Millie's ad

July 2008

Millie – is a very small black female who was a stray. She’s no longer in the prime of life and being treated for hyperthyroidism but otherwise in good health. The only treatment she needs is two tablets a day which she takes very readily wrapped up in a piece of ham! A lively little cat who will be rehomed under our Golden Oldie scheme which means help will be available for future veterinary costs. All she needs is a comfy lap and the chance to enjoy strolling around a garden again

RIP Millie Cat

Sleep well sweetheart, you'll be much missed.

Torture by PomPoms

So off to Arrow for an overnight stay.

SATURDAY

Blackberry

Reviewed position left/right and got it wrong (!) more work on rising canter, SFO put Blackberry up to 3 (gallop) and I had to stand in my stirrups and let Blackberry gallop underneath me.

This seemed to improve my rising canter no end!

Pooh

Worked on rising trot on lunge (point soft) then off lunge, SFO wanted longer reins this put me out of my comfort zone. Will do work on the buckle or FDO but not longer reins (WTF?)

Anyway persisted with it and achieved some nice moments.

SUPPER

Had lovely supper with SFO, some interesting points most especially about learning. O
In a nutshell one of SFO's pupils had said to her if you want me to do E then which of A. B. C or D do I drop because I can only do four.

I guess this is why I can do point/soft and say sit right but not stretch right too. Not enough brain space.

Lovely single accommodation, great shower, warm, kitchen and comfy bed. I fell asleep to the sound of an owl @wub:

SUNDAY

Because of Millie cat being ill elected to only have the one lesson of teaching, so had ten minutes on Blackberry and forty minutes on Pooh.

Blackberry / Pooh

So started out on Blackberry rising canter with pompoms and I nailed it still can't quite believe that.

Onto Pooh on the lunge with pompoms and it was so much easier than last time.

Off the lunge and with imaginary pompoms still pretty good but failed to rise to trot whilst hands descend, whatever which way I tried my hands rose as I rise to the trot.

Had the best ever canter but failed to sit enough right and resorted to kicking. :-( Need to sit right more, if he isn't going forwards it will be because I'm not sat where I need to be.

Very pleased at progress made wrt riding with a longer rein, whilst I still when I lost the contact went to shorten the rein, on Sunday I managed to stop myself doing it and send him forwards to take up the rein.

Sunday was probably my best work on Pooh to date and yes I did apologise to him for my mistake.

Millie - 14th Jan -

14th Jan
07:00: Squidgy pooh seemed a bit quiet but had pill as normal
19:00: Refused pills I was not as home, so un pilled

15th Jan
07:00: Refused pill so booked into vet. at 11:40

11:40 Temp 39.7C, given SQ fluid, injected with antibiotic, pilled

19:00: Looking brighter starting to eat a little, pilled manually.

16th Jan

07:00: Pilled manually, feisty cat returning.

14:30 Temp 39C, given 7 days Clavaseptin AB pills and Mirtazapine (appetite stimulant) given syringe to give fluids orally. Suspect I may well die pilling her and giving her fluids

19:00: Pilled manually.

Tuesday 17th Jan

07:00: Took pills (Felimazole and Clavaseptin)in 'normal' way that is rolled up in piece of ham; was then actively looking to be fed :-) has eaten full portion of minced lamb.

12:00: More minced lamb

19:00: Pilled with ham looking for supper

21:00 Vomitted

22:00 Seen drinking

Wednesday 18th Jan

07:00 Very flat pilled manually; refused food

08:00 Drinking

09:30 Vet possible pancreatitis, colitis or tumour

Coping

Elaine M got me thinking after a FaceAche Inbox conversation.

Am I coping because to me it is all about being with them and I'm really not actually that motivated by riding?

I remember my first time at Ashen we did an exercise (memory fade) where you sit in front of the class and answer a set question out loud and someone else writes down your answers. You're not prompted to fill in any silences and the order the answers appear in is part of the 'analysis'

I do recall being surprised at and disbelieving of my 'analysis', as at that point I had Chorrie and I'd bought him specifically (or so I thought) to go out and compete on. My 'analysis' showed I was more motivated by just being with them than riding/competing. Yet I loved lessons, still do hence driving 200 miles to go to Arrow, yet actual riding was a fair way down.

So is that why I'm coping? Was this analysis actually correct? I wouldn't have predicted this but here we are. For Chorister it is going to be 18 months post initial injury before I'm back in the school and at this point I have no idea if he is going to be sound.

People are like tea bags IMO you've no idea what they're really like until you stick them in hot water, then and only then can you gauge their strength (and flavour )

I am NOT an Earl Grey tea bag!

Pony update

Chorister

Saturday started week 3 of walking, boy being very good and sensible. Much easier than taking him out for a 'pick of grass' as he keeps his feet on the floor!

Legs looking very good, Liz (vet) looked at them on Tuesday when she scanned Fred and is pleased with them. Right leg you can barely see has been injured externally, left leg still has oedema.

Fred

Down to one bute daily, having to wash tail every visit as messy tail messier on bute. Good boy is eating his bran and sugar beet slop which will hopefully help with the impaction risk.

Box resting well much better than he used to suspect it helps Chorrie is in too.

