Recovery week 7 - the return to the herd!

Since last Monday when Jack was turned out for the first time in over 6 weeks life has been significantly less hectic!  I had originally thought that he would probably only go out for a few hours at a time to begin with an build up to full turn out over a period of a week or 2 but the vets said as long as he initially went in a small paddock then 24/7 turnout was fine and there would be no benefit in bringing him in every night, this I was very pleased to hear as it would mean no mucking out!!

The first time he was turned out was quite un exciting due to him still being under the influence of Sedalin however I was quite pleased this was the case as there was much less chance of him doing himself an injury if he was too dopy to run and leap around like a loon!

Every night after work I would pop up and bring him in for a brush and some food but also to move his electric fencing back a bit each night so he had a slightly bigger paddock every day.  He didn't seem to appreciate being brought in at all, despite being no trouble to catch he would soon become grumpy being in the stable and then drag me back to the field before running round and bucking and kicking like he'd been in for ages and not only 20minutes - see video!

As there was not a lot of grass I was having to give him hay twice a day too so after a week of being in his little paddock this Sunday evening he was allowed back out in the big field with all him mates :)

I knew he would be excited so I walked him out to the field with a carrot in my hand to distract him!  He was actually very good and didn't pull me about or misbehave!  I gave him the carrot as I removed his headcollar and he munch it then trotted off, stopped and snorted, spotted his mates across the field and then shot off to see them whinnying all the way - very cute!

They all had a bit of a run around with him and the odd squeal but nothing so worry about to say he has been gone from the herd for 7 weeks!  The only slightly worrying time was when he spotted the new horse who is quite a timid character and tends to hang about away from the herd.  When Jack noticed him he charged at him ears back and teeth bared, thankfully Mojo quickly showed Jack that he was quite happy to allow Jack to be the boss and wasn't about to question his authority so that sorted without any drama everybody returned to the important task of grazing :)

Now Jack has a week of chilling out in the field relaxing with his friends, remembering how to be a normal horse and giving those back muscles a good stretch before he heads off to rehab at Bennett equine rehabilitation centre in a weeks time.

To keep me in the saddle a bit over the weekend I rode my best friends pony, she doesn't do jumping and wants someone to jump her young pony.  He is inexperienced and she is scared and as that doesn't make a recipe for success she wants someone to teach him how to jump and show him it is fun and then hopefully he will be able to look after her over a fence when he has got to know what he's doing.

He is a lovely genuine little chap and tries his hardest to please so I am really enjoying jumping him, I think he will soon be ready for a little jumping competition and I'm sure before too long she will be jumping him herself.  He is sometimes a little unsure if he is not on the perfect stride and just needs a strong enough confident rider to tell him "yes we can do this" and he's fine.  Adjusting the stride is quite difficult at the moment but it will come with a bit of practice and I think she will have a cracking little pony on her hands :)