Geoff Update: His Leg and My Job :)

khalswitz

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So, Geoff has done his period of box rest and anti-inflamatories, and vet came out to check him yesterday. He was originally 6/10 lame in trot and noticeably off in walk, but he is now sound in a straight line and only very slightly off when turned or lunged (and considering he escaped his box and went galloping up and down a main road on Thursday I am surprised). Vet is very pleased with the improvement, and whilst she does say he may well go lame again, for now she is optimistic it was a just a strain.

He is now on paddock rest for a week, before I get on again. Since he isn't lame enough for nerve blocks, the vet says that as long as he isn't worse she wants me riding him again, as he needs to be lamer in order to investigate. :S. We'll see how he gets on, but I think I maybe need to rethink our training to do less schooling and competing, and more hacking - with a tightness for time the last part of the summer has only seen us hacking to comps, and really he needs the higher fitness and hardened tendons he gets when doing lots of roadwork.

Regarding my new job on an event yard - it's going fab. Have ridden loads of different horses (including one who has competed at 3* and qualified for 4*, and done teams, another international event horse who is a proper schoolmaster, a HUGE 18hh heavyweight hunter, and a proper turbo-cob), and really settling into the routine and enjoying it lots. Everyone is very lovely, yard is very chilled and learning lots!

They have now offered for me to bring Geoff up there to livery, and I am a bit torn. It is LOVELY, with hacking for miles and miles off road on quiet forestry tracks, with jumps, a school, and enough horses to be busy but very relaxed. They also turn out in pairs which would suit Geoff to the ground - plus we'd get training and get taken out to local events! they also have a livery who wants to do riding club stuff, so we could end up doing RC comps and training together :)

However, it would mean stopping BD as I would no longer be able to hack to a venue, and have no transport myself. It would also mean having no indoor, and where I am now I can easily hack to my RC's field as well as a comp venue nearby. Geoff is also pretty settled there in general, although we are having difficulty getting winter fields sorted out (Geoff is not very happy by himself, but every time he goes back in with the herd he gets picked on and gets injured…).

My farrier doesn't go up there, as I asked today, but he also said I would be daft not to go as eventing is obviously want to do. Plus, Geoff's yard is about a 30min drive from the event yard, which I am now doing every day (was twice a day whilst on box rest!) and both are around half an hour from home, so my petrol costs are pretty high. However, also, on the event yard I will have a lot less control over him… and it is full livery so I will need to find out how much they will take off my pay for it (and take into account my own livery and petrol costs), but also means I don't need to bully my mother into looking after him when I am away or tight for time with work.

So head is in a spin! The loss of freedom and going back to relying on lifts, and not being able to do our dressage and relying on lifts to RC stuff will be a pain, but will being able to event (and having fab training and support to do it) and lots of hacking rather than endless schooling for Geoff's legs (especially when bringing him back into work) make up for it?

Opinions much appreciated!!!
 

Tash88

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Glad to hear that Geoff is getting better, and fingers crossed that he keeps improving when you start riding him again. I agree that lots of roadwork and hacking will help to maintain soundness.

Your new job sounds great too! Re the decision you have to make - I might be reading this wrong but surely if you are working there full time he won't be on full livery, i.e. you could do him before & after work so it would be like DIY at a full livery yard? The hacking and turnout sounds like it would suit Geoff and your plans for him too. Also, if it is an eventing yard then will they be taking the horses out to BD comps too; would there be the opportunity for you & Geoff to tag along to the eventers' dressage competitions?

Also, I think that if you make a decision to move him to work that doesn't necessarily have to be a permanent decision; you could ask them if they would consider a trial there over the winter and his rehab time to see how he gets on, and if you like it and it suits him you could stay on. As long as you are upfront with them then that shouldn't be a problem, and besides they sound like lovely people to work for!

