A new horse blog that gives free information on horse training, horse shows, horse clipping and horse feeding. As well as horse racing, hoof care and pictures.
I would like to start with an apology. It feels like it has been ages since I last blogged but do not threat, I have not forgotten you. The last couple of weeks have been fairly non eventful to be honest. Having taken the plunge and decided that I would bring Zoe’s eventing career forwards by 6 months, the quest has been on to get the lorry up to scratch for long distance travelling. It is now fully serviced and ready for the long haul trips around the country.
This decision came about due to the fact that you can keep putting something off thinking you are not quite ready to hit the National circuit but sometimes you just need to jump in with both feet! We are consistently placed top 3 every time out without fail at the moment which I use as an indication to being BE eventing ready. So we are now fully clipped ( which required 2 sedative jabs from my vet – she is such a bright spark!), registerd and now praying we can enter our first event without getting balloted. Fingers crossed!!!
I will keep you all posted of how our preperations go, starting with an eventer training class on sunday.
Next week I am at the Cheltenham Festival so will keep you all updated daily with news of the racing, culminating with the hottley anticipated Gold Cup race with the battle of Kauto Star and Denman. So check out the horse racing page for articles from our horse racing guru!
Happy Valentines day! I don’t know how anybody else has spent the day but mine started with the alarm going off at 6am this morning. We had decided to celebrate Valentines Day by watching the sun rise over the hills. What a romantic sight it was, despite a ear chilling wind zipping around us. The Champagne was certainly chilled! and the croissants still warm when we tucked in.
Today both horses are having the day off. Rory my hunter is having a few days off after doing 2 days of hunting last week. The amount of energy and enthusiasm he has at the age of 20. He’ll hopefully go again next Friday.
Zoe is having a well deserved day off too due to a busy week ahead. At present we are competing 3 days next week so I will keep you posted. Trying to qualify for 3 different series is proving a mean task but one I am greatly enjoying.
So Happy Valentines Day everyone, lets hope this is the start of Spring!
Sunday, Sunday, Sunday……..first time out for 2010, expectations high, spirits high and my caffine levels through the roof.
It was one of those days when getting to the competition became the main event of the day. This was entirely my own fault. It started off on Saturday night when having had a new soundsystem fitted to the lorry. For the first time in nearly 3 years I found myself to have music to sing to whilst driving. My jubilation was short lived due to my lack of concentration on the matter at hand. I had already been warned not to crash on the short 2 mile drive back to the yard as I was singing along to Mikka at the top of my lungs.
Crash I did not. I even made it back to the yard….but this is where it all went wrong. So pleased with my lack of crashing I promptly drove into a bog and got well and truely stuck! Fantastic.
So Sunday morning started off with my farrier (our farrier-guru), my vet ( also yard owner) and I pushing the silly lorry onto dry land. All to the amusement of the horses. Next time they can pull it out.
Having finally rescued the starsky & hutch mobile (my nickname for the horse lorry due to it’s fabulous paint work!), and new set of shoe’s firmly on we headed off to the competition.
To cut a long story short, it all went like clock work. We scored 69% in our dressage which I was thrilled with and then rode a terrible line to the double and refusing to have a run out we jumped the wing of the second part and my foot brought it down. I am very cross with myself for this. So with all the excitement of the morning and my not so perfect riding we came 7th!!! Clever clever filly.
A Sound Horse- Regular Trimming
These days many people are stretching their budget and pinching pennies. Priorities must be considered and unfortunately sometimes a visit from the farrier must be put farther down on the list, but let’s hope not too far, because in the end neglected horse feet usually end in a lame horse and a larger vet bill. Every horse is different and some are more self- sufficient than others. Most farriers have a fairly good idea about how often your horse should be trimmed and/or shod based on several factors. There are several reasons why it’s best to stick to a regular schedule as much as possible.
As the hoof grows longer there is increased pressure on different structures within the limb, which may lead to permanent damage if left unattended. There are several problems which may develop due to a long hoof, which may include bowed tendons, quarter cracks and navicular syndrome, to name a very few.
Another point to consider is exaggerated affects of poor conformation. A turned out limb will only become more turned out, as the hoof grows longer. A farrier can oftentimes greatly minimize the negative effects of poor conformation by keeping the hoof level through trimming and/or supported by a shoe. However, once the hoof grows too long, a shoe becomes more of a detriment than an aid as the shoe prevents the hoof from wearing off naturally, once again reiterating the need for a regular schedule. It’s not hard to imagine in the photo below how long toes would greatly perpetuate an already bad conformation.
