December

Nic · December

Sorry - a bit late Shocked

cptrayes

I have a suspicion that Radar is not coping with 5 kilos of cubes a day. He doesn't seem quite as perfect on stones as he was, and a long ride yesterday on some very tough tracks seems to have left him a little short striding on one front leg today. I'll have to see how he is when he comes in, but it's certainly time to swap to getting as many calories from oil as possible.

This is an interesting development for him, because he gave no sign of grass sensitivity this spring. On the other hand, he was kept off it jin daytime just because Jazz had to be, so I am now wondering if he would have had problems if left to his own devices.

Jazz started the winter in a better place, foot shape wise, than he has in the previous three winters. Nevertheless, they have improved again with the loss of grass, and he has a most impressive depth of foot around the apex of his frogs. And totally sound of course. He has less food than Radar because he is a better doer and he is getting less intense work. Last year, when he was doing the same level of work as Radar is now, he still needed less food than Radar does.

They're all individuals, aren't they?

C

ps their forage is late cut (end of August!) hill (1100 feet) flower meadow, unfertilized, never reseeded. I doubt if that is the issue with the food, though they do eat an absolute mountain of it!

horsesfirst

CPTrayes - you are making me jealous of your forage! Ours is like candyfloss Sad

But I am more miserable about the back of Grace's feet, esp the frogs. Its proving really hard to clear the fungal infection. It gets quite good but never quite perfect. I am sure I can clear it up with a good dose of determination, but am disappearing for the best part of three weeks.

I am just hoping she stays upright (on four legs not two) until I get back from my travels.

I have an army of helpers to look after her while I am away but she has already sussed which ones she can ignore. None of them are allowed to play with her feet though.

gossip28

Think I overcooked Gossip on the hills around here, after such a long time off work even though I was being careful. She went lame on off fore & swelling under the knee in tendon. She had a few days off, swelling went down & we have now started again - sound. We are now only doing 30mins roadwork on the least hilly bit I can find (still very hilly though!!!), in walk with bandages - feet are fantastic ! Since the rain she has been turned out on stoney drive instead of field with just hay. She is turning into a mountain goat. Laughing

SaphRo

What a great start to December - after 10 days of poulticing I plugged the abscess hole with Keratex Hoof putty which is amazing stuff. The lady at Keratex advised me to paint the hoof with their hoof gel to try to waterproof it. 24 hours later and its still there! Saph lives out, we're on very thick clay so even a little bit of rain sits on the top and can get quite boggy in places. The gel it good stuff as well,as the foot I painted it with is far less muddier than the others so I'm going to use it on all the other feet to try and prevent further abscesses and her feet getting soft being in the wet field all the time.

The indoor school should be finished soon so I can start riding again as well

brucea

maggie345

Haven't posted on here before, but I think I will start, and on a good note:
We have officially achieved barefootedness - as in no boots! I'm still not quite sure I'm trusting this new development, but I've been out hacking five times now in the past week, completely bare without any ill effects. On previous attempts, my gelding would seem fine, if a bit cautious on the first hack, but would show clearly next day that we overdid it a bit by being cautious over our gravel drive, even led. And back into boots...
Not sure what got us here, maybe the grass dying off, maybe the wet weather softening our rocky trails a bit, maybe the new trimming strategy finally paying off. In any case, I'm hoping he will continue to improve.
Now I'm scared of the move into the winter field with more grass Sad

Oh well, if he's more sensitive again after the move, at least I will know for sure that it's the grass that's been holding him back.

stormybracken

Fantastic sunny windy day when I have time to ride Very Happy

Despite not being ridden for three weeks, although groundwork or walked in hand 3-4 times a week, NF rock crunching over track which has been newly patched with stones. Girth went from not meeting before groundwork to 2 holes one side 3 on the other during hack. Even at his slimmest the girth is only 3 holes on both sides! No need to up feed yet... Will be any day now though I think, weather is bitter and he's rugless and living out 24/7.

cptrayes

Well done Maggie, great to hear of your success.

horsesfirst I even see my haylage grown and cut because it's from my neighbour's farm. In fact I ride on it earlier in the season. It's funny fluffy stuff, very thin, but they are eating it very well. And it must be high figre - you should SEE the amount of poo I am having to pick out every day Shocked

Radar has a big vein in one of his front legs and is not quite sound on stones. He bruised himself on a very tough ride we did on Tuesday, unfortunately Crying or Very sad

It's in his toe, I can see by the way he is walking. Hopefully it will not become an abscess and just fade away in a day or two.

C

ps Nic how is Felix???

horsesfirst

Grace has 'done something' either fallen over in the field (highly possible because its on a steep hill and she's been deer coursing) or her little two leg experiment has done a mischief.

Now lamer behind than she is in front and its above the hock - possibly sacro illiac. I am umming over the getting the vet, as I suspect that they wouldn't be of much use to this particular horse. Sad

Put it this way - she was much better after a bit of pied piper in the school - she is in a fair amount to dry her feet out and she can stay off the hill for a bit and turn out in the school twice a day if I need.

I guess my biggest concern is the fact that I am away for over two weeks from Saturday. Much briefing of helper required I think.

Nic

stormybracken

Oh no horsesfirst, she was making such good progress - they do like to take a step or two back don't they? Is there a reliable bodyworker you could use?

I'm sure you're worrying about going away, but she does sound far more trusting of other people, and you do appear to have some lovely people around you. Thinking of you!

horsesfirst

I am very lucky with the people and even luckier [?] that I have had a fair amount of practice with the hands on stuff thank to dearly departed Sad

At this stage I wouldn't trust Grace not to get the hump and lump someone who puts their hands on her. So long as she stays upright and comfortablish that will have to do until I get back.

Peeps are under strict instructions to get her properly sedated if they need to do anything more than shove food at her or take her for a walk.

She is getting very good, but not so much with newbies yet - although 'trainee' is being allowed to do more each day. At this stage all new peeps are welcomed when they are on the other side of her stable door, but treated like horse eating monsters if they get too close. - she hides at the back of her box and will kick if pursued.

