another success

on the riding front. the person who is now sharing charlie came into the arena whilst i was riding; i asked if she'd give me a lead through the yard and along to the house, she agreed, so we did. molly started napping back to her stable but not nearly so severely as usual, and i kicked her on and she said "ok then" and followed charlie. we got to the willow tree with no trouble at all - and then my phone rang, dammit, or i would have said can we go further. the phone ringing was of course molly's opportunity to turn round whilst i answered it ... yes, i could have left it ringing, but you never know what has happened ..... it might have been important, after all. it wasn't. ...

but hey, that was a success, so we'll do that again.

in terms of getting to the right side of her head - you're right, jean, i'd omitted to keep up the leading from the right ..... must try and remember that. realised today, with the new haybar up, and where she stands to eat the hay, i'm now starting my grooming from her right, whereas previously i always started from her left. so that will/should help. will try those excercises in that context though - physio has me doing them for her anyway (or i'm meant to be, a lot more than i am!!)

she has started blotting her copybook again in terms of mounting - i had got her to a place where i could get on without help, but she's regressed now. she sees me put the stool there, thinks oh good treat, but forgets that the treat was connected with me getting on. so need to go back to having someone there, with strict instructions no polo until i'm on!

but at least these days she stands still when i get on, instead of charging off in a fast trot as she used to!!!!

another new book to read - one of richard maxwells (not the newest one) - arrived from amazon yesterday so starting in on that .....

walk past goblins ...

it was blowing a howling gale most of the day so i didn't expect to be able to do anything, but it dropped as i got to the yard (nice co-incidence!)

i decided to take her for a walk in hand - and was amazed she went past all the places she'd balked at last time we'd tried that! out of the yard, past the house, under the willow, up the track and quite a way along it. well pleased.

jean, the easy bit is the actual lunging; the difficult bit is that she won't let me round that side of her at all when she knows that's what we're going to be doing. takes about 1/2 hour or more of argument, usually putting the lungeline over her head, walking round behind her, try to send her away, she turns back in, and so on. stand her still at the fence line and go under her head, she puts herself back so i'm on her left again ... and as for trying to put side reins on. but she'll loose school right rein no problem so go figure! i can stand on her right hand side in the stable, not a problem. in the arena, a problem. last time i did eventually get there after the argument, she did eventually give in, but it's a debate or more every time. and last night i didn't win as we ended up with the lunge line caught on the bit ... not a clever idea.

I try to vary what we do

hey ho.

on the ground

yesterday afternoon .....

lunging - no she won't go right rein again

in hand? what's that, she says. So i need to be shown how to do that, i think - reading books can only take you so far. for instance, richard hinrichs says - look where you're going. but if you look where you're going, you're not looking at the horse, so i'm confused. unless e.g. you look where you're going but slightly over the horses shoulder? ?

and the arena is a bit deep for walking on foot - i managed to forget to put my long boots on so ended up with a boot full of arena material, never comfortable that!

But i would have had her walking along the lane, save that there was a very old lady walking the other way (owner's mother ...) and if molly decided she wanted to argue about it, knocking over old ladies is not a good plan!

it was a nice afternoon but no one else out, being thursday ...

and must get her clipped. at least with being off can organise that with gaynor for a weekday afternoon.

and yet again the man didn't turn up to mend our boiler and the roofer didn't turn up to mend the roof. dammit.

the hay bar is up

and after a bit of a 'oh my god what's this' and having to tempt her to it with some feed, once she worked out that's where the haylage had gone, she was fine with it.

and you can see the stable mirror up as well.

i'd been trying to put it up myself (really a two person job) but one of the estate chaps heard the drilling and came along and did it for me ... always useful to be seen to be making the attempt onself!

i've a feeling i'll still have haylage all over the floor as well - she likes to have a look see what's going on outside as well!

sorry about the poor quality photos - taken with phone not camera, and still getting used to new phone .... but considering no flash, not bad at all. I think if i'd used the camera, the flash would have given her another fright!!!

and no work for me. sick note..... whilst i put brain back together ....

and my right foot - the one i broke in july folks! - got stood on, at an angle, and i duly fell over and banged my hand, right hip and leg. rubber matting is all well and good to lie on, but falling on it still hurts. i was putting her rug on and she moved unexpectedly, got my foot and i was at an angle and had no choice but fall over ....

not doing well really!!!!!

no work tonight

with molly as i was too knackered. really really bad day at work .....

jean, thanks for that tip re mounting. will need a larger mounting block - she also moves away and i have to get down ..... tedious. we'll get there and that's another piece of ammunition in the training armoury.

riding

yesterday.

the plan was to put the haybar up then ride.

i made a total pigs ear of putting the hay bar up it won't go on a straight wall, ended up pulling the screw & plug out of the wall (doesn't say much about the walls ...) and will have to get someone to try and get the screw out of the plug before i can start again ..

riding. she's stopped behaving when being mounted - second time had to get someone to hold her, and i thought we'd cracked that one!

i'm still unhappy with the saddle. ithink it's partly molly's asymmetry, which is the same as her mother's at the front (shoulder) which makes it difficult. when i took it off there was some ruffling of her hair.

but she worked hard. had a bit of sweat when we finished. i decided to try some lateral work, first time i've tried that, and it made me think she doesn't really understand those aids. which makes me think i need to learn in hand work (that's why i bought richard hinrichs book & video) so i can try and give her an idea of what i'm after. also get some lessons on that as well.

didnt' do anything tonight - although the weather had improved subtantially from this morning, we had to wrestle with collecting partners car ..... which involves 2 round trips to teesside for her and just one for me and i'm confined to the office with no car...

christmas shopping

in newcastle.

we got up early and were there for just after 9. oh but i'm knackered now - and we didn't do nearly as much as some others do. in fact the only christmas presents i bought were a dvd & cd for my partner .... by 4 hours, my foot was starting to ache which it hasn't done for a while now. then partner wanted to go look at wardrobes, and as i expected we ended up back where we bought the fitted wardrobes in the main bedroom ... i said, this was why we bought them there better quality etc ...

so by the time i got to the yard i barely had the energy to muck out/bed up /fetch in, and now i'm at home i'm struggling to keep my eyes open ....

and the rug molly had had on definitely leaks. I'm very annoyed about that, you don't expect new unworn rugs to leak.

she's in very early with a bit more haylage than usual ...

no they don't count them in - have to rely on someone spotting she's last out. not everyone is bothered about their horse being out on its own .... my view, one should bother as a matter of principle, but on the other hand if someone has said don't get theirs in i wouldn't .

traffic jams

40 minutes to get from redcar to the a19 - about 10 miles, if that. and another 40 minutes after that. i drove up to the stables as kirsty brought molly round the corner, i was so pleased. she'd realised she had to be on her own as she was about to go home herself....

and it was blowing a gale and wet.

so tea and leave for the night was the order of the day!

jean - i can't get your blog anymore, it vanished ..... where'd you go? (it actually vanished quite quickly after i'd found it, the link just stopped working ...)

cold but not alone

molly had been brought in. i was pleased. she was about to be left and was spotted, excellent. partner wanted to go look at wardrobes .... so molly didn't do anything except eat. but it's cold so slightly thicker rug on ...

more yay!

after a bad start to the day - the alarm clock hadn't worked! we woke up at 7.07 instead of 6 .... happily friend was at yard so i rang up, she'd been about to ring me ..... she turned molly out, said she'd been looking very disgruntled!

so i had to muck out tonight, which i don't normally do, and was in two minds as to whether to do anything at all, but decided to see how we were after monday's success.

and we were well. true, she didn't let me move round the front of her to get to her right side. so I put the lunge line over her head and she went straight into trot right rein without a single argument. so i was very pleased. and she wasn't rushing like she had been on monday. so more yay!

kept her going a little that rein and brought her back to walk, then sent her the other way.

what i must do is get a new battery in my watch so i can time how long we go each rein.

anyway, i'll keep this going fo a bit and then move on to putting side reins on again and interchange that with two rein lunging.

i am starting to read richard hinrichs' book which is interesting and will teach me a lot, and will watch the video at the weekend (unless partner thinks of something more important .. but unlikely, she's away sunday!)

yay!

finally got molly to lunge right rein.. took some doing. she argued and argued and argued and i tried various tactics - tried the getting her to listen to me by poking her in the chest and telling her to go back, don't think she'd been asked that before so will have to go to that one another way! tried putting the lunge line over and then going behind her, tried all sorts ofthings ... eventually it was as if she just caved in and said go on then. she started off at a dreadful rush in canter, then to a hurried trot, but kept it going without trying to turn in again as she often does and was giving signs of what would have been join up had she been loose schooled.

so overall i was pleased with that.

i wasn't so pleased with the shenanigans prior, couldn't get girth done up on the lunging roller as she woulnd' t stand still for it. but i conlcuded that that wasn't goint to let her off, hence the lunging

don't know if there's something with her back again.

i finally got an email from the bowen person last week - 2 months later, she said her internet had been down, or her email at least ... i replied saying essentially better late than never and what's her diary like ... no response ...

electric

battery - went flat on the first hole in the wall for the haybar. duh. the one thing i forgot to check. never mind, it can wait till next weekend to go up...

I decided to try something today. I have one of those ergopads, a precursor to the suberpad. Thought, try it under the GP that i haven't sold yet and see if it makes the saddle usable.

it was like sitting on a board. Apart from being perched, I couldn't feel a thing except hardness underneath me.

got off again.

