last post of this blog!

Since it's turning into the search for a new horse, I've started the new blog:

myfifthhorse

Follow the link!

I don't think I'll post more to this one. Molly's story is pretty much done.

However, I shall welcome you all to the new one and hope that, in due course, i have good things to report instead of the continuing litany of what hasn't worked, LOL

not sound

got a free arena so took her in on the way from the field - she's still not quite right on that shoulder. goodness knows what she did to it...

Darley didn't get my online app, it's missing in the ether, so did another one...

acquaintance from blackdene rang to tell me about a 5 year old TB down in crook, that's quiet enough for her daughter to ride (daughter quite young, not sure if she's quite in her teens yet) so i said i might be interested to see that...

interesting what pops up as word gets round!

starting to look

last time i actively looked for a horse was 1995 - and i got queenie, who i had known for years anyway.

it's interesting!

was offered a nice one today, but for more money than i have. was told of another that someone is trying to give away - it's 18, so no thank you! LOL.

also told of another place in yorkshire rehoming OTTB's, so off to investigate that...

and horsemart:

http://www.horsemart.co.uk/advert/9_yrs_16_2_hh_dark_bay_thoroughbred_cleveland/108236

couldn't get in arena again to see how molly is..

? on soundness

i did give a passing thought to trotting molly loose in the arena, to see how the right shoulder/whatever lameness is doing, but it was full of children so i decided to leave it to tomorrow.

but when i turned her out i had a look at how she was moving, and she seemed slightly uncomfortable still.

the bute was finished at the weekend, of course...

also discussed my decision with molly's previous owner, who fully agrees with my views on the subject - that's always good!

here's a thought

http://www.darleyrehoming.co.uk/index.asp

just sent an application in...

telling people

my decision....

those I've told so far this end are in support; partner thinks about time too, and Gaynor agrees the way to go as well

so, horse hunt...

I keep saying my next horse will be a gelding, who'll hack on his own or in company, and will do gates, LOL!

I want to be able to get out without worrying about whether we'll even get out the gate but also be able to train and actually get out and do some dressage as well (I've never been a jumper!), so i wouldn't want one that doesn't want to be in the arena

There's a lot to be said for an OTTB - a friend had a lovely one last spring that would have fitted the bill perfectly, but he was bought to sell on and now has been...but something of his stamp, with a sensible head on his shoulders - and they've all been out and about and know that whiteboards and such like won't eat them!

my plan is to potter on with Molly until we find something else (assuming she recovers from this weeks lameness, which one hopes she does, we didn't think it was anything too awful!)

6 years come october

since I had molly

here's the first entry of my earlier blog:

http://clairehodgson.20six.co.uk/clairehodgson/archiveofmonth/2005/07/00

and then i moved to blogger in summer of 2006

What progress has been made?

none.

the heading of this blog says

"This is the continuation of the story of my mare Molly and her retraining into, hopefully, a sensible horse, a safe hack, and a horse able to obtain decent marks at dressage as she has really nice paces when she's working well ...."

i haven't managed that.

I've learnt a lot in the time I've had her, spent a lot of money, improved my skill set no end...

but I don't have a "safe hack" (unless she's safe because she refuses to go, or sets off and plants, that's safe enough), and i don't have a horse able to obtain decent marks at dressage.

And we're reverting to where we were in terms of being able to have a bit in the mouth, and being mounted...

and she's 16, and has arthritic changes in both fetlocks, probably...

I've made up my mind to retire her and get another horse that I can enjoy for the ridden work...

I could put her in foal, but there's little point - I'd be 60 time any foal was ready to be ridden, would i really want to be backing a baby at 60?

I'll probably keep her going till i find something else; they do grass livery at the yard I'm on....

also, i really HAVEN'T the heart to keep trying - as my friend said in the spring, this was the year for her to come good...

edited to add: as and when i get new horse, that will mean new blog, i shall close this one then...

of bits and necks

usually, when the poll is out, one thinks that that causes various resistances

is that the case when the resistances were there in any event in a horse that, in its previous life, had been ridden etc. in a bit that hurt her?

been thinking about this all day, jean!

but think about the history - it's the same as her thing with gates, she remembers what happened when she was 6 months old, and IMHO the thing with bits is the same, she assumes it's going to hurt even if it isn't any more...

i think probably the poll being slightly out wont be helping, and obviously i've emailed the physio to come and see .. but i can't sensibly think that'll make much difference, in the scale of things...

at least she'll eat bute!

we think

it's some sort of wrench or something due possibly to hoolying in the field on hard ground...feet of course were fine (trimmed last week!) not gravelled, no probs with white line of course, possibly very minor bruise in one very small place but that was dubious as a diagnosis...

nothing obvious to find, save a shade stiff on the right shoulder

probably nothing to do with the fetlocks, as this is a right sided lameness, not a bilateral one

so week off, bute for 4 days, double up her supplement for the same period, see how she is after that.

if that doesn't do it, it's probably old age.. doh.

cream for the eye

her teeth? the dentist had been doing a good job.

