For the first time

Excluding cold winter days if course! Monfils came when called. Up to now he has only come to me when I'm almost up to him anyway, so pleased with that

Leg improving every day :-)

improving...

the swelling wasn't as bad tonight when he came in as it had been, so clearly slowly subsiding...

vet thought probably just bruising - said the tendon is definitely not implicated, or he would be lame.

did suggest another week's box rest, with light ridden work for exercise.....and normally I would go with that ... but.. then we've got the introductions to do again in the field .... and it is improving...so thought will carry on as we are for now....

do i need the vet again?

I rather think so.

The swelling apparent last night was down by this morning. turned him out, sans field chaps; came in with swelling and heat....

This is NOT good, given that it's over a tendon...

So I reckon a text to vet in the morning see what he thinks....

In the meantime, gave him a good groom, and trimmed his tail so it wasn't touching the wound - I reckon tails carry a lot of bugs round and it's as well out of the way....

Riding Charlie!

wasn't in the game plan for the day, but i wanted to show Gaynor shoulder in....he brushes badly in trot, and my thought is that if he's taught SI etc and she uses that a lot in her schooling, it should help straighten him up and reduce the brushing. This wasn't easy, as the saddle is treed and the stirrup bars are in the wrong place, of course, and not very comfortable (one does get used to ones comforts in a vogue, LOL)

I hadn't even planned on being there at that time - my original plan had been to set tea going in the oven, with a view to getting Monf in between 7 & 8..

but i was rung up Monf & Seph were chasing each other round the field again, and the thought was that this might end badly. so Gaynor got Monf in whilst i was on my way down.

I have, in any case, a horrid feeling the vet might need to come out again - there is now a swelling round the place where he was kicked over the tendon, so that's not good, and he seems to have a new injury above the hock over the muscle .. mmmmmm

so he came in earlier than i'd planned, had a good groom (he was VERY dirty!) and was left with a huge pile of haylage, hope it's enough as he'd cleaned up last nights by this morning .. have to wonder how much opportunity to eat grass he's getting!

a good day...

was had by monf, i think - at least, he seemed to have his head down the 3 times i drove past, and when i went to get him in he was muddy, and pleased to see me.

whether he was so keen to be kept in is another matter, but i need to let the wound be open to the air for a period, and i'm not prepared to turn him out without his new field chaps on as yet - even the vet agreed perhaps a good idea to protect them given that we cannot be totally sure the herd has settled down, and he had had a week out of the field, having only been there a week when the accident happened!

i spent the day fetching haylage and feed, and seemed to badly twinge a muscle at hte top of my left thigh, with teh resutl that i decided not to go swimming - walking was difficult when i moved the leg, so i couldn't see that swimming would be much better!

he can go out tomorrow!

Phillip the vet came, took the bandage off, all looking good. blue sprayed for certainty. wasn't over keen on the idea of putting field chaps on, BUT on balance saw my point of protecting from further damage bearing in mind Monf had ony been in the field a day short of a week when this happened, and we don't want more damage!

also thought i probably wouldn't need the physio for him - no muscles twinging or whatever, and he's sound as pound and straight when trotted up, so good.

didn't ask when i could start riding again (forgot, LOL) but i would think at least another week

thinking i'll probably have him in overnight anyway from now on.....see what the boy himself thinks!

roller

he is

he was pristine at 13.10

by 1900, he had rolled several times!

had the afternoon off to go see the wrist/shoulder consultant at the freeman, so went along at lunchtime to check out the boy - just as well, he'd finished his net! so gave him a groom

went out for some grass tonight

arranged for vet to come tomorrow -he'd said take bandage off tomorrow, and my thought was, rather he did, then we can both be sure it's ok (if it is) and i shan't have to ring him if i'm unsure

my left shoulder is, apparently, a true frozen shoulder - apparently they're not that common! - and the wrist, he doesn't think the plate does need to come out, but on the other hand, it would not be wrong to take it out. i go back in 9 weeks (it's actually 10 or more, as he told me later when we had our work related meeting at 6 pm, he's off the week my appointment is for, LOL, he forgot to tell admin!) and in the meantim,e specialist shoulder physio which in any event is not available at my local hospital (this consultant i know personally, is a specialist, and is in Newcastle! not Durham)

rain ....

