Max's first clip

BEFORE

AFTER

Amazing what a good clip will do for a boy! He was (mostly) very good, just a bit wriggly when we started. But a change from the washbay to where he had more room, and he was much happier. I also think that the Stressless kicked in about then, so in all, it was a positive first experience with the clippers.

He is just so cute now, I can hardly believe it!!!

Looking forward, not back

We had a visit from our wonderful physiotherapist on Thursday. Mr Goober had been cantering downhill to catch up with his BFFs, and slipped over and did the splits. He was very sore in one front elbow/leg and the opposite hind. So much so that he nearly flattened me when I applied some pressure to his right hamstring. Nothing, if not demonstrative, is my Max!

So the physio appointment was to check out the damage and also see if he was fit enough to go back to work after his holiday. And the good news was that he had hardly damaged himself, and was passed as fit! We now have a whole new series of stretches/massage moves for the new sore bits, but I guess that's all part of the learning curve. Overall, we are so very lucky to have a brilliant physio here, and she is very affordable. But I had better keep that quiet, or someone from Auckland will steal her away...

And now, onwards and upwards. I think it was a good idea to give the winter dressage a miss this month, as he would've had to go in with zero work. And it gave me the chance to accrue some good-dressage-karma by offering to write for the judges all day. Funny how things work, I ended up with the same (quite senior) judge all day and by the end I could just about predict what she was going to say. I think everyone who rides dressage should do some writing. You learn an incredible amount in a short space of time, and it is amazing what the judges can see from where they are sitting! Any wobbles on your centre line are blindingly obvious, as are missed corners and even wonky-shaped circles. Don't think you can talk to your horse without them noticing, 'cos they are watching like a hawk, and can see your lips moving.

And now, I know that judge knows who I am, and she'll be watching for us next month. Uh, oh.... Better do some practise and get lots of lessons in or I'll be in trouble.

Da boy iz Back!

Safely delivered one goober horse to his paddock.
And he even has a new friend - a lovely chestnut mare who sorted out the pecking order in about a nano-second!

He travelled well, as he should considering the, ahem, "additives" in his feed this week. Just a couple of tries to avoid going in the float, and then clomp up the ramp and standing.

Such a good boy!

Bringing the hick into town

And the next thing is to get Max back into town so I can try to get some riding in. It looks as if I am expected to work this weekend (well, what's one more weekend worked?) so it might be Sunday before I do this.

So we are dosing him up with the marvellous Stressless as it has been some months since he's even been near a horse float. It's quite a trip into town from his "country retreat" - complete with rough roads, bridges, steep gorges and the possibility of stock on the road. Not quite the same as his usual travels around flat Hawkes Bay, so I hope he isn't going to be traumatised!

He was a bit of a pain to load up last time. He seemed to have lost all his manners and cool, confident knowledge of going in the float. It took the threat of someone else with the dressage whip before he surrendered and went in. So by the time we arrived at the other end, I handed his lead rope over and said "You sell him and you get half of the money." Naturally, I didn't mean it but honestly!!!!


Some of the best advice I got about getting a horse to go into a float was to make out that you had all day to do it. Often it's when you have time pressure on yourself that it all goes wrong. I tend to forget how sensitive horses are and how they can sense how I'm feeling even if I'm pretending everything is just fine. Even good old Penny, my sensible old mare could stick me up some days.

They are nothing if not great teachers!

See! We can go out and about!