Lucky Lucy!

[Dannii5691]

Hello everyone!
Well me and lucy have some issues to overcome so since this one (fingers crossed and touching wood) is going to be with me for a while (I plan to buy her after the year) I thought i'd do a blog to see how far we come and what problems we have overcome!! So here we are!! Enjoy - all advice greatly appreciated x

 

[Dannii5691]

1st April 2010 - Day one ... From a good day to a bad one!!

Well this morning i was up with the birds after hardly sleeping a wink! Walked the dogs then counted down the seconds until I could set off to go pick lucys ownes up! After sitting in rediculous traffic we finally got to the yard. The box was already there with its ramp down and I mooched round to get lucy ready! After taking her rugs off we took her round, she loaded straight away and traveled well ... ishh !

Lucys owner was faffing about putting her bed up and getting the rest of her stuff out so lucy arrived at the yard about 20 mins before we did. When I finally got there she was stood in a stable (a friend was there waiting for her incase something happened and i wasnt there in time ... good job really!) I payed the man (£90 for a 13 mile journey :|) and went to see my new baby, checked her over (she had managed to cut herself in the box !!!) Showed lucys owners around the place and then took them home again. When i finally (my poor little car clocked up 100 miles!) got home checked pony over propery and gave her a good groom. The amount of hair that came out of her was nothing short of rediculous ... she hadn't stepped out of a box for a month either ... poor baby

So after some faffing about, found a rug out for her and took her to the field for the first night out in over a year! After being dragged there and her rearing she went out in her paddock! bless her she has springs on her feet!


After watching her until she calmed down i went to go sort through some of her stuff. An hour or so later I went back up to check on the ponyy! She had managed to pull a shoe ... was sweating heavily and she was galloping up and down the side of the fence. She was panicing (she was in there on her own ... waiting for her new little field mate!) ... left the bloody thing nice and quiet and chilled!! So i called her, she came galloping to the gate whinnying (nawww bless <3) and i brought her in ... she turned into a little b***h , rearing and barging - took me and OH to hold her. She reared verticle and me being me kept hold of her ... One shoulder dislocated and then when she came down she cracked me square on my head . Popped my shoulder back in (OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW) and OH took her and made her walk nicely for 10 mins while I sat and cried ... hmph! Had to leave my car at the yard as i couldnt drive it back Little pony arrived back and she was turned out with it ... they made friends and stood grazing together. Calm pony is back!!!
In hind sight i probibly shouldnt have brought her out the field but she got herself in such a state i panicked


Sooo ... Lessons learned so far -
- Lucy is very bargey and has no respect for personal space.
- Despite what her owners said she DOES NOT like being left on her own
- She NEEDS over reach boots on when she is turned out as she over reaches badly when she is gallpoing about - which she does quite often!
- Has Feet problems
- Leads nicer in a rope halter than a head collar ...

All these may change as she settles in ... but you never know!

 

[Dannii5691]

2nd April - Keeping It Simple!

Well today i woke up in agony! Shoulder was very very sore and head was still ouchy! So eventually went down the farm to see demon pony! Mooched to the gate and shouted her - over she comes trotting and whinnying! So i (with some assistance) put her rope halter on and told OH to be on stand by incase she went. Although she was still slightly on the pully side she was no way half as bad as she was yesterday. Brought her in and groomed her down and had a look at what a month in a box has done to her - she has no muscle along her back at all, none down her back legs and limited on her front! poor wee girl Lots of muscle building work for her over the coming months! Gave her lots of treats and a big cuddle before taking her back to the field. She walked quite nicely - only pulled twice and as soon as i stopped she stopped aswell. Turned her back out and she mooched out happily!
Think lots of bonding and once ive stopped acheing lots of in hand work, then on to building up lungeing before anyone gets near her back!! Shes looking like such a sweet girl aswell! Fingers crossed tomorrow will be a good day!

