Lucky Snowball
Well-Known Member
Congratulations on losing all that weight. Well done for giving your horse such a good start, also great photos. Very happy for you both.
Potential New Horse Thread - Vetting Today!
- Thread starter AShetlandBitMeOnce
- Start date
Dustygirl
Well-Known Member
He is gorgeous. Congratulations on the weight loss - any top tips?
AShetlandBitMeOnce
Well-Known Member
Thank you! I have ADHD so I find that the best way to stick to something is to plan out what I am going to eat the next day on Nutracheck and then stick to it, as not needing to think on the spot what I fancy removes the temptations, if I am 'hungry' I also take a conscious moment to think about what emotion is driving that hunger as I am a terrible emotional eater, and if it's boredom, tired, angry, happy, thirsty etc I don't eat and find something to do instead. I tend to have a huge mug of coffee in the morning, a large meal about 14:00 and then a small meal/large snack for dinner and that about does me. I also now keep some rice crackers in the glove box in the car so any time I am out and about I can grab a line of those and not get something sugary from a garage or similar! (and they don't go stale once opened which is handy).
https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-...HEwYHjVi_ad2erOKlRIaApfhEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
Dustygirl
Well-Known Member
Thank you. Those crackers look good , I’m a bit of a snacker so they could be a good option. I’ve got myself into a good exercise habit , now just need to get the diet right. X
Bernster
Well-Known Member
What a lovely update!
mossycup
Well-Known Member
Aww haven't been on the forum for ages, so it was lovely to see this update notification! I thought he was pretty cool looking when I saw his ad - I'm very glad to hear he's even cooler than that! 
AShetlandBitMeOnce
Well-Known Member
It's Dex's 4th birthday today!! Which also means it's been a year and a day since I put down my deposit on him.
From the little scrap that stepped off the lorry that I had bought on Facebook, unseen and shipped over from Ireland; that had done and seen nothing other then wear a headcollar, to the confident big horse he is today, I have had the BEST time with him, and I really couldn’t have wished for a better horse.
I haven’t started from the very beginning with a horse in a long time, and from his first rug all the way through to backing him, I’ve held his hand and he’s held mine. Ive had a really hideous 6 months of late and without Dex I really don’t know that I would have gotten through it, both him and the yard are my complete mental sanctuary, and he makes me laugh every day.
I am so excited about what the future holds with him!
Photo dump of some of my favourites
(plus the one of him looking a complete scraggeldy scrap the day he arrived, bless him!)
From the little scrap that stepped off the lorry that I had bought on Facebook, unseen and shipped over from Ireland; that had done and seen nothing other then wear a headcollar, to the confident big horse he is today, I have had the BEST time with him, and I really couldn’t have wished for a better horse.
I haven’t started from the very beginning with a horse in a long time, and from his first rug all the way through to backing him, I’ve held his hand and he’s held mine. Ive had a really hideous 6 months of late and without Dex I really don’t know that I would have gotten through it, both him and the yard are my complete mental sanctuary, and he makes me laugh every day.
I am so excited about what the future holds with him!
Photo dump of some of my favourites
pistolpete
Well-Known Member
He’s blossoming!
catembi
Well-Known Member
Happy owniversary…! <3
eahotson
Well-Known Member
He is going to be a corker.It's Dex's 4th birthday today!! Which also means it's been a year and a day since I put down my deposit on him.
From the little scrap that stepped off the lorry that I had bought on Facebook, unseen and shipped over from Ireland; that had done and seen nothing other then wear a headcollar, to the confident big horse he is today, I have had the BEST time with him, and I really couldn’t have wished for a better horse.
I haven’t started from the very beginning with a horse in a long time, and from his first rug all the way through to backing him, I’ve held his hand and he’s held mine. Ive had a really hideous 6 months of late and without Dex I really don’t know that I would have gotten through it, both him and the yard are my complete mental sanctuary, and he makes me laugh every day.
I am so excited about what the future holds with him!
Photo dump of some of my favourites(plus the one of him looking a complete scraggeldy scrap the day he arrived, bless him!)
View attachment 138494
View attachment 138495
PurBee
Well-Known Member
Youve done brilliantly with him, he’s looking fab, i love his gorgeous kind face 
Trouper
Well-Known Member
Oh Happy Birthday Dex. Hope there is a birthday cake!!
ElectricChampagne
Well-Known Member
Happy Birthday Dex! What a gorgeous boy.
AShetlandBitMeOnce
Well-Known Member
I definitely should have made him some! I know it’s humanising him but I was planning on going to the tack shop to get something nice. Maybe some recovery mash as that’s tasty, or a lickit thing.
JBM
Well-Known Member
Lauraback
Well-Known Member
Happy one year ownership he looks gorgeous
rextherobber
Well-Known Member
He's lovely!
Kunoichi73
Beware... My Plants...
Happy birthday Dex!
AShetlandBitMeOnce
Well-Known Member
Thanks everyone!
I took him some raspberries and blackberries which are his absolute favourite, and then had a small panic when I saw a mouth full of hay spat out covered in 'blood', forgetting I'd just given him two punnets of red berries
I took him some raspberries and blackberries which are his absolute favourite, and then had a small panic when I saw a mouth full of hay spat out covered in 'blood', forgetting I'd just given him two punnets of red berries
IrishMilo
Well-Known Member
He's gorgeous. You've done a great job with him!
AShetlandBitMeOnce
Well-Known Member
Dropping in for a small update and a couple photos as it feels like we have hit another milestone.