Molly wasn't overjoyed when she realised she wasn't just being put away but i was changing the saddle. so when i went to get back on she wouldn't stand, had to be held. But hey, she'd stood the first time, and we had to wait whilst gaynor finished lunging charlie and then go up the top end of the arena instead of our usual spot.

then i had gaynor check she was using her left hind properly, which she was, so that was good.

but it took me a while to get her to really listen, and then she decided she'd had enough.

she was giving it what for with her head, over bending dreadfully (which is in a way better than stargazing, but too much ....) interspersed with the odd bit of nice walk steps. so i did a bit of stop/start, trying to keep her on the bit, and some trot/walk, which didn't work very well.

It might have helped if i'd had my bra on though ....

hay bar

finally got one. they have them at farmway hexham, thought they might have, last month they had the literature but no hay bars. bought it. they said, they were walking out the door, which doesn't surprise me. all i have to do now is buy some solid bolts and washers to put it up. people have suggested make something of all sorts of things - chicken wire and wood, garden mesh, various things - but i couldn't wrap my brain round that ... and this I know is ok.

Mind, we had such a busy day I didn't do anything with her at all! had to go up to see about old queenie (pay her keep, provide some feed, see how she's doing) and if we do that we go hexham and corbridge as well, well i hadn't planned corbridge but partner wanted to .... didn't get back to the yard till just before it got dark, and still had to go to partner's sister's after that..... i said, if it raing tomorrow i'll not be happy as the weather was canny today, especially this morning.

and if i needed retail therapy, i certainly got it ... apart from the hay bar, Richard Hinrichs book AND video on lunging/long reining/working from the ground. I'd bid on a couple on ebay and am watching one at the moment (the videos) but the price they are being bid to, when i looked at the price new, i thought i might as well buy the new as by the time you add the postage on to an ebay purchase i wouldn't in fact have saved anything.

so looking forward to that.

and the usual feed/shavings. and we went to ikea last night .....

tomorrow need to mop our new floor; had the dining room/lobby/conservatory/downstairs loo tiled the same as the kitchen (they all run into each other) and it looks gorgeous but once the grouting is dry it all has to be mopped. and the kitchen floor badly needed doing anyway. then will put shoe rack back next to back door and try and persuade partner that leaving outdoor shoes/boots at the door is a really good idea. shame the cats can't be persuaded to wipe their feet ....

alone

molly had been left in the field on her own! I was not happy. I was surprised she wasn't totally demented, but she shoudl not have been left out on her own at all. I thought everyone knew that... i've said it enough times, and really it should go without saying!

clicker

thought i'd try and see if i could use this to get her standing still in the arena when i want, or moving to the right when i want.

i think standing still might work she was getting the idea.

don't see how move right (with me on her right side) will as it's too complicated to work out. i'm too near, my arm isn't long enough.... need to work on the theory. standing still is much more simple!

will try again another night.

but it was COLD tonight ... forecast frost, and i've bought some deicer, first of the year

last week this week

what's the difference?

this week is darker and less wet, apart from that not a lot to choose....

and tonight i got stuck in the most horrendous traffic jam and had to ring to ask that molly be brought in, then muck out round her once i got there... very tedious.....

burnt fingers

literally.

i was busy putting tea together; stew, which i make in a cast iron pot .... so of course the handles get hot. i forgot to put the oven gloves on to pick it up to put it in the oven. i think i'll regret this by tomorrow ...

in the meantime, it was a gorgeous day. i mowed the lawn, hung some laundry out, vac'd up all the leaves from our maple

and rode Molly round the 20 acre in company. Gaynor on Charlie & young Emily on Katie, walk round the 20 acre. the only problem we had was when we met a horse coming the other way, she thought she ought to follow it back ... but that was because she was so far ahead of the other two (far be it from Molly to walk slowly!) that she'd forgot she was with them and wanted some company.

Mind, she'd been a bit of a pain before we set off, wanting to nap back to the stable - but that soon stopped once she clocked charlie! - and when we got to the end of the 20 acre she set off hom in fast trot, but I did get her settled back to a walk.

So I was pleased with her.

Not so pleased with the grandeur pad still. It doesn't sit square under the saddle and slips backwards .....part of which is probably her asymmetry.

If i hadn't had to spend so much on the d*** car i might have been able to afford a fhoenix by now ....

But i know someone who would like to buy my cheyenne if i get round to selling it.... I still need to sell the treed saddle as well....

and Molly was in and done by 4pm. you can tell it's winter coming when the clocks go back an hour and it's dark by 5 or so. TBF i could have gone down later, but then I'd have missed the chance of company going round the field.

more progress?

partner came to the yard with me today. i thought we'd try an experiment since i wasn't on my own.

partner went ahead of molly (had to walk backwards) with polo in hand. that got us as far as the house, which is further than she'd go that way in hand last weekend.

i was really pleased

but she still wouldn't go down the lane, and then a car came down .... wasn't worth the argument enough to hold everyone up, so went back.

but it was some sort of progress!

and we need a new fridge freezer, ours has acquired a leak

and we had to have the aa out to partners car - killed a tyre, and i don't know if you've ever tried to change a tyre on a new car, especially when it was fitted in the tyre shop .... painfull.

so molly's work was the good bit of the day .... rest of it not so exciting!

wind wind wind

not the week for horsing around really!

wet wet wet

but not the band, the weather. i was pleased i'd decided to rug this morning, first time this season - but annoyed as well. i'd bought the rug last spring but molly hadn't had it on; it leaked. not too badly, but her bum was wet. of course, the receipt is history and even if i still had the receipt i wouldn't be able to prove she hadn't had it on.

and she wasn't actually too happy to be in tonight, oddly enough; she was not a happy bunny at all! hope she settled down and remembered she had a friend in the mirror!

hah!

last night i was so knackered i could barely move. so i thought, weather will be good tonight, partners out, ride tonight.

so i was just approaching the entrajnce to the drive, listening to the weather forecaster telling us that it would be a mostly dry night, when it started raining. by the time i got down the yard, 1 mile, it was raining and it got heavier and didn't stop until just now .. if it has...

so HAH!

and i didn't post last night as there was something wrong with blogger, couldn't get on ...

and better again

Molly was back to letting me get on today, I guess yesterday was an aberration.

I was trying to get her to come forward on to the bit and also try and feel the hind legs coming through with a view to trying to get that left hind through more to build some muscle where there should be some ...

don't know if it was working.

it takes her a while to warm up into everything, ages to start thinking about doing it properly.

and whatever i do i can't seem to sit right.

i think it probably is the saddle ... whilst i like the cheyenne, i don't think it's helping my position as such.
and I WISH i could stop my right knee rising so my foot comes out of the stirrup, it's very annoying. it's partly to do with my crook back

but i shouldn't winge, we're making good progress.

might have made better if anyone had been up for walking round the 20 acre with me, but i'd missed everyone.

after I'd ridden i decided to walk her along through the yard to the house - with the clicker and some treats (wrong ones, it was polos, but hey). she certainly has the idea ..... and we were doing ok but it then got all too distracting what with a sudden rush of cars, and then a steady stream of horses.

at one point she could hear two horses rustling in the leaves that have fallen on the track ... they were only on their way back after a hack - and suddenly decided that was horribly scary! she could hear the noise but not see the horses, so i can understand it.

so i gave up at the finish. I need to pick a time like midday or something when there's no one much around (makes a change from wanting people around all the time!!! LOL)

not quite so good

thought she might have kept up her record of letting me get on - but she didn't. possibly my fault, but i dont' think so ... there was another horse inthe arena (standing still!) with person talking to rider. i don't know. had to get fay to hold her (and then she didnt' get a polo, as she'd already had it!)

and she needs clipping. it was really hot, the sun was out, and i was doing some trot as well as walk .... not quite dripping, but wellk sweaty under the girth and starting to get damp down the neck.

i thought i'd try and get her back through the yard ridden, but not. so i led her through - she didn't want to - and then along towards the big house. she did NOT want to do that. once i got beyond the side of the stables, she didn't want to go further at all. clearly something in her head. circling doesnt' work as she still stops and won't move forward when facing to the lane. very bizarre. she'll come back that way ok if we go round the 20 acre, but not out that way. and i'm not aware of anything ever happening!

i think that might be something for the clicker training! every time she takes a step forward there, click etc. if she doesn't nothing. i imagine she'll soon get the idea.

friday night

and i forgot we're meant to be worming tomorrow.

strongid p double dose.

it had clearly been tipping down at the yard, not long stopped when i got there, and all molly wanted was to be in and be fed. she was being verypathetic at the gate.

she was asleep this morning before i got there..... i'm so pleased with the effect that the stable mirror is having....

i want

one of these - never mind the landrover and trailer, this is mint. and for less than the price of some cars.......

wow.

in the meantime, I was totally knackered tonight - got to the office at 0750, did 10.3 hours chargeable work, didn't leave till about 1730 ....

you can imagine, didn't WANT to do anything with molly tonight.

and she was desperate to be in ..... cantered up to the gate, ran through it (i was lucky not to have a loose horse!!!) .... fed, watered, new shavings in, settled ... left her to it.

and then we had to go back see the builder, as he still hasn't sorted the roof (or at least, the roofer that he thought had come to do it a couple of weeks ago hadn't turned up.....).

still good ..

tonight we found out whether she would still stand still to be mounted when there was another horse in the arena.

answer - yes she would.

had to do the girth up with her moving around, but once i'd done that she was happy to take the polo and stand still

and i was ahead of her in her desire to get out of the gate

but i had to stop before i wanted to - a bit of the fence, which is next to the field, had been loose and katie the pony took the trouble to deliberately knock it down, one rail quite a way into the arena. all it would have taken at that point would be for one of the horses in the field just to step up into the arena. plus there was a risk of nails.

so i got off and put molly away and went back to see what i could do about the fence - not a lot, in the dark....

clicker

i could have done something more than that ....but it was a bit foggy and everyone was going home. so i decided to try to start the clicker training. i think she got the idea!!!!

london

me not the horse. had a case in the court of appeal today - being really posh, i'm blogging this from the train home! decision reserved until whenever sowe'll all be on tenterhooks for that. and i've just had the news that partner managed to do molly's bed very well and molly got to eat some apples from our garden .....

continuing progress ..