I have reasonable confidence for the longer term, can't expect years of neglect to be resolved quickly.

hobnob

Horsesfirst - I am sure she'll be just fine. When she gallops up to you across the field on your return shouting 'mum, your back, I've missed you!' the worrying will all be worthwhile !! Very Happy

On the performance front I noticed this morning how far we have come since this time last year. Metabolically challenged Portia was always generally OK in the winter but this morning we had out 2nd hard frost of the season and she came trotting across the muddy rutted field for her brekky. Now, this time last year she would walk and purposefully look where she was putting her feet. I guess its down to growing a whole new hoof and the change of bucket feed. It was nice to see when humping buckets of cold water about - made it seem worthwhile !

cptrayes

Radar's issue is a tiny hole the size of a nail shaft in his sole just on the inside edge of the sole callous. So no hunting tomorrow, but he is only a little lame and I'm sure he'll be OK soon. The jury is out on how he got it, and whether the tough ride we did on Tuesday is responsible, or a red herring with unfortunately coincidental timing. I can't quiiiiite see how a stony track would produce a hole that looks like he trod on a thin nail?

C

sarahh

Boy pone & I went stressage tonight. Came 2nd with 60.9%, doesn't say much for the rest of them does it! Hunting on Tuesday, that will be when we can put some real barefoot performance to the test (and see if anyone notices he's barefoot!) Laughing

x

brucea

Nic

Sarah - who are you hunting with? Well done with your stressage and placing Smile

Caroline - I'd bet on Bruce's theory, not stones - just doesn't look right - could be blackthorn as well, perhaps - that can give nasty septic puncture wounds Sad

sarahh

Nic, we're hunting with the Avon Vale. My money is on nobody noticing the lack of shoes, despite the fact that Boy will probably spend a large proportion of time stood up, waving his (bare) feet in the air for all to see Twisted Evil

cptrayes

I won't take your bet Sarah, no-one notices me unless I tell them.

Ah! The track we went along which I thought was too much for him is lined in part with hawthorn. That might explain things.

C

brucea

Oh no - hope it doesn't abscess - poor lad.

Mind you, you never know what you will pick up - Link was a bit off a while back and I dug a flat metal spring out of his hoof. Confused

Hawthorn berries, however are very good for them! Wink

horsesfirst

Isn't it a b**** when no one notices a successful barefooter? They are only too pleased to point out when one is a bit footy.

'See' ya all in 2.5 weeks Smile

stormybracken

All the best laid plans...
Chiropractor thoroughly checked Storm's back to check he could tolerate a saddle, although he is still lame and she is still peeling the layers of the onion by finding new areas for treatment every time she comes. So, perfect dry morning, saddled him up and hand walked him into the woods along the stony track, very good heel first landing although choosing to walk on soft areas where possible and not walking out although tracking up, no resistance or concern about saddle, girth etc. So good so far.
On the way back a local shoot started close by, with all the chaotic energy of the bangs, whistles, and dogs - my heart rate went through the roof! Storm was an absolute star, ears and head up, checking out for where it was happening with occasional stops, but walked on when I asked and the walk was so close to sound going up hill as a result of his enhanced alertness! Once we were safely back I was able to enjoy the fact that the burst of adrelanin had meant he was using himself properly for a good 15 minutes - couldn't and wouldn't have chosen to plan it any better Laughing

brucea

Cool - sounds like progress.

We have just come back fro a 3 hour blast round the woods - took Bramble with us on the lead rope behind Link with Apollo taking up the rear. All doing great - the little guy was cantering alongside us over the rougher tracks quite the thing - got a bit competitive at one point though!

I'm really quite proud of my little lami pony! Doing just great at the moment. I met a lady out with her mare and she rode withus for a while, and she simply didn't believe that this wee guy stoping over the gravel was a barefoot laminitic! (Her mare was shod and was napping away all the time - feet looked quite "splatty")

But I need to do some training with hiim - please follow the horse in front, if he goes the right side of the tree YOU go the right side of the tree. Silly pony! Not good when it happens at canter! Embarassed

Fat Cob just lay down when we got back and had a good stretch - eventually he got up but looked as if he was going to spend the rest of the afternoon snuggled up behind a dyke! Poor guy was dead beat, but not so dead beat as to ignore his bucket Rolling Eyes

stormybracken

You do have some fun with your horses don't you!
Sounds as though the new yard really is working for all of you, great to hear.

cptrayes

Oh no! Now Jazz too!! Pus in the foot again, I think, two at the same time, how's that for luck.

I went to the hunt meet on foot to meet people. Only one of them was daft enough to say "he needs shoes on", to which I replied, in a very serious voice "yes Robert, the cure for abscesses in an unshod horse is to shoe them. And the cure for abscesses in a shod horse is to take the shoes off." He actually laughed and agreed it was silly to blame barefoot for a foot abscess in a hunter whose been fine all season so far.

A friend is having terrible trouble with foot sensitivity on a grass sugar sensitivemare. She has just put it on a food that says "safe for laminitics" on the sack. She's taken it off again now!

C

brucea

That's bad luck Caroline - may just be the wet weather has compromised the hoof - there are a lot of horses with abscesses up here at the moment.

cptrayes

Jazz has an umistakable yuk Confused

smell coming from the side of his frog as I pick out his foot, so hopefully his is already draining.

Radar has a very hot spot on the coronet band and it may come out soon.

Meanwhile, here's a picture of my very economic barefoot hunter giving a Cheshire hedge precisely one inch of clearance Laughing

The grass is long on the landing side, that hedge was a good size! Last one of the day, and doesn't he look smug Cool

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/galleries/main.php?g2_itemId=9331&

maggie345

Hm. Wormed on Friday, moved the horses over into winter field Saturday, and my boy is decidedly less comfy out on the trail today Confused

Still fine on grassy verges, but definitely trying to avoid all gravel.

stormybracken

Isn't that funny, I'd always imagined Radar to be chestnut! Isn't he gorgeous?

