Geoff Update: Saddles and Self-Harming...

khalswitz

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Geoff has settled in so well at his new yard (and my workplace), and even has a proper best friend now too (a lovely 16 year old grey who, when we call them in for breakfast, neighs to let us know he's heard and then rounds Geoff up to make sure he comes for breakfast too!!).

The hacking here is just superb. So much hillwork (my 1* endurance rider friend told me she boxes up here to do millwork as it's the best around!), and my boss keeps me on my toes about WORKING him all the time and not just wandering along enjoying the view, so loads of slow trot and trot-speed canter work to get his hind end working, along with SI/flexion work.

Got some fab exercises for quickening his back end too, where we go on a circle in the school, and walk JUST above a halt, so that every single step is really obvious, with inside bend on a long rein. Once he's stretching and you feel his back come up, then up to a trot JUST above walk, where you can feel every stride, again with stretch and bend. It's blooming hard work for him, so we just do ten minutes a day after hacking out, but what a difference. He already seems to be walking better, with more push from behind and a longer, quicker stride.

And thanks to a saddle change, I can really FEEL him using his back now…

We had been trying out a new saddle which a friend had leant us to trial, but after the strange explosion before he moved I was wondering if it wasn't quite right. A physio visit showed his back worse than it's been in a long while.

My boss offered to let me borrow one of her treeless saddles for him in the meantime, as I couldn't face yet another attempt to find a saddle that actually fits him and he's happy in!!! And, suddenly, Geoff is stretching of his own accord, moving straighter, especially in the canter where he has a tendency to twist when I ask for him to shorten the stride, and getting a bit more push from behind due to better connection. It's been amazing the difference in such a short space of time. However, these saddles are EXTORTIONATE, and I'm struggling to find one second hand to suit us… so yet more saddle-related stomach ulcers for me!!!

And… I'm slightly afraid of admitting to you HHO, who got me addicted in the first place, but my matchy has died a death. When every hack gets us at least fetlock deep in mud, bandages are just not an option, and my neoprene coloured boots or nice sheepskin lined coloured leather tendon and overreach boots would just get sodden and never dry, then matchy isn't really such an option… I have however bought some hardshell tendon boots and some leather tendon boots which may survive the mud - but they won't be colour coordinated. My boss also slightly cringes every time she sees my two bridles with their Equiture megablings… however I'm definitely not losing those!! :) Once I've got my new saddle and sorted out a half pad, I will use my coloured cloths again, but looks like the bandages will have to be saved for comps now!!

This week, however, Geoff has gone lame again. Not due to the massive HOLES in his left hind proximal cannon, hock and distal gaskin (proper gungy and horrible, although looking better now), but in the foot he was lame before. I had a massive panic, thermal imaged him and had the farrier check his hoof for bruised sole, but I'm fairly sure that in actual fact it is due to the HORRIBLE mud fever that then promptly erupted on his pastern. Out comes the event grease… but much happier that it's simple than a reoccurrence of his lameness in October.

We are starting to make plans now. After being very firm originally that it wasn't worth me going to any clinics until I'd tidied up my riding ("why pay £40 for an hour of being told to put your heels down and keep your hands still when I tell you that three times a day"), I've now been asked if I fancy going to a jumping clinic with them next month. I've never felt so chuffed to be asked to go to a clinic!! And then the aim is to do some unaff SJ and some BD starting January (weather dependent, as up here the snow and ice can be AWFUL) with the aim of qualifying for regionals at prelim and novice for this year.

We are also looking to start properly schooling Geoff over things like ditches and water on the lunge over the winter, so as to get him out to an 80 in the first half of next season. There's one in April and one in May nearby to us (although my boss considers anything in Scotland as 'local' which I find absurd), so fingers crossed we'll be out in the big lorry with the gang!

Chocolate filled crepes for reading!! (They are very yummy…)
 

khalswitz

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Sounds like it is all very positive with him! Keep us updated! :)

Oh don't worry, I will. I seem to be learning a million new things every day right now, and learning why so much of the stuff I already did just wasn't the best/most efficient way of doing things, so my brain is mush right now, but Geoff is happy as a pig in s*** so I can see the outcomes! And my boss does actually quite like him and thinks he's very sweet and generally well behaved, so that's always nice :) I'm too used to people not liking him or thinking he's rude when he's just a bit high maintenance… but my boss obviously sees right past that which is nice. She had us both sussed within two days, it was hilarious :D
 

khalswitz

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I wondered how you'd been getting on. Glad everything is going well - I'm looking forwards to reading your reports once you get going again. :)

I've been very quiet as I've barely had time to lurk on HHO let alone post!! The problem with balancing my own business, a groom job, and a part time Masters...

How's your boys been?? I haven't been about to see your reports! Going well?? X
 

blood_magik

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I've been very quiet as I've barely had time to lurk on HHO let alone post!! The problem with balancing my own business, a groom job, and a part time Masters...

How's your boys been?? I haven't been about to see your reports! Going well?? X

I'll PM you - don't want to hijack your thread :)
 

khalswitz

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You were right, SP, although your Inbox is full so I can't PM you back!!! Yeah, she was on my FB when I posted pics of the forest, and I think she's well keen to box over and discover some new, off the beaten track trails that we ride here... :)

Thanks Gina, I will do, I've found a group on FB as for secondhand solutions so will be keeping an eye out!!!
 

j1ffy

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It sounds like you are going great guns! Well done, it must be great to have a watchful eye on your riding all the time!
 

spookypony

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:D Will empty my inbox! For some reason didn't get notification that it was full. Yes, figured it must be her; only a few riders in this area have done FEI lately; one did 2* last year, and another one is new to the area but has done 3*. So process of elimination!
 

khalswitz

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:D Will empty my inbox! For some reason didn't get notification that it was full. Yes, figured it must be her; only a few riders in this area have done FEI lately; one did 2* last year, and another one is new to the area but has done 3*. So process of elimination!

Yeah - there's just not enough FEI riders in any discipline up here to not be able to guess at who's who ;)
 

mongy46

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I went to the national saddle convention in November this year, frightening what the research showed on ehat damage treeless saddles can cause , the organiser and part of the research association sells them.
 
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