Stuck him on the lunge to start with and he looked sound on both reins, happily popped himself into canter on the right rein, didn't seem to be holding himself to the outside at all. Just had him in normal tack, no side reins or anything. I didn't notice any head nodding at all and wouldn't have said he looked short. He is currently on one bute in the veenings.
Got on afterwards and walked him around, did some walk to halts and he seemed happy. Popped into trot on a completely loose rein and no sign of any head nodding. Picked him up into an outline and also felt ok so left it there. He felt quite lazy but I had no whip/spurs and was in jump saddle without proper boots on. He always turns fat and lazy after time off so not bothered by that.
Need to speak to vet on Monday and find out what the plan is from here.
Friday 26 April 2013
Thursday 25 April 2013
Farrier visit 24-04-13
Fancy shoes on. Basically he used a standard toe clip shoe, knocked the toe clip off and rasped the edge down a bit and has set them back slightly from the front of the toe to try and bring the breakover point back a bit. Said he didn't want to use full on NB shoes to start with as thought it would be too many changes at once. He has put pads on which are the NB pads with the frog support and the slight graduation raising the heel slightly. He said they're not the easiest to keep on so to put OR boots on at all times. He put a load of Magic Cushion under the pads. They look really odd to me - there's such a big gap between where his heel/frog is and the ground now. It all looks really artificial. Not really sure where we go next now - guess have to give his legs time to adjust to wearing what are technically high heels!
Monday 22 April 2013
Sparsholt Dressage Camp - Llewi
Obviously not the horse I intended on taking but he coped very well considering he hasn't been in a school in 18mths.
Had a body balance session to start with - found my seatbones on a gym ball then a hard seat - I think I have quite a good basic position these days and have got rid of my tendency to perch - seatbones found easily. Did some gym ball exercises which I mostly found ok, balance not great but core strength ok. Could do with doing more of this if I had more hours in the day!
Then a massage session where she showed us some interesting stretches I could add to my routine with Monty - her favourite one is to carrot stretch the nose down to the outside of each front foot. Also stretching each leg forwards and stretching each hindleg to the opposite side which I had started doing with Monty's right hind since last physio visit. Little areas for us to check whether horse comfy or not - the back, the girth area, behind the poll and the dip on their hindquarters between the gluts/biceps femoris. If you give them a bit of a scratch there it makes them really round their backs.
First lesson with SJL - worked on slowing down the trot a bit, remember to look up and around the circle, not too much inside bend on the left rein. Did some simple changes. Try and think of riding shoulder fore round the first half circle, maintain it into the walk, then change bend then canter. Mustn't let him dive into the walk, collect the canter before asking for the walk transition. SJL said she really liked him - said it was a shame not to be able to manage the tension in the competition atmosphere as he had a lot of potential despite being quite weak behind at the moment.
Test in the afternoon with Pat Watts judging - did N38 and managed 64.2% despite his tension at being within the white boards again. Got all 6's and 7's apart from a 5 when he threw in a lovely non-required flying change in the first counter canter. Nice test - not one I think I've ridden on Monty yet. Should be a good one for him though.
Demo with Matt Hicks in the evening - 3 different horses. Ad Med horse, older GP schoolmaster ridden by his WP and another AM level horse. All with their various issues. Last one was noticeably short on its left hind in the walk, yet completely level as soon as he dropped the reins and let it free walk - quite interesting. He said it had got that way since teaching half steps. He uses lots of suppling exercises for all of them - lots and lots of travers and SI in trot and canter.
Went to a waste of time psychology session on Sunday morning - should have stayed in bed! It could have been useful but she was talking bollox about plants responding to being talking to nicely!!!
Lesson with Matt Hicks on Sunday morning - warmup did lots of transitions making sure not to let him drop back behind the vertical. Dont lift hands higher to get his poll up as will make him duck down more, use legs to get him more forwards. He likes to use lots of circles, gradually working on smaller ones as they warmup and halts making sure they always step forwards into the halt. Did a lot of counter canter which he can do really well and was told I positioned it well. Did some leg yield in trot - must make sure the forehand always leads without escaping through the shoulder - easier said than done.