What did you worm with? There is still lots of new grass growing here in Dorset, although the over-grazed lower parts of the field which the horse were on all summer is full of new grass, the under-grazed top part which I only let them onto in November is looking very unappealing. Hope all resolves itself.

SueH

Riding Jake and ponying Clay along at the moment get's Clay's feet working without rider and gets Jake used to moving at speed with another gelding. Lots of trotting although have to beware as they will race if energy goes up and then they end up cantering off up our fast lane Rolling Eyes

Did this Sat am but bless em they pulled em fine. Thought I'd broken Clay for a moment as he looked lame in next trot - but gave him couple of steps in walk and he was sound in trot again.

Clay bit of a surprise - only been bare 4 months and whilst feet still look like Flippers with crap frogs, he is rather well, still without boots. I keep meaning to try him in boots as experiment to compare. Always happy to trot and I just make sure he's near the verge in case he needs respite but doesnt bother bar odd acassion. Whether its his ID genetics ? (He looks more TB than Jake, but is apparently TBxID).

next mission is to get Clay in trailer - a long slow job for over the winter

brucea

My landlady at the new place (79 year old ex eventer, broken neck in a fall, learned to walk again - utterly amazing and incredible woman) is in hospital after falling over at a local shop and banging her face - she has a blood filled eye and is being kept in the eye ward for a few days.

OH is off in to visit this afternoon and find out all the things she needs done and so on Wink

. She's a tough old bird, sure she'll be alright in a while. She's 80 next week and still determined to drive down to Cumbria for Christmas! Her son and I may have to collaborate on that one Very Happy

stormybracken

love the google ads that appeared at the bottom of your posting!

Best wishes to her, hope she recovers quickly! My mum had a nasty fall two days after her cataract operation, she landed forehead first. She's a retired nurse, Dad's a retired GP, it wasn't 'till they came to see me five days later and I made her use some arnica that it started to heal. Neither of them had thought to use anything Confused

Sound like your lady is in the right place.

hobnob

Wormed my 2 on Sunday morning - no ill effects. Used Equest. Portia id shedding a OSF frog though big time - looks awful. Big pocket at the back of it that you can put your finger under and towards the apex. Do I just leave it, there is another new one underneath !! Worried that muck will get in pocket and cause thrush or something. She has never shed a whole one like this before - scary !!! Shocked

Still up to fetlocks in mud in places but the forcast this week seems mostly dry after tomorrow - yipee !!!

Poor landlady Bruce, she sounds a tough old bird !! Great piccy Caroline - you are very brave, and good luck with the pus ! Very Happy

brucea

SueH

worm count for Jake and Clay <50 no eggs seen.
Clay was wormed byowner in June.
Jake was wormed at Christmas 2008 with Equest as his count spiked high.
will get them blood tested for tape next.

I started a dose of Diatomaceous earth when I took worm count sample in case it high, to see if it did anything but since count is low I dont think I will re-test UNLESS the DE will remove eggs otherwise 'stuck' Confused

sarahh

Boy and I went hunting today. Lasted just over an hour before I'd had enough of him rearing up vertical and thowing himself around (we drew gasps from the rest of the field!)
On the plus side, a woman on na lovely (shod) Norweigan Fjord commented on Boy's fab trot as we trotted next to her along the road, then noticed he was barefoot and commented on how well he seemed to be doing without shoes and said "good for you". That pleased me.
Here is a pic of the calm before the storm

Click to see full size image

stormybracken

very smart! At least he did get to show of his barefeet before retiring for extreme naughtiness.

hobnob

Thanks Bruce - she isnt sore on it so we will monitor. Sarahh, what a naughty chap. You both look super smart though and he does look quite relaxed in the pic !

brucea

Hmm Hobnob, the interesting thing was that he was slightly footy before but wonderfully sound after it peeled off!

Nic

Oh Sarah, bad luck - what a little tyke Evil or Very Mad

I sympathise - I took Hector hunting (his first day out for weeks since his hamstring tear) and admitted to the master that I would prefer to be on a lead rein Shocked

She was very kind and told me to keep him in front and "kick on so he doesn't think about being silly" - I felt about 5 years old Very Happy

Only one naughty bounce on the spot from him, luckily, so hope Boy's brain engages at some stage. Still welcome to bring him up here if you like, and a maybe the hills will tire him out Shocked

Happy to nanny you on Felix if that would help Wink

sarahh

Nic

The problem with up hills is that they are inevitably followed by down hills Shocked

There is always a lovely moment when you are going up and up and up and thinking yippee, I am in control, and then think, oh Sh*t we are about to stop going up and up and start coming down Confused

Thats when a nanny with a big bottom comes in handy Laughing

SueH

Jake and Clay trimmed today. Clay appears to have stiff left knee but otherwise fine. Glad to say the after the trim what was left of the crack/abscess recess was very small and just cut out with a few flicks of the knife and rasped smooth. Will keep an eye on but hopefull all gone. Also positive was that Clay's heel is firming up nicely - much better than Jake's was at 4 months but then Jake was in boots and Clay has worn boots for precisely 10mins only so far - the time it took to try them on.

cptrayes

brucea

No idea what got into my guys this morning - when I got to the yard Apollo and Link were cavorting around like a complete pair of twits - rearing and bucking, playing bite knees and cat leaping. Shocked

When a pair of hooves flew past my head when I was poo picking I decided "enough is enough" and growled at both of them to settle down.

Imagine my surprise when I got back to the stables with my barrow of poo, and found a hairy pony backside sticking out of the bag of carrots - he's worked out the sliding doors and can get through them if they're not properly locked!

Obviously all feeling RATHER TOO GOOD in themselves !!!! Laughing

Maybe it's the Ron Fields Remount 1 effect!

Heavy frosts the last couple of nights and getting very cold tonight - but sunny mornings - keeping a close eye on hooves and pulses.

cptrayes

Radar is sound to trot today. Looking good!

I am letting myself off the hook that I had put myself on. I had thought that a rather tough ride last Tuesday lamed him. But looking at his foot now, and seeing where and how he was lame, it's pretty clear what happened.

