Boredom busting

With Toy on box rest I have been granted a gift I am not used to, the gift of time. I have been left wondering what on earth non-horsey people do with their days off and boredom has reared its ugly head.

 

I have been out for lunch, cleaned the house, cleaned the car, walked the dog, read a book, been for a run, drunk buckets of tea and still I feel like there is a huge hole in my life. I have been back on a horse, after 4 weeks without my bum hitting a saddle, I have hacked a lovely mare from our yard. Not only has it been good for my muscles but its also proved invaluable for my soul.

 

 

I spent last Saturday at Quainton Stud, dressage writing for the combined training. The tests ranged from Intro - Novice and it was very interesting to listen to the judges opinions. I have a new found respect for judges at the lower levels, the difference in the ponies and horses and the huge variation in riding made the whole thing a complete muddle in my mind. I have some more dates throughout the year dressage writing at Bury Farm, including the PetPlan Area festival and the High Profile Show so there is that to look forward too.

 

My Mum and I went to Summerhouse Equestrian Centre on Tuesday and had a lesson each on dressage schoolmasters. My horse, Larry was trained to Advanced and was described as a flying change machine. He was slightly smaller than the horses I have ridden recently but it felt brilliant to ride canter and trot half pass and flying changes on an established horse. I couldn't stop grinning after each change, he made them feel so easy! I would recommend one of these lessons to anyone, if you are feeling a bit uninspired or want to practice movements your own horse is still learning. I was a bit hot and bothered afterwards but it was well worth it. There are a few videos on my Facebook page - Fran Woolman Eventing & Dressage.

 

Toy seems to be settled into his new routine, the yard is busy enough to keep him amused in the day and blissfully quiet overnight so he seems very happy. Unfortunately he is the messiest horse I have ever met in the stable, it normally resembles a pig sty in the mornings and I am fighting a battle to try and keep him clean!

 

 

 

The lameness story...

So the eventing season is officially over for Team Toy.....as is the dressage season and any riding for the considerable future. A bold statement I know and one that I could not have written last week through the tears. However, I am being brave and we have a plan, I just hope it works.

 

For those that don't know the story, Toy was first obviously lame on Sunday 12th April. He had been re-shod on the Friday and we had competed at Aston Le Walls on the Saturday. We went out for a little hack with his best friend Twist and about half way round he started to head nod.

 

He had a few days off and then over the following 2 weeks was intermittently lame. In this time our farrier took the shoe off, found what we thought was a bruise and I poulticed the foot. No puss, no heat, no swelling - nothing.

 

After a few days lunging and still looking sound I hacked again on Friday 1st May, on return to the yard he was the lamest he has ever been and I called the vet. I chose to give him 2 weeks completely off work, turned out in the field (the vet was in agreement that this was ok) and he had 10 days of bute in his feeds.

 

After this rest he had dramatically improved, almost sound in walk and trot in a straight line and only really obviously lame on the lunge on hard ground on the right rein. So off to the vets we went for nerve blocks and x-rays. Toy spent 2 days there and after very thorough investigations the vet had narrowed it down to somewhere below the pastern on the inside of the right foreleg.

What follows next has completely amazed me as the suggestion was for an MRI scan. A notoriously expensive investigation they have to be agreed by your insurance company prior to being done. We had the joy of a long bank holiday and my heart sank thinking we would wait forever for the scan. My lovely vet faxed the insurance claim forms on the Thursday evening and whilst I was standing in the field on the Friday morning, I had a phone call from my insurance company, not only did they agree I could go ahead and have the MRI but they had sent my own vets a cheque! The service has (so far and I'm not holding my breath!) been incredible.

Fast forward a week, Ann and I are sat in the Royal Veterinary College car park whilst Toy is inside having his scans, just amazing. After 6 hours waiting, Toy appeared looking a little sleepy, with a shaved neck and smelling very sterile! The vet at the RVC explained that he has an extensive lesion in the deep digital flexor tendon in his right fore foot and also some remodelling changes of the bones in both front feet, suggestive of navicular.

I have a remedial farrier booked for this coming Wednesday and will take some before and after photos of his feet for comparison. He is on 8 weeks box rest with in-hand grazing only for the first 4 weeks, then progressing to in-hand walking. Fingers crossed.

I kept a stiff upper lip at the vets and all the way home but don't mind admitting I have shed a fair few tears over the weekend. I will continue to write these blogs, in the hope that anyone else with a lame horse can read them and know that they are not alone, it is ok to be upset and not everyone will understand.

If all the love and support from the yard could heal, then Toy would be well on the mend already. We are a strong team and I love a challenge so with gritted teeth I am going to try and keep him sane for 8 weeks in his stable.....I left him this morning listening to Classic FM.