Good luck with Geoff and whatever you decide :)
 

blood_magik

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Good news about your new job. Glad to hear Mr. Geoff's feeling better. :)

I think you need to decide what you want to do in the future. If you really want to event then an eventing yard is going to give you the best start and the support you need to get going.
Re transport, do they have a yard lorry? Any chance you could hitch a ride in return for grooming/helping out at events/competitions?

Like Tash88 said, it doesn't have to be a permanent move.

Good luck. :)
 

khalswitz

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Glad to hear that Geoff is getting better, and fingers crossed that he keeps improving when you start riding him again. I agree that lots of roadwork and hacking will help to maintain soundness.

Your new job sounds great too! Re the decision you have to make - I might be reading this wrong but surely if you are working there full time he won't be on full livery, i.e. you could do him before & after work so it would be like DIY at a full livery yard? The hacking and turnout sounds like it would suit Geoff and your plans for him too. Also, if it is an eventing yard then will they be taking the horses out to BD comps too; would there be the opportunity for you & Geoff to tag along to the eventers' dressage competitions?

Also, I think that if you make a decision to move him to work that doesn't necessarily have to be a permanent decision; you could ask them if they would consider a trial there over the winter and his rehab time to see how he gets on, and if you like it and it suits him you could stay on. As long as you are upfront with them then that shouldn't be a problem, and besides they sound like lovely people to work for!

Good luck with Geoff and whatever you decide :)

Yes, it will kind of - they only offer full livery is probably what I meant to say, so he'll be looked after on my days off. I need to get an idea of price from them anyway.

They don't do BD although do occasionally do unaff at BD comps - they are more into their BS over the winter. There would still be opportunities to get out, just different ones I think.

I think they would be up for that, and are really lovely - my main worry is that I wouldn't get back on my current yard if I did decide to move back. There is a long waiting list, and I can't think of any other yards in that area with a patch on the facilities.

They are so lovely though and having a ball...

Good news about your new job. Glad to hear Mr. Geoff's feeling better. :)

I think you need to decide what you want to do in the future. If you really want to event then an eventing yard is going to give you the best start and the support you need to get going.
Re transport, do they have a yard lorry? Any chance you could hitch a ride in return for grooming/helping out at events/competitions?

Like Tash88 said, it doesn't have to be a permanent move.

Good luck. :)

I've always wanted to event, and still do. I started doing BD because it was something I could do without transport and we were enjoying our dressage. However I have gotten into it and do enjoy it, so will be sad to give it up - but to be honest will miss the riding club stuff and my lessons with my instructor (she teaches clinics at the venue nearby so would have to stop lessons with her too!) probably more, especially if we do get to start doing BE.

They have a ten tonne lorry so can take heaps to events, and also a small lorry (I need to check if this is a 3.5 tonner or a 4 tonner though so not sure I can drive it), so lifts could possibly be negotiated. I would have to chat with them about it openly I think before going, and explain how much I'm enjoying getting to compete where we are and see what they suggest.
 

blood_magik

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Hmm.. lots of decisions to be made then. I do think that having a chat before you make up your mind is a definitely good idea.

I'm in a slightly different position to you but I moved to a showjumping yard 18 months ago - Best thing I've done. I would never have gotten Lenny if we hadn't moved. ;)

Good luck, whatever you decide. :)
 

longdog

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Dilemma - I would incline towards moving him to where you work as it sounds fabulous. You will bring him on no end with that sort of help.
Good luck with whatever you decide. Keep us in the loop!
 

khalswitz

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Hmm.. lots of decisions to be made then. I do think that having a chat before you make up your mind is a definitely good idea.

I'm in a slightly different position to you but I moved to a showjumping yard 18 months ago - Best thing I've done. I would never have gotten Lenny if we hadn't moved. ;)

Good luck, whatever you decide. :)

Dilemma - I would incline towards moving him to where you work as it sounds fabulous. You will bring him on no end with that sort of help.
Good luck with whatever you decide. Keep us in the loop!

Thanks guys. I will let you all know!!
 
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