Molly still was happy for me to get on wihtout someone holding her head. still needs the polo, but hey, if that's what it takes!

she had one minor glitch. She hadn't been too keen on going left today, and at one point we'd come to a halt by the gate (which was open!!) and out she went - ah, she says, i can go back to the stable and if i have a tantrum i won't have to come back.

wrong.

i didn't get into major fight, we went back to the stable, she decided against the total strop and i turned her round - and she was happy to follow julie (and a carrot!) back to the arena.

so whilst she wasn't totally perfect, still YAY. the lack of total perfection was of course down to me as i hadn't been quick enough to realise she was going to go through the gate ....

my view - i don't want to put her in any more positions where she will have the sort of strop that could put me back on the floor. just don't want to go there. there's more than one way of getting what i want, and eventually if i continue on the 'no you will go back there even if it is slowly' line i'll get further than if i let her strop away and dump me again...

and the computer is running much better tonight; disk clean up and get rid of a trojan ....

YAY

yesterday afternoon, Molly stood whilst I got on, again with no assistance save a polo; then, we went for a walk round the 20 acre and round along the lane. YAY.

my partner was on foot, and apart from a glitch leaving the arena - I think Molly was a bit disconcerted by partner standing where she was - she didn't put a foot wrong (molly, that is.). She didn't even try to nap back to her stable. No hesitation going down the hill, no grief at the gates, not bothered by the pheasants (would have surprised me if she were, can't move for d*** pheasants but at least our horses are pheasant proof !).

For 2/3rds of the way roung the field, she sat behind partner, almost with her nose toughing partner's back; then we passed partners and carried out out of the field and left up the lane and back to the yard.

Molly also wasn't phased by a couple of horses coming the other way the other side of the fence on the lane, or by the bullocks, and her least favourite bit of the track (all heavy tree cover, scary undergrowth and a nasty yellow bucket) didn't bother her either.

YAY.

So I am really really really happy!

Still a ways to go, but I think that the initial problem was, as my teacher thought, terror, probably in case someone fell off again, compounded by her consequential behaviour which had us falling off again. If that makes sense. and compounded by some soft tissue damage.

I think in some ways its better for her to go out with someone on foot that with another horse, in that she doesn't then feel a need to be ahead. But now we've done that, I shall see if gaynor is riding this afternoon and she can come round with me (but we'll stick to walk for now).

Then the next thing will be seeing if I can mount in the yard, rather than the arena.....

as to why this wasn't blogged yesterday - coulndn't get on. We coulnd't go anywhere on the internet to speak of, and when we did get somewhere it was painfully slow.

hopefully, I am now sorting that as we speak. either that or there's something wrong with the phone line that is compounded by too many people online at night .....

good news

from last night.

i've been so frustrated, the internet was so slow for me last night i couldn't post this.

byt anyway, for the first time virtually since i got her (never mind virtually) molly stood at the mounting stool and let me get on with no grief whatsoever; didn't even think about moving away, just stood there. I had of course given her a polo, but had my heart in my mouth in case she moved,but she didn't!

YAY!

wet & late ...

didn't leave the office till nearly 6; the traffic was horrendous when it should have been all cleared; the weather was dire; nearly 645 when i got to the yard - and just for a change molly wasn't at the gate and i only knew which she was when she started walking towards me - that white stripe down her face certainly stands out on a dark night! so i think she was pleased to be in to get dry.

it is amazingly warm in this stable we're in now, it's in a corner, so it's going to be much better that way than the barn was.

and then came home and had to do some work ... read a case, ring a client (client was at work as well.....)

lunge? .....

it's amazing what difference doing something different for a couple of days can make.

we were doing the two rein lunging very nicely last week. today, couldn't get it. this was possibly because it was a bit dark even with the lights on, but i don't really think that's an excuse.

i think i should go back to alternating - one night lunge, one night ride (depending on the weather of course!!!!). we need to practice all of it

and i need to find my seatbones!!!

what a day

first up, texted carole - she hadn't got the message i'd left her yesterday (she'd had a BE ODE at her place ...). anyway, she was going to northallerton for a lesson, so i asked, could she pick us up on the way and we could go to teh physion on the way back, as it wasn't out of her way particularly. So that was agreed. then had to let the physio know, he had to rearrange and ask his 2 o'clock to come at 11, which happily worked.

the farrier was due at 9; i rang at 9:05 and he was wrestling with a flat tyre. i said, if the wagon comes, we gotta go.

he arrived and did molly's front feet whilst i found the splits in his tyre he hadn't been able to see himself.

Carole arrived with the wagon; thought at one point molly wasn't goint to load, but she did, and off we went.

northallerton for carole's lessone with a trainer from down south; i didn't see any of it, walked molly around northallerton ec (rather nice! she was particularly taken with the showjumping arena!). I wished i'd thought on and chucked my saddle etc in the wagon, could have ridden.

then off to darlington via a diesel stop, and that was a nightmare - missed the sign saying wagons this way, got bollocked by the owner or whatever he was, pah.

then to the physio. found the road ok. couldn't find the place. had to ring up = we'd passed it. the council refuse to allow him to have a sign that people can actually see with his house name on it.

anyway, foudn it eventually, Molly's poll isn't out (or if it had been, it had been sorted out by time/the work i'd been doing) but she's asymmetrical behind. left hip lower than right, probably as a result of the accident in the wagon when she was t3 1/2. glad carole was there, as I didn't know the ins and outs of what had happened and carole did. He treated that, but it can only be temporary. the normal solution is with shoeing, but she's barefoot; so i have to discuss with my farrier how to best trim to get the evenness required. typical, this after the farrier has been.... left side need to be up a bit, right side needs to be down a bit, and if farrier wants to ring physio he should feel free...

and then molly loaded straight on with no hassle at all, which was pleasing; she'd had a bit of a not wanting to leaving northallerton, but by this time she was fine.

and so home. molly in the field for a bit = i'll go back down later - and i got back the house at 16:10. at whcih point i could finally have breakfast!

Carole had had bits of food in the wagon - home made cakes and scones left over from the event - so they'd gone down well. She hadn't had breakfast either...

In the meantime, i've decided i really can't find my seatbones on the cheyenne. is that the saddle or me? carole said that's why she doesn't like that particular saddle, it's the saddle.

farrier was interested to know that molly's front asymmetry is identical to her mothers; and would like photos of both molly's feet and her ma's; when i said that there's another in line, young cleo, his eyes lit up .... he's into this type of research and the thought of seeing three in line, all pretty much of the same stamp, kindles his interest.

Carole was pleased to hear molly's taking to two rein lunging; i think i've said before, she doesn't like to teach it as she's seen too many nasty accidents with the horse panicking at the reins round it's hocks, so we've agreeda lot of that over the winter would be beneficial.

I have to keep Molly's neck suppled to loosen off the tightness inthe muscles by using the polo trick - she has to follow the polo right round .... then gets it when she's done. i've to do that every day.

and when i'm riding, especially on left rein, really make sure her left leg comes through. and the usual of course when hacking, keep changing the diagonal. which is easy to forget.

shredded paper

is scary as a bed. clearly molly thought so. of course, it is bright white, so stands out, so made the bed look really bright. she thought about backing out, so i went and walked all over the bed, and she came in, but turned round to her hay net without standing on the bed. I ended up trying to mix it all up (there was some shavings still underneath) but I've a feeling this isn't going to work.

so the riding today wasn't very successful either, i think because she hadn't been for a wee...

and i still can't get any transport sorted for tomorrow. keep trying, but i've a horrid feeling this is all going seriously pear shaped.

mirrors & let down

are working. Molly is really chilled. Someone was there before me this morning, and Molly had been really quiet. So that is a major success, well worth the £35!!!

but the transport plans for going to the physio tomorrow have gone seriously pear shaped, so i have to try and organise something else between now and teatime .... otherwise it'll all be off. bugger. Partner said, hire a landrover; the place that rents them out is of course shut on sundays ...

and rode

i didn't think i was going to ride today after all - partner was ill this morning (the joys of work leaving do, starts new job monday! so you can imagine) and then we had loads of stuff to do. But, when I did get back down to the yard at about 1730 there were still people about, gaynor was going to ride, so decided I would. At least it had been dry, so I only had to get a bit of mud off .... and Molly went really nicely. Gaynor had Charlie cantering around and Molly woke up a bit but wasn't being stupid, so I decided to do a load of trot work myself. that helped gaynor as well - she tucked in behind me which had the advantage of slowing charlie down! and we did loads of circles turns etc ...

I was very pleased.

