The Poshcob jumps!

Still in shock Saturday Charlie the Poshcob did the yard show. 

We did our first ever dressage test intro A not brilliant but there were moments. It was on grass and we stayed in the arena :)

Warming up was exciting lots of his friends milling around so i kept taking him away riding circles in walk and trot bringing him back. He had  a few eeks (never had a horse that squeaked before like a giant mouse) and a little whoops but pretty ok.

Following that we decided to show jump over the ickle show jump course. As we haven't jumped together yet I decided to walk between fences and then gently trot over the show jumps they were pretty colourful lots of fillers at the sides. 

However this scheme was not on Charlie's agenda. A long course 10 fences with twists and turns in an open field. Charlie's plan was go as fast as possible and when I came back to walk for one particular turn and then allowed him forward over the fence he actually squeaked at me.

Thank god he has a mane now I had at least a handfull over every fence or maybe two handfuls.

The jump off was the first 5 fences again but as I felt we had no control in just a simple snaffle and he was getting a bit too excited  i decided we would bow out at this point and finish on a positive note.

So loads more schooling to do and more brakes needed for jumping but I was correct I really do have a Poshcob.

Not too bad as its the first time we have ever jumped a course and its also the first time all four feet have left the ground ,intentionally, since his op.

We Hacked alone again

Today I hacked Charlie out on his own again. Nothing much for some but 6 months ago he wouldn't even go 50 yards. 

Pre op this ride caused him to panic every time we stopped for a car. Post op riding I had to get off and lead him the whole hack and that was with company patience time more patience and more time and we have a happy horse.

He did this ride last week too but with a few hiccups. Today the first big field which is uphill and forever known as 'the cows field' actually had cows in it young inquisitive ones which had not been there last week.So erring on the side of caution I dismounted and led Charlie along the hedge line so he had hedge right then me left then the young nosy cows. I gently waggled my whip at them in order to make them keep their distance but not run and panic him. 

A bunch followed us part way so I waggled my whip behind me in a Harry Potterish move.

The new gel pad is awesome I clambered back on board at the top gate no saddle slippage whatsoever.

Poshcob is on his way

Another good day, they are coming thick and fast. 

I have been suffering saddle slippage and my best friend (I believe if I were younger she would be my bestie) lent me her Acavallo anti slip pad. 

Today was Physio day and now that Charlie has had the all clear from last weeks X-rays we know we are dealing with just his retraining.

We lunged him in the school in just the cavesson and he looked great. His canter transitions were soooooo much better.

Grace was pleased with Diane's Gel pad and before we tacked up to ride she had a good look at Charlie's back. Here she noticed that Charles right shoulder had more muscle than his left which ties in with his use of his right leg as a prop for the weaker hind.

Then like a lamb to the slaughter we went down to the big field. Grace wanted to see walk trot and canter on big circles in the field. This we did and I had forgotten how much better his canter transitions had become. Maybe all the lungeing walk to canter in V reins had succeeded better than i realised its so difficult to tell when you are so close to the action.

We haven't got the softness and working from behind and through that we want but OMG the canter transition and actual canter was Whoo Hoo. Sooo much improved and something we can work with. I had forgotten how awful it had been. It is definitely the basis of our progress forward. It makes me realise that my early canter work last year in the field indicated an issue I was oblivious to. I thought it was just new horse syndrome.

His canter left was better than canter right as some sort of snort grunt and explosion occurred canter right and to be honest short of clucking and squawking like a chicken I think I nearly hid my anxiety that he might load his shoulder and piss off from Grace. I am not too worried because this is his weak side and something we need to work on plus last time we did this the saddle had slipped and unbalanced him so he was probably expressing his anxiety.

We finished our day by stripping off his tack and working through his muscles and stretches. I am pleased to note than since the EDT visit there is far less tension in his neck and everything else appears to be in the right place and functioning well.

So there is hope for me and my Poshcob yet as long as it isnt just his bute trial talking but to be frank I don't think it is we were part way here anyway.

A Fanfare of Trumpets

 Today.....we did a proper hack on our own. Charlie was lovely. A few bits of anxiety but nothing major and we hacked good and proper. Flies,Rescue Remedy and Farts. How good is that we did the hams ride takes about an hour.

Not guilty, Lost, Found and Misunderstood.

I finished my last update by saying the weight tape lied on reflection it didn't! The Weight tape is.....INNOCENT. I rechecked it and then remembered that when I last used it there was no reading so I fiddled until I got one.

