Progress and some exciting news!

I am feeling much more positive about Jazz. This morning he is sound in walk on a concrete or tarmac surface with his foot picked out. But he is well lame on a soft surface or before you pick out his foot. That's not a tendon, that's in the foot. It could still be a broken bone but I think now that it is "just" and almighty nasty bruise, probably having bruised the bones themselves, given how lame he's been. There is no sign of an abscess brewing. During the day today I have left him without bandages and his leg has only a whisper of a bit of filling in it, so he does seem to be healing. We're not out of the woods yet, but things are looking a lot more promising.

Meanwhile, to stop myself moping, I have been looking at Horsemart again! I reckoned that I would feel a lot more comfortable about the coming eventing season if I had a backup. Not only is Zippy too young (he has to be 5) but he is still incredibly immature and nowhere near ready to work seriously hard. So ..... look what I bought this afternoon!

Horsemart.co.uk Advert ref: HM801F79H
(sorry, I can't make the link thingy work)

He is nowhere near 16.1, in fact I will count myself lucky if he's anything over 15.3. But he's a big chunky horse, most probably shire cross. He really does look exactly like those photos, perhaps a tad heavier. He's got a real draft backside!! He was apparently imported from Ireland on a passport done in 2007 which says he was born in 2000. He's certainly not 8 and probably only 6. I know of other Irish imports like that - a seven year old is worth more than a five year old, so the less scrupulous put whatever date on it they like!! The seller's vet and dentist aged him as 5 last year, and I think he's 6 this year. He doesn't have even the slightest sign of a hook on the corners, so it's unlikely he's approaching or just leaving seven. I'll settle for 6.

He has been backed and been very sensible, in spite of their arena being on the top of a windswept moor with extremely heavy traffic thundering past the rails. He's just a rather nice example of a typical Irish horse, a good solid chap with a leg on each corner who will do what it says on the tin. And of course at that price, since he is jet black (not bay/black totally black black - quite a rare thing), unmarked and viceless and really does move surprisingly well, I can't see how I can lose unless he drops dead! And if Jazz doesn't come right I'm sure he's the kind of horse who will pop 2ft 11 just because it's in front of him.

There, have I surprised everyone? Tell me what you think, we pick him up tomorrow. I'm thinking of naming him Justin Case.

C