 

[Dark Storm]

Did the owners say why she'd been kept in for 4 weeks?
It's no wonder she exploded, all that freedom must have gone to her head
I'm sure over the next few weeks as she realizes she's not going to be kept in 24/7 and out enjoying freedom, she'll become your dream horse..
If she remains a little hyper, and your still sore, why not try her on a calmer? It'll take the edge off her, whilst you recover from your bad shoulder

 

[Dannii5691]

Did the owners say why she'd been kept in for 4 weeks?
It's no wonder she exploded, all that freedom must have gone to her head
I'm sure over the next few weeks as she realizes she's not going to be kept in 24/7 and out enjoying freedom, she'll become your dream horse..
If she remains a little hyper, and your still sore, why not try her on a calmer? It'll take the edge off her, whilst you recover from your bad shoulder

Yeah the yard has a very strict - out at this time and in at this time and if there not out at this time then they dont go out. She could only get down on a night every couple of days so her OH had been going when she couldnt get down - no one would turn out or bring in for her, every one at that place has a very "im going to look after myself and my horse, screw you" kind of attitude! She was alot better today so im hoping after being out for a while and realising she isnt going to be locked up 24/7 she will get better. I used to ride her years back when my old horse was on that yard, she was brill then and has a fab pop on her, lets just hope I can bring her back! Im not looking for a miracle fix - ive still got all the time in the world with her! Fingers crossed!

 

[Dannii5691]

Day 3 - Another good day!!

Well today I woke up, shoulder was still giving me jip but it is a million times better than it was yesterday! So today me and OH mooched up the yard to be met by a very chilled looking lucy! I shouted her and she whinnyed and came trotting to the gate, put her halter on and she walked out nice and calmly! Led her down to the yard with no problems, tied her up and gave her a good groom. She has issues around her girth area (was prev - about 4 years ago when she was out on loan ridden when she had girth galls and has had issues with it ever since according to her owner), so worked on this a little bit - when she didnt go to nip me or pull a face she got a treat.

After a good groom and a good bond I decided to be brave and that today as it was nice was as good a day as ever to put her new bridle on and take her for a walk off the yard and round the quiet housing estate opposite the yard. I was fully expecting her to be bargy and pulling like an idiot!
How wrong was i?
Apart from walking slightly on the fast side she was fine, had to circle her a few times (we walked back over a bit of field so she could have a munch and a few times got a bit excited) but apart from that she didnt bat an eyelid! so walking out in hand will now be on the agenda to start her fitness off! (thought would try it while i had OH there incase she was a t**t!) Im a very happy bunny today! Obv being turned out suits her alot better than being in!! Bless her! Think i like this new pony!(have i just jinxed myself??)

 

[Dannii5691]

After yesterdays plesent suprise about Loobs being good out on our walk today i decided to push my luck abit and go into the village. I knew chances were we would see the riding school ponys out on a hack, lots of traffic, dogs, cows, scary people and road works and basically everything that is going to cause a problem with me still having a poorly shoulder! So after being met with a whinny (I like this ... makes me feel like she likes me!) i brought her in and groomed her down.

OH was doing something to my car at home so there was just me and a couple of girls down the yard. After a chat i put her bridle on and headed out. I have been leaving her rope halter on underneath her bridle as a back up incase i need it as she responds better to it than pulling on her bit (i did have visions of going bitless and then decided this is far to early to even be thinking about riding her!) and then took my brave pills (okay sports mixtures ... i had some in my pocket - if im concentrating on avoiding the black ones and trying not to brake my jaw things just dont seem as bad! there like my munchable comfort blanket - explains the expanding waist band ... eeep) and mooched out.

We literally made it into the village and were met with a bin truck, a bus, a tractor, countless idiot drivers 8 riding school ponys and one very big scary show cob with every sort of boot and contraption on its legs! (bloody thing scared me - it sounded like the ground was shaking when it came cantering sidewards out of the side road we were stood next to!) Apart from being slightly bargy and on the pully side (putting it down to the excitement of being out and about somewhere new) she was fine ... slight spook at the bus and tractor but after a snort she was fine!! However now we have a new worry (about to put a post up about it in cafe area!) ...

Heres a pic of the position Lucy was in as mum was having a heart attack at the stampeed of a thousand horses loose in wolviston village (aka one slightly out of control coloured ...)

Im getting slightly over happy at how calm this 20 year old once over school mistress is being ... is it just me or does bad habbits learnt normally take longer than 4 days to brake? mind i havent started lungeing her yet - that could be a whole different story ...

* ponders off to consider different lunging technices while remembering to take medicine and check facebook later ... *

 

[Dannii5691]

bloody horses!!

I decided i was going to start to build lucys fitness up to get her ready to be ridden! Out comes the roller and the lungelines!! managed to lunge her twice in walk and trot for about 10 mins each before she did her bloody leg in! She lunges very nicely and is very responsive - someone has obv spent alot of time on this!!! She really enjoys it and her transitions are fab (we looked well posh in tghe field )
Heres some lunging pics

Then i came down and was informed she had managed to cut her leg :/ after speaking to the vet who advised cold hosing for 30 mins twice a day and no lunging fitness kinda came to a stop Oh well!!!


