Over The Hills And ....

.... far away.

'Mr F': "Hello there, are we going out?"

'Mr F' and I are going out nearly daily, usually for an hour or so and he is getting fitter by the month. This isn't always ridden work but often just both of us walking.

This weeks highlight was a 2 hour hack with 5 other horses, including 'Oli'. The route was fantastic and very challenging for 'Mr F' as it took us over a fairly steep hill on a narrow, stony path over open area and also into woodland. It was a good exercise for 'Mr F' to become better at his balance and him thinking where to put his feet.  The same for me, too; trying not to sit in the saddle like a stone but instead help him find his balance when the terrain was a little tricky.  On the way down however I did dismount as the wet grass was too slippery for his front hoof boots.

After the descent we had to travel on a busy main road for some time but all horses were well behaved and all in all it was a pleasurable ride.

Its great to find new routes for 'Mr F' as he enjoys looking around the countryside, and so do I.

I am also glad that I have trained 'Mr F' to stand still anywhere if I need to mount; in the oddest places and sometimes for the entertainment of others ... only then do I notice how small I am and how tall 'Mr F' is ....

Tomorrow 'Mr F' will  have a well deserved rest day.

 

 Well deserved dinner after that long (for our standards) ride.

Girls girls girls ...

Yet another guest to stay for a week or so, named 'Ruby'.

'Oli', who seems VERY keen on ANY of the females here at 'Buttercup Farm' has a busy time being VERY excited.

Below a series of photographs taken on a lazy Sunday afternoon. First few taken from bathroom window with zoom.

 

'Mr F': "Hey, she is spying on us again." 'Luke' doesn't care.

There is however  no sign of 'Oli'. Suddenly a lot of excited sounds are coming from behind the trees.

 'Mr F': "Ah, 'Oli'. He is very keen on this 'Ruby'."

'Luke': "Nevermind them, I am enjoying the sunshine."

Further excited sounds come from behind the trees (from my view). A mix of squeals, snorts and grunts is now making 'Mr F' interested.

'Mr F': "Come on, lets go and have a look what's going on."

'Luke': "Oh alright."

Then 'Oli' appears, quite excited still ....

 ... and immediately begins herding 'Luke' away ...

.. meanwhile,  'Mr F' goes to check out the reason of 'Oli's excitement named 'Ruby': 
"Hey Miss, how you doing?"

This is what 'Oli' is so excited about: 'Ruby'. While the others wander off, 'Mr F' goes to have a closer look. He too is quite interested in this newcomer. She is clearly in season and sure makes very inviting moves, it has to be said. Even more so than 'Rose' does is known to do. Much 'blinking' and showing off going on.

It's a nice day so I join the boys in their field.

 'Mr F': "Hello. She is rather nice isn't she. Are we going somewhere?"

And in the other field: another beautiful and rather huge creature.

Temporary Guest Visitor: 'Oli'

'Oli' has been staying at 'Buttercup Farm' for a few weeks. He is another ex-racehorse, I think he is 13 years of age. 'Oli' had been with 'Jane's daughter but turned out to be somewhat unpredictable to handle and has a tendency to misbehave when ridden.

Therefore 'Lillian' offered to deal with him but to do so 'Oli' had to come to 'Buttercup Farm'.

I remember 'Oli' when he arrived here for a very short stay in winter 2012 (I think). He was very confused and was charging around like crazy. I wasn't at all involved with 'the crew' back then but took an immediate liking to 'Oli' even though I only saw him from a distance.

He soon moved on to his new home where he was looked after well. But now he is back for the above mentioned reasons.

I don't know much about his history and therefore cannot comment.

As usual, new arrivals seem to land up with 'Mr F' which means that I handle them quite regularly as part of the routine. This time however I wasn't sure that the two would get on so I requested that at first we had them separated by an electric fence for a couple of days.

After two days it seemed safe to put them all in together. 'Mr F' never has his authority questioned and he just continued with business as usual. It is always the ones at the 'lower' end that have to set the rules and so 'Oli' and 'Luke' had a few fall outs but nothing major.

I realise by now all these horses have their own character. But some are just a bit more odd than what is classed as 'usual'. Having 'Oli' here was very strange for the first few days because he would follow me and 'Mr F' when I was with them and would observe everything VERY intensly. He seems very 'wanting' for attention and is most grateful for a bit of back scratching. 'Oli' can make the strangest sounds, too!

He is perfectly behaved, I have not seen him kick out or any of that sort. Although I had to establish straight away that he cannot ever push past me. He tired it once but after that never again and instead moves out the way willingly.

I am by now convinced that horses observe how the other horses react to what a human does with them. In my case I am sure it is helpful that 'Mr F' is top of the pack because any horse that has ever seen me handle 'Mr F' automatically showed more willingness to listen to me. So far I have not had any problem with any of the horses here and I am quite sure that is not just down to my behaviour.

Meanwhile, while 'Oli' is here, I shall continue observing with great interest.

I do however think something isn't quite right with him but I don't know him well enough to yet know what it might be. He seems to just stand in this somewhat depressed position, with quite tensed up lower lip. In fact I haven't seen him yet with a droopy lower lip like 'Mr F' and 'Luke' so often display.