stopped plans for some grass for the boy - it ws pretty wet, and looked as though it was going to rain again .....wrong, of course, to think that as it did in fact dry up, but he seemed happy enough troughing in his stable!

so i went to replace the PC. got a nice new on, on offer (because it'll be an older model) running windows 7, very very quick compared to the previous, it just goes to show what you get used to! this reboots in jig time, where the previous, even when new, took ages....

of course, now i have to replace all the software that i'd downloaded and/or installed at various times, and i guess that'll take me a while to figure out what needs to be replaced. already downloaded the new firefox, have to say i preferred the previous, but there you go...

still sound!

and pleased to get some grass, despite the damp mizzle we walked out in.

the hip he put out - is NOT the one on the same side as the injured leg.....bizarre.

So the plan

Is to take the bandage off Friday and have a look. If it's ok and he's sound still he can go out. If not, the vet will be back.

In the meantime,monfils was on a mission being led out in hand for some grass.

glad to be home...

and the boy was glad to see me!

When I'd spoken to Vet yesterday, he'd said i could walk out in hand for some grass, so we did that for about 15 minutes.

then mucked out etc....

he's been in Charlie's stable, i think i said. i put him back in his own, and of course he was quite happy to be in there - i reckon it must have been something about the pain that was distressing him yesterday, not the fact of being in his own stable ...

anyway, the plan is, in his own stable over night, and in Charlie's tomorrow as that gives him access to a small yard and it's more interesting through the day for him.

he has a nice shiny coat - can bet he didn't have that yesterday!

and poor Gaynor had had to have her boys with her (2 1/2 & 5) whilst she was dealing with Monf, she tells me they were very good.

and she is very pleased with her present! good.

Injured monfils

OSo we're sitting in the traffic jam to get in to Blair when my phone rings,  it's gaynor  -monfils has been kicked, right hind over tendon, there's two wounds, needs the vet.  So i ring vet, who goes after  he's dealt with the two emergency call he's already got. In the meatime, monfils wouldn't settle in his own stable, worked an awful sweat up - thought later to be because he was in pain - put in Charlie's stable and calmed down, also did huge stretch and thus put back whatever was out.

Vet came, leg all shaved, antibiotics and bute, legs bandaged up, stay in.

There is the possibility of a small fracture in stifle - vet not so concerned as to want xrays urgently but if not looking right by about Thursday, we will be xraying.

All of this, and I'm 4 1/2 hours away.

So I've bought gaynor  a pressie as this is above and beyond anything we anticipated.

Doh.

Oops

It seems my last two nights posts ended up in the holiday blog. Must be more careful blogging from phone

Blair horse trials

Tomorrow . So in Scotland at friends

sun in my eyes

one thing i HAD forgotten about the arena at harbour house, is how the setting sun is right in your eyes as you head for C, this time of year...

and i'd forgotten just how many stones there are in it!

From which you'll gather, i rode. not, it has to be said, for long, but just to get the feel of it again. lots of circles etc - smaller ones than we have been doing, perforce! and did manage 3 steps of SI as well.

did try a little trot, but i wasn't happy with myself in that -

in need of lesson, which still hasn't been reorganised!

After that, the paint having dried, i put the bedding down (rubber mats got put down immediately after painting finished, of course). place looks a lot better.

settling in

seemed quite happy. i took him into the arena so he could see that without being asked to work, and he had a walk round into all four corners - and a roll, of course, he has to do that, LOL.

even though the yard is on the same estate as the previous yard, i'm still giving him a week to settle in on the principle that it is a new yard.

computer is indeed dead... using the laptop, which is doing the job!

stable painting

it hadn't been done for many year - well before the first time i was in that particular stable, which was end 2005 - and had been jet washed at least twice, losing a lot of the cheap paint that had been there - so you can imagine, it was not good, and dingy. it now looks very smart, black the bottom half and white the top (but, to be fair, not VERY high as i can't reach high had no ladders and that leaning to look up is very bad for the neck! but hugely improved on what it was before, looks clean and tidy and should last me a while!

rubber mats down - shan't put bedding on top until the paint has dried. i thought i needed one new mat, in fact i need 2! that's what happens when you move from a large stable to a small, mats get cut up. not good. but we've got it reasonable until i can get some new.

