Kali's comeback - postponed . . .

PolarSkye

PolarSkye

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. . . and this time it's because of me!

I've been rather ill. I don't want to discuss it here, but I've been poorly enough that I'm not allowed to drive for a while (which in one way is just fine because the car died at the same time - and it's terminal - so we are car shopping). So I've been unable to get to the yard at all . . . for three whole weeks :(. Wonderful YO (who is also our trainer and a dear friend) has looked after my boy - and I know he's in amazing hands, but I won't lie - I miss him like crazy. Apparently, he's missing me too - so I've made the (hard) decision to not take up one of the many offers from friends to take me to see him as I feel until I can be consistent and go every day, it's not fair to him.

However - and this is the point of this - there is an up side :). Those who follow our updates will remember that moving to my trainer's yard also came with a change of jockey - C's groom. It all looked very promising. She is young and relatively inexperienced competition-wise but has ridden for years. However, it wasn't a good fit. Pops IS a schoolmaster in that the buttons are installed and if you ask him correctly he will go beautifully for you - but he isn't push button (if that makes sense) and they just didn't click. He didn't oblige/help her out enough initially, she got frustrated with him, he became less obliging because he could feel her tension/frustration - it wasn't good - there's a point between letting a new combination "bed in/mesh" and inviting disaster/a problem - and somewhere between those two points we called time on the partnership. Having the two of them under the eyes of my trainer (because he is stabled at her yard) meant that she could see it not working - so we have found him a new jockey . . . and a much better fit. L is also young but has always ridden quirky horses, and has competed BE and BS. She's a younger Z - same feel, same attitude.

Poor boy has had to cope with a lot of change - in less than a year he has gone from Z to N to C and now to L - but C just sent me the latest schooling vid and I can honestly say that I haven't seen him move or work like that since the last time Z rode him. He is back to jumping regularly now (he's been back in proper work for five months post injury and we're a year on from diagnosis) . . . he jumps twice a week now, nothing huge - but big enough for him to use himself (80 cms or so), and once I'm well enough to go back to the yard/be out and about, we're planning on taking him out when L takes her own for some jumping schooling away from home and then I can look for fixtures for him.

So Kali is sound - but I'm not . . . but I will be . . . and then we can crack on (how many times have I said that?!). I can't tell you how amazing it has been to know that he is in C's hands . . . she genuinely loves him . . . and I can't think of another YO I would trust this much where he's concerned. I get regular vids, updates and pictures . . . she has admitted that he isn't as clean as he would be if I were there (but I'm ridiculously OCD where he's concerned) . . . but L grooms him every day, tucks him in at night and C stays on top of his general well being, does late night checks, etc.

So Team Kali is STILL not up and running competition-wise, but his training is on-going and it's only a matter of time now. The vid C sent me this afternoon showed a soft, forward, fluid trot working through from behind with no fussiness in his head, no tension in his body, tracking up, bending . . . willing and happy. Trot is (now) his worst pace - so to see him producing such lovely work tells me all's good in KaliLand :).

So the plan for the next two weeks is for L and C to continue to work with him (L riding him five days a week including a weekly lesson with C, C lunging him/doing groundwork with him) - I'll receive my customary vids - and then when I'm back, the three of us will discuss competitions over a cuppa.

I am very excited.

P
 
Sorry you've been ill, but what a relief to have Kali at a yard where he is looked after so well. Bet you're looking forward to being up and about again soon, and getting the Kali show on the road again!

Really pleased that Kali is settled so well at his new yard, and with his new jockey. Didn't you post a pic of him with his last jockey, in which Kali looked fab but the girl's hands and arms were low and fixed? I have to admit I winced at that (it's my personal bugbear) so it's great that you have someone who suits him better.
 
Tiddlypom said:
Sorry you've been ill, but what a relief to have Kali at a yard where he is looked after so well. Bet you're looking forward to being up and about again soon, and getting the Kali show on the road again!