Session with 2 guinea pig horses and a judge I didn't know on Sunday afternoon. Waste of time. She couldn't really tell me what she was looking for at all. I think the session on Sat afternoon with Pat Watts was really useful - wish I'd gone to that one but was riding at the time! I asked this judge what was so bad about the horse seeking the rein in the trot G&R and she said I should be holding him up with my legs. If I use my legs he'll just go faster. I cant stop him seeking the contact I've taught him to look for - stupid movement. I think I've done so much writing for judges I know what they're looking for in general.
Last lesson with SJL - was debating not to go as thought Llewi would be tired and fed up by that point and I was a bit too! It was cold and late but I'm glad I did go as it was the most useful session. Started with walk piris and she got me to feel how much he threw my weight to the outside and how difficult it was to keep my weight to the inside whilst keeping the correct bend and keeping him stepping round. Suggested we do walk HP into it and pointed out how I keep my weight correctly to the inside in the HP but as soon as we move into the piri he chucks it to the outside. He started to get really stroppy as think he found that quite hard so moved on to some canter HP as he seems to find this quite easy! Was told to think of being able to make a turn out of the HP at any point, make sure weight to the inside and open the rein in the direction of travel to keep the shoulders flowing across. The hindleg needs to step across and forwards. I tried to think of slight shoulder-in positioning before asking for the HP and she said I was positioning it well and sitting correctly so that was nice as I'm not sure I've ever really been taught how to ride HP. Did some in trot as well and then a bit more in canter as it was so much fun. Was doing HP from corner to centre line then canter to walk and he wasn't diving as the HP was collecting and engaging him. Also did some SI and travers in trot which he did very well. Working with mirrors was amazing as could see everything he was doing without someone on the ground to tell you and when you are an amateur without amazing feel mirrors are just such a massive help.
I was so chuffed with Llewi. I trained that horse from a wild 5yr old who couldn't do a trot-canter transition and couldn't work in any kind of outline to one who despite 18mths off school work could pull off a HP better than a lot of horses there (and better than Monty can for that matter!) Such a shame he's got such a screwy brain as he's really very talented. Still, I'm sure he will be quite happy to go back to a life of hacking, fun rides and hunting.
Had a body balance session to start with - found my seatbones on a gym ball then a hard seat - I think I have quite a good basic position these days and have got rid of my tendency to perch - seatbones found easily. Did some gym ball exercises which I mostly found ok, balance not great but core strength ok. Could do with doing more of this if I had more hours in the day!
Then a massage session where she showed us some interesting stretches I could add to my routine with Monty - her favourite one is to carrot stretch the nose down to the outside of each front foot. Also stretching each leg forwards and stretching each hindleg to the opposite side which I had started doing with Monty's right hind since last physio visit. Little areas for us to check whether horse comfy or not - the back, the girth area, behind the poll and the dip on their hindquarters between the gluts/biceps femoris. If you give them a bit of a scratch there it makes them really round their backs.
First lesson with SJL - worked on slowing down the trot a bit, remember to look up and around the circle, not too much inside bend on the left rein. Did some simple changes. Try and think of riding shoulder fore round the first half circle, maintain it into the walk, then change bend then canter. Mustn't let him dive into the walk, collect the canter before asking for the walk transition. SJL said she really liked him - said it was a shame not to be able to manage the tension in the competition atmosphere as he had a lot of potential despite being quite weak behind at the moment.
Test in the afternoon with Pat Watts judging - did N38 and managed 64.2% despite his tension at being within the white boards again. Got all 6's and 7's apart from a 5 when he threw in a lovely non-required flying change in the first counter canter. Nice test - not one I think I've ridden on Monty yet. Should be a good one for him though.
Demo with Matt Hicks in the evening - 3 different horses. Ad Med horse, older GP schoolmaster ridden by his WP and another AM level horse. All with their various issues. Last one was noticeably short on its left hind in the walk, yet completely level as soon as he dropped the reins and let it free walk - quite interesting. He said it had got that way since teaching half steps. He uses lots of suppling exercises for all of them - lots and lots of travers and SI in trot and canter.
