30/11/25 Stronger, better, faster!

At almost 10months post surgery Jack has been going from strength to strength in recent weeks, he honestly is feeling better than ever and I smile every time I ride him now, it's a pleasure to ride him and with every ride he improves and exceeds my expectations.  With the shorter days we are becoming increasingly restricted to riding in the menage, while I know we are very lucky to have a floodlit menage I have always found Jack rather switches off with too much time schooling in there.  Since his surgery in Feb I have rarely ridden in the school limiting ridden schooling sessions to once a week at most but now if I want to ride in the week it has be the school or nothing.  I was concerned Jack might switch off but with a bit of planning and imagination I've kept our schooling sessions fairly short with lots of variety to keep him interested and listening and so far it's working a treat!  My current weekly winter schedule goes something like this:

Monday - lunge in pessoa sometimes with poles
Tuesday - school
Wednesday - in hand ground poles
Thursday - school over poles
Friday - short hack or short ride in field
Saturday - jump
Sunday - hack

I swap and change days around depending on time, weather etc and I don't want it to become too predictable!

With how well Jack has been schooling we tried 2 more things we had yet to do since surgery, simple changes and lengthened strides.  He tried so hard and even when he got a bit excited and uptight he didn't put a foot wrong.  His walk to canter transitions felt so much better balanced and through than pre surgery.  He used to pull himself forward and down onto his forehand but now he was able to sit wait and step under himself from behind producing a lovely forward, balenced, uphill transition with lots of impulsion, activity and lightness.  He was so adjustable and rideable :)
I have to watch he doesn't try to avoid using his left hind correctly, which he does by pushing his left shoulder in, as long as I keep the flexion to the left and keep him soft down the left rein he is super!
When I asked for some lengthened strides in trot I was thrilled with his response, he felt so strong and powerful.  He's always been able to lengthen but he would end up on the forehand and rushing as he couldn't maintain it.  The biggest difference is in the transition back to collection which was just so much easier because I wasnt having to try to rebalence him from running onto the forehand!!

I also braved the 50mph winds yesterday afternoon to take him for a hack on our own, we've not been out for a couple of weeks due for various reasons so I expected him to be a little lively and had a neck strap ready but I really didn't want to school again!  We didn't go far and there was quite a bit of spooking but with good reason to be fair.  I would never have dared take him out in those conditions on our own a few months ago so it really goes to show the trust between has really improved :)

I have another lesson booked for early Dec and all being well our first competitive outting in over 20months will be mid december - eek!

A picture popped up on my Facebook timeline this week from 4 years ago:

These were our 2011 dressage champions trophies from a local riding club.  We were actually dressage champions of 2 local riding clubs that year, we were unbeaten all year in every test we did plus we were working Hunter champions of one of the club's too!  The following year jacks back problems began although it would be almost 2 years before we got a proper diagnoses.  This just reminds me why through all our troubles I always thought my little horse was worth it and he feels better now than when we won those trophies so the future is very exciting :)

Finally I am truly shocked and honoured to have been short listed for the title of hay net equestrian blogger of the year on www.hay-net.co.uk the winner is picked by public vote and you can vote for me - Hannah Arscott - by following this link:

https://surveyplanet.com/56447ea18535760f1475ecfe

Thank you to anyone who enjoys my blog and takes the time to vote :) we are up against some very strong competition so just to make the shortlist is a big surprise!