Let’s say you have a horse perfectly conformed and made in the image of what God intended a perfect horse to be. Even then, at some point in his life, he may step on a stone, creating a bruise, which may lead to an abscess. Oftentimes a farrier can spot the very beginnings of problem and nip it in the bud. Unfortunately with horses, one problem often leads to another and it’s best to stop the process before it gets too far. Regular attention from a farrier is if nothing else, preventative medicine and some of them are good listeners, which may save you a trip to the therapist.
Regular farrier appointments are more important if your horse:
- Has shoes on
- Has poor conformation
- Has reoccurring lameness issues such as laminitis
- Is under 2 years
- Is pregnant
- Competes regularly
The snow has gone and the arm bands are now fully inflated. If I could choose I think I’d rather have fluffy white snow where everything looks perfect in contrast to the muddy, waterlogged fields. At least snow can’t suck your shoes off!
Training is back into full swing with intensive schooling sessions each day leaving very little time for much else. I spent 1 1/2 hours yesterday perfecting upward and downward canter transitions as someone ( the filly!) had decided to teach herself a new trick. Apparently bucking into canter is all the rage this season…..I beg to differ!
My response…..45mins of lunge work followed by 45 mins ridden schooling. Result…….white foam (mainly me!), sweat, smiles and perfect transitions. However I am fully prepared to go through the same routine for the next 3 days. Hopefully by the time we do our dressage test on Sunday the lesson will have been learnt.
To add to the increase in ridden work I have decided that I need to be fit enough to keep up with my ever increasing fit filly. So I’ve joined the gym and now have a personal trainer called James.
” I want to find your base line of fitness” were James’s first words.
” I’m really not very fit at all so that won’t be hard!” I quickly replied.
An hour later I had done a 3 mile run, 5 mile speed bike ride and put together a training programme involving me agreeing to do it all again 3/4 times a week. Plus swimming 2000meters after each ! gym session. Crazy!
I should mention that in April I am taking part in a Charity sprint Triathlon. Having been truly bit by the bug last September when I completed the Cotswold Sprint Triathlon I quickly gave myself the task of aiming to do at least 5 this year. I was by no means the quickest but I did beat a relay team! and complete almost exactly on my target time of 1hour 40. It took me 1hour 40 and a few seconds!!
If all goes to plan both my horse and I will be super fit this season which can only help me in achieving my goal of becoming a 2012 Olympic contender. If all else fails maybe I’ll do it as a triathlete though I think I’ll be leaving that to Vicky Holland www.vickyholland.com number 4 at the worlds last year and truly an amazing athlete!
Whilst I sit hear waiting for my jelly legs to recover from last nights gym session and plan the jump course I will build this afternoon the grey clouds are starting to lift and glimpses of blue are starting to appear. Hopefully it is a good sign for Sunday.
I awoke this morning to what could be considered a strange sight. The grass was once again green! I suppose I should have been more in shock at the sight of grass.
So like any horse mad person I have spent the day aboard my mare. Even the horrific sideways rain down pour could not dampen my spirits as I galloped round the now water logged field in search of fallen down trees.
Hopefully the talk of snow next week will prove to be incorrect and we can all get back in training. The 2010 BE event season is fast approaching and I can’t wait!
Back in August I gave up my job as a sales manager for a Horse Feed company to focus on competing my horses. It was the culmination of being over worked, under appreciated and ultimately disliking my job to the point of resentment that led to my decision. I could no longer see the point in earning lots of money if i had no time to enjoy the things i loved the most. For me this was my love of Eventing. So i finally packed my bags, handed back the keys to my company car and returned home to my boyfriend and animals with only a bike to get me from A to B.
Four weeks in and the realisation of what i’d done had truely sunk in. I had no car, no computer and lots and lots of time on my hands that I couldn’t fill(not a problem now though may I add!). So I focused on turning my 5 yr ex race horse into a competition super star.
I brought Zoe as a 3 yr old from the sales as she was considered too slow after her first race at Exeter. A firey, bright eyed intelligent madam is our Zoe. Teach her something for too long and she thinks you’re insulting her intelligence. From the first day I sat on her as a 3 yr old she could do flying changes and canter a 5 meter circle. But ask her to hack out by herself and the whole world had ended. Cutting a long story short…..2 years down the line with no Company boss watching my every move I can now say that Zoe and I have the most fantastic partnership. The best bit being that last weekend we came 5th in a One Day Event. It was only our 4th ever outing
So this is my story. I am a 27 yr old Freelance sales & Marketing consultant who works the oddest hours just so that I can ride my horses. So come back for regular updates on the Zoe machine and watch our progress from rearing acrobat to our ultimate 2012 olympic dreams.
