Michen
Well-Known Member
Popping this in here as a few people have asked after him who don’t roam the comp section!
Won’t bore you with the full lengthy details but for the first time since Calmsden BE90 in 2016- I finally left the start box again!
This is my Connemara, who I bought a few weeks after losing Basil to a broken leg when standing up from colic surgery. Purchased off Facebook from Ireland, bloody stupid decision. Renamed “Boggle” instead of “Jack” when he stepped off the lorry at the M4 chievley Services. He’s been a nightmare from arriving looking like a rescue to lameness to major travelling issues to major ridden issues to pretty much everything really. The number of times I’ve sobbed over his issues and wished I bought a ready made Horse when I was ready instead of rushing into filling my stable with SOMETHING in the horrible aftermath of losing B. My confidence was on the floor, even when he came sound he was just so fiery, sharp, nappy, difficult and I didn’t want to get on board. But couldn’t sell him, not least because of lameness history but because despite all his difficulties he has the most wonderful engaging personality. Eventually got help from superb local young jockey who rode him a few times a week alongside me, did all his first competitions in dressage and SJ and slowly produced him into a super horse. Another setback when I had x rays done to check his feet (where he had bruising issues from last year), showed his angles had actually changed for the worse after six months of barefoot and self trimming. Posted on here and had a half and half opinion on how worried to be and what to do... had minor melt down. Decided to proceed with caution and listen to my vet and more importantly my pony, waiting for any changes in attitude or behaviour. He’s gone from strength to strength, he’s more muscled than ever, stronger than ever, fit and whilst still sharp as anything at ridiculous things my confidence on him is soaring and I love his jolly nature. His jockey took him to a few unaff 80’s and then Millfield BE90 where he absolutely flew around to come 7th.
But still not me on board, I still had major confidence issues with jumping. Bit the bullet, entered an unaff 70. Had huge confidence crises days before and nearly withdrew. Got a super boost of moral from you lovely bunch on here and with support from his jockey, lots of cigarettes and some cans of pimms we went off yesterday.
So in Basils saddle, his bridle, a bit of his tail in my pocket and with him firmly at the front of my mind we got the best dressage in the section... nothing spectacular but correct and sweet. Boggle decided to have a roll and a snack whilst lying down after this, making himself thoroughly at home!
We parked up with two horses from our yard which unfortunately meant he spent the whole day whinnying and being rather silly, though not badly behaved. A clear SJ so sitting in first place. A fantastic clear XC (whilst still whinnying- impressive) but we got plenty of time faults for taking it steady, they had worked so hard on the ground and it was super considering the dry weather but with past hoofy issues in mind and current imperfect hoof angles we took it slow. But so damn proud of my boy, who instead of exploiting my weakness, jelly legs and nerves, held my hand and showed what a fantastic horse he has grown up into. Here are the pics and a SJ video (hesitant to post... I am so rusty and haven’t jumped an SJ course for years so forgive the stupid riding, I held and held and held and shortened his stride instead of letting him go forward). But last picture is of course my beloved Basil who I miss every day.
Who knows what the future will hold, whether he will stay sound or whether something tragic will happen as per Basil. But for now I am enjoying my super pony. No concrete plans for what we will do next, will see what happens with the weather and the ground. I plan on keeping him ticking over through summer, we are using all weather gallops for fitness and will plan some events around rain/old turf and see what happens or if no rain wait until autumn. But if we don’t do another one all year I am just ecstatic about yesterday!
Arrival March 2017
SJ video
[video=youtube_share;saFGNgNcT6Y]https://youtu.be/saFGNgNcT6Y[/video]
Basil <3
Won’t bore you with the full lengthy details but for the first time since Calmsden BE90 in 2016- I finally left the start box again!
This is my Connemara, who I bought a few weeks after losing Basil to a broken leg when standing up from colic surgery. Purchased off Facebook from Ireland, bloody stupid decision. Renamed “Boggle” instead of “Jack” when he stepped off the lorry at the M4 chievley Services. He’s been a nightmare from arriving looking like a rescue to lameness to major travelling issues to major ridden issues to pretty much everything really. The number of times I’ve sobbed over his issues and wished I bought a ready made Horse when I was ready instead of rushing into filling my stable with SOMETHING in the horrible aftermath of losing B. My confidence was on the floor, even when he came sound he was just so fiery, sharp, nappy, difficult and I didn’t want to get on board. But couldn’t sell him, not least because of lameness history but because despite all his difficulties he has the most wonderful engaging personality. Eventually got help from superb local young jockey who rode him a few times a week alongside me, did all his first competitions in dressage and SJ and slowly produced him into a super horse. Another setback when I had x rays done to check his feet (where he had bruising issues from last year), showed his angles had actually changed for the worse after six months of barefoot and self trimming. Posted on here and had a half and half opinion on how worried to be and what to do... had minor melt down. Decided to proceed with caution and listen to my vet and more importantly my pony, waiting for any changes in attitude or behaviour. He’s gone from strength to strength, he’s more muscled than ever, stronger than ever, fit and whilst still sharp as anything at ridiculous things my confidence on him is soaring and I love his jolly nature. His jockey took him to a few unaff 80’s and then Millfield BE90 where he absolutely flew around to come 7th.
But still not me on board, I still had major confidence issues with jumping. Bit the bullet, entered an unaff 70. Had huge confidence crises days before and nearly withdrew. Got a super boost of moral from you lovely bunch on here and with support from his jockey, lots of cigarettes and some cans of pimms we went off yesterday.
So in Basils saddle, his bridle, a bit of his tail in my pocket and with him firmly at the front of my mind we got the best dressage in the section... nothing spectacular but correct and sweet. Boggle decided to have a roll and a snack whilst lying down after this, making himself thoroughly at home!
We parked up with two horses from our yard which unfortunately meant he spent the whole day whinnying and being rather silly, though not badly behaved. A clear SJ so sitting in first place. A fantastic clear XC (whilst still whinnying- impressive) but we got plenty of time faults for taking it steady, they had worked so hard on the ground and it was super considering the dry weather but with past hoofy issues in mind and current imperfect hoof angles we took it slow. But so damn proud of my boy, who instead of exploiting my weakness, jelly legs and nerves, held my hand and showed what a fantastic horse he has grown up into. Here are the pics and a SJ video (hesitant to post... I am so rusty and haven’t jumped an SJ course for years so forgive the stupid riding, I held and held and held and shortened his stride instead of letting him go forward). But last picture is of course my beloved Basil who I miss every day.
Who knows what the future will hold, whether he will stay sound or whether something tragic will happen as per Basil. But for now I am enjoying my super pony. No concrete plans for what we will do next, will see what happens with the weather and the ground. I plan on keeping him ticking over through summer, we are using all weather gallops for fitness and will plan some events around rain/old turf and see what happens or if no rain wait until autumn. But if we don’t do another one all year I am just ecstatic about yesterday!
Arrival March 2017
SJ video
[video=youtube_share;saFGNgNcT6Y]https://youtu.be/saFGNgNcT6Y[/video]
Basil <3
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I'm inclined to say things like "That's just horses", but I know how hard the last year or so has been for you. Effort is its own reward MOST of the time, so I wish you the very best of luck. He's a smart young horse. (Can't see the video BTW, but that must just be me).
