Guinevere
Well-Known Member
Hey all!
Thought I would update you all on Guin who some of you may remember me writing about in a previous post who I was having difficulty working with. She is my first horse and upon buying her found out she had vertical head shaking problems and back problems from being ridden in a saddle too small for her and consequently bucked and had sweet itch which we were not told about despite asking. She was also very weak with huge amounts of muscle waste.
Since then Guin has moved with me to another yard, Chorley, Shropshire, and she has come on leaps and bounds! They have a set routine for all horses and it has really helped her. A change in diet, as well as set turn in and out times, and individual turnout. She also has a set exercise routine 6 days a week, she has been lunged in the EquiAmi and has not reared or flown about in distress as she was doing at our previous yard and her muscle is developing and she looks like a different horse!
We have started using Sue Palmer of Holistic Horse Help as a physio and cannot recommend her enough. I suffer from m.e. and anxiety and had trouble leaving my house before I owned Guin, Sue has helped me connect with Guin as well as helping Guin physically, I always want to go up and see her, even if just to groom her. Sue has shown me the signs I can look out for various moods and indicators of pain or comfort and all in a very easy to understand way so I'm not feeling confused about what she's doing and making me feel very comfortable about asking questions. She comes every month to see Guin and is now giving me groundwork lessons with her to bond and learn more, as I had only ever really been taught how to ride and not how to lead and handle a horse. Guin has improved a lot with Sue's physio work and I always look forward to her coming. Guin really enjoys physio you can see how relaxed she is! Sue has a DVD and book on massage on her website which I also really recommend for some ideas of massage you can do day to day - http://www.holistichorsehelp.com/
We are at the stage now where my yard owner is lungeing her daily still but will now start to sit on her and walk around the school a little. I am so pleased that we've taken this step and soon I will be able to sit on her myself and begin to ride her slowly. She has a new saddle which she has been lunged in and today Hailey got on her for the first time and it was a very positive experience with no problems at all. I had sat on her for the saddle fitter in the new saddle and unfortunately she'd just gone into season and was very tetchy and bucked but I managed to stay on! It has been recommended we try a supplement for her seasons, can anyone suggest any?
They are slow steps but I am so happy to be taking steps at all with her for a horse I didn't think I would ever be able to ride and be comfortable with. I won't give up on her and I know that it will be difficult for both of us but she is progressing so well, I can't be selfish and sell her just because I can't ride her immediately like some would.
Always make sure you have professionals to help you in these situations, I can't thank Hailey Heeley, Leonie Smith and Sue Palmer enough for their support and guidance, it is down to them that Guin and I are moving in the right direction, hopefully soon, in the saddle!
Thought I would update you all on Guin who some of you may remember me writing about in a previous post who I was having difficulty working with. She is my first horse and upon buying her found out she had vertical head shaking problems and back problems from being ridden in a saddle too small for her and consequently bucked and had sweet itch which we were not told about despite asking. She was also very weak with huge amounts of muscle waste.
Since then Guin has moved with me to another yard, Chorley, Shropshire, and she has come on leaps and bounds! They have a set routine for all horses and it has really helped her. A change in diet, as well as set turn in and out times, and individual turnout. She also has a set exercise routine 6 days a week, she has been lunged in the EquiAmi and has not reared or flown about in distress as she was doing at our previous yard and her muscle is developing and she looks like a different horse!
We have started using Sue Palmer of Holistic Horse Help as a physio and cannot recommend her enough. I suffer from m.e. and anxiety and had trouble leaving my house before I owned Guin, Sue has helped me connect with Guin as well as helping Guin physically, I always want to go up and see her, even if just to groom her. Sue has shown me the signs I can look out for various moods and indicators of pain or comfort and all in a very easy to understand way so I'm not feeling confused about what she's doing and making me feel very comfortable about asking questions. She comes every month to see Guin and is now giving me groundwork lessons with her to bond and learn more, as I had only ever really been taught how to ride and not how to lead and handle a horse. Guin has improved a lot with Sue's physio work and I always look forward to her coming. Guin really enjoys physio you can see how relaxed she is! Sue has a DVD and book on massage on her website which I also really recommend for some ideas of massage you can do day to day - http://www.holistichorsehelp.com/
We are at the stage now where my yard owner is lungeing her daily still but will now start to sit on her and walk around the school a little. I am so pleased that we've taken this step and soon I will be able to sit on her myself and begin to ride her slowly. She has a new saddle which she has been lunged in and today Hailey got on her for the first time and it was a very positive experience with no problems at all. I had sat on her for the saddle fitter in the new saddle and unfortunately she'd just gone into season and was very tetchy and bucked but I managed to stay on! It has been recommended we try a supplement for her seasons, can anyone suggest any?
They are slow steps but I am so happy to be taking steps at all with her for a horse I didn't think I would ever be able to ride and be comfortable with. I won't give up on her and I know that it will be difficult for both of us but she is progressing so well, I can't be selfish and sell her just because I can't ride her immediately like some would.
Always make sure you have professionals to help you in these situations, I can't thank Hailey Heeley, Leonie Smith and Sue Palmer enough for their support and guidance, it is down to them that Guin and I are moving in the right direction, hopefully soon, in the saddle!
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and hope the next part of her reeducation goes smoothly and that you'll be up and riding soon.