Recent content by Orca

My horse of a lifetime cost around £500. She was sane, sound, viceless and excelled in dressage and eventing after a bit of work - and that was nothing extreme, just some schooling to the level I wanted us to be at. She was a bombproof hack, could turn her hooves to teamchasing with ease, was...

There is one I didn't even make it to view. I had rung the husband and received a glowing report about every aspect of the horse I was interested in. I hung up to have a think. When I called back to arrange a viewing, I got the wife, who described the horse as a different height and age! I left...

This is the thing! So many sellers (and it's not restricted to dealers) are so completely immoral, that endangering a child wouldn't lose them any sleep. The overworked one I went to see would have been intended to be a family horse. I actually stipulate now that I don't want a horse exercised...

No, I haven't turned up early but still with one, suspected it had been buted before my arrival (it had been given paste and had a wipe stripe beside it's mouth)- it turned out it had (syringe and bowl were in the tack room!). A second had signs of being exercised very hard prior to my arrival...

I would still have a vet out. You have the photo's and if fluctuation is part of the condition, although it's ideal if it's up (which it might well be after a day in, if she's in?), I'd say it's safer to have her checked over either way. She's young and I wouldn't hold off on having it assessed.

I also thought widgall or possibly tendon. I would assume from her reaction to being ridden that it is causing discomfort. I would have a vet out asap.

That is brilliant! I love her staunch defiance. She is not his pony :D

There are about three days in over thirty years that I've seen my horse (at the time) only once a day. Every other day it's been at least twice, quite often spending the day or quite a large chunk of it with them. My horses are my best friends :D there is literally no-where I'd rather be or...

Wightman, I'd highly recommend Plum Park Farm riding school for some confidence building lessons on decent riding school horses. It looks like they are running summer activities too. With any luck there might be some stable management oriented stuff going on. Maybe give them a call...

I can only echo what others have said. She needs regular work and a fitness programme starting from scratch, as outlined above. Was your friend intending to canter her or did Dolly take off? I do hope she wasn't cantering or even trotting her after such a long break from proper ridden work...

I know I don't have time to think! For me, it's more about the mechanics of the fall. In a slide, slither or gentle tumble, hanging onto the reins is manageable. In a catapult (in any direction), my instinct is to curl up and roll (another thing drummed into me!). It's near impossible to land...

I always had it drummed into me to hold. I do in tumbles but never have in serious falls (it's nigh on impossible to drop and roll holding reins!). They never go far and always come back to me (even the one who tried to kill me on the ground once he'd ditched me - but at least he didn't run off...

Funny you should say that Clare! The lovely lady at Orca's PIO suggested exactly that today and gave me the name of her contact at the TGCA, in case she can help. It's first thing on my 'to do' list tomorrow :)

That was my issue too, as you know. No longer being up to the full time job of finishing her breaking at the moment (and potentially, not at all) :(. Will just have to wait and see what comes of this attempt and should we not succeed, then grass livery until I'm well will be the next step.

That's a worrying level of malnutrition. Out of interest, what has your vet advised?