LynH
Well-Known Member
I have an ID mare who has been heavier than I'd like for some time. When she came off livery to move to my new home last year she was big but not hugely overweight. She had a bad bout of colitis 2 yrs ago, she was hospitalised and required a week of IVs. The catheter caused a thrombosis in her jugular vein which ended up the size of half a football and took over 5 months to abscess. For well over a year she could not be ridden as the thrombosis made it difficult for her to breath if held in even a loose outline. She now has a lump about the size of my fist which is still a problem if in a competition frame but she is ok now as long as she ridden forwards into a light contact slightly in front of the vertical. As a result she has done very little exercise for about two years until January this year and weighed over 800kg. She's 17hh and very deep in the body and neck rather than wide but she got to 837kg this time last year which I wasn't happy about.
I have serious health issues and struggle to ride on a regular basis so it's been near impossible to work her enough to get the weight off because of both our health problems. Anyway she's been living out all winter unrugged for the first time, muzzled when the spring grass came through and I've made a concerted effort to ride when well enough even though I have been in a lot of pain. Tarrsteps has very kindly helped me get her to hack alone which has always been her biggest problem and as my other horse retired this year it had to be overcome. I am now really enjoying taking her out as well as playing in the school.
My riding has really gone to pot over the last two years as I haven't ridden regularly and I am still in a lot of pain. I guard myself by not sitting up correctly or collapsing through transitions and half halting is agony as is every jolt and sudden movement. I'd love to be back out competing but for now I'm taking the positives wherever I can so this weekend when my lovely girl weighed in at 715kg(!!!) I was so happy and felt like it was a major achievement in the circumstances. 122kg weight loss on the weigh tape is about 7 inches and a good few holes on her girth.
I'd like her to be a bit lighter still, she is getting more forward, fun and feisty as a result which I am loving. We now just need to get fitter together and then getting out to do some BD at some point won't seem quite so impossible.
I also had a personal achievement this week which won't seem a big deal to anyone else but I managed to ride four times in the last week. My doctors have recently told me they cannot do anything more to help with the pain so they want me to learn to live with it. I can certainly try to learn to live with the pain if I can ride four times a week, I just need to build up to doing that on a regular basis as my current average is nearer one. Happy happy pony days :0)
Does anyone else have any achievements that mean a lot to them even though they probably don't seem much to other people?
I have serious health issues and struggle to ride on a regular basis so it's been near impossible to work her enough to get the weight off because of both our health problems. Anyway she's been living out all winter unrugged for the first time, muzzled when the spring grass came through and I've made a concerted effort to ride when well enough even though I have been in a lot of pain. Tarrsteps has very kindly helped me get her to hack alone which has always been her biggest problem and as my other horse retired this year it had to be overcome. I am now really enjoying taking her out as well as playing in the school.
My riding has really gone to pot over the last two years as I haven't ridden regularly and I am still in a lot of pain. I guard myself by not sitting up correctly or collapsing through transitions and half halting is agony as is every jolt and sudden movement. I'd love to be back out competing but for now I'm taking the positives wherever I can so this weekend when my lovely girl weighed in at 715kg(!!!) I was so happy and felt like it was a major achievement in the circumstances. 122kg weight loss on the weigh tape is about 7 inches and a good few holes on her girth.
I'd like her to be a bit lighter still, she is getting more forward, fun and feisty as a result which I am loving. We now just need to get fitter together and then getting out to do some BD at some point won't seem quite so impossible.
I also had a personal achievement this week which won't seem a big deal to anyone else but I managed to ride four times in the last week. My doctors have recently told me they cannot do anything more to help with the pain so they want me to learn to live with it. I can certainly try to learn to live with the pain if I can ride four times a week, I just need to build up to doing that on a regular basis as my current average is nearer one. Happy happy pony days :0)
Does anyone else have any achievements that mean a lot to them even though they probably don't seem much to other people?