Hello guys!
Thought it was about time I stuck my head out from under my duvet and gave you a bit of an update on Dolly and I
Things haven't been great for either of us this winter, hence my lack of appearances on NR, but *touches wood, crosses fingers and does other silly superstitious stuff!* things are beginning to look a little brighter...!
Unfortunately I have been very depressed of late, which hasn't helped the situation with Dolly, and I've ended up signed off work and on anti-depressants... and thank god for my GP! He was absolutely right, it *was* just what I needed, despite my initial insistance that I MUST go to work and WOULDN'T take happy pills.
The time off work has given me the chance to spend unlimited time with Dolly, doing a lot of crying into her mane, but at the same time, allowing us to bond again, and making me realise that I adore her, really don't want to loose her, and therefore must 'sort her out'!
Dolly had some intermittent 'stiffness' in her hinds through the late autumn as some of you will remember, which we have now resolved with a combination of going barefoot behind, finding a 'better' supplement, rest and gentle exercise.
Unfortunately the enforced 'time off' for both of us resulted in her thinking she'd retired, and me dropping confidence...again! When we started to go out again, she had turned back into the nappy, stroppy, jogging mare I bought nearly a year agoeek: yes! nearly a year!).
My deep depression at the time didn't help, as I didn't have the energy or inclination to 'do' anything about her behaviour, and again, as some of you may remember, was thinking along the lines of selling her, loaning her out etc.
Having 'gone barefoot behind' at the end of November, the wet ground and mud caused Dolly the most disgusting thrush I've ever encountered on one of her backs, resulting in her frog shedding off in layers, and me being reluctant to ride her on it for a while.... so we did some in hand work, again helping, I think, us to 're-bond'.
Having got the thrush under control, I began riding her out with others again, and being a bit 'firmer' with my riding, and she has been as good as gold on the limited number of occasions that the weather has been kind enough to let us go out
Unfortuntately the same can't be said for her going out alone... last time I tried it she napped horrendously, rearing, spinning in the road and refusing to go in any direction other than 'home'. We stood in the rain for 45 minutes, and when we both started shivvering, I had to give in and turn her for home... although I then rode her 'past' home, so she didn't get all her own way!
However, with my chemically-induced-slightly-brighter-mood, I have decided to look at the positives- the main one being that six months ago, I wouldn't have dreamed of taking her out in company because she was competitive and dangerous, constantly having to be in front and if 'held back' would get very strong and 'scary'... now we can hack out with others (up to 6 of us at a time!) with no problem- she still prefers to be in front, but WILL go in the middle or behind, and we seem to have stopped the insistent 'jogging' all the way home and 'competitiveness'.
So, my plan heading into the spring? Dolly and I are going to continue to hack out with others and enjoy it, we are also going to do some in-hand work away from the yard on our own, to increase both of us' confidence, hopefully leading to us being able to hack out alone again... I know we CAN do it, we just have to get on and DO IT! We are also going to start having lessons, just as soon as I can get her to hack the half mile to the local RI!
Should I find myself in a position where I'm unable to get her through her napping and rearing, then Plan B will come in to effect with the lighter evenings and better weather- Dolly will be 'sent away' to a yard a mile down the road, where she will be re-schooled and 'sorted out' by the very highly reccomended YO... and I will go there for lessons on her during this time.
So, there you have it, that's what's been going on for me, and my plan for the new year... sorry it's such a long 'update' and thankyou to all of those who have 'kept in touch' through my 'silence'
Thought it was about time I stuck my head out from under my duvet and gave you a bit of an update on Dolly and I
Things haven't been great for either of us this winter, hence my lack of appearances on NR, but *touches wood, crosses fingers and does other silly superstitious stuff!* things are beginning to look a little brighter...!
Unfortunately I have been very depressed of late, which hasn't helped the situation with Dolly, and I've ended up signed off work and on anti-depressants... and thank god for my GP! He was absolutely right, it *was* just what I needed, despite my initial insistance that I MUST go to work and WOULDN'T take happy pills.
The time off work has given me the chance to spend unlimited time with Dolly, doing a lot of crying into her mane, but at the same time, allowing us to bond again, and making me realise that I adore her, really don't want to loose her, and therefore must 'sort her out'!
Dolly had some intermittent 'stiffness' in her hinds through the late autumn as some of you will remember, which we have now resolved with a combination of going barefoot behind, finding a 'better' supplement, rest and gentle exercise.
Unfortunately the enforced 'time off' for both of us resulted in her thinking she'd retired, and me dropping confidence...again! When we started to go out again, she had turned back into the nappy, stroppy, jogging mare I bought nearly a year ago
eek: yes! nearly a year!).My deep depression at the time didn't help, as I didn't have the energy or inclination to 'do' anything about her behaviour, and again, as some of you may remember, was thinking along the lines of selling her, loaning her out etc.
Having 'gone barefoot behind' at the end of November, the wet ground and mud caused Dolly the most disgusting thrush I've ever encountered on one of her backs, resulting in her frog shedding off in layers, and me being reluctant to ride her on it for a while.... so we did some in hand work, again helping, I think, us to 're-bond'.
Having got the thrush under control, I began riding her out with others again, and being a bit 'firmer' with my riding, and she has been as good as gold on the limited number of occasions that the weather has been kind enough to let us go out
Unfortuntately the same can't be said for her going out alone... last time I tried it she napped horrendously, rearing, spinning in the road and refusing to go in any direction other than 'home'. We stood in the rain for 45 minutes, and when we both started shivvering, I had to give in and turn her for home... although I then rode her 'past' home, so she didn't get all her own way!
However, with my chemically-induced-slightly-brighter-mood, I have decided to look at the positives- the main one being that six months ago, I wouldn't have dreamed of taking her out in company because she was competitive and dangerous, constantly having to be in front and if 'held back' would get very strong and 'scary'... now we can hack out with others (up to 6 of us at a time!) with no problem- she still prefers to be in front, but WILL go in the middle or behind, and we seem to have stopped the insistent 'jogging' all the way home and 'competitiveness'.
So, my plan heading into the spring? Dolly and I are going to continue to hack out with others and enjoy it, we are also going to do some in-hand work away from the yard on our own, to increase both of us' confidence, hopefully leading to us being able to hack out alone again... I know we CAN do it, we just have to get on and DO IT! We are also going to start having lessons, just as soon as I can get her to hack the half mile to the local RI!
Should I find myself in a position where I'm unable to get her through her napping and rearing, then Plan B will come in to effect with the lighter evenings and better weather- Dolly will be 'sent away' to a yard a mile down the road, where she will be re-schooled and 'sorted out' by the very highly reccomended YO... and I will go there for lessons on her during this time.
So, there you have it, that's what's been going on for me, and my plan for the new year... sorry it's such a long 'update' and thankyou to all of those who have 'kept in touch' through my 'silence'
