Pictures First ride on Percy

[Abi90]

Finally sat on Percy! Cannot believe its been 5 years since he was a blob on an ultrasound!

He’s soooo good! Spooked at a van behind us with a squeaky wheel but otherwise looked at absolutely nothing! Not tense at all at any point. Off the leg but not sharp. Stands like a rock at the mounting block. And a really nice sized horse. He went to Jack Watson and Jack Mantel to be backed.

Going to make the most of hacking this week as have him booked in to have his wolf teeth out on Monday.

 

[Amy May In A Manger]

It's the most fantastic feeling. From blob, to foal, to youngster to all grown up xxxx

 

[southerncomfort]

Good boy Percy!

 

[Barton Bounty]

He is very very cute and looks like he took everything in his stride! Well done with him

 

[misst]

What a lovely update

 

[Lucky Snowball]

Well done you and Percy.

 

[Abi90]

Well done you and Percy.

I’d love to take the credit but I didn’t back him. Although I did the ground work leading up to it. But thank you

 

[Abi90]

Some more photos, in the sunshine

 

[poiuytrewq]

Gorgeous boy! Lovely update.

 

[Alibear]

Gorgeous boy and fantastic update. Well done.

 

[Puffinollo]

Lovely looking horse and congratulations!

 

[Abi90]

Well I’ve already fallen off felt like the end of the world at the time as I’m paranoid about giving him a good start but friend said he stood on the pole we were walking over and it slipped under him, resulting in him getting it between his legs and bucking to get free and I went splat. Well, I hung on a bit but didn’t want to sock him in the mouth so chose my exit. He was fine, my back hurts. Not riding until his teeth are looked at on Monday as I’m a bit paranoid about those now. I have since reflected that it was “one of those things” and he’s probably not ruined.

 

[Alibear]

Yep just one of those things, don’t dwell on it.

 

[Lucky Snowball]

That’s young horses. He will hopefully have learned and won’t do it again. No damage done except your bruises. No rush to get back on board, wait til you’re ready.

 

[Abi90]

That’s young horses. He will hopefully have learned and won’t do it again. No damage done except your bruises. No rush to get back on board, wait til you’re ready.

I feel better about it today than I did yesterday. His mother did all sorts of hair raising things as a youngster, I just didn’t come off with them.

We spent today practising standing patiently at any object that could feasibly used as a mounting block. And I gave him a massage, his masseter was very tight which tracks with teeth issues

 

[Asha]

Ouch , hope you are feeling less sore today . But yes , definitely a baby thing . Try to clear it from your mind .
There’s no better feeling than riding your homebred . Onwards and upwards

 

[Abi90]

Ouch , hope you are feeling less sore today . But yes , definitely a baby thing . Try to clear it from your mind .
There’s no better feeling than riding your homebred . Onwards and upwards

Hi Asha!!

Well today has not been the best day, had the vet out for teeth. He has no wolf teeth. He had some sharp bits that caused ulceration so hopefully he is happy in his mouth but she was mildly concerned he might be a headshaker (I’m not hugely, he’s not shaking it).

She also found a grade 1 heart murmur when she went to sedate him and she’d like to investigate it because of his age. He’s been sedated and had his heart listened to before and vets haven’t mentioned it so either its intermittent or they didn’t consider it clinically significant. I’ve had a horse with an intermittent heart murmur before and vets were never that interested.

So my summer of light hacking might be turning into a summer of heart investigations

 

[Asha]

Hi Asha!!

Well today has not been the best day, had the vet out for teeth. He has no wolf teeth. He had some sharp bits that caused ulceration so hopefully he is happy in his mouth but she was mildly concerned he might be a headshaker (I’m not hugely, he’s not shaking it).

She also found a grade 1 heart murmur when she went to sedate him and she’d like to investigate it because of his age. He’s been sedated and had his heart listened to before and vets haven’t mentioned it so either its intermittent or they didn’t consider it clinically significant. I’ve had a horse with an intermittent heart murmur before and vets were never that interested.

So my summer of light hacking might be turning into a summer of heart investigations

so , from my limited knowledge on heart murmurs i dont think grade 1s are too much of a concern. Fingers crossed thats the case. But whats made her concerned hes a headshaker ?

 

[Abi90]

so , from my limited knowledge on heart murmurs i dont think grade 1s are too much of a concern. Fingers crossed thats the case. But whats made her concerned hes a headshaker ?

Now that I have had time to process miss doom and gloom. Grade 1 heart murmurs aren’t, she said they normally wouldn’t investigate but as he was young she’d ask the more senior vet if he wanted to. I’m not sure he will, its not been heard before so its either intermittent or previous vets haven’t deemed it significant.

Because I mentioned the discomfort in his mouth with contact. He doesn’t shake his head he chomps on the bit then opens his mouth and sticks his head up or to one side. She didn’t find anything significant on his dental, other than some sharp bits and mild ulcers (which could be enough discomfort for a young horse) so suggested head shaking.