But still not happy with the grandeur pad under the cheyenne. granted this replacement is a lot better than the original in that it is, at least, symmetrical - but it slips backwards under the saddle as we ride, in anything faster than walk. not helpful.

and the other good thing - it was dry and windy everywhere except the yard (where it wasn't windy) so I got a load of laundry done as well....

survived ..

her night in.

she didn't seem as though she'd been at all stressed last night, the place wasn't trashed; not that there's not as much to be trashed with rubber matting down! but she could have made a complete mess anyway with the shavings that are down, and didn't. so i would reckon that the stable mirror is going to turn out to have been a really good idea that i wish i'd heard of before.

and it's a lot quicker to muck out.

just turned her out (i was first there, no one else about!) and will go back later to ride or whatever...

she won, she's in

ok, she's in for the night. she was waiting for me, didn't have to go get her, gaynor said when she was there at 4 yesterday molly was screaming to be in. so this is the night we find out whether the mirror does it's biz!

i really didn't want her in so soon, but hey, listen to your horse!!!

and she was wet again , so no point trying to do anything, would have taken too long for her to dry.

can i come in mum?

molly is desperate to be in. standing at the gate waiting for me every night now, the others aren't bothered at all. my only concern (apart from teh fact that i think she's wimping out) is that she might regret it once she realises she's on her own. on the other hand, it'll be a good test of the mirror. if she's still chilled in the morning, it'll have shown itself to have been a good investment! to get her back out tonight, i had to take the hay net in front of her. otherwise, she'd planted herself and wasn't going anywhere. once she got back to the field she wandered off .... and there was me thinking i could leave her out for ages yet! hah!

she was too wet for me to do anything with her (wet mud, not good ....) but no point rugging her as she'll over heat. if its warm enough for flies, it's too warm to put a rug on her, and we were overrun with little midges tonight.

so i think we'll try her in tomorrow night and see what happens ...

dark

very dark..... mind, i was late out of the office and then go stuck in traffic, but we had to have the lights on when we started, never mind when we finished!

and i was so late that molly was shouting for me (she hears my voice, i think ...)

but we tried some two rein lunging, did quite nicely. we set her off on her bad rein, and she went nicely, then on left rein she was looking for the contact which was good.

didn't do huge amounts. someone else wanted to be in, but what we did was ok.

oh but she does want to be in! she's going soft; none of the others seem that bothered, don't know why molly is!

and edited to add - had the reins through the correct holes...

more lunging

tonight i managed to get her going right rein myself, I was very pleased with me (and with her as well of course, but particularly with me!). This was with two reins. We had a bit of a twist round three times when i went to set her away to the right, and had to untangle everything, but she did it, so i was very pleased. i'd set the reins through the wrong hole on the roller, but not to worry, will get it right tomorrow. and she was on the bit! some of the time which was even more pleased.

tomorrow will try and get the reins through the correct hole and see how we get on.

now all i need is for the tanning place to stay open until they say they do (i'm getting rid of my psoriasis, the tan is just a by product of that, honest!). the man goes home early monday and tuesday and then gets earache from his wife and me. i woudln't have minded so much but yesterday he specifically confirmed to me that he would be there tonight (or i'd have had 6 minutes yesterday instead of my usual 3).

never mind, it is working! for the first time in years I am not spending my days itching and scratching and my elbows are smooth for the first time in 20 years! yay!

rain...

there's a surprise. I should have gone to the yard this morning, it was relatively dry, but ive got into the habit of going in the afternoon. I did a load of work work this morning, then had to go up and see about Queen bee... who apparently is looking young but moving old. well, though, which is good. the person where she is was at work work today (usually is on a weekend, think it works well for her to have her days off through the week...) so it's not often i get to actually see queenie. she's sharing a field with a dance in the dark yearling filly, who thinks she's no fun!

Molly's baby is now backed and ridden away - no problems at all, which puts the kibosh on any notions that Molly might have inherited some problem -her mother is a sweetie, she is too and so is young cleo. another chip off the maternal block.

but by the time i'd done all that it was teeming down. I wasn't surprised, but it did mean i couldn't reinforce what we did yesterday.

isna't that always the way though ...

lunging & mirrors

gaynor and i finally got together to see about lunging molly right rein.

first time roud, without side reins, we conned her nicely - as i expected we would - gaynor on the outside with the lead rein, me on the inside with the lunge line and whip, she set away and did really well, including canter. once she'd set off she was fine, no signs of wanting to turn back in.

left rein as well, fine.

then the side reins, wiht a view to going right rein again. I was pleased gaynor was there - usual problem, even when gaynor had walked her on to set off she was turning back in again and i simply couldn't move myself fast enough to stop her.

so gaynor tried, and had the same problem

so then she lunged her two reins - and after a bit of a paddy (not too bad, but bad enough watching!) she caved in and did it.

I was pleased to see that done by someone else; and molly finished up working really hard and we were very pleased with her.

and the stable mirror was up when i got there.

Molly at first didn't notice it, then did a double take when she did, but was ok about it and spent quite a bit of time with her nose to her 'new friend' ...

so hopefully that will be a long term success.

wasps nest

that was what caused the accident two nights ago. the horse stood on it - and no horse is going to do anything but tank off in that circumstance. It could have been a lot worse. the rider has apparently a fractured vertebrae, bad but she can feel so prognosis not as bad as it could have been, and the horse is on a few days box rest. the nest got burned - but there is, apparently, another one that the YM will have to be told about!

Molly just got fed tonight. I think she thinks she wants to be in, but she would sharp change her mind if she was kept in!!!

arena lights

were on tonight, for the first time this winter. probably woulnd't have needed them if it hadn't been cloudy as well.

i was lucky there was somone there to help me on though! me & one other. everyone else seemingly had been & gone.

I was pleased with molly, especially when the other horse came in, as that is the first time she's had another horse in the arena with her since 29th june when i fell off. she stayed calm, and we did some nice trot work to finish. i think she's probably getting a bit bored with doing so much walk, but it's good for her. can't beleive how many circles etc we're doing, keep varying what i'm doing to stop her getting too bored!!!

apparently the news on the injured girl is fractured vertebrae. not sure about the horse though ... apparently she was stiff this morning, which will be right, but no one who knew was there to be asked.

incident...

we coulnd't drive down to the yard tongiht, the track was blocked by para medics and other rescuers. a girl out riding on her own had been dumped by her horse - probably startled by a pheasant - and been found with at least a broken shoulder and reckoned to have been unconscious for a while, although coming round. the horse had meanwhile tanked off, and having been found by the ford (a bit away, it would have had to jump fences on its own to get there ...) was just being led up. so caroline said take it down to our yard,and i went down to assist with that and see it settled and look at molly. there were far too many cooks trying to help with the incident and they didn't need another two.

got down and had left my yard keys in the car.

molly was standing at the gate - get the feeling she wants to be in, but she isnt' coming in yet - and all i had was half a polo.


hope the girl's ok.

the horse was lame - do'nt think it was too serious, but she'll seize up over night. nothing more to be done though ...at least we didnt' need the vet as well as the ambulance.

trot

for the first time since i fell off, i felt brave enough to go into trot. Molly had being doing really nicely in walk - if a bit heavy in the hand! - and wanted to move on, so i put her into trot, and did a couple of trips round the arena in a nice cool trot. she felt quite good under me as well. so that was the good note to end on.

and I'd got hte bridle on her with no argument at all tonight, so that's a good sign.

last night - i had a headache, and was 100% certain it was going to rain again (it didn't, but hey....i was probably only wrong by about a few yards!!!!)

in and out

today i decided to try riding in and out of the arena. the plan was to do that several times; but i was glad i'd done a lot of other stuff before i tried it the second time, as Molly said 'that's it, i'm done!'

put the leather girth back on; i think the wintec will be going on ebay, shame as i like wintec girths, have one for the gp (that i also must put on ebay!) and very easy to look after.

walking out

in hand again, this time without another horse in sight, just me & partner & molly. she was very well behaved. i also stood at the stream with her but didn't have wellies on - will do that one once it gets cool enough where I can wear them without melting my feet (my wellies are neoprene muck boots, very hot!).

and i started the clicker training ..... but not too much as partner is taking the piss out of that, i don't know why.

oh yes, and i got the laptop back. seems to be working fine!

missed a night

don't know why i didn't post last night ..

i think because i'd stayed up late watching the telly ...

i did ride her, but it was SOOO hot and muggy neither of us could really be bothered. although she did try to go nicely, the little midgies were seriously bothering her, and it became pointless.

So i suppose i was only on her 10 minutes all told. but better 10 minutes than no minutes, which is what she did tonight. Although it was raining!!!!

the stable mirrors arrived today; haven't opened the parcel yet though

and the wintec girth is going to be sold on to someone with a less sensitive horse, i think!

messages

i had to buy paint tonight as the decorator was due tomorrow and there wasn't quite enough for the front room - he rang me on my way home to say he'd been today and there wasn't quite enought for the front room. a bit mortified as i hadn't piled the furniture up, but he'd done that himself. sitting room now looks wonderful.

It was blowing a gale, anyway, so I wouldn't have done anything with molly save look at her ... so that is what i didn. she coulnd't have cared less ... i think i've said before, i hate a howling gale. but it's forecast to rain a lot tomorrow ....

wintec dressage girth

we realised tonight it has pressure points, no wonder she hasn't been happy to be girthed. Easy sorted, but very stupid design.

So you'll have gathered I rode. She was walking very nicely and smoothly indeed. I am almost tempted to see if I can get some company for a walk round the 20 acre. She's showing no sign of stress at all.

Which, as I said to gaynor, is a sign of how totally stupid we both were when I brought her back into work when my foot got better. should have spent a few weeks on flat work then, I might not be having to do it now.

Lesson learnt, I think.

also, her poll will still need looking at ... but having an idiot owner doesn't really help!

sunday monday

didn't write anything last night - didn't have a lot to say about molly at all, that was printable.

we'd tried long reining. she stood fine to let me put the tack on; i put hte long reins on in the arena whilst we're learning, and i wanted to try them through the roller rings.

she set of right rein three times, and three times then turned in and round to face me and there was nothing i could do about it. reins in tangle round her neck each time. tedious, frustrating. you name it. friend was supposed to have been there, i'd asked specifically if she was coming down and if she could help on the right rein issue, and the answer was yes - but didn't in fact arrive and didn't text/ring to say wasn't able to ......

tonight i decided to keep things a lot simpler, bridle only, lunge left rein, had to loose school right rein.

i really don't understand why she'll loose school right but won't lunge right ....

i had planned to ride, but there wasn't anyone there when i arrived and started grooming so didn't, hopefuly will do that tomorrow.

walk out

today as I was getting molly from the field liz & paul were about to ride out, starting round the 20 acre - so i thought, perfect opportunity, and went with them. didn't take the time to go brush her off, put any sort of tack on or even lock stuff up again (ouch - but if no one knows the yard is there, which they don't unless they already know, no sneak thieves ...) and off we went. Molly was perfect, save the odd nibble of grass. Perfectly happy to walk along behind, no spooking at anything, no trying to get ahead of the other two (which she usually does when ridden!), and no grief when we turned back for hte yard and the others headed off the other way.