some stuff put away, but by then i was knackered.

partner came home lunchtime from her night away, and was VERY unhappy about the computer - she had to sit and repeat a load of work work she'd done yesterday, but not emailed out so it is sitting on the probably deceased pc.

and i cannot get email to work on either thunderbird or windows mail. it won't recognise the password, but i know the password is correct, as i went on to the webmail service and that uses the same password! ggrrhh. so if we do something on the laptop that has to be emailed out, it then had to be dropped onto either my tablet or my phone, and emailed out using gmail. drat.

move accomplished

Monfils was ridden down, of course - could never have doen that with Molly. Gaynor rode up on Charlie and we went back down together, they were getting on fine, when i turned him out they were all too busy eating to care much - but if they do bother, none of them will catch him anyway. drove past several times after that, moving more stuff down, and all peacefully eating....

got home, to find computer not functioning. had frozen altogether and won't reboot whatever i do. just rung Gaynor's OH, who says try again in safe mode and if it doesn't work, take it down and he'll have a look tomorrow.. but not looking good.

which is very depressing - the really important stuff on the pc is the software from my previous practice, which i still need as files that transferred settle - VERY depressing if that is gone. that's quite apart from all the photos and films that hadn't been taken off onto a disc or whatever, and the fact that i cannot for the life of me remember the email password for our talktalk email! which is the main email. doh. lost the little book that came with the welcome package .. so will have to try and wrestle with them on the phone, never a joyful experience.....

and another night off for the boy

no one there, and raining again! supposed to be dry tomorrow they say.

anyway, for those confused about yard moves - there are 4 yards on the estate. would have gone back to Harbour House when Gaynor and I left Ford Cottage stables last spring (see mollys blog) but there was only one stable, and gaynor's need was a shade greater - also there was a stable at plawsworth (not on the estate, but up the road a touch). plawsworth had stables all knocked down (land still there) and whilst in principle i would be more than happy to have monf out 24/7/365, i like ot know there's a stable there as well... which who knows when there would have been. so back on to the estate at the Riding School, then my original stable at HH that Molly had been in came up.

the 4 yards are 1 full livery yard, and 3 DIY - HH, Riding School, Blackdene (where i've also been for a short while).

rotating round or what?

loads of hacking, however, 4 arenas (one indoor, but that's only really useful if you're on that yard, and i'm leaving it tomorrow, LOL).

HH is the one with the very small arena that I've complained at length about before, but since i now have a horse that will hack out and is a safe conveyance, it seems, hacking up to blackdene or the indoor should not be a problem.

indeed, that will be the only hack i can do on my own, since i am physically unable to open gates from horseback, given the state of my wrists/left shoulder. ( edited to add - just reread a bit of Molly's blog, this caught my eye:

"I keep saying my next horse will be a gelding, who'll hack on his own or in company, and will do gates, LOL!"

never thought about me not being able to do gates!!

each yard is no more than about a 15 minute ride from the next, at most, riding school and blackdene practically next door to each other

the riding is excellent off road, no need to do road work unless you particularly want to (and then chose your time carefully)

but it's true to say that I've never really settled anywhere since moving to my current house, in terms of livery yards - but there have been very good reasons for every single move. hopefully, this one will be permanent (but best not tempt fate, LOL)

Swimming

It was pretty wet again, if warm, so went swimming not riding.

Very odd despite being wet the flies were still out

yet more rain....

the refrain of the month, i think

so we were pleased we rode yesterday!

on the point about whether being an ex winning racehorse helps him want to be ahead - I should say so! being behind in anything faster than walk is not, i think, going to be approved of as a position!

in the meantime, YM has said i can move when i want, rather than waiting to the end of the month - which is good (box has been empty a fortnight already). so thinking will move Saturday and paint Sunday....at least i should be able to ride him down!

monfils the leader..

so we get to the ford.

Luckas, in the lead - no, can't possibly, must run backwards and make the other two spook and turn

Derry, next - you are not serious, are you, mam just because i've been through before ...

