The past few weeks have really shown me just how
much owning horses can take you from a high to a low and back to a high within
days of each other.
At the beginning of October we competed at the Area Festival with a fantastic set of results to add to our card. The following week I was so inspired by our success I had plenty in mind I wanted to go over in my lesson that day.
My lesson with Amy was fabulous and we paid special
attention to working through some medium level moves and more lateral work.
Once Ceaser was warmed up we tested him by going through a series of movements
like trotting up the quarter line, half passing to the long side, walking, then
walking a half pirouette, trotting, walking another half pirouette and then
half passing in trot back down the other long side.
Once we had this established we worked on counter
canter which from the ground Amy saw really lifted Ceaser and gave him a much
more uphill look in his correct canter lead. To finish off I went through some
other more simple movements so Amy could watch how much the lateral work we had
done with it had given him a lift and made him a lot more between my hands and
legs and up in front. Ceaser rarely strikes off on the wrong canter lead but
during my lesson he seemed to really struggle with picking up the correct
canter lead immediately. Brushing it off we thought it was because he was
overdue with his 6 weekly massage and was probably just feeling a little stiff
due to being inside a bit more because of wet weather. However I had a slight
niggling feeling in the back of my mind.
To help cool him off I put his massage pad on for
half an hour and made a mental note to book him in for a massage as soon as
possible.
The next day I was due to go away with Mark for his
birthday after I had mucked out and sorted the ponies out. However upon pulling
Ceaser out of his stable that morning I was horrified to find both of his front
legs almost double the size and he was very reluctant to walk. At that moment
everything went through my head. I went from sheer panic that he had pulled a
tendon the night before during our intense lesson to instinct taking over and
grabbing my clippers to get his legs clipped so I could check it wasn't mud
fever before I panicked even more.
Upon clipping one of his legs I was faced with
three large scabs that were oozing puss, blood and all sorts. Phew - it wasn't
as bad as I initially feared and at least I knew how to deal with this, however
I couldn't help but feel that same sinking feeling that his mud fever was
clearly back - and with a vengeance - and we weren't even into the proper
winter yet.
The next hour consisted of a frustrated phone call to
my vet, more leg clipping and plenty of salt water bathing. Between us the vet
and I decided it really was time to stop the daily washing of his leg and just
start cleaning it when necessary. Instead I would wipe and brush the mud away
and see how that faired us. I felt at a total loss as to what to do right and
couldn't help but feel like it was something I was doing wrong. My vet assured
me I was doing everything in Ceaser's best interests and we just needed to find
something that worked for him - and until we did we would keep on going. The
last time he had mud fever this bad we found the cream that our vet makes
worked well. It consists of an antibiotic, steroid and mud barrier. So, I
arranged pick up of this, gave him some bute and arranged for him to have a
quick dose of antibiotics to zap the infection before it worsened. It makes it
slightly more difficult that Ceaser cannot have intravenous antibiotics and
refuses point blank to eat powdered antibiotics so we had to mix up a cocktail
of feed to coax him to eat it. I think in the end we had apple, carrot, sugar
beet, molasses and all sorts mixed in until he would (slowly) eat it. Fussy
boy!
The plan for the next 7 days was to take Ceaser's
grazing right back to being restricted, keep him in and walk him in hand for a
few days. He was allowed an hour in the field and that was it. Joy - he isn't
the easiest of horses to keep in a stable. Thankfully my Likit snac-a-ball
keeps him entertained and calmer and I realised if he was playing with that in
his stable he would keep mobile and walking around so it would also help his
swelling. Likit you are a life saver, I don't know what Ceaser would do without
your products! To keep his scabby areas clean we would just wipe them down with
a dry tissue to get off any dirt and only clean with water if this wouldn't get
off all the dirt.
My yard manager assured me it was safe to go away
still as she would look after Ceaser and let me know if there was any problems,
so a little behind schedule Mark and I set off to London for a few days to
celebrate his 28th birthday by visiting the Harry Potter studios and more.
Upon returning I was pleased to see that the
swelling had gone down on and continued the routine. I was conscious that the
following weekend I had the Area 16 British Riding Club Winter Dressage
Qualifier and couldn't let our team down so I wanted to see if Ceaser was still
lame and whether I had to find another horse to borrow or if he would be ok to
go.
Trying to lunge him was fun to say the least. Not a
fan of being lunged he managed a few laps in walk and then when I asked for
trot he bolted off whilst bucking, got loose and ran around the arena a few
times. Declaring him "no longer lame" I told him he could have a few
more days off and that was it - he was clearly fine to do the dressage at the
weekend. Cheeky boy!