That was a really good exercise, to get her round there chillled and in hand, and i was so pleased i did it, especially after yesterday ...

tomorrow, gaynor and i are going to see if we can get lunge right rein.

and i bought a clicker .... so that will be interesting. I need to decide what object to use as a target .... and i've a horrid feeling she's not over keen on the spillers apple horse treats, which would be a shame as I have two bags..... she does prefer minty things.

and she got two windfall apples, which she thoroughly enjoyed rolling about the floor whilst eating them!

friday night

is not a night for trying to do anything with molly, especially when i've had a bad day, and there's no one there, and she's winding me up won't stand still do have girth done up and when i give up on that and try to lunge she won't let me round to her right (when of course there's no problem getting to her right hand side in the stable).

i finished up in tears, so that was no good and came away .....

rain and long reining

the office was in a dry spot in the middle of loads of seriously heavy storms. very bizarre. for instance, it was dry in the car park when i went out at lunchtime. i went to morrisons, about 1 1/2 miles away - huge puddles in teh car park. same when i set off home. it was very odd.

but happily it stopped raining enough for me to do the planned long reining with liz's horse. She used one very long lunge rein attached to the bridle both sides and did it from directly behind the horse, which was the way she'd been taught. i don't think that's exactly right, but at least it gave me a feel with a horse that was more than used to doing it and wasn't going to do anything very sillly. i wasn't up for trotting him, foot's not up for that yet, but it was a useful exercise. couldn't put any tack on him bar the bridle, as he was too wet.

I knew molly was fine as whilst we were in the arena, the mares were careening round their field.

so she didn't do any work tonight, but she wasn't going to if i was doing that.

then i went to the tanning place round the corner from the house and had my first ever session vertical tanning. i want rid of my psoriasis, the fact that i'll get a tan (or more of a tan than i've got) being merely a bonus. it'll be worht it (and they've got a good deal on at the moment). if it works as well as it shoud it'll be cheaper than lashings of prescription creams and emollients...

rode again

I rode again tonight - hadn't done since what was it ,saturday .... was pleased. She stayed really calm and walked on nicely, again lots of circles, serpentines and the like. I really must get my watch sorted out - i never know how long i've been on, i've only one watch that I can read without my reading glasses and it has a flat battery. But i think about 15 minutes, thereabouts.

There are issues re getting bridle on and girthing up, but it's interesting the way it's working. I come in to the stable with e.g. the bridle, she walks to the back of the box, i stand there and look at her and she looks sheepish and comes back.

I think I might take the noseband off the bridle, if only for now, to make it easier to get on (for me! I always end up with the noseband tangling up and getting in the way ...).

she still has a slight issue with girthing but I'm working on that slowly - maintain the cool calm and collected approach and it's fine.

It's odd she has an issue now with girthing when, once i'm on, we're fine.

and the saddle is a lot more comfortable with feathers in the cantle than it was with the hard form! so I'm glad I did that, even if there are still feathers floating everywhere..!

Liz is showing me how to long rein tomorrow, using her horse. Looking forward to that.

loose horse

when i got to the yard tonight and went through to go to the field for molly there was a person on foot, in riding hat, in company with person on horse, on the far side of the hill; kirsty with blake (who's been on months of box rest and can finally go out tomorrow) said person on foot had fallen off and horse was in 20 acre at bottom of the hill. i went down, instead of going to the field, to help catch horse if it could be found. met person who'd lost horse and we walked; saw horse with rider other side of hedge, she said, that's my horse someone's caught it..... i went back. when got back up hill to yard, kirsty said a friend had been on the phone, the loose horse had in fact gone back to it's own yard (part of same estate) - having survived a road or two!!!

by the time i'd done all that there was very little time left to do anything with molly; i thought i'd try a walk out, but found i'd done too much on my still poorly foot .... and it was getting dark.

time i got home i had to make tea, then watch csi, then set up mega new screen which arrived at the office this morning, then went on ebay and bought the stable mirrors .... paypal have changed their policies so i could spend the money in my paypal account ... whether they arrive before the end of the week is another matter .... but hey.,

and i recommend dabs.com; order placed late sunday, goods arrived this morning, mega.

going backwards

i had been doing ok with the two rein lunging, but not tonight. we've lost it a bit.

but turns out one of the women knows how, so i've arranged for her to show me thursday ...

feathers

I have been meaning for ages to remove the hard 'form' from the cantle of my saddle and replace it with something a lot softer - the stuffing of a cushion. i thought i had a kapok stuffed cushion. i in fact had a feather stuffed cushion ... now i know why pillow fights always ended badly (we ddn't have feather pillows to have pillow fights with back in the day ...)

prior to that, molly hadn't done too much of what i wanted .... she was not going to stand still to be mounted, even getting the stool next to her was becoming a chore. so took the saddle off and lunged/loose schooled. back to not wanting to go right rein. I think loose schooling her right must get her used to my being on her right side etc, but the effect doesn't last long .... i think i should go back to the routine of ride alternate with lunge .....

but not tomorrow, as i brought the grandeur pad and girth home to wash ... they won't be dry until after i get home tomorrow night ....

we have decided to order a new screen for the pc, got a good deal on dabs (but at this point in time i'm not sure if the order has gone through .... that tab is busy loading ... and i hope i didn't actually press something twice and end up with two)

going back to the old vdu screen when you've got used to a modern one is a nightmare ...

and this old one reflects the light a lot more than the modern ones as well...

clicker training

i've been reading about clicker training and people having success with it, so i got alexandra kurland's book on order from the library, went and picked it up today. fascinating. so went to pets at home to buy a clicker - they'd sold out. i have to wait. fair enough.

what was really good - an ENTIRE CHAPTER on getting one's horse to stand at the mounting block. that's the one for me (once I've taught her about clicker and we've done some more basic stuff, of course!!!).

the plan had been to do a bit of work tonight with molly - did some loose schooling, but didn't do as much as i'd originally planned. taken partner with me, plan was she could watch; but she wasn't well really so just 10 minutes. but it was good. Molly was listening to me.

i think we're going to have to buy a new screen for this pc though. the gericom - it's an austrian company, which is fair enough, but all the support is over there, can't make sense of the webstie (even in the english version!) and anyway we haven't got hte receipt or the box any more. partner get's a redeye on when sees an empty box and puts them in the bin .... unfortunately, my recollection is that i taped the book and the receipt to it .... hope i'm wrong. but anyway without the packing nothing can be done in terms of sending it anywhere ....

poorly computers & stuff

the absence last night was accounted for by two things - firstly, the screen on the pc was buggered and still is (we've had to retrieve the old one from the loft, and I'd forgotten how dreadful it was. or maybe it's more dreadful because i haven't used it for a year. i bought it in 1997 when i bought my first pc, so that tells you what it's like) and also because i reaslied the laptop wasn't charging. so two computers down. the laptop battery of course only lasts an hour ... the charging cable is faulty and whilst it's still under manufacturer's warranty it has to go back to the manufacturer instead of pc world being able to give me a new charger ..... so i'm well hacked off. my entire lunchtime today was spent in pc world, trying to avoid having to send it back and thus be without it. i knew i wouldn't like using the pc with this naff screen.

i've had to set up the accessibility options so as to be able to read anything AAARRgh.

molly - i decided to take her for a walk out in hand last night; a good idea for her, but i discovered my foot aint really up to that at the moment.

the physio has offered me a date in october if i can get molly to darlington; that would be my preferred date, same day as my farrier's coming .... but i don't have any transport. if i can sort some out, and i've had an offer, i;ll take that, if not, it'll have to be later that week i think....

didn't do anything with her tonight, friday night everyone has gone home by the time i get there so no point trying to do the impossible (get on ) on myown, she has to have a polo to get her to stand still (and that was the same before she did her poll in).

will go down inthe morning, there should be people about

and the local library as alexandra kurland's clicker training for horses for me, thought i'd read it and maybe give it a go ... people seem to have success with clicker training.

partner is watching outtakes from the johnny cash movie

and i've got hte laundry going, supposed to be a good weather weekend ....

easy does it

finally could give up shifting furniture so had time to ride tonight.

i've decided that the easy way to get on and keep her chilled is to have someone give her a polo whilst i mount. it saves an awful lot of grief and stress and keeps her calm whilst i do get on . so that's what we did.

we did some really nice cool calm walk, lots of turns, circles, serpentines again. i shall keep that up for a while and then if she stays chilled will see if i can get someone to walk out with me round the 20 acre or something.

i did try to go through the yard to finish up, but we'd followed blake back through - that's another horse who's only getting led out, being on loads of box rest after a leg op - and so she thought she ought to follow him, he's in the stable next to her.

stable mirrors - on special on ebay - with postage, between me and a lad in the same office, £35 each, can't be bad.

sylvia stanier long reining book arrived, mega quick, smal book, looking forward to reading it.

pc screen has died so i don't know how i'm going to turn it off safely - this is from the laptop networked, but the pf has to be on for the network to work .... oh dear, can feel crashed computer coming on ....

so if you don't hear from me tomorrow, that'll be why (we have the old screen upstairs, but i'll have to switch pc off at main and that always raises the prospect of a major crash .....)

back man

the horse physio - who's fully qualified in all respects - is about to go on holiday and won't be able to offer me an appointment until the 1st week in october .... so will ring vets in the morning and see if they can recommend anyone - but of course then they may want to come out themselves ...

and tonight we had to empty a room in the house for the painter coming tomorrow .... nightmare. this room to be emptied tomorrow night, at least we can then put most of it in the room that we've emptied tonight so won't be quite so fraught. and won't move this desk ....

steady as she goes

I got on and rode in the arena in walk for 5 - 10 minutes, loads of circles changes of rein etc on a longish sort of rein

had to get a hand to get on - someone fed her a polo, that persuaded her to stand still! no tantrums at all (got on in the arena) although I was tempted (always am) as she was circling round me with me following with my stool ...... and walked her back round to the stable, she was fine doing that as well.