But apart from the bad leg everything is going well xx

 

[Dannii5691]

Heres some pics of her chilling in the field and playing with her new boyfriend Frankie

Were not up to anything honest

kisses *mwahhh*

Bitta grooming

After having her legs cold hosed!

Helloo mummy

 

[Dannii5691]

Nice vets and new friends

Well after recieving a curtesy call off the vets on sat to see how lucys leg was (was well suprised when i answered the phone, especially as they didnt actually come out to see her), they said she can start being lunged again (y) slowly building her work up so were finally back on track! Her leg is healing nicely now and the worst cut is just a small scab, the others have healed and all thats left is the fur to grow back!

Alsoo after the poor little mite has been walking about on one shoe since she got here (she managed to pull one off after about 5 mins in the field!) and on friday morning a farriar finally turned up to shoe her and put the proper natural balance shoes on her old farriar should have put on her in the first place almost a month ago. She certainly has a soft spot for the farriar's apprentice - she normally dosent "do" men - she is fine with OH (probs as he bribes her with food every time he is down ) however she stood quiet as a mouse with him - when the farriar was putting her shoes on she was pulling faces and snatching her feet back - apprentice comes to shape them and she stands like a dope on a rope nuzzling his neck - what a geek she is!!

fingers crossed (has a piece of wood to run and touch as she types this) we can get back on track and hopefully in the next few weeks get her ridden
(going to get her saddle tomorrow!) - she has also defo "butched" up since she has been here - obv all the walking about all the time while being turned out has built some muscle up

 

[Dannii5691]

Up and away!

Well this past week i have been lunging kucy and long reining her round the village to get her used to being around traffic again (okay so she has been used to hacking down a busy dual carrageway at her old home but ya know ... new place new things to see etc). she has been fab and is very soft and responsive when long reining!
Well i finally got her saddle off her old owner and thought this weekend was as good as any to get on and go! (before indias old owner brings his horses back to the yard and we casnt use the field to ride in anymore!)
So after checking her saddle still fits and wasnt to tight etc (and finding the reins out i took off her bridle)
i got OH to hold her while i hopped on (apparently at old home people couldnt get near her to ride her and if they did manage to get on they would soon get bucked and bronked off - so slight apprehension about getting on ... OH told me to grow a pair and of she was going to do it there was nothing i could do to stop her -would just have to learn from it and get back person out as obv there is an issue there! nice! although from leaning accross her and getting oh to lead her about with me leaning accross her back no problems, ears pricked, no signs of pain etc - was just me being apprehensive about it!)

so ... up we climb, ponyo was to busy being fed treats from OH to even notice! Walked her around the yard for about 10 mins before taking her in the field. walked her round the edge of it, asked for a couple of walk - trot - halt transitions and asked for a short canter. She was loving it and i must admit - so was i!!! Called it a day on a good note and OH took a vid - not putting it up was shocked at my terrible position, and obv expanding waistline!! eeep! oh well diet and some refresher lessons needed!

Fingers crossed for a short hack during the week!

 

[Dannii5691]

First solo ride

Well yesterday me and lucy went out for our fiest solo hack. She was a bit apprehensive of going out of the gate - not nappy just abit - i think there might be a scary monster behind that bush mum! So after a mooch half way around the village she decides she isnt going to go anywhere, rears, spins and tries to head for home - after a couple of mins of ... you either walk on or we circle its up to you but you are NOT going home she decides it will be fun to keep going! about 10 mins later she decides she is going to play the same trick, bit of persistance and she walkes on again.
I think the best thing for her is to keep her brain active - lots of transitions etc, as its when she has been mooching about for a little while she just seems to get bored and head for home.

so after a little while she suddenly turns into a whinnying snorting jogging giraffe - nice decided best thing to do was to ignore her behaviour and act like she was just plodding along, which worked!!! i was waiting for it to turn into a full blown disasterus fight!! We did a few more walk to trot transitions, had a nice longish trot and returned to the yard alive and happy!

must work on nappyness when hacking alone but from what her owner said yesterdays hack was nothing )and im hoping thats the worst she will be but only time will tell ) im a very happy mummy x

 

[No_Angel]

What size is her saddle? not being rude but it looks a little bit on the small side for you in your pic

 

[Dannii5691]

17 1/2 ... Yeah I have a big arse - diet shall sort that (hopefully!!) but saddle does fit - more dodgey camera angle and the way I'm sat on her - had literall just parked my butt!