HufflyPuffly
Well-Known Member
Super weekend, was very honoured to be asked to be part of my instructors open day dressage demo. We arrived Friday with the thought we would stay over for the big day on Saturday. However Topaz had other ideas when I rode her Friday and we had a little rodeo session 
, very confused but she worked through and was so hot and on the edge she actually produced some amazing work but could have done without the dramatics 
. I made the decision to take her home and let her chill out in the field overnight and it worked. Came back the next day and she was so much calmer, had a bit of a spook at the speaker system and when the audience arrived she was a little suspicious, especially when they opened their umbrellas! But Topaz coped very well for Topaz. Love the new yard, looking forward to lots more trips over, its such a luxury for us to school in a full sized arena!
Onto Sunday and Team Quest day! Mixed bag for the team but we still got a team rosette so were happy. The judge is known for being very exacting and has previously been quite harsh with his scoring for us (fair but no giving away marks), and after the first two hadnt had the best comments/marks I wasnt holding my breath for a high score. We did a few things differently as I really want to try and get her to relax at shows, so we went for a little hack up the road before we warmed up, I didnt plait (shock horror it felt sooooo wrong) and I also left the flash in the bridle bag. She was a little hot off the leg in the warm-up but felt good hot if that makes sense. Into the test and she was quiet spooky at the judges end, so I really felt we hadnt done enough for a good score, but regards the tension I felt it was successful as although she was looky I felt we really rode through it and she stayed forward so I was pretty pleased.
Well we only posted a personal best of 74% in the novice to win by 11%
. Sometimes going down a level really can help settle the tension, and I guess when people say to work one or two levels above the level you are competing at it does make all the difference, not that Im planning on stepping back down we like the challenge of the higher tests but if I was all about the scores I can see the appeal . Unfortunately I think we are on our last season of TQ, wish they went up to elementary! I so wub our pony right now .
Onto Skylla the Spensive (I feel I can nick this now Spike is no longer spensive that I know of). The saga started about 3 weeks ago now with a kick square between the eyes, I mean really how does a horse let that happen! A monster nosebleed and a panicky call to the vet (out of hours obviously), he calmed me down, told me what to look for and said if it doesnt seem too painful then it probably wont be broken (and me and mum really did give it a good poking with no reaction from her), and the bleeding could carry on intermittently for a few days but as shes bright and seems ok just keep an eye on her. Picture from the night we brought her in:
Roll on two weeks, we had done ground work, had walked out on hacks, been to a show, etc and although the lump remained she seemed absolutely fine. Vet came out last Monday, for an unrelated call out and noted the lump had got a little bigger so prescribed some anti-inflammatries. Two days later and her eye was closing and her tear duct seemed blocked, so another vet visit and the possible prognosis of sinusitis, x-rays were now needed. Needed two people so they came out the day after and yep, shed broken it! Sinuses looked ok considering the swelling, so the lump was investigated and it was actually a giant abscess! It was truly grim in real life the pictures do not do the lumpy pus any justice!
Before with a proper horn growing, we think she was trying to be a unicorn on account that she will one day be white grey.
Looking like a gunshot victim:
None lumpy head afterwards:
I then had the lovely task of syringing the hole daily to make sure we had got everything out, and poor Skylla had to stay in to keep it clean. I have to say shes been amazing, not silly or bargy or nowty or anything, a bit confused why shes in but ever so obliging. Popped her on the lunge to let her have a silly but she just trotted round and had a little canter, so I took a little slo-mo of her.
[video]https://youtu.be/FgkL3qFgqHA[/video]
Unfortunately a second lump appeared over the weekend, so another vet visit today for a second lancing she all holey now bless her, but better than the elephant face look with all the swelling!
Were hoping thats it and as the first hole has healed in record time, were keeping everything crossed that she will only be in for a few more days. Hopefully my next update will be a little less gory.
x x x
PS I have tried to make the pictures a reasonable size but as always photobucket has its own ideas
, very confused but she worked through and was so hot and on the edge she actually produced some amazing work but could have done without the dramatics . I made the decision to take her home and let her chill out in the field overnight and it worked. Came back the next day and she was so much calmer, had a bit of a spook at the speaker system and when the audience arrived she was a little suspicious, especially when they opened their umbrellas! But Topaz coped very well for Topaz. Love the new yard, looking forward to lots more trips over, its such a luxury for us to school in a full sized arena!Onto Sunday and Team Quest day! Mixed bag for the team but we still got a team rosette so were happy. The judge is known for being very exacting and has previously been quite harsh with his scoring for us (fair but no giving away marks), and after the first two hadnt had the best comments/marks I wasnt holding my breath for a high score. We did a few things differently as I really want to try and get her to relax at shows, so we went for a little hack up the road before we warmed up, I didnt plait (shock horror it felt sooooo wrong
) and I also left the flash in the bridle bag. She was a little hot off the leg in the warm-up but felt good hot if that makes sense. Into the test and she was quiet spooky at the judges end, so I really felt we hadnt done enough for a good score, but regards the tension I felt it was successful as although she was looky I felt we really rode through it and she stayed forward so I was pretty pleased. Well we only posted a personal best of 74% in the novice to win by 11%
. Sometimes going down a level really can help settle the tension, and I guess when people say to work one or two levels above the level you are competing at it does make all the difference, not that Im planning on stepping back down we like the challenge of the higher tests but if I was all about the scores I can see the appeal . Unfortunately I think we are on our last season of TQ, wish they went up to elementary! I so wub our pony right now .
Onto Skylla the Spensive (I feel I can nick this now Spike is no longer spensive that I know of
). The saga started about 3 weeks ago now with a kick square between the eyes, I mean really how does a horse let that happen! A monster nosebleed and a panicky call to the vet (out of hours obviously), he calmed me down, told me what to look for and said if it doesnt seem too painful then it probably wont be broken (and me and mum really did give it a good poking with no reaction from her), and the bleeding could carry on intermittently for a few days but as shes bright and seems ok just keep an eye on her. Picture from the night we brought her in:
Roll on two weeks, we had done ground work, had walked out on hacks, been to a show, etc and although the lump remained she seemed absolutely fine. Vet came out last Monday, for an unrelated call out and noted the lump had got a little bigger so prescribed some anti-inflammatries. Two days later and her eye was closing and her tear duct seemed blocked, so another vet visit and the possible prognosis of sinusitis, x-rays were now needed. Needed two people so they came out the day after and yep, shed broken it! Sinuses looked ok considering the swelling, so the lump was investigated and it was actually a giant abscess! It was truly grim in real life the pictures do not do the lumpy pus any justice!
Before with a proper horn growing, we think she was trying to be a unicorn on account that she will one day be white grey
.
Looking like a gunshot victim:
None lumpy head afterwards:
I then had the lovely task of syringing the hole daily to make sure we had got everything out, and poor Skylla had to stay in to keep it clean. I have to say shes been amazing, not silly or bargy or nowty or anything, a bit confused why shes in but ever so obliging. Popped her on the lunge to let her have a silly but she just trotted round and had a little canter, so I took a little slo-mo of her.
[video]https://youtu.be/FgkL3qFgqHA[/video]
Unfortunately a second lump appeared over the weekend, so another vet visit today for a second lancing she all holey now bless her, but better than the elephant face look with all the swelling!
Were hoping thats it and as the first hole has healed in record time, were keeping everything crossed that she will only be in for a few more days. Hopefully my next update will be a little less gory.
x x x
PS I have tried to make the pictures a reasonable size but as always photobucket has its own ideas
.