Not wonderfully keen again on being girthed up, but slowly and surely was the approach thereas well and got it done fine.

I'm using a wintec elasicated dressage girth now instead of the cheyenne leather one - a 70 cm instead of a 75 - i think i'll sell the leather one (hope someon wants it, I put a 65cm leather one up on ebay, gorgeous, and had no takers at all......)

Double checked that i've got the right number for the physio - apparently he's cheaper if you take the horse to him, but since i haven't got the transport and getting it would cost me more than the extra, i'll ask him to come out. and his waiting list is interesting, but if i tell him how urgent it is he might fit me in....

and have bougth sylvia stanier's book on longreining from an ebay seller, only £1.20 and postage, £2.70 altogether - the painful bit was the commission on the postal order, didn't realise they charged so much commission on them!!!!

more expense

and i came out this morning - someone had smashed the passenger door window in the car. not stolen anything (they were after satnav which wasn't in the car but all the horse rugs I picked up from the cleaners were there. so more expense, and the plans for the morning went for a burton. neighbours car got done as well - he HAD left stuff in .... and he can't have his window mended until tomorrow because he has a jag (old but still a jag) so we're all pissed off and waiting for the police. even more annoying, another neighbour said he chased some people really late on but he (the other neighbour) was far too drunk by that stage to do anything useful like remember a time or a description ....

good news

the high probabilities are that her poll is out - i didn'tknow that could give a horse a screaming headache .... so will ring my favourite horse physio monday morning (once i've checked i've got the correct number for him....). was recommended to go to david peat, vet in barnard castle but i have no transport for molly and would have to get a recommendation from my vet, i expect ...

and I rode her, in the arena.

she didn't want to go in - and this was ajudged to be a stress reaction, given that the last time she was ridden in there i fell off. but she calmed down and we did a lot of walk work with teacher watching her reactions on either circle.

the plan is to keep riding her in walk and calmly; given some massage to try on her neck muscles to try and help her relax them; mount in the arena (and if necessary just follow her round with the stool - teacher hadn't seen that performance before ....)

then (after having to buy a complete set of tyres for the car - i'd discovered a slow puncture in one and the man said the rest were on the verge of illegality, ouch ouch ouch!) went up in the rain to pay queenie's keep. didn't see queenie as allison was at work not at home but we had a good long chat.

we agreed that something had gone adrift in molly's original starting; interestingly - i mentioned molly's assymetry and we agreed totally that it is identical to queenie's and therefore is congenital - may be able to sort it if we ever get some correct work into her - but that was interesting. it had really struck me this last week how similar molly was to queenie in that respect, as it is really obvious with a lunge roller on - clearly not straight one side to the other ... i know some would say i should look at a wow saddle in that case, and reflecting on that it may well be that i need to think more about shimming under the treeless ....

Molly's daugher is sold on and is doing really well - out at dalton show last week, new owners well pleased with her, went on wagon first time ever like a lamb

and queenie's been hoolying around the field like a good 'un, along with the others ...

so overall, i'm a lot happier, if a lot poorer!!!

horrid thought

couldn't possibly be the treeless saddle could it? i wouldn't have thought so as if it was i would have been having real problems before i broke my foot, not after she'd had a month off..... and the sweat patterns are fine ...

audience

is apparently what we'll have tomorrow when my teacher turns up .... everyone wants to know what she thinks. as of course do I.

Petplan have confirmed that I understood them correctly - essentially, I have to have a really good idea it's something physical and if the vet confirms it, then it's covered by the insurance. otherwise not. Oh dear. I think i've said before, vets charge more than lawyers - and DON'T of course do no win no fee! which is fair enough, we all want to be paid for our work .... that's cue for another rant, bring back legal aid for pi work .... but this is not a legal blog, it's a horse blog....

anyway, I didn't do anything tonight - it's friday, tired, foot hurt, she'll work tomorrow .....

right rein

lunge, two rein lunging, did it first time of asking, no argument, no not letting me round that side, just set off that way and there we were. she did have one moment of 'do i really want to do this' after the first half circle, but then just kept going. So that was the really good note to end on as well, so we only did 5 minutes, but it was a good 5 minutes

thinking about it, can her back be bad if she is working nicely on the ground? she may have done something to it (has to have the way she's been flinging herself about) but surely she wouldn't be moving well, which she is, if she had done anything too bad? ....

and probably back problems

i'd been starting to wonder, as when I went to girth up she'd been moving away; that was definite tonight. and frankly, the way she's been throwing herself about, i'm not surprised. but it can't be that whatever she's done to her back caused the throwing herself about as

1. she threw herself about and caused any back problem, not the other way about
2. she woulnd't have gone out as far as she did on sunday with jimmy before starting to throw herself about

at least that is likely to be something covered by the insurance.

so loose schooling tonight and tomorrow, i think....

Liz, who was out with jimmy, is still of the view firmly that it is something physical and something in her head .... thinks my teacher should ride molly out (once she's been told the full horror of course!)

night off

not that molly really deserved or needed one, but it was going to rain and i'd done far too much walking today for the good of my foot - had to drop car at garage and walk in, then back again ... ouch...

molly's insurer says that if whatever it is is physical, they'll pay the vet's bills for finding out; if it isn't (i.e., its something behavioural) they won't ...... ie. if the vet says it isn't physical i have to pay him myself. vets earn more than lawyers, and get paid....

two reins

lunging and long reining.

this is not something i've ever been taught, but been reading about it and bought a video on the subject saturday (it wasn't quite what i wanted, shame one can't watch these things before buying them) but showed something. Also, my teacher said she wouldn't teach me it as she has seen too many nasty accidents.

But others have had a lot of success with it, and several people have recommended it to try.

My thought was, it might be easier to long rein than lunge, especially since she won't go right rein for me (and that raises another issue ..... possibly .... for the vet).

I had thought about trying it when i first had her, but didn't do it then.

So today, I thought I'd try

I started off loose schooling just to make sure she was listening to me, which she was.

Then i attached the lunge reins (I already had a second) and that was a lot easier than trying to attach the side reins, especially to the right side.

She set off no problem at all on left rein, wasn't arguing with the bit; the o/s rein got caught in the middle of her mane which wasn't wonderfully helpful (I was just doing it with the rein over her back, rather than through the rings on the roller, as I didn't have anyone to help me set her away or anything) but went really nicely, and came back to walk when I asked, which is unheard of when lunging ordinarily!

wouldn't do right rein; but I WAS able to get behind her (at a safe distance, and slightly to the inside) and walk her on ahead of me right rein round the outside of the arena, which was really good until I got the offside rein too low. but she didn't panic, and I managed to disconnect it from the bit before she did, which was good as it did look as though it was going to wrap round a foot at one point.

Overall I was quite pleased; she worked if not really hard and we both learnt something.

The not letting me go to the right hand side of her - don't know if that might be a phsical issue or not. I can go that side in the stable no problem, lead from that side sometimes, just when asking her to lunge, yet ridden (when she was rideable!) she was better right rein than left.

Anyway, it occurred to me, maybe she had a head injury sometime that did something to her sight that is now starting to be a real issue.

But i don't know. loose schooling she'll go right , but of course one is not as close then as when lunging.

? need the vet?

So Jimmy took Molly out today as suggested.

Firstly, he got on; she was fine, she walked through the yard, out along to the drive, up the side of the geldings field, didn't even look at the big log, a minor spook slightyfurther up = and I couldn't keep up after that. He went up to the top and back down; apparently she was backing off from coming back down, but nothing too horrendous. So he came back down to the yard, by which time the others were ready, turned round to go out and I sat down to wait.

When they came back after an hour she was dripping with sweat (had to have to washes off and I had to clean the bridle and martingale). but the real concern was the reports of her behaviour. She did some gates, not others. She had paddies, she didn't have paddies. but the worst bit was that at one gate she threw herself to the ground, literally, with Jimmy's leg under her .... happily he was ok, caught her, got back on - and she went through like a lamb. and the last gate, which doesn't have to be opened as it is always open, into the 20acre to come back to the yard, she's done it loads of times on her own and not, she had a major paddy before she would go through it, jogged and jigged all the way round, napped for no reason half way round it, that was the cause of the dripping sweat.

so the thought was either she's psychotic or she's got a tumour.....

She's never done anything like that before ......

