27/3/16 A roller coaster few weeks!

Rather annoyingly, when he has been going so well, work with Jack had stalled in the last few weeks as he suddenly became very foot sore.  Nothing to worry about, it was expected as it happens about this time every year and tells me it's time to get him some shoes back on as he is barefoot through the Winter.  Unfortunately my farrier had been unable to fit us in at a time I could manage so Jack had a bit of an easy time of it for a couple of weeks while we waited.  We managed the odd little hack, a small amount of schooling and a couple of lunges but I didn't want to push him when his feet were sore.  It did give me the time to do a bit more ground work with him in the arena and we also managed to do a bit of much needed trailer loading practice.  He has always loaded well onto lorries but has never liked the trailer much.  Whilst I would love to be able to buy him a lorry I just don't have the money so I need him to get used to travelling in the trailer!  He did get better at loading for a while but then he had a year of only ever going to the vets in trailer and he became difficult to load again.  We've not had it much need to travel since but when we have he has not wanted to load so I decided now was a good time to tackle the loading issues and spent a few days loading and feeding him in the trailer.  The first day he hesitated for a while before loading the first time but then went straight on each time after that, the next day we had no hesitation at all and he now trots in happily next to me so real progress was made but we need to keep up the practice more frequently so he doesn't revert back.  It's nice to take the pressure off every now and again so Jack doesn't become bored or resent his work so it's actually not been bad to have a more relaxed couple of weeks however we now need to get back on it as we have entered a competition!!

I'm riding my best friends pony in a combined training competition in a few weeks so I decided as I'm going I might as well take Jack along and do a class on him too so we've got a few weeks to prepare for that, its only a prelim test and 70cm show jumping and he is comfy jumping around 1m at home (well he was before his feet became sore) so this shouldn't be an issue for him.

With a competition now to aim at work to get ready has begun, not only to get Jack performing at his best but also looking presentable, he's been rather roughed off this winter!  He needs a good bath, mane pulled, legs trimmed and mane and tail tidied up so he looks half decent at least!  He hates his mane being pulled and I have to twitch him to get it done so it takes a few days.  I'm looking forward to having a less scruffy pony at the end of it!

I tried not to worry when Jack was foot sore but as anyone who has had a horse with Kissing spines knows owner paranoia is a major issue when ever our horse has a problem no matter how small.  Jack gets foot sore every spring, it's not unusual but I started to convince myself there might be other causes, that he had lost his sparkle and maybe I should be calling the vet instead of the farrier.  I really didnt need to worry though, since having his shoes back on this week he's got a spring back in his step and he is feeling fab!  I schooled him today and I put some poles out as this always seems to help get him moving more forward and engaging his hind end.  I set out 3poles 1 canter stride apart on one side of the menage and then 2 poles an unknown distance apart on the opposite side.  Having warmed up in walk and trot and over the poles I then cantered him over them and counted the number of strides between the 2 poles and we got 8 on each rein.  This then gave me something to work on as I adjusted his stride to fit in first less strides, we managed 7 on each rein and even managed a 6 on the right rein!  I think the reason we didn't manage 6 strides on a left is because I had positioned the first pole too close to the corner off the left rein so we couldn't really get going before the pole like we could to the right.  We then did a bit more work to collect him and got 9 and 10 strides in on each rein.  This is a huge improvement as adjusting his stride has always been a struggle and resulted in Jack rushing onto his forehand and loosing the quality of the pace.  I'm so pleased with him!
After that I stretched him in canter and he was so loose and did a lovely stretch right over his back and much softer laterally in his neck too.
The improvements this horse is making are really exciting me I just hope I can show him off to his best in a couple of weeks, he's more than ready for it I just need to practice riding a test as it's been over 2 years since I last did one!