She is out at her poll, but i showed vet how that was NOT relevant to bitting...ah, he says.

it's all in her mind....

and not sound...

i did wonder last night - whilst she was willing to trot and moving on and listening to me in terms of direction, etc, i wasn't totally sure that she was right...

so i lunged tonight - it's subtle, but she's not sound.

i'm hoping it's just a bruise somewhere from being kicked (unlikely, they've all been very settled from the day she moved in!) but more likely to be because she's living on a hill ....

just as well i've booked the vet!

and tea tonight will include home grown peas. shame partner can't stand peas! i haven't grown many...

dodgy eye and no bit...

fortunately I've already arranged for the vet to come Wednesday to look at her teeth, as when molly came in tonight her eye is a bit swollen and hot and there was red where there should be white; guess the flies have been at something, she now has her fly mask on (hope she keeps it on, it's a few years since she's worn one, as she used to be a dab hand at getting them off.

she wouldn't take the bit, even with her favourite feed as a treat, so we went bitless - and she was very responsive tonight, lots of circles and diagonals in a half decent trot, and i was able to slow it, and stop, with my seat, so more progress.

then a friend was taking her gelding back to his field, which involves going down the track towards the hacking area, so i followed; even more impressively, i was able to open the arena gate without getting off, well pleased with that!

this free jumping malarkey

is quite good fun, if strenuous when there's only one person to direct!

she liked the hooley around she indulged in when i misdirected her (or rather, failed to direct her at all!) but made some quite nice efforts

started off with lowish poles either side of the arena, to be taken either direction, and finished with one larger jump - not huge, you get me, 3 pole pods high, with a pole in front one pole pod high, butted against the fence one side and with a couple of poles at an angle the other side to help keep her on track - and once i got the direction right, she made a couple of good efforts at that

big scary model strawberry

and loads of parked cars round ig.

Me? go down that track when i can see that big scary strawberry, the parked cars and a field of horses between me and them? No, shan't, she said.

drat. and i had to get someone to hold her head whilst i got on.

on the other hand, when we went back in the arena, trot is starting to really come together, and the good note to finish was two proper steps of rein back. (and yes, i did walk her forward before getting off).

the but went in with a handful of her feed, which she loves.

friend is going to lend me a KK Ultra to try

we're going to double check her teeth, even though it's not that long since they were done, so that's an appointment to make monday.

now off out - to see Roseanne Cash at the Sage Gateshead. should be a good night!

ggrrhh

it's a lovely evening, but am i riding? no ..

partner going out to a concert starting at 8, so had to eat early ...

ggrrhh

it's the best night we've had all week as well!

dead bra - and rain!

being poked by wire in a strategic place is not a good plan when riding, so having realised this was going to be an issue, had decided not to ride; then it was raining again anyway!

a new bit?

possibly might be needed.

I've been wondering for a while - you all know of the trouble i have getting a bit in her mouth!

and whilst I know that a 5" is too wide, i wonder also if the 4 1/2" is a shade narrow?

anyhoo, trimmer was out today, and stopped to chat for a bit after the feet were done, whilst i was tacking up, and she helped with the bitting performance - she also wondered if it was a shade narrow .... only a shade, though!

she suggested Nueu Schule (they're based about 30 miles away) and said that if necessary they can make one specially for the horse

also, there's a bit bank run by someone who trained there, and she comes out, so I've sent her an email asking her to do just that...

if I can find a bit she'll accept without a fight every time, and that she'll then work in, we'll be getting further!

Molly's feet were fine, trimmer very happy with them but suggests i put some linseed into her to keep the feet more moist (she says, better to put it inside, than outside!)

Rode after that; not as good as the other day, the trot was ok left rein but not right rein; the arena was a shade boggy at one end after all that rain last night

walk, however, is coming on nicely, and we're starting to make a small amount of progress on sideways and rein back...

a thunderstorm

going on outside; so when i get to yard i will have a wet horse....albeit a warm one, since it's still like a warm bath!

it's like a warm bath

outside

warm and raining....and somewhat wet!

muuuch better..

trot, with the bit in!

not that it was perfect, but there were some perfect moments....

so getting there, hurray.

it must be the bit

as she's trotting fine with the bitless on...

mmmmm

well, i needed to organise a lesson, so that's something to ponder with RI...

not that i rode for long - time we'd done all the jet washing and other stuff associated with cleaning old stables! - but it was nice and quiet and I hadn't done anything for a couple of days what with rain/gales...

so only about 15 minutes, but trot was not a problem - brakes were, but trot wasn't. and i think the brakes problem was my problem, not hers, of course!

the arena is on top of an incline, and 6 ish is about the time when, just this time of year, the sun is going to be in your eyes in one direction, so i'll have to be careful of that as well

Molly was a lot calmer in the stable tonight - no moving about at all, to the extent that i actually felt safe picking her feet up (rather than, not being sure if going to be knocked over as she moves off again!) - not a lot happening, is probably why!

need to think some about the pad; happy with it, but did feel a shade tipped forward tonight which i hadn't the last couple of times i'd ridden with it..

but, local agent may turn up if passing - she hasn't one, and wants to see one, so i said if she was she was welcome to call...of course! I expect she will if she can...