So the plan is added to. as well as my teacher coming out next week, i'll check to see if petplan cover investigation for the possible physical causes of her behaviour ...

farrier

came this morning. we've decided to put her on more regular visits than she was. and he's put his price up - he said, since barefoot trimmers are charging £30 a visit and wanting to come out every two weeks, he thought he'd go to £20 (but they don't actually need to be done as often as a barefoot trimmer would say!) and every 6. that's because of her odd left fore - which is larger and a slightly different shape from all the others. had she continued in work it wouldn't have been as obviouse as it it.

then i tried to lunge her. still can't find my lunge whip, i think it's been taken for a walk, and i think it has been taken by one of the fishermen as they were the only people about .... very annoying, i've had that a long time and will have to get a new one. I looked everywhere there was to look and it isn't to be seen - and it's not the sort of thing that fits in a cupboard! it was a very long one and no one has a big enough cupboard.

anyway, back to the lunging - really not good. i had to loose school first to get her settled, and then as usual she will lunge left but not right. the going in the arena is REALLY BAD for my foot - it gets so mounded etc its like being on really uneven ground and bythe time i'd finished - essentially given up! through frustration and being about to lose my temper big time - my foot was really hurting.

jimmy is going to ride her out in the morning; he's a good rider, will be able to stick on, has dealt with this type of thing before in his previous life as a jockey, and he's ridden her once before when she got really sticky on a hack once.

friday night

and i'm knackered; partner is still out at work and will be for some time (doing a mental health act assessment ....) and it's raining. shall go watch tv in a minute and see if there's enough bread left for toast, doubt it.

was telling one of the lads at the yard about events with molly, he hadn't heard, and he thought just hack her out in the string on friday/saturday morning. he may well be right. so i said if he wants to (he's ridden her before, ex jockey and a good rider!) then fine. He was amazed, bearing in mind how well she'd been doing previously. so we'll see about sunday morning. farrier tomorrow ...

and still couldn't see my lunging whip anywhere ....

no lunge whip

now explain this.

I'm messing about tacking molly up - trying to see if i was going to be able to attach side reins to barefoot cheyenne, answer, not.

anyway, person who'd been having lesson in arena finished and came back and asked if that was my lunge whip propped up outside the arena. i said yes (left it tuesday; i'm hopeless at remembering to go back for that!).

so finished tacking up and everyone had gone by then .... walked molly round to arena - no lunge whip anywhere to be seen.

went back to barn - not there

back to arena - not there.

need lunge whip - especially with foot being buggered as i can't movemyself very well to get after her.

so untacked and turned her out again.

not happy.

where is it?

I'll probably find it tomorrow, but the mind boggles how it can vanish in such a short space of time!!!!!

public transport

today i had to get the train/bus home. which merely reminds me why public transport only works if you live in a conurbation and work in the same conurbation. it took me 2 hours. walk to the station (which did'n't do my bad foot any good at all.) buy ticket (£8.30 single, I only had to come the one way - return would have been about £9 and still an awful ot more than the petrol for the car!). wait for train. train to darlington. wait 15 minutes for next train. train to durham, standing room only. get to durham. slow walk down very steep hill with poorly foot killing me to bus stop. catch bus (at least that was perfect timing, it arrived as i got to the bus stop!). bus home, £1.95 (return fare on the bus is about £2.40, this was single of course). and can't go to stable as no car. I had left word I woudlnt' be down. Molly didn't need a night off, she needed some more work.

sligly better lunging

in that i had much less trouble getting the side reins on and she worked really nicely left rein. she was reaching for the contact (I'd deliberately decided on a relatively loose setting for the side reins, specifically with that purpose in mind.) and she was really tracking up a lot of the time.

but right rein? can't get there, and the way my foot is still hurting i am really limited. so I decided not to have the argument, and instead loose schooled right rein.

interestingly, where she was reaching for the contact on the lunge on the left, she wasn't even trying loose on the right. so i need the side reins tighter that way.

in the meantime, gaynor has written up her view. the only thing I would add is that we have had issues with that route in the past, as there is a huge log that she really doesn't like and with only a relatively narrow gap to get through. I woulnd't necessarily have chosen to take her that way having got her that far ...


FURTHER TO WHAT CLARE HAS ADVISED - ON SUNDAY AS CLARE MENTIONED I DECIDED TO BACK MOLLY - SHE WAS QUITE JUMPY, SPINNING AROUND DOING SMALL REARS, THOUGHT SHE WAS JUST ACTING UP SO REMAINED IN HER BACK( THE SITUATION WAS NO BOTHERING ME) ONCE I EVENTUALLY GOT HER OFF THE YARD I HEADED TO A TRACK BESIDE THE GELDING FIELD, WHICH SHE KNOWS AND HAS BEEN ALONG MANY TIMES. THIS TIME SHE FROZE, STARTED SPINNING THEN WENT STRAIGHT UP ON HER BACK LEGS, FULL REAR, SHE CAME DOWN AND I GAVE HER A TAP WITH MY CROP, AGAIN SHE WENT STRAIGHT UP ON HER BACK LEGS, CAME DOWN THEN PROCEEDED TO RUN THROUGH A THORNED BUSH, STOPPING AS SHE COULD NOT GET THROUGH TRIED TO GO THROUGH BACKWARDS... SHE THEN FROZE - AT THIS POINT IT FELT SURREAL - EVERYTHING WENT QUITE, SHE DID NOT MOVE, NOT A MUSCLE, IT WAS AS IF SHE WENT COMPLETELY BLANK, AT THAT POINT I HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH HER MIND SO I DISMOUNTED AND WALKED HER BACK TO HER STABLE - IN MY 30 YEARS OF RIDING I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THAT FEELING, I JUST DID NOT HAVE A CLUE WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH HER MIND

back to lunging

for now.

and she was onthe point of going right rein, but due to my foot still not being recovered ( i think the break is still mending) I couldn't get after her quickly enough to get after her and lost it.

side reins on with the gp saddle; very loose, partly to get her back into it and partly because i want her to actively look for the contact. probably too loose.

various bits of advice from people, for which thanks

gaynor is going to add to what i've written to explain the bits when she was out of my sight. apparently that did include a full on rear; anyway we'll wait for that.

she did get her going forwards and the block was at the log, but it was apparently a full on rear. but it wasn't the rear that frightened her, it was the trying to run inot the hedge following by standing stock still with no indication of what was coming next....

mmm....

as i said to a friend earlier though, so long as i can persuade people NOT to hit her over the head when she does rear....i still think molly needs as much cool calm and collected from the handler/rider as anything else...

help please

first some back story.

those who have followed this story from its beginnings in 20six will have some idea of the issues i've had with Molly and the length of time it's taken to get where we were on the 29th June, when I fell off.

the bit of back story that is relevant (and that I know) is as follows:

Molly is the daughter of my mare Queen of Timber (by Golden Lahab, which makes her a Blushing Groom grandaughter). She was bred by a friend, who owned Queenie at the time. I bought Queenie when Molly's year younger brother was weaned.

Friend moved to lincolnshire with both horses, then next i heard Molly was up in Allendale with a mutual friend who used to run a riding school. Molly had originally been going to be backed by my trainer, but had an accident in the wagon when parked in teh yard waiting to be offloaded, so that didnt' happen. breeder backed her herself.

then in September 2005 I went to where the mutual friend worked (I didn't know she worked there till I walked in teh door ...she hadn't used to) and asked after Molly.

The story was that breeder had given Molly to her brother (the breeder's brother) who had put his child up (I forget how old the bairn was at the time, young teens I think); Molly had, apparently, reared (having been set off on a ten mile ride....). He was ready to shoot her, but instead passed her on to friend in allendale, who bred a nice foal.

Also, there had always been issues with the bit & bitting. Apparently, there had been a great deal of difficulty in getting her to accept a bit, several million jointed ones having been tried (exaggeration, but you get the idea).

by this time she'd had a couple or so years out of work, and was the mother of a then rising 2 filly. She needed to be moved on, and the friend who had her didn't know what to do - sell her where she wasn't known, which went against the grain a bit, or, to be blunt, have her shot, which would have been a bit of a waste...

I thought about it, having always liked molly who had been through a lot by way of injury (as well as the wagon accident, she'd got herself staked when she was 6 months old). The friend who had her had loads of experience with horses (used to run the riding school up there, knows her stuff) and thought she could be turned round. I took the opportunity, knowing molly was a project.

As you all know, we had done quite well. sorted out the bitting issues by way of 6 months bitless, hacking out in company, starting to hack out alone, getting to grip with gates, took the lead on hacks in fact, she likes her head in front even in walk (made a change from her mother, who was always dropped out the back!). She does "block" at things, but was getting a lot better about that as well.

In all this time she hadn't shown any sign of rearing with me or anyone else. She'd have an odd spin, and she did do the odd minor buck that didn't mean anything (raise the back end more than full on buck)

She is now.

She did last saturday when I ended up dumped in the car park (or at least tried, was prevented by Gaynor as she was on the lead rope at the time) and certainly did today. Mind we agreed later that we should have taken her to the arena before Gaynor got on (hindsight is a wonderful thing, god wot)

Partly, if this is the first time anyone has fallen off, it'll be loss of confidence. certainly that'll have been it last week, combined with being a bit hyper and me being stupid enought to think about getting back on without doing some lunging

but partly - and this is probably the bigger part - its realisation that she can get the rider off, especially after succeeding in doing so last saturday, even if she didn't intend to at the time, she did in fact manage it.

so i've talked about it with gaynor, and talked about it with the person who gave her to me (whose judgement I trust).

I'm going to do lots more lunging. I'll check her over for invisible injuries (back, bruising down the sides, whatever, she is being bullied in the field). I'm going to get my teacher out now (I was going to wait until my foot was fully better ....) and see if she can/thinks it worth reschool & if there is anyone who can ride her through it, and my goodness i've seen her sit to some interesting stuff, then we'll go for that route.

otherwise, the conclusion is probably that if she can't be made a safe ride again fairly rapidly, then put in her in foal and keep the foal.

There is no point in keeping trying with a horse that is dangerous.

