BarbieHorse
Active Member
So Ive been lurking around here on and off for years, am almost certain Ive posted before in the dim and distant past (but under what username remains a mystery!). But the "lurker" thread and the "lack of interesting posts" thread over in Tack Room got me thinking. In particular about how I enjoy reading about everyone's horses and competition reports and how it all seems to have gone a bit quiet in that department of late. So I thought it was time I quit lurking, put on my brave pants and did an introduction. It's very long (sorry!) and definitely not nearly as interesting as the "lack of interesting posts" thread has got, but nonetheless here goes!
To give a little bit of background, I gave up horses a few years ago when I had my first baby, then had another baby, bought another horse, decided I didnt have time to ride, sold the horse, had another baby and went out of my way to avoid horses for the next couple of years. It was all going swimmingly until, at the end of last year, a horsey friend from back in the day asked me to go riding with her. Sure I thought, what harm could it do?! Husband was more sceptical but off I went, and then I went a few more times, then I had to go away for a week with work and had time on my own in a hotel room with a whole Internet full of horses to tempt me and it kind of spiralled slightly out of control from there! Got back and informed unimpressed husband that I had located a perfect horse and was going to see it later in the week. With a horsebox, obviously, as it was a fairly long drive and I didnt want to have to do it twice if I decided I liked the horse. Vetting was duly arranged for the day before my visit. Naturally the horse failed (he was lame on a circle on hard ground) but far be it from me to let a minor issue like that stand in my way. It was probably just because he had no shoes on, and his feet were a bit long. Besides he was cheap. And very very pretty.
Got home and arranged for farrier to come out. Spent the next few days convinced it was in fact navicular and wondering how Id convince husband to pay for surgery for new horse. It wasnt navicular. Phew, dodged a bullet there!!! Turned horse out for a few weeks, got saddle fitted etc, did a bit of lunging, then decided it was time to bite the bullet and ride... Oh, did I mention the bit about how he hadnt done anything for the last year and before that had really just been backed and ridden away (in the Irish sense, only without the hunting!)? So on I hopped and off we went around the arena, so far so good, so the next day we headed off up the woods. And he was amazing trucks, bikes, dogs, kids, cars with bike on top of them he didnt bat an eyelid. But then there was the mounting... It started off OK, then he started trying to rush off, OK, no big deal. But then he decided maybe bucking would get his point across more clearly. Hmm. Decided he most likely needed his teeth doing. It was on the schedule anyway so stopped riding until that was sorted. And while the vet was there I thought I might as well get his back checked, just in case. Uh-oh. Suspected kissing spines. Oh crap!!!
Booked horse in for x-rays, then spent the next few days researching kissing spines and wondering how Id convince husband to pay for surgery for new horse. It wasnt kissing spines!!! Oh the relief!!! Gave horse another few weeks off, which brings us up to yesterday, when we had an appointment with the physio. Turns out he has tightness in his ligaments across his sacroiliac area, which has caused compensatory tightness in other areas and under/over development of certain muscles. So now we have a program of exercise and stretches to do for the next few weeks to get him stretching over his top line and using himself properly to put everything right.
So, ladies and gentlemen, I give you..... Diego!!! Very pretty Irish horse of unverified breeding, and destined to be my new event horse
No matter that Im dreadful at eventing- its the taking part that counts, right?
https://i.imgur.com/mryz4pi.jpg:)
To give a little bit of background, I gave up horses a few years ago when I had my first baby, then had another baby, bought another horse, decided I didnt have time to ride, sold the horse, had another baby and went out of my way to avoid horses for the next couple of years. It was all going swimmingly until, at the end of last year, a horsey friend from back in the day asked me to go riding with her. Sure I thought, what harm could it do?! Husband was more sceptical but off I went, and then I went a few more times, then I had to go away for a week with work and had time on my own in a hotel room with a whole Internet full of horses to tempt me and it kind of spiralled slightly out of control from there! Got back and informed unimpressed husband that I had located a perfect horse and was going to see it later in the week. With a horsebox, obviously, as it was a fairly long drive and I didnt want to have to do it twice if I decided I liked the horse. Vetting was duly arranged for the day before my visit. Naturally the horse failed (he was lame on a circle on hard ground) but far be it from me to let a minor issue like that stand in my way. It was probably just because he had no shoes on, and his feet were a bit long. Besides he was cheap. And very very pretty.
Got home and arranged for farrier to come out. Spent the next few days convinced it was in fact navicular and wondering how Id convince husband to pay for surgery for new horse. It wasnt navicular. Phew, dodged a bullet there!!! Turned horse out for a few weeks, got saddle fitted etc, did a bit of lunging, then decided it was time to bite the bullet and ride... Oh, did I mention the bit about how he hadnt done anything for the last year and before that had really just been backed and ridden away (in the Irish sense, only without the hunting!)? So on I hopped and off we went around the arena, so far so good, so the next day we headed off up the woods. And he was amazing trucks, bikes, dogs, kids, cars with bike on top of them he didnt bat an eyelid. But then there was the mounting... It started off OK, then he started trying to rush off, OK, no big deal. But then he decided maybe bucking would get his point across more clearly. Hmm. Decided he most likely needed his teeth doing. It was on the schedule anyway so stopped riding until that was sorted. And while the vet was there I thought I might as well get his back checked, just in case. Uh-oh. Suspected kissing spines. Oh crap!!!
Booked horse in for x-rays, then spent the next few days researching kissing spines and wondering how Id convince husband to pay for surgery for new horse. It wasnt kissing spines!!! Oh the relief!!! Gave horse another few weeks off, which brings us up to yesterday, when we had an appointment with the physio. Turns out he has tightness in his ligaments across his sacroiliac area, which has caused compensatory tightness in other areas and under/over development of certain muscles. So now we have a program of exercise and stretches to do for the next few weeks to get him stretching over his top line and using himself properly to put everything right.
So, ladies and gentlemen, I give you..... Diego!!! Very pretty Irish horse of unverified breeding, and destined to be my new event horse
No matter that Im dreadful at eventing- its the taking part that counts, right?https://i.imgur.com/mryz4pi.jpg:)
