Dickens Diary - October 2007

1st October - A day off for Deekie and time spent in the field relaxing and chatting to friends - oh such a hard life!

2nd October - Deekie and I decided to go for a hack today with a few of our Liveries on their horses. I decided that it was time to tackle the pig today - this could prove to be interesting!! Ok so I chickened out and as we approached the pig who may I say is a lovely pig that lives on a farm just down the road from us, I tucked Deekie in behind another horse and walked past. Any one reading this and who has had an experience with a pig or pigs whilst riding their horse will understand and sympathise. It is a known fact that most horses don't like the smell of pigs. Deekie did not object to the smell of the pig and as we rode past but he did take a good look at the pig and didn't rate it for its looks!!

3rd October - Cantering today with Kerry and Rubber lips.

After a quick leg stretch around pink well we hit the headlands. With Deekie in front we upped the pace and off we went - until we spotted two Deer lying down by the hedgerow. Deekie and Rubber lips stood and watched in awe as the Deer stood up and gracefully cantered off across the field. On we went with our hack and Deekie was soon looking for Pheasants in the hedges and any more potential Deer that might jump out.

On the final stretch of the headlands we picked up canter - with Deekie still in front as Rubber lips legs don't go as quick! We were almost at the top of the track when I thought it was about time to apply the brakes, Deekie was having so much fun braking was the last thing on his mind.

I don't like over biting horses for no reason and I don't like gadgets unless they are needed for a specific reason, so Deekie just has a loose ring snaffle with a lozenge in the middle and a flash noseband. I also don't like a horse to develop a hard mouth so when it comes to" pulling" up from canter - pulling is not something that I do. I tried all of the methods proven in the past incl: half halting with my shoulders, thighs, "riding the horses down" whilst staying in a light seat, by transferring my weight back through my elbows so not pulling on his mouth e.t.c all methods tried and failed so I got to the end of the track where you would turn right onto the gallops and in front of you is a field that the farmer had harrowed and rolled so I cantered towards this knowing that Deekie would stop (the track he was cantering on was grass and the field in front of us was brown) - Deekie has a thing about colour changes!! A very sensitive boy. He stopped immediately. - It helps to know your horse or the horse that you're riding.

4th October - I lunged Deekie today in the school for half an hour - he worked well.

5th October - A well deserved day off for Deekie.

6th October - Back out through the village on another hack, this time with Kerry and Dom. On our way back we went onto the gallops for a trot and canter. Kerry was eying up the point-to-point fences and asked if I wanted to jump them. This would be the first time that Deekie would have jumped hurdles since coming out of racing - another test of trust and confidence for Deekie.

Well he couldn't have jumped them any better, I tucked in behind Dom the first time up over them and then we took the lead. To finish the exercise I left Kerry at the top by the exit to the gallops and walked Deekie back down the gallops and came back up over the hurdles on my own.

Deekie did it - what a clever boy. However during his excitement he did put in a few big leaps and bucks through shear excitement and my back went twang! By the time we got back to the yard my muscles were going into spasm - oww. At the yard one of my Liveries is a McTimony chiropractor and just by chance she was there to help!

7th October - I am not riding today, so as I already had a training session booked in with Wil Miflin I asked if he would ride Deekie instead.

What had Wil let himself in for! - Deekie refused to cooperate and spent the whole lesson ignoring him and looking at me sitting in the corner. Deekie also spent the whole session going around the arena with a big cheesy grin on his face - what a cheeky monkey. I think it just confirms my thoughts and other peoples including Wils - Deekie is a one-person horse.

8th October - I put Deekie on the Walker for 40 mins before he went out in the field. Normally I would have hacked him out today after his session yesterday however I won't be riding for a while.

9th October - A day off for Deekie.

10th October - Horse walker for 40 mins today and out in the field.

11th October - On the horse walker again today - and yes I have cut his hard feed down! This is going to be the only snag - if I am having time off then Deekie has to as he won't work for anyone else.

12th October - Final day on the horse walker, this boy is going to be fresh when I work him tomorrow.

13th October - I bite the bullet and Lunge him today - just hope he doesn't get too excited and pull my back. Deekie was so excited to be working he spent the first 10 mins exploding leaping and cantering around the circle. All of my lunging has paid off as even though he was leaping and cantering around it was all very balanced and controlled!

14th October - I decided to sit on Deekie and hack out in walk for 20 mins with John to nanny me. My back held up but I was going to have to be careful for the next few weeks. How boring is that.