'Oli' spends much time standing somewhat awkwardly. 

I can't help but think he is in discomfort. 

 

'Oli' again, can look rather similar to 'Mr F'.

 

'Oli' 'Luke' and 'Mr F'

Mr F - August 2013 and August 2014

One year has passed since I started riding 'Mr F' (who had apparently been just in a field for the past 4 years prior to his arrival at 'Buttercup Farm') and his body shape is improving.

I am also happy with his feed which I changed 7 months, thunderbook base mix with thunderbrook chaff. His hooves are improving slowly but surely. We still need hoof boots when going out on hard ground but every now and then we go without and 'Mr F' if far less foot sore than he was last year.

His posture has improved, too, as can be seen on the below photographs although he is standing at different angles. I have to get better comparison pictures someday:

Above: 'Mr F' in August 2014 - his 'bum' is much more rounded and overall his muscles are more evenly spread. His entire posture is quite a bit better. Riding 'Mr F' is very comfortable and he does move so smoothly now even when going downhill. He has a nice rhythmic swing and it makes it easy to follow his moves when sitting in the saddle. I only have ridden 3 other horses now and then but only with 'Mr F' I feel 'at home', it seems to be a good fit.

In comparison:

'Mr F' in August 2013 - a very pointy bum. He was very stiff in his hind legs and at times I felt as though he should not be ridden at all. But here I am most thankful that 'Lillian' has introduced me to Annette who worked on his back and loosened it all up so 'Mr F' could begin to move 'normal' again. It took a few months for his muscles to develop and adjust and at the beginning we did only very light excersises.

4th Riding Lesson - 'This doesn't feel like canter ...'

'Mr F' and I are back on agreeable terms and are having our daily 'discussions' about matters and who wants to do what, how and when. I enjoy those discussions and all the different expressions of 'Mr F'. I would say we are on a whole quite content with each others company although its not all smooth sailing.

It was time for another riding lesson, I wanted to learn how to canter.

After a few hinderances (drive out of 'buttercup farm' was blocked and path over fields was blocked, too by farmers and cows) we managed to finally get onto the road. 'Mr F' coped fine with it all and was very willing to follow me regardless of which route I chose. The traffic was very busy but we got there just in time.

It was a hot and humid day and just as we entered the menage the skies opened! At least it kept the flies away for a while.

'Mr F' is still wearing hoof boots when out on tarmac, his feet are still sensitive on hard ground. I decided to leave the boots on as it was raining so hard.

We did our excersises, working on my aids to help 'Mr F' to carry himself a little better. Then we were working up to the canter. We trotted around the menage at quite high speed (which felt marvelous!) for some time.


Then, all of a sudden, 'Mr F's gait changed.

'I don't know what canter is supposed to feel like but it can't be this ...'

Immediately I had lost the stirrups (which I never got on with anyway!)

'... oops, lost the stirrups, so much for 'legs forward, heels down!'

I bounced a few more times, hugging 'Mr F's body with my legs to steady by body, stirrups flapping about. 

'... this is getting a bit difficult to stay on ...just what on earth is wrong with 'Mr F'?'

I was bouncing about although felt still quite ok with it, strangely enough. When things go wrong I tend to go calm ... which probably helped here in this situation. I began to go through my options:

'... perhaps this is were I have my first fall. OK, fine but which side should I choose, left of right? And how do I fall so that I don't land underneath his feet?"

I couldn't come up with a reply and decided it would be best to stay on.


'... ah ... we are slowing down ...'

And we stopped. I still had NO IDEA what just happened.  I sat there in the saddle a little puzzled and was petting 'Mr F' to help him calm down. Only then I noticed 'Rupert' who had a face as white as a sheet. He said: "Could you please make sure you are safe before you pet your horse." - "Ok, but I am safe. 'Mr F' is fine now. What happened?" -  "His back hoof boot has come loose." 'Rupert' replied.


I dismounted and 'Mr F' looked at me as though to say 'sorry' and then looked at his back foot:  indeed, somehow 'Mr F's  hoof slipped out of the shell of the easyboot glove but the gaiter still was fastened it to his leg. Although it couldn't possibly hurt him, he never before experienced something flapping around his leg and so it upset him and he was probably trying to shake it off. 

And so I took off all boots and petted 'Mr F' and appologised and then got back on. We continued for a little bit with our lesson but had run out of time to work on canter. Other horses and students arrived and it was time to leave. 'Mr F' was fine with having the boots put back on and the trip home it was as though nothing happened.

Later that day I saw 'Lillian' who also had a lesson with Rupert that afternoon. She told me that apparently 'Mr F' was truly bucking and that Rupert was impressed that I staid on - at least I seem to have good balance!

When I heard this I was surprised as to me it didn't feel like bucking. Then again, I was busy thinking up a solution while it all took place.

But in any case: it never felt as though it was aimed against me.

It was good to find out inside the menage that the boots didn't stay on. It could have been a different story if this had happened on the road! When we trott now I notice that 'Mr F' is quite hesitant not to reach a certain speed and I too am watchful.

We have to look at the sizing of these boots more closely.