Working with what you've got

There will be double posts this weekend as I meant to post this two weeks ago and forgot!!

This week has been a bit of a housekeeping week, I've been busy with work and Buddy had his vaccs and teeth done at the end of the week so ended up having a few more days off than I would have liked. I also had my first physio session with a new lady that works with my YO.

She works with a lot of top riders and is also a veterinary physio so understands how biomechanics affect the horse. I am very wonky and I have been for a long time but no one has been able to fix me, or help me retain straightness, in between visits. I suffered with back pain for around a year and ended up having cortisone into my facet joints as well as a physio plan. It was determined then that I had one leg longer than the other and so I wore a heel raise (or little wedgie) at all times when I'm on my feet. A few years ago I started seeing a new Chiro who said my issues weren't that I had a leg length difference but that my pelvis is so rotated it makes it look like I have a shorter leg as I'm always twisted which made total sense so it was adios little wedgie and freedom... until Friday.

I was telling my story and C (the physio) just looked at me in that way that makes you want to stop talking as you obviously aren't telling the story in the right way for them but I'd started so it was time to finish. With a shake of her head I was told to get my kit off and stand in front of the mirror. She laughed. This is becoming a regular occurence when this profession looks at me for the first time so I try not to get too paranoid... But the basics are, I'm super wonky but if you put a wedge under my left heel I'm pretty much straight. She told me of all the riding issues I will be having because of this (canter, circles and naughty hands to name a few) so its good to know I was on the right lines with my diagnosis!

C started around my pelvis and showed me how 'out' I was (my hip bones were probably an inch apart in height) and where I was twisting across my whole body to compensate. As a result my spine is curved, my muscles down one side of my spine are rock hard, some ribs are a bit dodgy and my upper back is tight as a drum. Hmmm. Then it was time for some capability exercises and, overall, I was shockingly awful! As my pelvis is so twisted, tilted and generally all wrong my muscles have shortened to compensate. I cant tip my pelvis up and so have a bit of a duck bottom (which I have been working on for years to try and sort) and my defacto answer to the questions C was asking was to push my bum out and rotate my pelvis back.

Then it was time to try and fix it. I am not going to lie.. it really hurt. I consider myself to have a very high pain threshold but the stretching of muscles waaaay out of their comfort zone really smarts! At first I was thinking it just pulled a bit and I could cope with that.. then she kept going... and going. I got up and could barely put one leg in front of the other as my coping mechanism had been removed completely.

I've been prescribed a few exercises to stretch out key muscle groups and I must not be without my little wedgie so I have put in an order and have 10 on the way. In the meantime I've got my own little wedgie that I've made to keep me going!!

I will never have perfect legs so I need to make sure I can be as straight as I am physically able to be and this is the start of yet another journey.

So an update: I went back after a week of doing lots of exercise and there was a huge improvement. I'd already noticed it riding but it was great to know C agreed. I've been given a two week reprieve, more exercises and hopefully we will see more improvement next time!!

Making progress

We’re well into Operation Get Eventing which started with the kick up the bottom from my YO. The plan is only being scuppered by long days at work which mean I don’t have as much time or energy to ride during the week. I am making sure we get at least two sessions in Monday-Friday for a few reason, one we need to keep his feet working, two he needs to stay fit and three I need to practise my homework from my weekend lesson!

Since my last blog we have had two more lessons and we are making progress! Its not going to be a quick fix (I’d be worried if it was) but it’s great to see the changes so quickly. I’ve been taking lessons with my YO who is the right combination of not taking any rubbish but building confidence and pushing you out of that comfort zone.

Buddy's new look

Our main issue is… Canter. Particularly on the left rein where I am weak and have an outside hand with a mind of its own so Buddy takes full advantage of that and we end up in a wall of death / fall out of the shoulder nightmare. Part of this problem is that Buddy uses his power to just propel himself along and get out of trouble rather than sitting and engaging his hind end. Engagement has then been our main focus.

Inspiration from Charlotte and Valegro.. I'm sure we're nearly there ;o)

To do this we have been using a few exercises:

1.Spiralling in and out of 20m circles in walk and trot - making sure he doesn’t fall out of his shoulder

2.20m circles at B/E then into a 10m circle at each end – this really gets Buddy stepping underneath himself

3.Lengthening his stride down the long sides (careful not to rush and keep the same rhythm)and 10m circles in each corner to back him off and sit

They are really simple exercises but have made a huge difference in his way of going in a short timeframe. We have also used leg yield out of a 20m circle and going into canter to ensure he is stepping from behind and not just charging off into the transition. We tweaked this today by using a fraction of outside bend, then straightening him up and asking for canter and we got some beautiful uphill transitions.