Went to a waste of time psychology session on Sunday morning - should have stayed in bed! It could have been useful but she was talking bollox about plants responding to being talking to nicely!!!
Lesson with Matt Hicks on Sunday morning - warmup did lots of transitions making sure not to let him drop back behind the vertical. Dont lift hands higher to get his poll up as will make him duck down more, use legs to get him more forwards. He likes to use lots of circles, gradually working on smaller ones as they warmup and halts making sure they always step forwards into the halt. Did a lot of counter canter which he can do really well and was told I positioned it well. Did some leg yield in trot - must make sure the forehand always leads without escaping through the shoulder - easier said than done.
Session with 2 guinea pig horses and a judge I didn't know on Sunday afternoon. Waste of time. She couldn't really tell me what she was looking for at all. I think the session on Sat afternoon with Pat Watts was really useful - wish I'd gone to that one but was riding at the time! I asked this judge what was so bad about the horse seeking the rein in the trot G&R and she said I should be holding him up with my legs. If I use my legs he'll just go faster. I cant stop him seeking the contact I've taught him to look for - stupid movement. I think I've done so much writing for judges I know what they're looking for in general.
Last lesson with SJL - was debating not to go as thought Llewi would be tired and fed up by that point and I was a bit too! It was cold and late but I'm glad I did go as it was the most useful session. Started with walk piris and she got me to feel how much he threw my weight to the outside and how difficult it was to keep my weight to the inside whilst keeping the correct bend and keeping him stepping round. Suggested we do walk HP into it and pointed out how I keep my weight correctly to the inside in the HP but as soon as we move into the piri he chucks it to the outside. He started to get really stroppy as think he found that quite hard so moved on to some canter HP as he seems to find this quite easy! Was told to think of being able to make a turn out of the HP at any point, make sure weight to the inside and open the rein in the direction of travel to keep the shoulders flowing across. The hindleg needs to step across and forwards. I tried to think of slight shoulder-in positioning before asking for the HP and she said I was positioning it well and sitting correctly so that was nice as I'm not sure I've ever really been taught how to ride HP. Did some in trot as well and then a bit more in canter as it was so much fun. Was doing HP from corner to centre line then canter to walk and he wasn't diving as the HP was collecting and engaging him. Also did some SI and travers in trot which he did very well. Working with mirrors was amazing as could see everything he was doing without someone on the ground to tell you and when you are an amateur without amazing feel mirrors are just such a massive help.
I was so chuffed with Llewi. I trained that horse from a wild 5yr old who couldn't do a trot-canter transition and couldn't work in any kind of outline to one who despite 18mths off school work could pull off a HP better than a lot of horses there (and better than Monty can for that matter!) Such a shame he's got such a screwy brain as he's really very talented. Still, I'm sure he will be quite happy to go back to a life of hacking, fun rides and hunting.
Saturday 13 April 2013
Thermal imaging 13-04-13
photo of left fore today after farrier had run rasp round the edge to smooth off the areas becoming chipped. I dont like this foot much at the moment - there's a big ridge 1/4 of the way down there's the dip just below the coronary band I dug out yesterday as it was all separating, there's lots of growth lines and even though the toe isn't especially long, the heel is collapsed and the HPA broken-back. Still feels hot and still has pulse.
red spot is the high nail hole I've been concerned about. red is inflam surrounding it.
left fore sole - bit more inflam in the heel but not loads. shows inflam is actually further up the hoof than this so less likely to be bruising
left fore heel:
both heels:
left fore:
white spot is the high nail hole. heat is radiating up from there.
left fore sole:
white is nail hole - heat radiating up from there:
left fore heel:
circles over nail holes:
both heels:
both feet from RHS - normal thermal pattern:
clearly shows nail hole as red spot and heat above it:
left fore sole:
left fore foot - red dot equals nail hole
both front feet: left one red hot
left fore foot - red circle with white dot equals nail hole
Thursday 11 April 2013
Foot photos 11-04-13
right fore:
both fronts:
left fore - note the separation above the coronary band caudo-laterally just above and slightly caudal to nail hole.
left fore sole
left fore sole:
left fore sole:
left fore close up - note separation above coronary band
right fore:
right fore sole:
right fore sole:
Wednesday 10 April 2013
Visit to Liphook 10-04-13
Off to Liphook today to see Eamon again.