So today I realise that if you measure where it isn't numbered and compare where it is and then work out the gap it's about right. He weighs 638kg.

Yesterday we arranged an intensive physio session for Fat Boy and that's on Tuesday but I haven't told him yet because he just lurves Grace. 

Charlie also had a major exercise session in the school we did lunging on the flat, walk to canter transitions and raised poles plus I rode him. We do need to reduce the lard on the lad and I would rather work him than lock him up or muzzle him.

And on to today .... We decided the next step in both our progress was to work in the big field. The big field has been the source of several hiccups, some verticality plus my over active imagination expects to die but It's the only place where I can teach my hunter that canter comes in circles as well as straight lines.

He did loads of walking but would not settle into the contact which is understandable as I was probably a little tense (ok very) but we will never learn to relax unless we get on and do it.

I wore my BP and my reflective top and tucked my phone in the special pocket. That way if I died they would find me easily and phone my partner. So I digress, loads of walk chucked in some leg yield very stiffly did loads of trot transitions and didn't die.

Did a huge rectangle and was aware of lots of shouting from the field next door charlie looked over ears alert and i reminded myself that we shouldnt both shy so trotted looking in the opposite direction.

Suddenly as we trotted down the field a spin mini rear and nap. "OMG heck I am stuffed now I cannot finish on that note I have to establish who is in charge and making the decisions" (remember this its significant) so I had to stay in the field. 

I walked and walked and kept changing the rein and circling (well ovalling and wobbly amoeba shapes) had a chat to myself and decided if I was going to die it may as well be now.

Well dear reader... I cantered (oops a bit of a Bronte moment there)  the first couple werent too bad at all. Changed the rein and it was pretty awful. Next minute a voice shouted your crooked! Bugger my saddle had slipped to the left on Fat Boy. We sorted it out and tried again and had a bit of a tense but lovely large canter circle. I finished off walking around and then hopped off and walked him back up the track after treating him to a tuft of grass.

Untacked tied him up and went to phone the man which was when I realised I had lost my phone.

It's a new phone with my bargain £4 cover on it. I must have lost it when I cantered. Blinking heck the Magpie I saw on the way to the yard meant I was going to lose my phone not die.

So I tucked him up with his tea and trudged back down to the very big field. I zig zagged up and down the field section by section recovering where we had cantered. Nothing then I moved across to where we hadn't cantered and there it was exactly where we had the spin mini rear in trot. He must have spooked when the phone fell out and slipped down his shoulder. Poor Charlie yet again I have misunderstood him. Not only that but the £4 cover is damaged he must have stepped on it. But the phone is fine whoo Hoo!

So we have proper cantered in the big field, I have to find out what makes the saddle slip and I have to learn to read Charlie better.

Phew!

Charlie and I have had a rollercoaster couple of weeks the dragon slaying continues and is going mighty well including an introduction to a chainsaw.

Schooling not so good Charlie was being difficult working in a contact and would or could not work through from behind he hollowed and resisted as soon as asked. I will be honest I was pretty devestated when it was suggested to me that he may not be quite right elsewhere. Cue lots of tears and a visit to Ollie at Bushy Equine with a recalcitrant partner in tow (ok towing because I cant tow and cry).

What a relief! Charlie had the standard work up walk and trot on hard ground and walk trot and canter in the sand school.

The vets assistant, a Hartpury Student on a years placement, did the lungeing and I found myself standing at the side asking Charlie for walk as he ignored his handler. Then the young man asked for Canter by Cracking the whip. Thank God Charlie knows you lunge in a circle as I fully expected to see him fly of the launch pad. The aid is CAN...TER not a chorus of 'The Deadwood Stage is a Coming up over the Hill' it was electric but he looked terrific.

So the results, loads of stretches prodding and poking and we had Back re Xrayed and Neck xrayed even Ollie said his xrays were lovely and clean as a whistle. Then for good measure we had Hock Xrays too and what a lovely pair of hocks he has.

Ollie said we have done a lovely job and his all round muscle tone and back are perfect the only telltale sign of his op is a clutch of white hairs. He feels we have done 95% of the repair work and it is highly likely we are still dealing with learned responses and pain memory.

We are now on a 2 week Bute trial. He says sometimes it has no impact at all but sometimes it relieves a bit of tightness the horse perceives as a problem and sometimes just bute for 2 weeks with normal work is enough for them to unlearn the discomfort reaction.

I also asked them to weigh the portly person 638kg my weight tape lies (585).