Monfils, last - let me past, what is the problem guys?

then instead of the normal round the 20 acre and through harbour house, we went up the steep hill right up to the top of the estate, breeze to blow the flies away.

several gates - but i can't do them

jarred myself

shoulder (the one with the rotator cuff injury) wrist (the one i smashed) and foot (the one i broke)

not good

this was because monf moved off as i was half on, and i ended up getting off but leaving my shoulder/wrist behind as i did, and landed too hard on the foot.

doh.

got back on and went into the arena, where he worked well for 10 minutes (If that...didn't really count, but certainly not more!)

jetwashing

stable and rubber mats...

planned riding lesson was deferred - RI went to a show, but qualified for the Supreme Championship (which she won, i see from facebook) so had to stay a good bit later than we'd planned

and i was knackered by then with all the work - could have "upped" myself for a lesson...but as it goes, brought monf in and he was well spooked by the fact that the rubber mats were standing propped up by the water tap, and more so when the haybar (which had also been taken down and washed off) fell over.... so doubt i'd have got much sense out of him anyway after that!

i've moved them now - down to Harbour House, where we are moving at the end of September, back into the corner box that I was in with molly for a while, a nice box, good storage facilities, with my mate gaynor

so won't have indoor riding school, but i have a horse i can ride up to a better arena than the one at HH .....

thunderbolts and lightning

and very heavy rain.....

so ALL plans for the day off, save the hairdressing....

mine involved not only riding at some point, but also activities with water and electric extension cables (jetwash stable!) so that didn't happen.....

partner is involved in some amateur theatricals, performance supposed to be in friend's garden in 1/2 hour - cancelled!

even with the mobile phone

i am always a shade uncomfortable riding when i know everyone has gone home and wno't be back - silly, in some ways - think of you, jean, on your own! - but there you have it.. the more so when no idea when partner might be home either.

so didn't ride.

but did sort boot of car out, rescue jetwasher from coalhole (which has no coal in it, but is a filthy tip nonetheless!) and load into car ready for stable cleaning activities tomorrow..after i've had my hair done!

damp day

because it rained for most of it, having got off to a very foggy start...

was still raining when i got to the yard, if easing, but difficult to tell what would happen next...

so fed and came home...

he was damp, after all, and would have taken a while to dry!

i did think about going for a swim after 7, but lost track of time.....and have just had tea... so probably won't!

7 attempts to mount...

and on the 8th, got some help!

he kept moving too far in front of the mounting block and then turning, of course, towards me! doh.

I think he'd anticipated going out with two others, but that wasn't happening - potential sharer trying a horse, accompanied by owner of horse to be shared on someone else's, not a hack to go out on! then watched two others being led out into field...

anyway, once I was on did some reasonable work in the arena, including trot on both reins.

left rein he puts me on the correct diagonal, right rein he doesn't, so that'll need work, but he's pretty well balanced considering all those years of going straight!

Another good ride

With a variation on the harbour house theme - instead of the back drive and ford we went up the side of the welding field and along harbour house top drive to the road, my idea.

The boys were good with the traffic but i won't be going that direction on the road again- too steep really and the sightings aren't as good as the other direction

three trots, all controlled - it was a bit hot, mind

you can taste the humidity

so no surprise that it rained very hard this evening.....had already decided not to ride on the grounds that there's no fun to be had in such conditions, and equally no work to be done, since neither horse nor rider can be bothered in such enervating conditions

it was seriously dark when i got to the yard just on 6, it was going to rain, and started just as i got monfils in for his tea.....

happily, not yet raining at home so i managed to get the laundry in before it did, and then dodged some more seriously heavy showers going to supermarket - that was interesting, teemed as i drove along dual carriageway, dried up as i got there, clearly rained some more as i was in there and stopped again when i came out

the milk the neighbours and i had expected to be delivered this morning was not there - he told neighbour on phone he had delivered at 03.45 - so someone must have nicked it .... that's 2 large bottles for barbara, 1 for next door, one for us, and we don't know about the rest of the street.... mmmmm

hopefully, the weather is better tomorrow

and RI is as pony club camp this week....

Workman (saturdays failed post)

In the indoor arena!

My thought had been to go in there today, nice soft surface, but man renewing the wolden partition at the viewing gallery (which had been falling down) so didn't do anything.

Punched holed in the girth straps though - been thinking that the 24" is too small length wise on him, really, but the 26" was too long - new holes cure that! Now why did i not think of that before?