For my issues I am booked in to see a new physio next week to see if we can try and keep my left hip in place which will help keep my seat bones and body straight as that doesn’t make either of our jobs any easier. I am also working hard on my errant right hand that likes to go a bit crazy when it is the outside hand and has a tendency to cross the neck which doesn’t help our issues in canter! So I’ve been really focused on keeping that hand steady and I wasn’t shouted out as much today so I just need to carry on thinking about it and hopefully soon it will become second nature. Off the horse I am doing lots of strengthening work on my core and have started a new diet so I can lose a few pounds (or a stone or two) before the event season starts as we will both find it much easier if I’m on the lighter side.

Hacking in the sunshine

The plan for the next couple of weeks is to carry on with what we are doing and we’ve got a couple of XC sessions in the diary so, as long as the weather holds out and we don’t get any crazy snow, ice or more rain we are still all systems go!

Start as you mean to go on

Since my last blog post I have been a busy bee! I had some time off after Christmas and wasn’t back at work until last Monday so I’ve been having fun playing ponies (and am now even more desperate for that lottery win) and visiting special friends.

The support network for the Rockley Rehabs extends way beyond Nic and all she does and there is a brilliant network of alumni who help each other through and welcome the newbies on their journeys. After the RRR13 a few of us have kept in touch and we see each other regularly but we talk almost daily and pull each other through the tougher times, the times when you aren’t totally sure you’re doing the right thing and celebrate times when everything(ish) is going right. We’re all relatively new on the journey but are at different stages with Buddy being the longest serving graduate. One thing the group highlighted for me recently was how you can be sucked into consistently treating your horse like they are still broken and constantly doubting yourself.

Totally unimpressed with his new snuggy jams

It’s definitely something I have been guilty of over the past year and I have stuck to our comfort zone for a long time. It’s the only reason I delayed jumping until we had a new hoof as for me jumping = lame horse and when you are back on that onward trajectory you don’t want to suffer that awful heartbreak and disappointment again. However, as per my previous blogs, I vowed to move on.. But I still bumbled around.

Previously I had plans and ambition to get to 1* if I could (and it would be me holding us back) but when Buddy went lame I vowed never to make plans again as I always end up disappointed so all I wanted was to have a sound horse that I could have fun on with no pressure. I am so lucky that I have that now and I enjoy every second I have with Buddy and appreciate how far we have come but that removed all my competitive drive that I have always had. So, my YO staged an intervention and gave me a well needed kick up the backside after I was telling another livery that I had adjusted all expectations!

Wk 13 vs 58

It started with a day of lessons, one on her schoolmaster to show me I could ride and then a session with Buddy to show me how he takes advantage of weaknesses in my position. I came away buzzing with a renewed drive to really get on and actually do it. So, I started up my training notebook again, have picked my first event and scheduled my training and competition schedule back from there and.. I wrote it in pen! I have also tentatively planned my season but that may change depending on how he takes to eventing (and whether it ever stops raining!).

Sole shots - his feet weren't looking at their best in the wk 58 shots but it's interesting to see the changing shapes

So, I’m excited and ready to tackle the 2014 season. There is work to be done but I feel like I have got a good team of people around me who want me to do the best I can and I am (finally) mentally ready for the challenge.

Adios 2013... You've been a good one!

My last post was somewhat reflective so even though we are on our final day of the year I won't focus too much on looking backwards. However, for anyone that has had a tough year I would like to recommend one thing... I started a jam jar last January, into which I placed every single good thing that happened to me this year. Every time something not so nice has happened I have opened and read my jam jar and it has really changed my perspective on how I let the negative things remove the magic from the good. It is something I will continue to do over the next year as I really think it has made a difference to my views.

It has been a very busy few months here, I've been abroad with work a fair bit which meant poor Buddy was somewhat neglected. However, I will be starting a new job in January so am having a couple of weeks off in the interim which has been lovely (although is going far too quickly for my liking).

 

Frosty hacks on furry ponies

We have had some very sad news on the yard as my superb YO lost her horse of a lifetime this week in a freak accident. It is horrible when something like this happens and puts everything into perspective. She has been such a huge support to me and has welcomed Buddy and I so warmly into the yard so it make it seem more unfair that it happened to such a lovely pair. So please spare a thought for her and give your ponies an extra cuddle when you see them - I certainly did :o( 

 

We did venture out a few weeks ago to a local dressage competition, Buddy was a bit of a pickle and decided to freestyle his first test including several GP moves that are unnecessary in a walk and trot test! He still managed to come 7th out of 30 despite the inattention (the judge was being polite) although I have to admit I was disappointed as I really wanted to have a successful last go at that level which I know is very spoilt brat sounding as I would have been jumping for joy with that result on my old horse! He did redeem himself in the prelim and managed to come 3rd so I was very pleased with that - he is getting more consistent at this level now although the canter is still hit and miss. We also qualified for their winter championship but I decided to not go as we just weren't prepared and I would have been disappointed to not perform our best.