Started with looking at him with hoof boot on - trot up in straight line almost sound, trot right rein lunge sound, trot left rein lunge 3/10 lame. Without hoof boot on approx 6/10 lame LF left rein lunge. Lots of bruising coming out on his heel now but much less sensitive about having it prodded than he was last week. Still obvious reaction to hoof testers outside heel although less so than last week.
Then did palmar digital nerve block LF - trot up straight line sound, trot left rein lunge about 80% improved, now 1-2/10 LF, trot right rein lunge lame RF 1-2/10 (yes, that does say RF)
Xrays of his feet at all angles - only have the LM and DP views here but also took varying views of his navicular inc skylines. He stood like an angel for all of them with no sedation bless him.
Findings: broken back hoof-pastern axis worse LF than RF. Very flat pedal bones. Angle on LF is 1%. Angle on RF is better at 2%. Both soles paper thin. Medio-lateral foot balance good. No changes of any concern to navicular bones. No evidence of OA in DIP or PIP joints. No problems with pedal bone.
Discussed MRI scan but feel soft tissue injury within hoof is quite unlikely given presentation. Can always go down that route if no improvement in next couple of weeks.
Recommendations:
- Can have RF shoe back on but LF shoe to stay off as feel that bruising so significant if put pad/shoe on there now will hurt him more
- Bute 1sachet BID twice daily for 5d then 1sachet SID for 5d
- Box rest or small paddock rest for next 10-14d. If turned out must pad soles well and wear boots.
- Reassess once off bute - if sound then need to get him shod with different type of shoes and pads - vet will discuss with farrier which will be best for him but aiming towards Natural Balance type shoes to bring back his breakover point and pads to help protect the sole and give his heel some support.
- Likely has bilateral coffin joint pain due to chronic broken back hoof-pastern axis. Once he is shod again then will reassess coffin joints. Will probably need to block joints to confirm and then consider treating with steroid injections
with his snazzy trainers and socks on:
Started with looking at him with hoof boot on - trot up in straight line almost sound, trot right rein lunge sound, trot left rein lunge 3/10 lame. Without hoof boot on approx 6/10 lame LF left rein lunge. Lots of bruising coming out on his heel now but much less sensitive about having it prodded than he was last week. Still obvious reaction to hoof testers outside heel although less so than last week.
Then did palmar digital nerve block LF - trot up straight line sound, trot left rein lunge about 80% improved, now 1-2/10 LF, trot right rein lunge lame RF 1-2/10 (yes, that does say RF)
Xrays of his feet at all angles - only have the LM and DP views here but also took varying views of his navicular inc skylines. He stood like an angel for all of them with no sedation bless him.
Findings: broken back hoof-pastern axis worse LF than RF. Very flat pedal bones. Angle on LF is 1%. Angle on RF is better at 2%. Both soles paper thin. Medio-lateral foot balance good. No changes of any concern to navicular bones. No evidence of OA in DIP or PIP joints. No problems with pedal bone.
Discussed MRI scan but feel soft tissue injury within hoof is quite unlikely given presentation. Can always go down that route if no improvement in next couple of weeks.
Recommendations:
- Can have RF shoe back on but LF shoe to stay off as feel that bruising so significant if put pad/shoe on there now will hurt him more
- Bute 1sachet BID twice daily for 5d then 1sachet SID for 5d
- Box rest or small paddock rest for next 10-14d. If turned out must pad soles well and wear boots.
- Reassess once off bute - if sound then need to get him shod with different type of shoes and pads - vet will discuss with farrier which will be best for him but aiming towards Natural Balance type shoes to bring back his breakover point and pads to help protect the sole and give his heel some support.
- Likely has bilateral coffin joint pain due to chronic broken back hoof-pastern axis. Once he is shod again then will reassess coffin joints. Will probably need to block joints to confirm and then consider treating with steroid injections
with his snazzy trainers and socks on:
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