Pictures Eight months with Maddie.....

[nikicb]

I can't believe Maddie has been mine for just over eight months, although for four of those we were in lockdown, so it's been a bit of a strange time all round. Backstory to this thread if you haven't already seen it..... https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/threads/meet-marvellous-maddie.796971/

I am happy to admit that I have struggled a lot emotionally with her, and my confidence has at times been very brittle, and will no doubt continue to fluctuate as we build our relationship together. I have gone over my feelings again and again in my head, and our regular trainer, who is also a close friend, has been really supportive. At the end of the day I have come to the conclusion that most of this relates to losing Cassie so very suddenly, and whilst I have always thought Maddie was the right pony for me, the speed with which she came into my life just knocked me for six.

The winter months were tricky in terms of getting going as the weather was frankly awful - we lurched from wind to rain to ice to snow and everything in between. Normally I would have booked indoor arena hire at least a couple of times a week, but with the covid restrictions in place we couldn't leave home, and Maddie was (still is sometimes) quite jumpy in our school. So we did a lot of in hand work - desensitisation stuff, pole work of which a lot was done in walk to help Maddie build up her back muscles, lateral work and so on.

We got our first rosette together by completing the Top Barn 12 week challenge!!

We gradually progressed to ridden work again and finally started getting out again by the beginning of April.

As well as our regular lessons, we did an in hand polework clinic.....

We went to our first clinic at a new place where we mainly walked and did a little trot, but we survived!!

We started riding in different arenas at our regular trainer's yard.....

We did our first in-hand clinic with Diane Thurman Baker at yet another new venue.....

We did our first overnight stay at AM dressage.....

And our first clinic at Merrist Wood with Sara-Jane Lanning.....

Gradually the 'seconds' started coming round and things started to come together a bit more.....

We have done a couple of test clinics for which we scored 70+%, and finally over the past two weekends we made it out to two BD competitions at different venues. The scores weren't as high as for the test clinics, but I know nerves/confidence affected those. We have however got enough points for two Area Festivals and also enough qualifying scores for the Midway Champs in late August. Maddie also managed to earn us £27 in prize money when we won our class overall at Hunters on 68.4%, and that was with a break in canter and a couple of other blips.

I always think it takes a good year to get to know a new horse, and I think this has been the toughest journey I have been on so far with a new one, not because Maddie has really done anything wrong, but because of the circumstances in which she came into my life. It's been a bit of a military campaign to get to this stage, but the 'fake it till you make it' approach is finally paying off, and she's gradually wheedling her way into my heart.

Thank you for reading, and sorry for so many pictures, but I am pretty proud of our journey so far.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Well done, you both look fabulous.

 

[tiahatti]

Loved seeing these photos. You must be very proud of her.

 

[hobo]

Just WOW you have done fantastic and look great .

 

[mini_b]

Absolutely well done you!

You’re right about it really taking a long time to get to know a horse. And I absolutely agree with the fake it til you make it!

Lovely photos she looks super!!

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Brilliant update, so good to see the changes in her, wishing you all the best in the months and years to come x

 

[EllenJay]

That is such a lovely story. So pleased that the pair of you have progressed so well. Good luck for the next 8 months

 

[southerncomfort]

Lovely thread!

I think you're pretty amazing to have achieved so much despite the tough time you were having emotionally.

Looking forward to hearing about all your adventures together over the next 8 months.

 

[brighteyes]

This needs flagging or stickying in some way to show to the ditherers and 'what HAVE I done folks who regret a purchase based on what I like to call 'The newness setting in'.

Lovely post to read and you look really happy together. You make a smashing picture - very nice to look at.

 

[Coblette]

She is looking amazing ? !!

 

[Lexi_]

Never apologise for photos! This was a delight to read. You make a lovely pair.

 

[nikicb]

Well done, you both look fabulous.

Thank you!

Loved seeing these photos. You must be very proud of her.

Thanks, yes I am. She's a good girl and tries hard when she is concentrating on the job in hand!

Just WOW you have done fantastic and look great .

Thank you.

Absolutely well done you!

You’re right about it really taking a long time to get to know a horse. And I absolutely agree with the fake it til you make it!

Lovely photos she looks super!!

Thank you - when I look back at some of these pictures, I know how nervous I felt even if it didn't look like that to other people.

Brilliant update, so good to see the changes in her, wishing you all the best in the months and years to come x

Thank you! She's changed physically, but also now rocks up at a new place and is pretty nonchalant about the whole thing.

 

[nikicb]

That is such a lovely story. So pleased that the pair of you have progressed so well. Good luck for the next 8 months

Thank you!

Lovely thread!

I think you're pretty amazing to have achieved so much despite the tough time you were having emotionally.

Looking forward to hearing about all your adventures together over the next 8 months.

Thank you - I still have days when I just wish I could have Cassie back, but we are getting there.

This needs flagging or stickying in some way to show to the ditherers and 'what HAVE I done folks who regret a purchase based on what I like to call 'The newness setting in'.