She was a very junior vet, not yet graduated 18 months, so is possibly being over cautious. I don’t feel as bad as I did immediately post her visit

He probably won’t get round Badminton with a winning time, but as there’s not chance of that happening I’m not too concerned!

 

[Asha]

Now that I have had time to process miss doom and gloom. Grade 1 heart murmurs aren’t, she said they normally wouldn’t investigate but as he was young she’d ask the more senior vet if he wanted to. I’m not sure he will, its not been heard before so its either intermittent or previous vets haven’t deemed it significant.

Because I mentioned the discomfort in his mouth with contact. He doesn’t shake his head he chomps on the bit then opens his mouth and sticks his head up or to one side. She didn’t find anything significant on his dental, other than some sharp bits and mild ulcers (which could be enough discomfort for a young horse) so suggested head shaking.

She was a very junior vet, not yet graduated 18 months, so is possibly being over cautious. I don’t feel as bad as I did immediately post her visit

He probably won’t get round Badminton with a winning time, but as there’s not chance of that happening I’m not too concerned!

maybe play around with different types of bit. We started Amara off in a trust innosense bit. She was fine at first but weve changed her to a full cheek happy mouth french link type. Shes much happier, and really starting to take a contact. Its amazing the difference a bit can make. Have you got a bit specialist in your area ?

 

[Abi90]

maybe play around with different types of bit. We started Amara off in a trust innosense bit. She was fine at first but weve changed her to a full cheek happy mouth french link type. Shes much happier, and really starting to take a contact. Its amazing the difference a bit can make. Have you got a bit specialist in your area ?

I did think about getting one out, I had one out for Rosie years ago who was local so will see if she’s still about.

I need to stop wrapping him in cotton wool, and remember I’ve produced 2 4 year olds before. And they were not this chill!

 

[SEL]

That's a bit of a jump from a baby unsettled in his mouth to headshaker. Sometimes they can just be tired and fidgety as babies - mine is 7 now and still plays around with his head if he's had a hard lesson and I've realised its a stressy / tired thing.

Hoping the heart turns out to be nothing as well - bet you felt pretty stressed at the end of that appointment!

 

[Abi90]

That's a bit of a jump from a baby unsettled in his mouth to headshaker. Sometimes they can just be tired and fidgety as babies - mine is 7 now and still plays around with his head if he's had a hard lesson and I've realised its a stressy / tired thing.

Hoping the heart turns out to be nothing as well - bet you felt pretty stressed at the end of that appointment!

I did yes, full of doom and gloom.

Then I remembered I had a friend that was a vet. She thinks that investigating a grade 1 murmur now is probably a waste of money, and also agrees that he doesn’t sound like a headshaker!

When his Mum is tired or stressed she will be fidgety with her head, and I noticed he’s more fussy towards the end of a ride. So it could well be that, and he takes after his mother.

Vet was very freshly graduated and probably just being overcautious!

 

[Abi90]

Vet just rang, they are worried that because he’s only 4 it might be a significant murmur that leads to him having an enlarged heart and therefore a heart attack so they want to scan

 

[Asha]

Vet just rang, they are worried that because he’s only 4 it might be a significant murmur that leads to him having an enlarged heart and therefore a heart attack so they want to scan

lets hope they are wrong, and just being over cautious. Keeping everything crossed for you both x

 

[Abi90]

So a bit of good news, aside from the heart murmur stuff

I lunged Percy in side reins today and he was really settled in his mouth, even made a baby outline and stretched down. Chucked his head maybe twice and then brought it back down when the side reins created a contact without a fuss.

So either the dentist has done the job or I was babying him too much. Either way I was pretty pleased at how settled he looked in his mouth.

He really is a handsome horse that moves really nicely!

 

[Abi90]

Also in veterinary: New vet heard a tiny whoosh on a couple of beats, but she said “that’s just a horse at rest” but could hear nothing on her extra sensitive stethascope, she diagnosed an “over enthusiastic young vet”

Conclusion, no heart murmur, even a grade 1

 

[Abi90]

Back on board hacking today. After the vet on Thursday I got on with no one around and went for a little hack down the road before seeing 4 low level Chinooks coming and bottling it and heading home… he didn’t react.

First “Team photo” below. Not the best, he was tired and was fidgeting

 

[babymare]

What a gorgeous boy

 

[Abi90]

Had a good couple of weekends with Percy. Been for our first arena hire. Loaded, tacked up, got on and had a little school with zero stress or bother.




You can see here how exciting he found the whole experience…



Then this weekend we boxed up on our own (also without any drama) and went to a friend’s for a hack. Totally chilled about it.

Then this morning I braved hacking out alone. Again chilled dude, had to have a think about going over the bridge as he wasn’t keen but he worked it out and crept across so as not to wake up the trolls. I feel so confident and relaxed on him, I always felt a little on edge on Rosie out hacking alone as she was always looking for pokemon in the hedges and snorting at things.

Every time I get off I can’t wait to get back on can’t believe he’s a homebred.