All good news today.
Except for the weather that is! There is a howling gale thrashing rain into my windows at the moment. (the house I mean, the house. I don't personally have any windows :-)
Jazz is sound. I can't see anything wrong with him and I can't feel anything when I ride, trot included. So I think, provided he stays sound, that we are just going to have to assume that he bruised his foot. In the absence of anything other than heat in the foot, a slightly raised pulse and pointing his toe, then we must assume that as "common things are common" he trod on a stone just under a week ago. Phew, relief anyway.
He worked well. He took ten minutes to loosen the right side and stretch around a left bend, but when he did it was genuine and quite nice. We just played around with walk and halt for half an hour and left it at that.
Tia didn't need or deserve to do any more schoolwork and the weather was impossibly bad for riding out, so she has had the day off.
Zip has made great progress. You'll be pleased to know that his poo was normal over night - there, I thought that would thrill you! He allowed me to pick out all four feet before he came out of the barn this morning without being tied up. We did do a rather nice waltz some of the time, but we got them all done in the end. So I thought that I would try for a trim, because his back feet are so upright and long that the frogs are beginning to atrophy. Whoever has trimmed him before has been a superb farrier. The moment he saw the rasp he behaved perfectly. He wasn't tense or frightened, he just knew that he needed to behave. He held each foot up and did not even try to put it down until I had finished with it. So I managed to do all four. Now who would have thought that, given how bad he has been to just have them picked out? Just about in time too, I got about fair whack off the height of the heels on the worse back foot without reaching anything that looked remotely "live".
I groomed him and he likes to be brushed, so that's very nice. And I taught him to lead from the shoulder, both sides, and that's improving too. He is quite quiet now and seems very quick to learn. But definitely sharper than Jazz, so it will be interesting to see what he's like to back. I hope not to need Smartie's pulleys but they're still up there if I do :-) He is definitely dominant - he is already equal with Jazz and will shortly be above him in the order, I think.
I will reserve judgement on keeping him until I have ridden him, but the signs are looking very good so far. Meanwhile my best boy is back in action and I am looking forward to our next outing - a dressage competition on Sunday, in the place where the showjumping was so disastrous - should be interesting!
C
posted by cptrayes @ 11:47 AM
3 comments
3 Comments:
Good news all round.
Maybe some of Zip's ill manners were related to his trying to establish himself in the "herd," which included you. Now that he's figuring out you are the true alpha, he may change his mind about a few things.
The good poo is exciting. I know only another horseman would appreciate it, but....*G*
OK, goals for Sunday. No jumping. Stay in the arena. Make at least one round circle as required. Have correct bend in at least one corner, and if it happens to be one near the gallery, so much the better. As those aspirations too high? *VBWG*
Or, you could just go out and win the class.
Are you going to give him some work at home before you go, or work him in when you get there?
Re the vistit to France & the Henson horse. I hadn't heard of them either! And the name is more anglo-saxon sounding than french.
They are a Fijord pony crossed with a larger riding horse of any breed except Arab. They are mostly dun - and the breed standard will be dun - but there are some bays and chestnut as well among the older horses. They are around 15.00 and vary from favouring the Fijord to a bit bigger and a bit more horse like, but overall there is no mistaking them once you have seen them. A good sturdy "type" but they walk out well and they do work hard.
The Henson Centre caters for riders from very novice (days trips from local factories) to people wanting a fast all-day ride along the beaches and forests of the Somme estuary. The horses are schooled to be ridden in a bitless bridle so the novice riders don't hurt their mouth and the saddles are army style (ouch, it you don't ride like a trooper!)
I got to go because the Henson Centre has teamed up with TROT - Toll Rides Off-Road Trust - to promote trail riding and EU cross-cultural exchanges. TROT has shown the French how to play polo-crosse, Riding and Driving for the Disabled and taken visiting french visitors round some of the toll rides. There has been EU money to help with TROT toll rides and new routes for driving and riding in some forests in Kent and link-ups to keep of the roads. Some people have also done trail leader courses (they are very keen on those in France) and all in all it is a good cultural exchange. The french don't ride in hats and all smoke like chimneys and we longed to give the horses a good groom. But they are very good hosts, ride very well and bravely and we had a great time. The wine doesn't give you a hang-over either!
Judith
Jean, Jazz's answers to your goals for Sunday.
No jumping - oh for goodness sake make your mind up! Last time I got told off for not jumping and now you say no jumping. Humph!
One round circle - what's a circle?
Corect bend in one corner - ah but my version of correct might not be the same as yours ...
I am hoping for the indoor school which is exactly 20x40, then he can't leave the arena! The other one is bigger and who knows what will happen in there :-)
Judith I will work him in when we are there. It's all the excitement of being there that causes him issues.
You are obviously very involved with horse stuff in your part of the world. The Henson trip sounds like it was a great experience. When I lived in Switzerland I was always sniggered at as "the crazy English woman who always wears a hat!".
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