**
Sunday loomed and I was rather apprehensive to say
the least. I had sat on him to walk him round once in 9 days. He had barely
been in a field and he ran onto the lorry like I have never seen him before.
Clearly eager to get out and do something I hoped he would behave and not be
too fresh. Unfortunately we were running late so I worked out on my journey to
the competition that I would not have time to put his massage pad on, nor have
a lengthy warm up like I had wanted to. So, we arrived and I got ready in
record time, hopped on and went to warm up whilst Mark took my passport to show
Ceaser was vaccinated and pay for my entry.
Mark has been watching my lessons so he can help me
warm up at competitions and keep me calmer if things aren't going to plan by
reminding me to breathe, use my corners and generally be a pair of eyes for me
from the ground. He reminded me although I only had 15 minutes to warm up I
needed to do some counter canter to pick him up, lots of flexing and half
passes, leg yielding and so on to get him switched on. We found I had to warm
up in the dreaded arena 3 so he told me to breathe and just get Ceaser
listening as soon as I got on so he didn't have time to spook. Amy had told us
she thinks he spooks when he is bored or isn't really listening so I wanted to
pay special attention to get him focused straight away.
My warm up went rather well considering the lack of
time I had. There was a horse warming up with us that was flying around
everywhere and Ceaser didn't bat an eyelid. He did everything I asked of him.
Apart from feeling a little flat he felt good, but I couldn't blame him - he
often goes like this with some time off, so I just dealt with what I had and
attempted to ride the best I could with the team in mind.
The wind was howling and things were blowing
everywhere around us. When I was trotting around the arena I had to tell Mark
he would really need to shout my test as all I could hear was the trees beside
us blowing. I cannot believe how well Ceaser coped and looking back on
reflection he really was a superstar.
Focussing on our centreline which Amy and I had
spent a lot of time on, I knew I had to ride a good test and just focussed on
keeping the contact even rather than hurrying through. Amy's help of getting me
to use my corners a lot more really seemed to help too as now I feel like I
have more time to prepare my movements before they come, giving me time to take
a deep breath and breathe, which in turn relaxes me and helps me ride a much
calmer and relaxed test.
The constant rain we had had leading up to the
competition had made the arena appear a little deep in places but Ceaser coped
well. He resisted the contact in one canter transition and I knew even before
getting my score sheet back that it was only worthy of a 6, but it couldn't be
helped due to him not being ridden all week! Apart from that he seemed to do a
decent test. I really was not sure what we would score though as I didn't
recognise the judge and so really had no idea what she was looking for.
Once I had finished I cooled him off, took him back
to the lorry and put his massage pad on to cool him down whilst I waited for my
scores. Initially when they were posted I didn't think I had done too well as
they weren't putting our percentages up, just the scores. However I noticed
half of the class had been and I was leading in 1st place! I couldn't believe
my eyes. Our team was also lying in 1st place, which meant we were hopeful of a
qualification to the BRC finals at Harptury.
I went to the show secretary to ask if I could have
my percentage before I went home but they were reluctant to give them out,
however with a bit of gentle persuasion they agreed and asked me my name. When
I said Ceaser's name she said "Oh, you're the one on the top. We just want
to say how much of a pleasure your score sheet was to add up and you got
70.5%". I could have fainted. I couldn't believe it! WOW! Just imagine what
we could have got if I had been allowed the chance to ride and practice during
the week! With a thank you, I walked away feeling pretty much on cloud 9 and
Mark and I gave each other a secret high five.
After some lunch the wind was really beginning to
pick up so we decided to head home before it got any worse. Mark offered to
pick up my score sheet as he was teaching in Boston for another hour, so I
could get the ponies home.
I just wanted to know where we had finished as a
team as the winning team would qualify for Harptury in April. Unfortunately for
the winter qualifiers you couldn't qualify as an individual. If you could I
would have been in with a chance for that as well. However with roughly 26
people in my class and another 13 to go after I had left I was sure someone
would just pip me to the post and get higher than 70.5%!
When Mark phoned an hour later I was thrilled to
find out we had stayed in the lead and remained unbeaten in our class! I
couldn't believe it, my little cob that hadn't even been ridden for a week had
WON our class! Unfortunately as a team we were pushed back into second place,
so no Harptury for us, but another team from our riding club won so obviously I
am really happy for them. I was well and truly on cloud nine for the rest of the day as you can imagine and Ceaser got lots of treats as we got home. It is lovely that everytime we go somewhere all the riding school kids are eagerly awaiting our return and they always think he has been a superstar so spoil him rotten.
We have a weekend off from doing anything now and then the following weekend we have a regional training day with the BD Northern Region which counts towards one of the selection days for the teams, which is something I really want to get involved in. I am loving focusing purely on dressage now and wish it was a move I had made a long time ago.
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