He trod on a nail or something very like it just on the edge of his toe callous about 3/4 of an inch away from the white line. That caused a hypodermic needle sized hole pointing backwards into his foot, with some internal damage. The bruise leaked outwards to the white line and loosened 1/4 inch of inner join of the white line to the sole. This has now rejoined, but is stained old-blood colour where the bruise leaked away.

Far from the ride causing problems to a barefoot horse, I now believe that if he had been shod then whatever he trod on might have punctured a weaker sole completely and caused no end of problems.

I was really worried for a while there that I was waxing lyrical about my rock crunching barefoot horses when all the time they could not really cope with a really challenging track. But no stone that I know of could produce a perfectly spherical channel 3mm deep and only 1mm wide, could it?

C

Roobarbs Mum

I started Roo's endurance training on Wednesday as our 1st ride is on 31st January, a 9 mile Pleasure Ride Laughing

I can't get over how little fitness he has Rolling Eyes

One minute he's all "lets go, lets charge up the hill, lets bounce about" and the next its "can we walk now, I'm pooped, get off and walk" Rolling Eyes

Any way we managed to do 7.84 miles/12.62km according to my Garmin and it only took us 2hrs 26mins Embarassed

. In our defence though the woods were really squelchy and greasy and my mum's horse, Thomas, is a hairy unclipped Connemara so we couldn't push on too much.

It was really interesting riding with the GPS on, I'd always thought Roo was fairly slow, but his lazy drag-your-back-toes-square trot was 7.4mph/11.9kmph Shocked

When I got him really working and putting some effort in Thomas was cantering behind and I was too busy trying to stay with him to look at the GPS Embarassed

but it still felt like I had more horse to play with, if that makes sense.

He coped with all the going and has been sound (that's probably put the kiss of death on everything) all the time I've been working him. The food seems to be suiting him (double handful of Alfa-Oil, small scoop of Saracen Re-Leve & scoop of Silver Lining Herbs Eye Bright) as well, no foot or behavioural issues just keeping his weight nicely with enough energy to work but not enough to go inventing games Wink

Angel on the other hand is a law unto herself - perfectly able to trot across the tarmac chippings in to the yard at tea time but unable to walk along the lane inhand or ridden Rolling Eyes

Has a very good length of stride with heel first landing when cantering round the field but bounces round like her legs are tied together when you try and trot or canter in the woods Rolling Eyes

I lost my temper a bit with last time we were out and resorted to breaking of a thin leafy branch and giving her a couple of smacks with it but it didn't make her go any better and just made me feel really guilty Embarassed

. Once she's loosened up and given in being really nappy she is quite happy to just walk everywhere and is really interested and forward going. She is coping on most surfaces and just picks her way carefully over the worst of the stones.

I've tried her with boots on the front but she still won't trot out or canter properly. I'm going to get a friend to ride her out and see if she's the same with her, maybe she's picking up that I don't really trust the boots, or more likely she's just taking the p*** Confused

Any ideas how to change her mental attitude Question

Lucy

I can see I'm going to have to put shoes on her for the next season

stormybracken

Sounds brilliant fun, you're doing really well!

Are you sure Angel's problems are foot related?

Roobarbs Mum

I think they must be.

Her whole attitude changes as soon as the shoes are removed. I rode her in the morning before the farrier came and she was pulling and leaping about as normal and really forward going and light off the leg and the next day she was like riding a seaside donkey and refusing to go out of walk. It's almost as though she equates having shoes off with being on holiday. She was exactly the same last year and the year before when I took her shoes off for winter. As soon as the shoes go back on she is back into work mode Rolling Eyes

I've changed her saddle as I knew that wasn't fitting as well as it could and I rode her in the new saddle a couple of times before the shoes came off and she was lovely and really worked well in it. I haven't changed anything there and it is still fitting the same.

She has been treated by a Cranial Osteopath, Gavin Scofield, who is responsible for the Endurance GB team horses and she has regular top-up Bowen treatment from my mum and I try and give her a mini-massage before and after I ride her as I know she's got arthritic changes in her hocks which make her slower to loosen up. I've even bought some Equi-chaps for her to wear at night to see if they help her joints stay freer.

It just seems to be a mental thing rather than a physical thing so I'll just have to accept that, in her mind at least, she needs shoes Rolling Eyes

. A couple of years I took her to her favourite Endurance ride (loads of wide grassy canters and sandy tracks) thinking that that would get her moving forwards and she'd forget about her feet in the excitement but no, she walked all the way round and it took forever Evil or Very Mad

. You could tell she was enjoying it and she was getting really bouncy when we were being overtaken and I was urging her to go after them but she wouldn't go.

I rang the farrier up as soon as we got back and she had shoes put back on and the next day she was back to her normal, bouncy self - sigh.

Lucy

stormybracken

Yep, that sounds like she's uncomfortable without her shoes! I wonder if there are any changes to her diet or her trim that would help? I'm sure you've already explored all of this, frustrating isn't it Smile

I'm interested in you riding with your Garmin - is that the same as a car one? We have one, do you carry it in your pocket or is it one you attach to the horse? Sorry if I'm asking stupid questions!

brucea

Don't know if this helps Lucy - but I was fairly convinced for a while that Link was footy over stones only when his mind was not occupied - when he saw another horse or was on the homebound journey he didn't have nearly the same "problem" with the stones.

Roobarbs Mum

It's really frustrating. I've tried her on different foods but there doesn't seem to be a change in her feet, just in terms of how spooky or lazy she gets Rolling Eyes

. I'm just glad that I've got Roo to ride as I used to get really frustrated about her attitude and dread taking her shoes off.

It would be so much easier to say "sod it " and leave her shoes on all year round but she really benefits from having them off. She is usually shod with back shoes on the front and the farrier knocks them whilst they're still soft so they have a bit of a 'roll' on the breakover, this has helped to get the shoe to sit further back and has really improved her stride length and stopped her heels sliding forwards. The feet are in better shape at the end of the season each year when I take the shoes off - the first year they were just appalling with under-run heels, contracted frogs, thrush and white line separation due to huge flare on the hinds, both inside and outside. This time they had some flare on the hinds which needed rasping off and they looked quite tidy once the frilly bits broke off and the foot found it's shape again.