 

Butter wouldn't melt (he'd almost deposited me at the end of the school!)

Buddy's feet are continuing to do well, although the change in weather has affected his capability somewhat - although I know it shouldn't be enough on its own - and he is feeling slightly more sensitive on stones than he was a few weeks ago. I am treating for thrush as he has a nice (!) central sulcus split opening up on one of his front feet which is now starting to close since treatment started so I am hoping that will be the end of it. He is feeling rather well, is sound and landing heel first so I'm not hugely worried but it is something I am keeping a very close eye on as I know how fast things can change.

Schooling in the rain

 

Despite this I am tentatively planning my 2014 season. Aim number one is to have a happy, healthy and sound horse. Aim number two is to continue having lots and lots of fun. Competitively I have a few aims for this year...

 

1. Complete a Novice dressage test
2. Score over 60% in a Novice test
3. Complete a one day event
4. Be consistently jumping 1m+

 I would love to look back next year and have done the above but I am not putting any pressure on either of us as I know how lucky I am to be just riding my horse so every single moment is a precious one.

Happy New Year from Buddy and I!

 

 



What a Year!

It was Buddy’s anniversary of arriving at Rockley Farm on Saturday and after a wonderful video (which definitely didn’t give me leaky eyes) from Nic and a guest spot on the Rockley blog this morning I thought it was apt to reflect on the last 12 months.

My first visit to see Le Donks

Buddy’s diagnosis last September called an end to all my competitive hopes and wildest dreams of competing at a 1* event and after a grim prognosis from my vet, plus my previous experience with my last horse, I was convinced that PTS would most probably be the final answer and I was devastated. After contacting Nic and feeling that glimmer of hope that things *may* not have to be as devastatingly final I still didn’t dare to dream about anything and my competitive aims were shelved and the objective of just being able to hack my horse out comfortably and without bute was the highest I dared to aim for. I missed Buddy terribly whilst he was away and I think it would be fair to say that only the cold winter nights I would have far rather been covered in mud and freezing cold rather than sitting at home feeling despondent and rather depressed!

As time went on and Buddy’s feet began to change that glimmer of hope got bigger and bigger. Each blog post was read, re-read and read again. My first ride at the 6 week point was awesome (and terrifying) and then the 8 week soundness was a dream come true. On one of my last visits I remember Nic saying that she thought Buddy should do an event in the 2013 season (or words to that effect) and whilst I nearly fell off in surprise I also felt full of happiness and pride that my little donkey had the potential to fulfil all my dreams despite everything he had been through.

RRR13

We have been on an onward trajectory ever since, every time I think of our first competition I feel very proud and I owe Nic so much as without her and all her hard work Buddy would probably have been PTS or been a fluffy teddy bear in a field and I would have been horseless, heartbroken and miserable. We’ve had highs and lows but since we moved yards in June and I have been surrounded by incredibly supportive people who want us to succeed all the bad things about being barefoot have been taken away and we are headed in the right direction.

Go Buddy from Nic Barker on Vimeo.

I am not taking anything for granted, I appreciate every second with my amazing horse and each sound day is a blessing but after being at the RRR in September I realised that I cannot live my life being haunted by what has been before. Buddy is sound today, back competing (and getting 8’s for his paces) and if we hadn’t been on the journey of the past year I wouldn’t have a second thought about planning for the future and pushing the boundaries. So, in celebration of that, I have written down my event plan for next season (in pencil as Buddy is still a horse and you never know what might happen!!) and my training from today is planned around that first event date in March 2014. My long term aim now is to qualify for Badminton Grassroots if Buddy settles into being a barefoot event horse.

Happy anniversary Buddy, you are my horse of a lifetime, here’s to many, many more!

Back on Form!

I'm pleased to report that this weekend was far more successful than our trip last weekend! We were on our own again and off to another new venue, although it is only 2 minutes down the road so it is very convinient. We loaded well again and we were on the road and there in less than 10 minutes. 

We had entered Intro A and Prelim 4 as I like him to do two tests and hang around for a bit. I thought I'd got my timings better but despite being at the venue with 50 minutes before my test I still only had 15 minutes to warm up which was ok but I'd rather have had 20. My YO was still around as she'd had a young horse do their first test and so I nabbed her to call for me as I'd not had time to visually run through my test before going in and didn't want to forget it.