Lovely post to read and you look really happy together. You make a smashing picture - very nice to look at.

Thank you. I don't think we should ever underestimate how much of a change it is for a horse when you bring them home for the first time. Maddie literally jumped out of her skin when I slid the stable door open/shut the first few days, but she's getting much more chilled now. I always try to set us up for success, baby steps all the way.

She is looking amazing ? !!

Thank you.

Never apologise for photos! This was a delight to read. You make a lovely pair.

Thank you! She's such a lovely mare.

 

[splashgirl45]

she has really changed, what a great story, so pleased you are feeling better about her

 

[j1ffy]

It’s been great to follow your journey- from the heartbreak of losing Cassie to getting back out there with Maddie.

You’ve done a brilliant job and I’m pleased to have seen a first and second experience with her! (Hopefully we can do a ‘first’ for Chilli there this year ?).

 

[Jayzee]

Really lovely update! She looks fab and much stronger than the 1st pictures you put up when you got her- you are clearly doing a brilliant job

 

[ycbm]

Lovely report. You look like a proper partnership.
.

 

[silv]

Are you sure that is the same horse????? only joking!!!! she looks fabulous, glad you have such a great partnership. Well done.

 

[Bernster]

Lovely update and pics. Can’t believe it’s been 8 months. Given how difficult things have been, and lockdown getting in the way, you’ve achieved a huge amount and should be rightly proud!

I really appreciated your advice on my recent wobble as well. I’ve been taking it super slow with Bertie and am naturally cautious, so I def empathise with the new horse nerves - without having had the traumatic events that you had to deal with.

well done x

 

[PurBee]

Wow- youve done so much in just a year, considering everything - amazing work!….so nice to see the journey of your developing partnership. Maddie is so lovely and looks like she revels in the stimulation of varying training clinics - amazing to have a horse who develops like her. Youre both very lucky to be suited to each other so well.

 

[nikicb]

she has really changed, what a great story, so pleased you are feeling better about her

Really lovely update! She looks fab and much stronger than the 1st pictures you put up when you got her- you are clearly doing a brilliant job

Are you sure that is the same horse????? only joking!!!! she looks fabulous, glad you have such a great partnership. Well done.

Thank you all - I have bunched these replies together as they are all of a similar theme. Maddie had a bodyworker appointment today and there were lots of compliments as to how strong she is looking now. I forgot to mention in my first post that we also try to get to the treadmill a few times a month, and she has just started on some incline work which will continue to help her build that back end up. Considering she is relatively croup high, she still manages to use it pretty well, and her balance in canter was remarked upon in one of our recent tests.

 

[nikicb]

It’s been great to follow your journey- from the heartbreak of losing Cassie to getting back out there with Maddie.

You’ve done a brilliant job and I’m pleased to have seen a first and second experience with her! (Hopefully we can do a ‘first’ for Chilli there this year ?).

Thank you, it has been lovely to share our journey with you. I was going to message our little posse and suggest a date maybe in the Autumn once Chilli is ready for an away stay! So looking forward to being part of your journey with him too. xx

Lovely report. You look like a proper partnership.
.

Thank you - it's beginning to feel like a partnership, but slowly, slowly, catchy monkey and all that.

Lovely update and pics. Can’t believe it’s been 8 months. Given how difficult things have been, and lockdown getting in the way, you’ve achieved a huge amount and should be rightly proud!

I really appreciated your advice on my recent wobble as well. I’ve been taking it super slow with Bertie and am naturally cautious, so I def empathise with the new horse nerves - without having had the traumatic events that you had to deal with.

well done x

Thank you, that's so kind. Honestly it's all about setting you and your horse up for success. On our first clinic 'off piste' we barely did anything, but the whole occasion was about going somewhere different and building both our confidence. I am lucky that I train with a lot of people I feel 'safe' to be open with about confidence etc. I wouldn't train with them if I wasn't prepared to have a wobble in front of them. That doesn't mean they don't push me/us. But when needed, they know that pushing us too far out of our comfort zone will have a totally negative effect. If you find the right trainer(s), you and Bertie will be just fine. xx

Wow- youve done so much in just a year, considering everything - amazing work!….so nice to see the journey of your developing partnership. Maddie is so lovely and looks like she revels in the stimulation of varying training clinics - amazing to have a horse who develops like her. Youre both very lucky to be suited to each other so well.

Thank you - she just thrives on new stuff. To be honest, that's exactly why her old owner sold her. Maddie was very much loved, but a farming life meant that she never got the consistency in terms of her work and trips out were exciting and not the norm. The more she does, the more relaxed she is about it. She has a busy mind that needs a lot of stimulation, and that's just how I like it.

 

[Trouper]

What a credit to you - she looks a different horse from the first pictures. Maybe there were some positives from Covid as all your groundwork certainly seems to have paid off.

 

[j1ffy]

Thank you, it has been lovely to share our journey with you. I was going to message our little posse and suggest a date maybe in the Autumn once Chilli is ready for an away stay! So looking forward to being part of your journey with him too. xx

I'd definitely be up for that!!