I miss competing...

This past weekend I went to watch some of my friends ride at one of the local sports. This is a small local show open to all, usually run by the local Pony Club, Hunt and residents. They typically have flat/show classes, show jumping, show hunter and games for the kids. It's a great way to introduce yourself or horse to show atmosphere and they have a very friendly, low-key feeling.

They also have small jumps for those of us who prefer them that way. So last year, Possum and I did show hunter and show jumping at 80 cm and had a ball. Unfortunately everyone and their dog is there with young horses, so your chances of placing are slim to none. But it means you get to ride against former Olympic riders - can't imagine that happening in other places or even other sports. It is just terrifying to sit at the side of the ring and watch them though!!! I think I did better than some of the pro riders and did a double clear SJ round, so that was enough for us.

But this year, I was there on foot, feeling a bit sad and lost. It wasn't much consolation when my friends didn't have great days with their showing.

Someone was trying to give away a thoroughbred - I was interested until I heard it is 16.3 hh! Yikes! I don't care if it can jump a metre 30, that's way too tall for me. I am quietly looking around for another horse, especially one I can take out competing now, because I miss it. I do so love the jumping...

What to do this weekend?

Now that we are not out competing all the time, it leaves the weekends wide open. I am not at all used to this and I need to set some goals or I will just waste the time. I could of course, go along as someone's groom. It would be hard though, to be at the events I was planning on doing but be without Possum and only watching from the sidelines. Not at all the same.

So, what to do?

We could go out hacking around the roads.
We could go to the arena and do some in-hand work.
If I had some transport, I'd love to go to the beach.

I do need to do her stretches and massage work.
She could do with a good de-furring.
I can't remember when all of her gear was last cleaned.
I could sort out some things to sell to pay for her supplements etc.

But really, I'd rather do some jumping...

Nuuuw Zuland

One of the things that fascinates me about blogs is how they give you an insight into someone else's life. And photos of their world are great, so I thought I would add some of my world. Some photos from my on line albums for you...

Not my paddock, but one of my horses lives here. Kereru, Hawkes Bay
This was a cold day in June (winter)

Possum in her paddock with one chook and the sheep
See how flat it is - not many hills around here!

Just up the road from my work, one April morning
Kaweka Ranges in the distance

Ngaruroro River from the vineyard
That's a cabbage tree to the left
Yeah, I know it looks like a palm. That's what we call them.

Autumn vineyard

Saddles

We are very fortunate to have a wonderful saddle fitter who travels here about once a month. She is also a therapist who does a variety of things to make the horses' lives better.

At our first appointment, I got her to check out both my saddles. I have a half-share in a young horse, and I was hoping I could use the same saddles for both of them. Unfortunately, the dressage saddle is too small for me! And I love it so much! And the GP is okay but doesn't fit either horse properly. It can be adjusted with some judicious padding and lots of homework on my part - massage, stretches etc.

It seems that some of Possum's stiffness is due to her saddles digging her in the back. Logical, I know, but sometimes it takes a professional to get you to see things! I have known for ages that she has severe muscle wastage at the top of her shoulder/wither area. It was probably caused by too many years in too small saddles, as typically most farmers believe one saddle can fit all horses. We have a series of stretches to do, which I have to admit I have been a bit slack about.

We had another visit on the weekend, and I got a tick on my homework (massage etc) and then more homework! Yuk, reminds me of school. I had borrowed a range of saddles from various people but none of them fitted well. Sigh, back to the drawing board/trade me... P. was quite tense and spooky, and covered everything in her fluff, as she is shedding like crazy. The therapist tried some aromatherapy oils and made a blend up for her that has lavender, clary sage and marjoram which seemed to calm her down well.

Looking at her feet

I want to post some hoof photos, mostly to document where we are at the moment.
Although the shots I have are a couple of months old, so I will have to get some more this weekend.


Front feet in July 09



Near fore
Note the lower point at the toe where I have tried to get to the seedy toe there.



Off fore



Near hind



Off hind
Note the asymmetry of hoof and frog - I need to trim this more on the inside to balance her movement.

Where we're at

I started a post a couple of weeks ago after we had a disasterous day at the Top Score jumping. I couldn't finish it, so it's still in the drafts folder.
Suffice to say, my fears that my girl is getting past it are becoming real. We got eliminated in three of the four sections, and she is not a happy horse. So far we have had the chiro/physio and saddle fitter out, upped her supplements and started her on Devil's Claw.

I rode her last night and she was very bouncy and spooky, and seemed full of herself. That might be in part to the couple of days she has spent on the good spring grass, despite the toxin binder. Or it might be that she is feeling better and the additives are working. She certainly hasn't lunged at me trying to bite me lately, which is a good indicator of her temper!

My coach is finally back from the US, and we have a lesson/assessment on Saturday morning. I need to make some serious decisions about where we are going. I really hope we have at least another season together, but if she is not happy jumping, I will have to accept that and start looking for a replacement.

Don't get me wrong, she will have a wonderful life of standing in the paddock, eating, and going on gentle hacks. I'm not one to put a horse down because she can't do what I want her to do. As long as she is happy, she can be a paddock ornament. And someone has to keep that dratted pony in line!


THAT DRATTED PONY!

Bravely Bitless and Barefoot!

At the Steed Health/Eventing Nthn Hawkes Bay Showjumping Series, August 2009


Brave? Or just open minded?

We were only jumping a max of 85 cm, so it wasn't that scarey. But it certainly caused some comments around the rings. I like to shake things up a bit, so there we were, barefoot and bitless, and having a ball!

I often have people ask how I get on with a barefoot horse. While we are only competing at low level eventing, my competitors are often using studs and wonder how we survive. Then they say, oh she's a nippy little horse, she doesn't have to have studs. Or, you don't need to worry about that with these little jumps. I just smile, and especially when we beat them!

Take, for example, the PARC Christmas ribbon day '08. A tight, twisty show jumping course with several roll backs. It had rained that morning and the ground was still hard with wet, slippery grass covering it. We watched as horse after horse slid through the fences. All they had to do was hesitate a fraction coming in, and BOOM! Poles and stands everywhere, horse and rider parting company.

Out we went, set up a nice little canter and popped around. The first clear round, and one of only a couple in that class. (GRIN)