Really pleased that Kali is settled so well at his new yard, and with his new jockey. Didn't you post a pic of him with his last jockey, in which Kali looked fab but the girl's hands and arms were low and fixed? I have to admit I winced at that (it's my personal bugbear) so it's great that you have someone who suits him better.
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Yeah - C is amazing. Previous jockey just wasn't right. Not her fault - just not a good fit. Her hands were the issue. We've worked too hard to get him to trust a contact and be consistent to put up with that for long. We thought she would relax and trust him, but she didn't - and after a month of lessons with C we decided it wasn't good enough. I am so, so happy with L - her own boy is a sensitive quirky ex racehorse - and, as I said before, I'd already seen her ride and wished she would sit on Kali - and I got my wish. I spoke to her this afternoon - she took hers out BS and they did really well and she said that Kal teaches her a lot . . . hers is long and gangly - long neck, long TB legs, TB brain . . . Kal is relatively compact - short neck, short back, although he does have relatively long legs with more of a pony brain . . . but they're both quirky and sensitive . . . and that's why it will work.

P
 
spookypony said:
So good to read that Kali is doing so well! But not good to read that you have been ill, and hoping that you recover swiftly.
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I'll be alright. Got my lovely family around me. Turns out Ocado is ace. C is looking after my boy. I am just happy that we've FINALLY found another Z. Weirdly, she rang me this evening . . . we're having lunch on Monday . . . and she didn't really approve of previous jockey but didn't want to say so (most unlike her - she's a gobby cow - and that's one of the things I love about her).

I'm happy with the way things are going with Pops.

P
 
That sounds great, I'm pleased you have found someone who suits your boy. Hopefully you get better as quickly as possible :).
 
Docs have signed me off as fit to drive . . . so I'm off to see him tomorrow for the first time in a while . . . there will be tears. But I get to watch him in the school with his lovely (not so) new jockey and that will make my heart sing. I also had a call from my vet this week who just wanted to find out how he was . . . when I said he was sound, and talked through my fears/worries and how I was wanting to limit his jumping, etc., he said that based on the scans/MRIs/x-rays I should be less conservative and there was no reason he could see for him not jumping competitively occasionally (so not every weekend - maybe once every eight weeks) . . . so we're looking at fixtures for him now - nothing huge, only on surfaces we've been on before/I am happy with and only on special occasions.

I feel like Pops and I have a second chance together . . . and I can't wait to see what the next chapter is.

P
 
I saw my pony!!!! I got cuddles (proper, face in chest cuddles) and face munches (he likes to nibble my face - it's very gentle and extremely cute). I had a little cry. And then I sat in the sun at the picnic table next to the school with my trainer/friend and watched L school him - it was heaven. Afterwards we sat down and made a competition/training plan. The first time he goes out, he'll jump - not huge - but something fun to get his head back in the "I go to parties" game. We all three felt that taking him out to do dressage for his first competition for over a year (last one was 30 March last year) is a bit pointless . . . he will be very excited and tense and that won't do his paces any good at all ;). So - we'll go and either do a schooling round in a rented arena or a clear round or a very low level/height unaffiliated show and do a couple of classes. Then we'll look for some dressage - prelim to start with - to take him to. I am very excited :).

P
 
. . . and today he showed me his displeasure at me "abandoning" him for a month and bit me! Apparently this morning he was such a nutjob that C turned him out before I got there - he just lost the plot - I brought him in this afternoon, was tacking him up for L to ride and he took a chunk out of my arm. Most unlike him - but he definitely had the hump. He went nicely for L, though . . . did the two best flying changes we have ever seen him do :).

So the plan is to take him to Sparsholt to do some jumpies next weekend . . . and then it's stressage time . . . a high number Prelim and then we'll take it from there. He goes SO nicely for L . . . honestly, she's a gift.

P
 
_GG_ said:
You are a gift...to him. This has made me so so happy. We need a catch up soon Mrs! Xxx
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Oh bless you. He couldn't have shown me more clearly that he was upset and confused that I disappeared for a month if he tried. Poor boy was mega confused and really quite angry . . . I vanished, he ended up with a new rider (who, it turns out, is amazing and took really, really good care of him while I was ill) and then, just when he thought I was gone for good, I rock back up . . . no wonder the poor boy was confused. He still got shouted at for biting me though . . . and I might have called him a basteward . . . but once it was over, it was over and then he got a kiss on the muzzle and all was back to normal.

And, yes, we do need to catch up soon . . . I need to meet Georgeous :)

P
 
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