So he was fab being backed in Feb, but after a few good sessions he became humpy and sticky and reluctant, thankfully I know him well enough to know it wasn't him being a baby or napping etc, he was unhappy, so I stopped riding in said saddle and got the fitter back out. Fitter fitted another one and I got the same result so only sat in it once - at this point I was feeling gutted and even considering spinal x-rays just to rule stuff out. He then had 8 weeks off a) because he was 2 inches higher in front than behind and a little time off won't hurt him at this age while he's growing and b) because I was looking for and then had to wait to give a different fitter a go. (No shade to the old one, I've used her for a long time, she just didn't seem to work well with Dex).
So fitter came and tried a saddle and he was AWFUL, the worst he's ever been in the fitting but he hadn't been ridden in 8 weeks, the others had been turned out without him, spring grass had sprung and he had some pain memory for sure, he's sensitive in that way - so fitter said have it on trial and see how you get on and then we'll talk.
Well £2k later (ouch!!!! it's adjustable thankfully so should last some time) we have a great saddle and I have my lovely, willing little horse back (he's actually now 17.1hh on the stick in front and behind now, I just have the insane ability to make any horse look about 14.2hh! I am incredibly long hip to knee which is the bane of my life). The next ride after the saddle fitter left was like night and day, I actually cried with happiness and relief when I got off.
So since then we've been out and about hacking mostly, in company and alone, he's been BRILLIANT. Not flicked an ear at anything, even when the companions were pratting about big time. Super mannerly, and only gave the big bin lorry with flashing lights and air brakes a wide berth, not even a spook. His schooling is coming along but he's not doing much of it at the mo, just instilling a bit of the basics. The screenshot below is my first ever canter on him! Such a sweetheart.
CAVEAT: He isn't being ridden with the aim of being in an outline, he's just popping himself there as he gets stronger - and please excuse the air jacket, I wish there were ones that don't make you look about 50m wide!
I LOVE his happy little face when he comes trotting over to me in this video, makes my heart sing!
So he was fab being backed in Feb, but after a few good sessions he became humpy and sticky and reluctant, thankfully I know him well enough to know it wasn't him being a baby or napping etc, he was unhappy, so I stopped riding in said saddle and got the fitter back out. Fitter fitted another one and I got the same result so only sat in it once - at this point I was feeling gutted and even considering spinal x-rays just to rule stuff out. He then had 8 weeks off a) because he was 2 inches higher in front than behind and a little time off won't hurt him at this age while he's growing and b) because I was looking for and then had to wait to give a different fitter a go. (No shade to the old one, I've used her for a long time, she just didn't seem to work well with Dex).
So fitter came and tried a saddle and he was AWFUL, the worst he's ever been in the fitting but he hadn't been ridden in 8 weeks, the others had been turned out without him, spring grass had sprung and he had some pain memory for sure, he's sensitive in that way - so fitter said have it on trial and see how you get on and then we'll talk.
Well £2k later (ouch!!!! it's adjustable thankfully so should last some time) we have a great saddle and I have my lovely, willing little horse back (he's actually now 17.1hh on the stick in front and behind now, I just have the insane ability to make any horse look about 14.2hh! I am incredibly long hip to knee which is the bane of my life). The next ride after the saddle fitter left was like night and day, I actually cried with happiness and relief when I got off.
So since then we've been out and about hacking mostly, in company and alone, he's been BRILLIANT. Not flicked an ear at anything, even when the companions were pratting about big time. Super mannerly, and only gave the big bin lorry with flashing lights and air brakes a wide berth, not even a spook. His schooling is coming along but he's not doing much of it at the mo, just instilling a bit of the basics. The screenshot below is my first ever canter on him! Such a sweetheart.
CAVEAT: He isn't being ridden with the aim of being in an outline, he's just popping himself there as he gets stronger - and please excuse the air jacket, I wish there were ones that don't make you look about 50m wide!
I LOVE his happy little face when he comes trotting over to me in this video, makes my heart sing!
splashgirl45
Lurcher lover
Lovely update , glad everything is going so well now with the new (rather expensive) saddle. Worth it if it fits both of you and he is happy which he seems to be …
dougpeg
Well-Known Member
Lovely update 
. Just shows the difference a well fitting saddle can make.
. Just shows the difference a well fitting saddle can make.
scats
Well-Known Member
What a find he was! A lovely update! So pleased for you xx
AandK
Well-Known Member
What a lovely update! What saddle did you get and could you PM me the saddler you used please?
AShetlandBitMeOnce
Well-Known Member
Thanks everyone, I am actually glad I had such a reaction to the saddle and wasn't more stoic as I'd have been up sh*t creek before long!
Will send you a PM now
SEL
Well-Known Member
I love this update!!
And how brilliant that's he's working well enough to pop himself into an outline. You are a superstar for listening to him and giving him the time he needs.
But you really do make him look 15h
And how brilliant that's he's working well enough to pop himself into an outline. You are a superstar for listening to him and giving him the time he needs.
But you really do make him look 15h
AShetlandBitMeOnce
Well-Known Member
I love this update!!
And how brilliant that's he's working well enough to pop himself into an outline. You are a superstar for listening to him and giving him the time he needs.
But you really do make him look 15h
Thank you!
It's awful isn't it! I am 5'7 so not even really super tall! I am just long hip to knee and he's still fairly narrow, that saddle is a MW.
This is me on my old 18.3hh, I even make him look like a standard 16hh'er!
Lucky Snowball
Well-Known Member
you two are so lucky to have found each other. You’ve done an amazing job especially sorting the saddle. Great photos.
IrishMilo
Well-Known Member
Lovely to see an update! He's gorgeous and looks like he's doing super!