Posing by the lorry and looking fluffy

Buddy had a good look at the viewing gallery and had a nosey at the judge in her box but settled quickly and did a very nice test which I was pleased with. I would like a bit more activity in the walk but that will come. Back to the lorry, put Buddy in and made sure he was settled before going and getting a cup of tea. The facilities at Fairoak are fabulous and it's definitely somewhere I will go back to (my husband is annoyed he missed out on cake and paninis).

They hadn't got my score up so I went back to the lorry to take a look at my second test and make sure I had it in my head. It was soon time to get back on again and I did a shorter warm up this time, just a good stretch, trot on both reins, some lateral work and a quick canter on both reins and then straight in. I was really pleased with the test, we fluffed up the first canter but I think it's becoming a bit of a 'thing' for me so will need to work on that. I also semi forgot what I was doing and so thought I'd just trot to the next marker and then realised I had to go all the way round the school so picked up canter again. It was a bit messy and earned a 3 plus the comment 'problems' but never mind. Second canter was the best I could have hoped for and was as good as I'm getting at home so that made up for it! Walk was a bit lazy (but not as bad as last week) but I was really, really pleased with him.

Check out those ears!

As I came out one of the ladies running it said we'd come second in the first class which was fab so I went back to the lorry and sorted out B before going to get my sheet. We'd actually ended up on the same score and collectives as the winner but the rules of the RC are that highest place goes to an RC member which is fair enough but it would have been lovely to finally get that red rosette. 

Scores weren't ready for the prelim so I took Buddy home and went back for my sheet once the class was finished. Well Mr Buddy, despite our rubbish first canter, came third! I was gobsmacked as the judge is well thought of in our area and she made some lovely comments and gave Buddy an 8 for his paces in the collectives which I was super chuffed with.

Big Grins!

I really appreciate every second I have with Buddy and it's times like today when I think back and just am amazed that we have come so far. I am very lucky to have such a wonderful, kind horse who I can just have fun with and enjoy. He really is my horse of a lifetime and I feel very priviledged.

We're planning on going showjumping next (at the giddy heights of 70cms) as I don't think Buddy was overly impressed with doing dressage two weekends in a row so watch this space.

Definitely Stressage

Buddy and I set out for our very first solo dressage outing last weekend. It was a bit lastminute.com as I had made the decision the previous week but hadn't really had time to practise as much as I would like. Our canter is still a work in progress but I get moments of amazingness and he is getting the strength to be able to hold it for longer periods of time but Buddy needs the match practise as he can die on me when I go in for my test so we need to overcome that. Charlotte doesn't have anything to worry about yet.. maybe in a few months ;o)

We had lovely lazy times so I had plenty of time to prep on the morning of the show and B was looking very smart when we left. I have never been to a show on my own before so totally underestimated how long it takes doing things on your own so I was running late for my warm up and only got 15 minutes. It was peeing with rain the whole time and our warm up was tense and crabby with occassional moments of oh so nearly there. We just weren't on the same page but I didn't have time to do anything about it so in I went.

The test was, as expected, a bit bleurgh. His trot work was super and earned him 7's and 8's but his walk was lethargic and he broke in his canter which pulled those marks down. I was annoyed with him as he can do so much better but wrote it off. It was our worst test to date and scored us just shy of 55% which although it sounds terrible on paper, actually wasn't too bad and we finished in the top half out of 30 competitors. 

We had an hour to dry off, eat haylage (Buddy) drink tea (me) and learn the second test. I had a chat with Buddy and told him I expected more this time. I think he must have listened as when I got on board he felt super. I'd left 30 mins for a warm up as he was so awful earlier and I had the perfect warm up. He felt awesome and people were telling me how smart he looked and they expected us to do really well. I was enjoying riding so much I obviously totally overcooked the warm up as he completely died on me when I went in for my test. I am no dressage expert but I'm 99.9% positive that pony club kicking and puffing like you've finished a marathon are not found on the scales of training and I don't think the judge approved.

On a positve note the canter (when he offered it) felt a million times better and the second test was much better at 60% but it was so frustrating to lose everything we had in the warm up as I think we would have been in contention for a frilly had he played ball. Again,  the class had 25 in it but we finished in the top half (just!).

He is such a tricky customer as he can be sharp in the warm up but dies in the ring - I need to practise this more to overcome it and I may have to sacrifice some tests to really get him thinking forward as this will be an issue if I let it continue. But we are out again this weekend (glutton for punishment) and so I am hoping we will return to form - as this was Buddy's first outing without a frilly and I'd forgotten what it's like to not get one (spoilt? Me? Never :op )

As this wasn't a perfect session the positive things to take from this outing are:

1. He looked fabulous
2. He loaded three times without an issue
3. We were on our lonesome and it was ok
4. Our second warm up was great

Wish us luck for Sunday - think we might need it!!