Anyone got any advice? thoughts? methods of preventing rearing?

I could spend a fortune on Richard Maxwell or someone of that ilk, but wouldn't want to if I was going to be no farther forward.

The thing is, we rather think it might be something in her head. (her mind, rather than a tumour or whatever)

rubber matting

my rubber matting arrived today; I don't know why people say it's heavy to move, this isn't, and supposed to be 20mm but in fact measured at 25mm, which is pretty d****** thick. Had to go get new blades for my stanley knife to trim it (you're supposed to leave expansion room, apparently as the horse uses it, it squashes down and spreads, which makes sense!) and in any event 12 X 12 wasn't totally exact, of course. Does anyone know of a building where the walls are in fact square?

Molly didn't object to it at all, christened it well and truly - a lot easier to get the poo up from it!!! - but the minute she went in the arena she had a wee. Of course, the one thing I should have asked john to put on the trailer as well was a bag of shaving s..... ah well.

and the 30 bales of haylage arrived (same delivery) and they are nicely stacked inside. I was right in thinking there was enough room. Should last me a while!!!

The plan had been that we'd try and ride her, but gaynor was of course late. I stood and did her mane whilst it rained, then decided to just loose school. My thought is, if I can really get her listening to me on that, then it should make lunging a lot easier as well.

Now explain this - she doesn't like lunging right rein, but finds loose schooling right rein easier than left, she didn't want to do left so I had to work on it a bit more than I anticipated.

I'm glad she never learnt to jump though ; the arena fence is very low, and if she could, I feel sure she would!!!!

Anyway, it was a positive bit of schooling and tomorrow I'll put the lunging kit back on and see how we do.

But it is hard on the foot! especially as one end of the arena is deeper than the other!

hock

those who have been reading from the beginning, when i was still on 20six, will remember that Molly got kicked on the hock.

tonight when i went to see her - too wet to do anything! - there was a wound above the same hock.

it isn't a deep one, and there didn't seem to be any heat in it, but the wound situation is getting beyond a joke.

i feel as though I want to set up cctv all round the field and tape a day to see how it is happening = either one of the other mares is bullying her (which I think most likely) or there is something in the field she is catching herself on, and everyone is sure that that isn't it.

hopefully, it'll still look ok tomorrow; i DON'T want to spend any more money on the vet this year!!!! She seemed sound enough, which is good, and it hadn't bled, it's just surface, but a bad place.

in the meantime - my rubber matting and haylage is arriving at 1000 tomorrow morning, so i shall have to be down there early to sweep the stable out again and clear the space for the haylage.

I hope it'll last me - planning to keep Molly out as long as I can - in which case the haylage will have been a good investment.

and the rubber matting will save money on not having to buy so much shavings. will still have to have some, to soak up the wet, but not nearly as much

and her breathing should consequentially improve.

fell over

me, not molly, of course, and landed on the foot that had been broken ...no further damage done, i don't think ...but hurts a bit more than it did.

I found the roller girth - it ahd been there all the time, over the saddle. lunged left rein but she will NOT do right rein .... but I did get her going right rein without the lunge line, and kept her going for a while. she didn't quite give in like she did monday, but at least she did it.

and I fell over during th eprocess of trying to get round to the right hand side of her head to send her away on right rein ; i was struggling to get her to stand still.

i am not active enought to get in the right position, and there's not a lot i can do about that until the foot mends better than it has, and since i'm doing too much, that is going to take longer than it would otherwise have done ....
hey ho

poorly foot

mine, not molly's .... i think i've done a bit too much, so gave myself a night off tonight. molly looked ok, but i might have to sudocrem a spot on her front fetlock tomorrow.....

still haven't found the girth for the roller! but haven't really had the energy to hunt too hard!

not join up

i'd actually intended to lunge properly tonight but had forgotten that the girth for the roller was at home somewhere having been washed. at least i hope it is!!!!! so lunged just from the bitless bridle and she wouldn't go right again so i decided loose school again. didn't work nearly as well tonight. partly i think she's realised i can't move wel, and partly because i couldn't move as well tonight as i could last night. probably doing too much!

join up..

tonight i decided to lunge - lunged left rein then decided to loose school for 5 - she did as i asked, trotted round, cantered, then i stopped and rolled as smoke and she came to me.

that was a good note to end on ...... especially after the hoo hah on saturday.

i think she was too hyper, i hadn't done any prep work and should have done, i should know better by now

also i should have gone back to the bitless.

so the plan is some lunging and free schooling, then lunge and ride with the bitless bridle, not hte bit, and see how we go.

very wet

you know they say you get what you wish for. wish for rain get rain. can't complain too much since it means that the land isn't parched anymore (really brought it home to me how dry it was wednesday in durham and more to the point friday crossing the bridge in lancaster - you could see mud!!!! instead of river.

anyway, back to business. I thought it was going to stop raining, had in fact stopped when i got to the yard. Plan had been to lunge (hoping the left foot and right hip were up for it!) then possibly ride depending on how we got on. But Molly was wet; and whilst she was standing in with a view to her getting dry, I got soaked, the heavens having opened. So i turned her out again. hey ho.

The hat I was wearing yesterday has gone in the bin; I'd a feeling it might have to, and there was obvious damage to the surface. Couldn't tell whether the innards had in fact been damaged or not, but really not worth taking the risk with. The trouble with putting a hat in the bin when it seems ot be in one piece is that there's a risk that some idiot might decide it is ok and retrieve it. hope not. It wasn't as badly damaged as the last one I broke 15 years ago - that was so badly damaged my friend was able to pull it apart with his bare hands (he is 6'6" and built accordingly ...) and I am still missing 1/2 hour of my life. But it goes to show the importance of wearing a hat.

Back to work tomorrow after week off. not looking forward to that. an empty desk will have been filled....

she had me off again

today i decided to ride to see how my ankle was. Gaynor helped - we had her on a lead rope as well as tacked up, the plan being to lead her round to the arena and then i'd do 10 minutes walk to see how i did. we didn't make it that far.

The arena gate was closed and Molly started backing up whilst gaynor was opening it. then as gaynor turned round to lead her forward, she started going backwards and up; gaynor pulling her down. she finished up, apparently, on her bum and then, gaynor says, on me before getting back up again. I didn't notice her on me but did notice i'd come off again, on the right side this time, banged my head (which happily seems ok) my right hip and ankle.

I don't think I've broken anything this time, but she's a cow for that, that mare.

she'd also hurt herself, was streaming blood from a very small nick on one leg, had managed to injur the back of a back foot, and a few other scratches - this is a gravelled area we were on.

So I guess we'll be back to lunging

was thinking about keeping her in because of the blood, but i haven't got any bedding; tried her in charlies' stable and she was going demented. so she got purple spray everywhere and turned out again.

This may be because with me coming off last time (not for anything she did) she's now worked out that it can be done. or it may be whatever it was that happened previously when she was said to have reared. this is the irst time she's shown a desire to rear with me.

of course, i hadn't had the martingale on. wish i had, might have kept her head down.

morecambe again

was persuaded to go to morecambe again last night - partner wanted to see friend to plan trip - had a nice run back over the tops through settle, up to grassington, down through pateley bridge; went to see my mate in yorkshire who'd been supposed to be at home wtih a gammy leg, she'd gone to work!!! (her mother driving, but still....) and back via the yard to see molly who was clearly sound. was knackered by that time though.

hopefully, i'll be able to get on her tomorrow, will try anyway if gaynor is going to be there and it isn't raining. hopefully also the rubber matting will arrive; was supposed to have arrived last monday but hadn't turned up from whereever it was coming from.....

progress?

on my foot - there was - but then i did too much walking in durham today....

we are hoping i can get on molly on saturday. i do hope so. i'm fed up. she's probably fed up.

found some photos of her when she was six, must post them up - will have to scan them in first..

small molly

you would think she had shrunk - not as in got thinner, but height wise. I stood her in her stable, there's a step down to it, and she looks tiny:



and suits the new headcollar, hope she doesn't break it!!

holiday

now on a week's holiday. the original plan had been to take molly down to my friends in yorkshire. of course that was always looking doubtful once i broke my foot, especially as my friend had knacked her leg at the same time. rang up today - friend went in to have injection in her knee and was taken into theatre instead. week cancelled! so we'll have away days from home, and go down to yorkshire one day at the back end of the week. and i might at some point during the week get on the mollyo and see how she's doing...and how my foot survives!

sunshine after the rain

and i even put my jods on for the first time since the accident. not that i was planning on riding...i don't think the foot is yet up to the risk of being caught on the side of the stirrup.

went and got molly in - she was happily near the gate and came to me - and gave her a good grooming and found i still had some fly repellent whichi thought i'd run out of. so that was some good time together

then came home and had to do another hour's work..... duh.

rain! hurray

i meant to post last night but lost track of time....

able to drive myself to work so that was good.

went to the yard afterwards, went out, got her in, groomed her, turned her out. but I rather think i did a bit more than I should have done!

She didn't want to tie up, of course, and i dind't want to put her in the stable as i wanted to have the space to move away in case - don't want to risk her standing on the broken foot!!! so the grooming was mostly done with the lead rope in my hand.

and of course I'd forgotten that the night she broke my foot, she also broke her headcollar! so until i get round to going to get one (I like the sort that do up over the nose as well as everywhere else, it's much easier when tacking up) i am using one i really don't like - bought becuase it looked flashy, for Queenie, but have never really liked it. hey ho, it's a headcollar and will do for now!

tonight, i couldn't face pottering right over the very far side of the field (which is quite large) but i could see that she was sound. and we were going to get drenched as well.

But nice to see some grass starting to green up again, even if we are all getting soaked as well. and it will mean it's back to mowing the lawn!