Hopefully they will soon have a pen to mooch about in.

Rising canter

Blackberry

Usual start legs over front, back looking flatter, able to put legs down and stay on seat, so all good progress.

Some contact awareness from 2 -> 1 did pretty well and rein contact noticeably improved.

Onto rising canter WTF? could not feel the rhythm, could barely rise well enough to earn a 'good' found it seriously difficult.

Pooh

Started with on the buckle, which looks easy but to actually do well is bloody challenging! That said three lessons ago I was just pleased to be on the buckle and not worrying. So again progress.

On lunge to look at rising trot, found it easier on Pooh than Blackberry, back staying in one piece but elbows need more work. Need to think point on the rise, sit back on the potty (!) and soften hands.

Also need to stretch right side especially on left rein and stay down right leg. I adore Pooh but because we have similar contracted sides he is a challenge for me to ride well as he needs my right side to be stretched and for me to be down my right leg and I find that a challenge. One that I must rise to but a challenge.

The trot felt today as if it had more energy and he was certainly flowing around the school much better. SFO did think I had improved my rising trot.

So onto canter, I now either get a good strike off with some jump into canter or no canter at all. Canter today I was more able to maintain without collapsing body. Pooh will go down a gear if he feels me unbalance so the challenge is to stay balanced above him so he can stay balanced underneath me.

General Musings

Herbermann said of a pupil I cannot change her hands until I can change her attitude. Her hands are a result of her being nervous, so don't focus on the hands.

Exercise Regime

Week Saturday	Nature and duration of work
1 24th Dec 2011	5 minutes walking twice daily flat level going in a straight line
2 31st Dec 2011	10 minutes walking in hand flat level going in a straight line. 10 minutes on walker.
3 7th January 2012	10 minutes walking in hand flat level going in a straight line. 10 minutes on walker.
4 14th January	15 minutes walking in hand, flat level going in a straight line. In hand suppleness regime 1 as part of 15 minutes in hand walk exercise 10 minutes on walker
5 21st January	15 minutes walking in hand, flat level going, introduce shallow serpentines. In hand suppleness regime 1 as part of 15 minutes in hand walk exercise 10 minutes on walker
6 28th January	15 minutes walking in hand; flat level going, introduce shallow serpentines. In hand suppleness regime 2 as part of 15 minute in hand walk exercise 15 minutes on walker
7 4th February	15 minutes walking in hand. Introduce some varied terrain, gentle slopes, grass, school and tarmac. Introduce large figures of eight In hand suppleness regime 2 15 minutes on walker

The (pity) party is over

Felt much better this morning; thank you for all your kind comments and Pete for the mp3

Suspect it is stress, where little things seem huge.

Upset a friend so cried over that. she suggested a chat so said yes, she then sent a txt with a smiley face and a x so cried over that.

Got upset because C exiting walker with a Bambi leap. again mountain / mole hill.

Today the sun shone, C is less bovvered by coming off the walker, pleased with the present that is on route to P.

Life feels better.

B'day present opening later, SFO tomorrow .

Not waving but drowning

Is how it feels right now.

Have upset a friend, have two horses on box rest, poor old C as always over reacts (not his fault) but walker paddle blew back a bit in the wind as I went to get him off and poor C got in a real state. Feel so bloody helpless to help him. Feel guilt at box resting Fred but no real choice if I want him pasture sound.

Have misplaced three sets of clipper blades.

I gave sh1tty Christmas presents; not because I don't care but because I lack a present buying knack. On bright side am hoping that birthday presents to P and M will be better as have found inspiration.

Little things seem like big things, and Fred feels like the final straw.

Not waving but drowning

Walking

So as of 24th December we are walking!

Week 1 24th December 2 x 5 minutes in hand
Week 2 31st December 2 x 10 minutes in hand

Today (Wed 4th) started introducing him to the walker aka the 'Magic Roundabout' / 'Cage of Doom' today he did four laps. Hesitant going on, rushed off possibly because coming off I didn't open door wide enough?

Fred on the injured list

Friday 30th December

My birthday so off to a theatre matinee so asked friend if she could get Fred in for me. Nice matinee and on way back to yard 17:10 when phone goes, it is Al she's just got Fred in as he was still out and was very upset and running about and was lame walking up. Friend totally forgot to get him in.

Get to yard looks like check ligament so ice and give two bute. Not fully weight bearing on it 7/10 lame in walk.

Cancel birthday and leave stack of present unopened as no longer feel much in the mood.

Saturday 31st December

Ring vet she agrees with my planned course of action so two bute twice daily, ice and stand in.

Sunday 1st January

Am I glad to see an end to 2011 as now have two ponies on injured list.

Now loading limb better.

Monday 2nd January

Decide to try field rest *big fat failure* Fred not prepared to rest instead prefers to run on adrenalin.

Tuesday 3rd January

Ask vet to come scan so know what we are dealing with, tear on outside check and general damage. Fibre pattern much denser than C's was post injury. Vet advises box rest and keep bute up until can reduce with no discomfort.

Vet thinks looking at a month of box rest.

Wednesday 4th January

Limb loading looking better still on two bute BID.

Fred seems happy enough standing in with Chorrie for company.