The Garmin is a Forerunner 101 - dead basic GPS which fits on my wrist. It just shows you how far you've gone, what speed, and how long it took. It's designed for runners and cyclists. My boss thinks it really funny that I have a GPS on the horse - I'm sure he thinks it like SatNav in the car Laughing

I've also got a separate heart rate monitor as well so I can check their fitness that way too but on Wednesday I just wanted some baseline readings about the type of hack we normally do.

Lucy

brucea

Jo Mitchell

Lucy

What boots are you using for Angel? The easyboot gloves with a 6mm pad in are my preferred choice now.. and if she is unhappy to trot and canter then try booting behind too... (with pads also)

BTW: Angel sounds a little bit like Pie my competition horse who its taken me almost 3 years to get happy unshod and happy in boots... I HAVE spent a fortune on different scenarios trying to get it right for him so if you can, then do persevere.

Jo

cptrayes

SueH

whizzed over mountain on Jake this afternoon in glorious sunshine. Not been up there for months. Bit wet and muddy in places but coped well at speed. We've been working on canter in school for a few weeks now - Jake tends to get bit giddy with gait change and can tense up, holds his breath ( through back from riding school days - not ideal place for TB) so we doing lots and lots of trot to canter transition with me riding up out of saddle a little to let his back come up. Relaxed after few transitions, and then surprised how forward he was, and in lots of canters on tracks he prefers to walk in summer so feet doing well.

Beach on Sunday, cant wait.

I also use a Garmen wrist GPS - really good as I download tracks onto pc - what a geek Rolling Eyes

QAR

stormybracken

End of week 9 and still more progress Very Happy

Storm has been out six days out of seven, twice on the road where he just looks better and better, only walking in-hand for less than 30 minutes. Four on the stony tracks and on three of those days I have got on - interesting... he's not sound yet, so obviously am not schooling or hacking, but he's happy for me to get on, and once he's relaxed after a few seconds is happy to stand, bend his neck both ways, turn on the forehand and on the hindquarters and rein-back. He's less willing to go forward, although he will for a few steps before stopping, so I now have to decide whether this is because there is more reward in the other movements which come to an end more quickly, or if there is actually an issue in walking forwards. With hindsight, this is how he has started every time he's had time off for "back problems" - more pieces of the jigsaw? Feet are improving, and got the thumbs up from the saddle fitter who had been warning me for a year that they weren't looking good before he finally went lame.
Have given up trying to keep him off the other field, I was hoping to use it in the New Year, but I just don't know whether he's ducking, going through, or jumping the electric fence! From tonight they'll be in there over night by MY choice, and I'll see how they both cope with an extra 2 acres of grass - fingers crossed!

Nic

Great day hunting today - Charlie, Felix and Bailey all on very good form, loving the sunshine, dry weather and the fact that the ground is no longer quite so bottomless...

By the GPS the boys did 27.5 miles and were still pinging till they loaded up - Bailey went home a bit earlier but did a good 20 miles.

N

brucea

Sounds like a great day Nic

I took Becky on Apollo and Ben on Link out today and I walked Bramble...for miles and miles...that's what happens when your kids grow up - they take your horse and you walk!

Stomping over some quite rough ground - all three no problems. Ben wanted to do some faster stuff so I strode ahead a few times with Bramble and let the pair of them trot to catch up - Link gave Ben a beautiful rounded elevated tail up canter - scared him half to death! Rolling Eyes

He's not had that from Link before. Rode it amazingly well though - 10 year old boy on a 16.3hh Irish sport horse, they are quite together really, wish I could ride with the same relaxed natural balance. Never had a lesson...he makes me sick Laughing

Link's booked in for his x-rays and lameness work up on the 23rd at 1pm, so we will see how that all works out. I'll post x-rays when I get them becuase it will be fascinating to see if there is any change over the last 10 months.

cptrayes

Me too! Great day in the sunshine. Plenty of timber, a couple of hedges, some good runs across ground that wasn't too sapping.

We both came hom with smiles on our faces. Laughing

C

Terry

I thought I would add a couple of pics for inspiration for those on the road to rock crunching feet, Saqr my little gift from Egypt has the oddest looking feet you have seen but probably the toughest out of the heard. He is pictured here at Red Dragon finishing 30 miles, he is 5 years old and completed 7 30 mile rides last season after a winter training on rocks!

brucea

The original quad bike! Smile

cptrayes

A copy of my blog today:

B*ll*x

Pardon my language but I can't help it.

Radar has tweaked the inside branch of his suspensory ligament. His leg is filled and there is a hot spot where the injury is. He isn't particularly sore on it but it is definitely a problem. I have iced it for the last five hours but the swelling has spread in the meantime. I think it was a mistake to restrict him to a stable and I have put him back in the barn. I have also just given him a couple of bute.

It's not a serious tweak, I don't think, because he is walking well on it. But he will obviously be out of action for a while. My plan is to get the leg back down to size, get him totally sound to walk and trot in hand, and then have him scanned to see how much damage there is and whether it is safe to bring him back into work.

Meanwhile, I will walk him around in hand several times a day, because scarred tendon heals with straight fibres instead of stretchy crinkly ones unless you give it gentle exercise. It will also prevent adhesions with the tendon sheath, which can cause a lot more problem than the original injury.

I have no idea how this happened. The ride we did on Thursday had a lot more work in it than what we did yesterday. He didn't react to cantering on Friday and I really thought we were good to go. Perhaps it's completely unrelated. If he had strained anything I would have expected it to be the OTHER leg, favouring the one which he was sore on last week.

Oh well, we'll just have to get Bungo fit enough to take his place in the hunting field for a while. I'll miss the hedges but he'll still be great fun.

