We went for a pretty exciting hack with our friends Claire and her lovely horse Wilber last week on which we seemed to meet every potential horse spooking thing out there including cement mixers, tarmac flatteners, barking jumping dogs, careless drivers, tractors etc. By the time we got home the boys were a bit wired and Jack very nearly got away from me on the grass verge by the turn to our livery yard, poor Wilber was cantering on the road in panic but bless them we got back all in one piece in the end! I took Jack out on his own the next time and he was fine so it hasn't bothered him. On Friday I took him for a lovely long hack round the village including some bridle paths. About half way round Jack felt a bit odd behind and when I asked him to trot didn't feel right at all. I was on my own, a long way from home and off road with no one about. I walked him on for a bit but he was getting worse so I jumped off and tried to have a look at his leg/foot but it was impossible to hold him and pick up a back foot! He wouldn't stand still so I decided to lead him home hoping to find help on the way. By now I was starting to worry, especially as it was a hind leg as he's injured both fronts in the last year we really didn't need a problem with a hind leg now! I was fearing the worse as we plodded home. We eventually got back and I quickly untacked him and then got a hoof pick out to check his hooves first. To my absolute delight there was a huge stone wedged in his off hind! I have never been so relieved to see a stone in my life! Once the stone was out he was fine again, thank heavens for that!
Yesterday Claire was taking Wilber up to a local show to do some working hunter and show jumping and asked if I would like to take Jack along for the ride. I'm not into showing but I thought it would be good trailer loading practice and we could just have a plod around the show ground. My OH then persuaded me to enter into the Intro dressage class so I got up to the yard a little earlier than planned and gave Jack a bit of a bath and quick tidy up. I didn't bother plaiting but didn't think we should show up covered in mud! I was so pleased when Jack loaded straight away without the need for a food bucket to bribe him in or anything! As Claire drove to the show ground about 10mins away I quickly read through and learnt the intro A test! Once we arrived on the show ground the poor horses were attacked by horse flies, it was horrible and we hadn't brought any fly spray. They were both kicking and swishing their tails and fidgeting. I had to try to plait Wilber's tail while he was trying to swat flies with it the whole time! The Dressage was due to start in under an hour so I tacked up and headed down to the warm up so I had plenty of time to settle Jack. We were the first in so the warm up was empty when we arrived. Once we were moving the flies weren't so bad. Jack wasn't too happy about being split up from his best buddy and spent ages whinnying to him across the show ground! By the time we can to do our test he had settled and was actually a bit on the lazy side. He did what I felt was a pretty average test, it was accurate and rhythmical but I felt lacked impulsion and was a bit on the forehand. Once the test was done I took him down to his mate and he grazed while we waiting for Wilber to do his WH class. The flies started to get bad again and the WH was running late so I decided to take Jack back to the trailer and get him untacked. Once I'd got his saddle and bridle off I tied him up while I changed out of my show stuff. Jack was quite unsettled and was whinnying and fidgeting again. Next thing I knew he was trotting off across the showground back to his mate! People started to run after him which just made it worse and he was soon in full gallop! I knew he would just go straight to Wilber which he did and then started to eat! So I caught him again and decided as the WH was still delayed to take him home before he caused anymore drama! Again he loaded without any bother but he was pretty wound up by this point after his cavort around the show ground so he was kicking and bashing the trailer until we got off the field. Silly animal!! The dressage wasn't due to finish for another few hours so I asked Claire to pick up our score sheet later and let me know how we'd got on, I wasn't expecting much as didn't think the test was very good so I was shocked and pleasantly surprised to find out we had actually won! Not bad to say we hadn't practiced, only been back in work 4 weeks and learnt the test just before we arrived! The judges comment was encouraging and said Jack had lots of potential! Lots to work on for next time but really pleased to make a winning come back :)
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