In the mean time finally here are the images from a professional photo shoot we had done last Autumn after winning a facebook competition:

10/3/16 - Jack just keeps getting better :)

I have had the most wonderful few weeks with Jack since my last blog, he is going so well, hacking, lunging, schooling and jumping are all better than ever and I am enjoying riding him so much - this is how it should be!!  He is so much fun to ride and it never feels like a chore.  He is pretty much back to full fitness now and is looking trim and healthier than he ever has before.  His winter break really seems to have done his body and mind the world of good and he has come back mentally and physically stronger.

I've even managed to ride with friends this week to so I also have photo and video evidence of how nicely he is working at the moment :) It's been great to see for myself that he actually looks better too!  Whilst I have felt that he is working so much better its nice to actually see it for myself!
What's really exciting is I know that whilst he is getting better and better there is still so much more to come :)

On the flat I am using ground poles to help build his top line and core muscles, as a result he is getting stronger and able to hold his frame for longer, he's much more flexible, responsive and adjustable.  He has honestly never felt so good.  He always struggles with lightening his forehand and he is built quite downhill anyway but I'm now seeing and feeling improvements every time I ride him.  There is no hesitation when I ask for a transition or more impulsion and he has much more bounce and energy in his paces, this in turn helps me to think about my own position and make little adjustments to improve things even further.  I'm so excited by how much he is improving but I know I must be careful not to push for too much too soon so I am avoiding schooling more then twice a week. 

I am continuing to use poles once a week when I lunge in the pessoa too, I use different exercises each time and find it really perks Jack up, he has to think for himself and adjust his stride so its good for his mind as well as his body.

On the weekend we managed to jump with a friend, I've not jumped him under saddle in nearly 3 months but I loose jumped him a couple of weeks ago and he was brilliant so I was looking forward to seeing if the improvements were as good under saddle.  It's safe to say the answer is yes!  He blew me away with how well he jumped and far exceeded my expectations.  He was suddenly able to use his shoulders and back and bascule over the fence releasing behind, the difference in his jump was immense, for the first time in years I didn't feel like I was being launched out of the saddle!  He has always been very tricky to jump and would often stop, even when he did jump I was always getting thrown up in the air or left behind as he couldn't use his back so would try to cat leap with all 4 feet at the same time!  I thought it was just me and I was rubbish at jumping but now I know I'm not - I can actually jump and stay in balance with my horse!!  We set out 5 fences across the E - B line of the ménage 2 on angles so we could ride a nice flowing course of 5 jumps with 1 double and all the fences were nice and small to start with both horses warmed up well and jumped all the fences individually before jumping them as a course.  Jack just made it feel far too easy so we put all the fences up and had another go.  Again Jack jumped round like a pro well within our comfort zone.  We decided to put the fences up once more and then leave it for the day as the grey clouds were gathering above us and looking very threatening!  The 2nd part of the double and the 3rd fence were now 95cm high!  As I set out to jump round again the heavens opened and a hale storm ensued but Jack bless him just put his head down and kept going.  We go very close to the first fence and in the past Jack would more than likely have stopped or knocked it down with his front legs but not now, he never even hesitated, he just tucked his legs up quick and twisted his body to clear the fence!  He jumped through the double beautifully making it feel like it was only about 50cm!  Again he got a little deep to the bigger 3rd fence but still cleared it with ease and finished nicely over the gate and skinny.  We had jumped all those fences and never touched a pole, he has never been what I thought was a careful horse but he was really pinging and picking up his toes.
As we were with a friend I got videos and photos again too!

We also got to join the Sunday morning hack this week so early Sunday morning 4 of us headed out together, this is the first time in over 3 months that we have managed to hack with anyone else!!  Jack was a little excited but very well behaved and both lead and followed.  We had lots of trotting and some canter where possible and I was pleased with how well Jack felt, he didn't feel tired or like he was struggling at all.  He was the most sensible out of the 4 and lead the way when there was some scary building work by the side of the road.

So I think it is safe to say the magnetic boots and rugs we have been using lately are definitely having a positive effect and I will be using them daily to keep Jack happy and able to work to his best ability.

It's taken a long time and a lot of effort but my horse if feeling better than ever and I can start to believe we might achieve what I brought him for and compete at eventing after all :)