Meanwhile, he currently has frozen savoy cabbage on his leg. Do you think that another variety of cabbage would be better? Iceberg lettuce maybe. Or will swapping to frozen peas in a couple of hours time make a difference Smile

?

C

Nic

Caroline, what a bugger - very bad luck Crying or Very sad

Like you am a great believer in as much movement as possible, within soundness levels - does seem to make for quicker healing and a much stronger and more permanent "mend" as well.

Poor Radar Sad

Have you tried Bonner bandages re ice therapy? They freeze down in 20 mins and stay cold for 20 mins on the leg, so you can keep swapping them as need be, they are infinitely resuable and very useful, if a trifle pricy.

Good vibes on their way to him (!)

N

horsesfirst

damp tea towels freeze fast and make great leg wraps (well I never do that much washing up so I had to find a use for the bundles my Mum keeps buying me)

Hope Radar gets better soon

Roobarbs Mum

Took Roo out on Saturday with a small group of friends - definitely too much for his brain to take Crying or Very sad

. He wasn't as bad as he could have been but nowhere near as good as he can be - sigh. There were just too many distractions and too many other bodies to be aware of that he couldn't focus on what I was asking so the steering was the first to go. In a way I'm glad I took him as now I know what to expect when we do our first ride at the end of January but then again, ignorance is bliss, and until Saturday I was happily thinking all would be wonderful and we'd have a great time.

It was Angel's turn yesterday. I'd bought some Equi-chaps earlier in the year to try and save Roo's legs from getting shredded as he kept getting cuts and scrapes on them from flying about in the field so I put those on Angel overnight to see if they would help keep her legs warm and her joints a bit easier - she was noticeably freer in her hind legs (still nappy and reluctant if you didn't know her better) when we set off. Walk was a lot faster and she wasn't bothered by the stones until we got to some quite gritty sections.

Still wouldn't trot for very long or with any real length of stride but walk was loads better. Cheeky little minx did take off with me when we got to some grass Laughing

More of a 3-legged bounce than a real canter but it's start - at least it was her idea and I didn't have to beat it out of her Wink

I noticed on Saturday morning that she is having some problems eating the hay - yawing and rolling her tongue round. She hasn't been quidding or losing weight and I've not really noticed her having problems before now - I tend to dish up the hay and then get cracking with the mucking out. The dentist is coming on Thursday for a routine visit so I'll see what is happening in there.

I did wonder if she had either a loose tooth (she's 17) or some inflammation on her gums which could be painful when she starts going faster, sort of concussion in her mouth Question

Although that wouldn't explain why she's the way she is everytime the shoes come off.

Maybe she just doesn't like the sensation on her feet of being able to feel everything.

I haven't managed to try any boots on her yet. I borrowed some Epics to try but by the time I'd sorted her feet out so they were a decent shape and could actually fit into them the weather turned and it's been too wet and greasy in the woods to try them safely. Also, when it suits her, it doesn't look as though her feet have been bothering her.

I'll keep persevering and see how we go until the end of Feb and if she still isn't happy then the shoes will go back on. Mr Roo is going to stay barefoot for as long as possible, I'm going to start getting him used to having boots on as well so if need be I can boot him up for rides.

Lucy

Helen N

Great Pics Terry Very Happy

I shall have to treat myself to a scanner so I can post some of Rooster, I have had some really good ones this year Smile

.

Roobarbs Mum

Not really horse performance but check out my computer geniusness Laughing

Managed to get a pic under my name Laughing

This is Mr Roo at our Natural Horsemanship day in May this year - bless him.

Lucy

cptrayes

WHEW! What a relief. 24 hours of ice, with a five o'clock zip outside in my jimjams this morning, and finally we have the swelling down enough to see what it going on.

IT'S THE SPLINT BONE!

The whole splint bone is swelling the inside of his leg, with a hot and painful spot quite close to the little bulb thingy that is on the bottom of every splint bone. Yesterday that hot spot was on the suspensory ligament branch that runs over the top of the splint bone, and he snatched his foot away when I pressed the suspensory. It didn't occur to me at the time that I was also pressing the splint through the suspensory.

By the time I found it yesterday morning, the filling had already got into the tendons and ligament and they were themselves thickened. This morning it was looking as if he had done a check ligament just below his knee as well as a suspensory, and it made no sense at all for that to have filled up this late.

I took the ice off, went out for a few hours and came back to see what was happening. The ligament was down, with no painful spot on it, so I had a jolly good poke around, pressed the splint bone about an inch from the end and got a big flinch from Radar. I've never been more pleased to make a horse flinch. Poor boy!

And I have never been more relieved in my life! A strained suspensory means several months, up to a year, to fix it, with the likelihood of recurrence medium to high in a horse who jumps at speed. A splint bone come "unstuck" means a probable 4 weeks maximum top heal, with the likelihood of recurrence slim once the bone has hardened off.

Whew, whew, whew. Can I go and get some sleep now? I couldn't sleep all Saturday night for the sheer excitement of owning such a great hunter. Then I couldn't sleep all last night for knowing that I had already crocked him and he's only just started. I'm due a siesta!

C

Helen N

Good to hear that it's not as bad as first feared. I have often jumped to the wrong conclusion and imagined the worst possible scenario, it's always a relief when it turns out to not so bad afterall Wink

3 weeks ago my instructor cut short our lesson as she felt Rooster wasn't moving as well as he should (he wasn't) and put the saddle to blame , reckoned he had a sore back. Over the next few days he became progressively more lame on his left hind - abscess. He then went lame on right hind, another abscess Rolling Eyes

I did have a feeling it wasn't his saddle or back, so pleased it was 'just' an abscess (or two!), the lesser of 2 evils Evil or Very Mad

maggie345

Had a fab Sunday. Went for a novice Trec (orienteering only), and came home first Very Happy

(out of three). Horse was nice and forward, but not silly (wasn't so sure how he'd feel about going out alone in unfamiliar territory). We even rescued another rider along the way who'd gotten lost. It was only 10km at 7kph, but it was plenty of workout for us. Don't know how you hunting people do it! Our fitness level is somewhere on a different plane... I'm also starting to see why people give their horses more than a bib clip - very sweaty.
Footing was deep (sand, mud) rather than rocky, but I booted up in front anyway since I didn't know this ahead of time. Probably would've been fine, if not better, without boots.
Very pleased with ourselves Very Happy

rose

I seem to be giving myself a bit of a riding break at the moment only out gentle hacking two or three times a week and she is ok in front boots only. I did ride her out bare just to try her but she was too uncomfortable on the tough stuff which we can't avoid.

