault with the pad which has been replaced. So I'll have that back tomorrow or thursday... That's the trouble with buying things you haven't actually seen in the flesh, you don't know what you're looking for and therefore can't see that there's a problem immediately. Anyway, very good service from horseandharmony, thank you!

another ride roung the block

in the gp.

not sure. That is, I'm not sure about it. Still no dint behind the wither, but still got the gel pad on. and today I had the stirrups too short, having sorted them out so they were at least a better length and equal!

today for the first time she went down the hill without napping back AT ALL, so that was pleasing. BUT we me someone coming the other way and she started napping back as soon as she clapped eye on horse/rider. Happily, I knew the person and her horse from ages ago, and she kindly agreed to turn round and ride back round the field the way she had come (there was clearly no way Molly was going to NOT follow her horse). So we got round and back without any further napping. Shame I had to ask, but she wasn't going to and I don't want her to nap back and me have to give in unless I am totally forced into it. The person has been there herself - her horse used to be forever tanking off and generally being a seriously major handful, but now is ok and is even being sensible on fun rides out, which was good to hear.

Gaynor had said she'd be there - but wasn't ..... ah well!

gp saddle

today i went down to north yorkshire for lunch - friend and her partner (a horse vet!) have a new to them house they are renting - mega - land, horses with them, wow - anyway, she'd been trying my GP on her horse, didn't fit so I brought it back with me.

Since it's the only saddle I had about, I thought I'd put it on Molly - and I'd foudn my gel pad as well - and see if she'd changed shape again. Went round the 20 acre again (not the best ride in the world, I realised too late my stirrups were seriously uneven so had to stay in walk) then when i got back put the stirrups right and went in the arena.

Last time i had the gp on her, it didn't fit, indentations behind the wither where the tree was pressing in. Today, no indentations ...... bizarre. I did try it with the gel pad last time, and it didn't make any difference. She's obviously changed shape again.

anyway, she was good again, went down the hill with ony one turn round (which was particularly impressive as on of the geldings, the one that she always stops and flirst with, was just there near the fence!) and quite happy to go on round the field. she did have one stop - some wildflowers that weren't there last time!!!! but that was all and she was ok about carrying on.

So I'm still pleased with her, and we're both gaining confidence in going out.

Will try the saddle again tomorrow.

Mind, it does feel very hard after riding in the cheyenne!

bareback again

My saddle is in the boot of my partner's car, on its way to aberdeen to be taken to horseandharmony - there is an asymmetry in teh pad, and since partner was going up anyway, it struck me that it made much more sense to send saddle & pad and then they can see them both together and even put them on a horse!

So I rode bareback today - well, with the bareback pad. Of course needed help to get on, but (it might have been the heat) it wasn't nearly such trouble as it has been in the past. Young Emily was able to hold her at the mounting block after I'd led her round and stood her in place, and she stayed there.

Plus - moved to the other half of the yard today, and the mounting block there is much more the thing, don't actually need a stirrup, can just put a leg over.

just did a lot of walk work in the arena, interesting how you really notice what muscles do what when there is absolutely nothing between you & the horse. only 20/25 minutes, but quite good and interesting.

The only b. was, Molly of course hasn't worked out yet that the barn isn't home anymore, and I couldn't get her to do anything except go to the barn when we came out of the arena. at least she did it in walk!

and I put the bitless bridle back on today, thought it was time for a change as she has been a wee bit shaky with the bit just lateley, especially when you first put it in.

But spent the day there - moving all my stuff from one tack room to another, rearranging everything (you know how that is), hosing down new stable, etc. Decided not to go home for lunch (wished I'd taken a packed lunch with me) - 5 miles each way, it's much quicker/cheaper to nip up to sainsbury's for a sandwich than go all the way home and back.

knackered though. I'd been invited down to a friends at Ripon, but frankly I think I'll struggle to keep my eyes open if I set off down there now!

another success

Well, Molly really surprised me tonight.

It was a lovely day - you wouldn't think it had been the same week as Monday! There were in fact other people riding but they'd gone out before I'd had a chance to even get changed .... never mind, there was someone to help me get on, and she was good about that for a change. I thought, the hell with it, let's see if we can get down the 20 acre, not having managed it on our own before I was ill a few weeks ago.

She did one turn round on the way down to it, then walked nicely down the hill, through the gate, trotted all the way round the field, through the gate out, trotted the lane back to the yard, didn't once show any sign of napping at anything or finding something to shy at, excellent. It was the worst sewing machine trot you could imagine, but it was moving forward, not going backwards, so t did me.

Very pleased with her.

Since that was so good, I thought that was enough and turned her out and came home.

and I've just got on to the computer - partner has been hogging it, filling in a job application - and found the suberpad has sold, excellent! So that's me to the post office in the morning ...

tired

I could NOT get to sleep last night; possibly because of the cup of tea I drank at 8pm, possibly because ididn't have my usual hot chocolate, but either way, had a very bad night last night, so went out without my jodphurs this morning and decided i didn't care as I'd be too tired by tonight, which is about right! surprised i kept going as long as i did really.

Molly is happy, and fatter, and one of the fishermen told me he'd been feeding her the odd polo. He might come to regret that. I said, i don't mind if it's only the odd one. But the same chap is going to have a word with the people last night, he said; I said, don't worry too much they didn't see me and I wasnt' doing the stentorian bellow thing but he thought he would, he said their rule is not to have fishing rods waving about the place precisely in case they frighten the horses. Apparently the man had caught a 9lb salmon and was telling his mate the tale ... as you do....