She did however fall clean over out riding, luckly I was leading her down a very steep slippy hill when all four feet went from under her, thank goodness I wasn't on her. The two shod horses I was out with were fine! She was being silly at the time as she was behind and fretting about getting left so was rushing. No harm done except a very dirty horse and saddle.

She remains out in the big field but is occationally coming in with heat and moderate pulses so I keep her in the small paddock for about 6 hours a day especially if its sunny and give her hay.

Its so nice to be able to let her roam out with the herd.

.

SueH

Talacre Beach ride with Jake on Sunday in glorious sunshine - absolutely fab. Jake kept his head - one minor buck at the beginning and then fine, loads of fun at waters edge, and then in the water. So funny though as by the end of the ride Jake was in GO mode - so as we were trying to find the right gap in the dunes back to the car pack he just kept whizzing by in 'explore trot'- Very happy pony Cool

whilst his mummy nearly pee'd her pants giggling Laughing

Clay continues to get 2-3 ponying sessions. He has such bad memories of being ridden i'm shelving it until summer when I have hours of daylight to address. He enjoys trotting alongside Jake (well racing him actually) and is coming along fine.

EDITED to add - new addition to diet. Level tbsp of rolled oats for both horses daily. Clay for extra calories now he's in more work (its not alot but its more than he's done all summer). Jake does some intensity work, not hunt level. I've added it more for variety in the diet - a small amount to reflect that the wild horse may find wild seeds ocasionally. No impact on silliiness levels at all, no impact that I can see on feet performance.

Nic

brucea

I have a big bowl of porridge every morning in the winter, and I can confirm that oats do not cause any silliness. Razz

hobnob

Are you sure about that Bruce!!

On a serious note, I think the starch levels are infact higher in barley, so oats are generally quite safe for the majority.

SueH

I understand oats are the safest in terms of starch and horses seem to like. Although its difficult to tell....Clay likes any food at all it seems. He also needs to chew constantly as he's one of lifes little worriers. Jake was mega fussy but now he has a pal he is less discerning - just needs to know he is getting at least as much as Clay, so he gobbles up his food quickly to try and sneak some of Clay's.

Jake moves around the track/paddock easily 10x more with a pal - again if only to try to chase Clay who he obvioulsy feels is too warm, hence attempts to unrug.

Clay is apparently a poor doer, and his owner feared at 16 as TB (xID but you wouldnt say it looking at him) he will not cope living out. I therefore have dished out lots of grub, ad lib haylage etc etc.
i check him constantly worried he will lose weight. This will apparently happen drastically and suddenly in March. Well, so far he has nice forage belly, good coat shining up nicely, and remains warm under rug (despite Jake's attempts to remove it piece by piece). So far so good. In fact, so happy does he seem, that I cannot imagine how he ever kept weight on stabled. It must have been so stressful for him, as even standing in one appears to upset him. [edited ]

brucea

*I;'m going to get a bag of the Tiger oats tomorrow - they are the whole grain lean oats - higer in fibre and less starch and gluten than normal oats (apparently)

Link seems a bit anxious about his bucket and seems to want more - normally he is relaxed at feeding time - but at the moment with it being colder he is a bit frantic and stressed and worries at his bucket.

He's been dropping weight a bit so needs more and I would prefer not to use the alfalfa. Will start with just a handful.

hobnob

Hope Link is OK.

Portia's front frogs have fallen off to reveal new ones underneath. They are quite weedy though?!?!??? Hopefully will beef up.

Still freezing here - minus 7 this morning.

stormybracken

The temperature is v.v. cold - no idea scientifically, and my wussy IDxTB is still rugless! It poured during the night (I know this because a VERY wet cat arrived on my bed) and there is a light covering of snow this morning, and he appears fine. This change of feed is amazing.
However, it also proves to me they don't like their hay. I bought another bale because local horses were eating it, BUT those horse are now in the field opposite and aren't eating it anymore Confused

Am now on a hay hunt to test - really not the right time to discover I'm not feeding enough, January and February will be much harder than the conditions so far, as at the moment they do have plenty of grass when it isn't covered in ice.

Have edited to add just heard a noise and the other horses are now eating their hay outside my office window. Now what?

brucea

My guys are like that at the moment - I thought they didn't like their hay from the new bale - they left it for a few days, but yesterday they had scoffed it all. There were just more interesting things to eat than what must be the horse equivalent of Shreded Wheat!!

Our guys all having great fun rolling in the snow!

Might not be able to get Link to the vet on Wednesday if the snow does not clear - can't take a trailer out in conditions like this.

SueH

Hope Link is OK Bruce.

We've had really good haylage for last few weeks - fruity, fresh smelling and not too wet poos looking OK. Everywhere like an iceblock at moment. Have made fresh mini track using crusherun and sand to avoid frozen mud sea (looks like volcanic landscape Evil or Very Mad

paddocks are shit) No riding since last Sunday due to work, weather etc. Crying or Very sad

Clay falling into Jake's habits now - both midday napping in shelter. I called in at lunch and they'd just got up, covered in shavings. Think the old boy is relaxing Cool

.

brucea

Link's fine Sue. This is just a follow up from a problem we had nearly a year ago that was never really diagnosed, has just hung on in a niggly annoying way.

We had a great day today. Very Happy

We saddled up Link for Ben and Apollo for Becky and went out in the woods with Bramble on long reins. The tracks all had a good covering of snow and all the guys were perfectly OK - not one slip or slide - even where the mountain bikers had polished the path a bit Very Happy

We went down one steep part of the path which I thought might be a problem but Link just took it slowly, Apollo picked his way down, and Bramble pushed his front legs out and slid down on his bottom!!! Rolling Eyes

Let's hear it for barefoot horses in the snow Very Happy

- would never dare to do that shod, especially with the kids on board . There was one other set of hoof tracks in the snow on the paths - and they were barefoot too!

Really interesting watching them on the slippery ground - they were going toe first - using the "digging edge" of toe to take a grip.

Back home and a huge roll in the powdery snow for all of them!

Bright orange widdle marks in the snow all along one side of the field... could be a fox?

hobnob

Bright orange widdle marks in the snow all along one side of the field... could be a fox?

Or someone who doesnt drink enough !! Should be pale yellow you know !! Very Happy

SaphRo

Had quite a bit of snow here in sussex friday. We're sheltered by the downs so dont normally get much good stuff. Its all compacted down now and with help of the rain now has turned into an ice rink. I got Saph up on the yard Sunday which much care but Monday and today the yard was worse so haven't been able to ride. Hopefully it'll be better tomorrow as it's been great riding her again.

horsesfirst

Shod horses slipping on the ice as are humans. Grace is bouncing around like a rabbit and hasn't slipped once so far. Also very sound. Emma has done a good job of looking after her while I've been in Dallas. Very Happy

brucea

Got Link his oats this morning - gave him a big handful from my hand, and he chewed them up, had his eyes closed and went all dopey and snuggy and stuck to my elbow when I was doing the yard chores!

I think he's been quite cold the last couple of days so rugged heavier. He was much brighter and happier this evening. He just does not seem to do cold.

SueH

Clay is not so impressed with spikey areas of frozen rutted mud in paddock - I have extended their 'by-pass' track using sand, shavings and stone and this is much preferred.

Clay's stiff right fore knee joint (along with stiff hinds due to old injury and obvious tendon scarring) not helped by this weather as he's more tentative in walking so joint does get moved as well - at least the shortest day has gone Very Happy

, roll on spring !
(edited after posting)

Nic

SueH

born optimist ! Laughing

Unfortunately we got about 4 " snow last night which rather rained on my parade of optimism! all ontop of icey ground Evil or Very Mad

stormybracken

Beginning of week 12 - Storm has had no real work for a couple of weeks, and it shows. Toe heel landing on both front feet for most of the hour long walk, and noticeably lame coming back uphill. I have added sugar beet to his diet in the last fortnight, he showed no foot sensitivity on the stoney track unless the toe heel landing is a sign of that, and his behaviour was pretty good, with a local shoot in the distance, and plenty of families walking through the woods to give him something to grow another hand in height about - obviously doesn't see all the people walking up the Wessex Way next to his field.
There was some improvement in that he was walking out after about 5 minutes, and happy to move forwards or I wouldn't have gone out for so long, with some heel toe landing on off fore as we neared home. Compared to beginning of November there is some improvement to the heels. It is also clear even to non-horsey OH that his "lame" near fore is apparently a better shape than his "sound" off fore which is flatter.
Hopefully will be able to go out in-hand every day this week, if he's comfortable to do so. Fingers crossed emoticon.

Added - just read Pete Ramey's article on Club Foot - another aha moment! Confirms everything the chiropracter has been finding. Must remember hooves are usually a symptom rather than a cause.

brucea

Well, it has been damn cold here and the stuff that thawed has refrozen - quite a lot of ice around.

Still, didn't stop me getting out for a hack today in the sunshine - all crunchy and crisp. Slippery in a couple of places but Link just avoided them - he's pretty good at chosing a path.

Click to see full size image

Picture above looking over to the hills on Deeside, through the big ginger ears.

Seeing the effect of a handful of oats each day -Link was much sharper and more "there".

Bramble is back in his restricted area - there was a little warmth on one side, no pulses and no lameness - but it pays to be cautious and we are taking no risks. Both felt the same this afternoon so no idea what was going on. Apollo's hooves were warm on the right hand side where he had been standing basking in the sunshine so this might have been all that it was. Still, not taking any chances.

stormybracken

As I was admiring Storm's hooves as he strode out along the stony track with luverly heel-toe landing on both front feet, he turned 180', put his head down, braced, and left me admiring his ability to canter and trot back up the stony track from behind Evil or Very Mad

Must learn some new swear words.

What a difference three days walking out make, from disillusionment on Monday to VERY forward (even if in the wrong direction) today.

rose

My girl had warm coronary bands this morning and a moderate pulse, weather is very frosty with brilliant sunshine. I have left her out in the big field tonight but if she is the same tomorrow she will be back in her restricted paddock.

SueH

Beach ride on Boxing day was wonderful - took Jake to Talacre this time on our own. Only one blip - coming back we went different route to last time, and had to crossed muddy bit to get back and Jake went too deep for his liking and panicked a bit - I leapt off - it was fine for human weight but just too soft for horse weight. couple of jumps and he was out of it and no worse for wear but will avoid that bit again. Jake behaved himself wonderfully in a car park full off Boxing Day walkers and dogs

..next day I hack round the lanes and its a different story. He sees other horses in fields and we are back a square one: a prancing dickhead snorting like a bloody whale NOT avoiding slippy areas but instead twizzing round on them. all the best lanes are sheets of ice thanks to cars, Kinda put me off riding on lanes a bit whilst its skiddy - so not been out again instead done my rope twirling in the field for a few days which I've neglected so that's cool

Clay has confounded me by showing how little he now cares about what's under his feet. So much for my earlier observation.

Being off work I can see how Clay and Jake play (all inspired by mares nearby) - hours and hours everyday of running round and on all the abrasive tracks i've made which is great for their feet Cool

. Its like watching colts play: hard short gallop stints then twisting and turning, rearing, bucking - never with real intent and doesnt seem nasty ever and they can stop in an instant and happily eat together or have alone time. No big bite marks but they have minor cuts on faces which I sudacreme. They looked like a pair of American indians when I left them tonight Rolling Eyes