15th October - I lunged Deekie this morning as Sam Smith was coming that afternoon to treat him. Sam was impressed in Deekies muscular development and general being. Sam found a few areas that were a little tight and made a few minor adjustments. Deekie also had a visit from Laurence our Saddler who was coming to look at a couple of saddles that had been sent for me on trial from Sarah who owns Saddles Direct, a company in Lancashire that Specialize in Saddles - buying, part ex'ing, selling e.t.c

16th October - A day off for Deekie.

17th October - I decide to try riding again today just around the village for 30 mins in walk with john on his young horse. This went with out any problems. Finally I am on the mend.

18th October - On the horse walker for Deekie today for 40 mins and then out in the field.

19th October - I lunged Deekie today for 30 mins; he looks good and worked very well.

20th October - John clipped Deekie today, I decided on just giving him a trace clip, as he isn't doing enough work to justify having a full clip at the moment. Deekie was very good to clip and only objected slightly when John went to clip his right ear. With the boy looking good I decided to hack him around the village. Today was D-day - I had to find out whether my back would stand up to a trot. All went well and I trotted!!!!!

21st October - Deekie went back on the Lunge today and I worked him over poles. After a good session I turned him out for the afternoon.

22nd October - A hack through the village with another of my liveries today. A relaxing and most enjoyable hack - mainly spent gossiping!!!

23rd October - With my back still not 100% I am trying to alternate hacking with Lunging or walker exercise - poor Deekie. So back on the lunge and time to up the work. 24th October - Another hack today this time with John on his young horse - who might I add has to some times nanny Deekie past scary things, I however think that Deekie just uses this as an excuse to tuck in behind the young mare and check out her bottom!!

25th October - Determined to school my horse today was the day. It was also the first day that Deekie has been ridden in the school since Wil rode him in there. This was going to be interesting. I took Deekie in there and he was on his toes - when I asked for trot he bucked twice and took off around the arena in a very forward/ active trot. After 20 mins of transitions and good work I decided to call it a day as my back was beginning to ache. So to finish off I decided to walk and trot him around the gallops.

Well I could have cried - 6 months ago this horse was un balanced, non responsive to humans and had no confidence in his own ability and here I was trotting up the gallops on horse that was giving me a feeling that I have not felt since I last sat on an advanced Dressage horse - it was fantastic and the best bit was that Deekie knew it too.

26th October - I paid the price today - too much too soon, Deekie was back on the walker for 40mins today.

27th October - Well Deekie is feeling very fresh today, as I am doing morning stables John is the other side of the barn clipping a horse and Deekie is so excited by this he is rearing, bucking and Kicking out at his stable bars with excitement. I decide that he needs to cool off before I ride him (not that im a chicken) so I turn him out and lunge him later.

28th October - Deekie in all of his excitement yesterday managed to give himself a bit of jar up to his front legs, so I give him a day off out in the field to walk it off - what a plonker!

29th October - Deekie seems much better today but I decide to give him one more day off to just to make sure. I could also do with a quiet day too.

30th October - Laurence the Saddler came out today to look at a few more saddles that have been sent to me to try. Deekie has a new Dressage saddle - an Albion K2. Very smart. To celebrate Deekie and I join John on a hack.

31st October - I hack out again today with a few Liveries on their horses and when we get back I decide to go for a walk and trot around the gallops - great minds must think alike because I end up with one Livery catching up with me on her horse but more excitingly for Deekie one of my liveries decides to trot around the gallops the other way - straight towards Deekie. This again was a good test of his newly found confidence and trust in me as 6 months ago this would have petrified him. Deekie did stop and watch the horse but then when asked he did walk on and past the other horse. What a good boy x

Deekie wants me to tell you a story about his best friend Padrig A.K.A. rubber lips. This is some thing rather trivial that had been going on for a few weeks and Kerry and I were determined to get to the bottom of it. Kerry or I would get Rubber lips in from the field and every day with out fail he would come in with muddy knees and shins - we couldn't work out what he was doing until we caught him in the act. (Rubber lips who was about 16.2hh - middle weight hunter with a mind of a cheeky monkey when it came to food, the softest temperament you could ask for nicest personality and a true professional in the hunting field) decided that the grass was greener on the other side - literally.

One afternoon Kerry and I were walking across the field to get horses in and were amazed with what we were seeing. Rubber lips was on his knees with his big round bottom stuck up in the air and with his neck turned to the side under the last rail of the fence and was eating the grass on the other side. Rubber lips had become a sheep!!!!. All I can say is what a very intelligent horse that is one in a million.

Watch out for my next installment........

To find out more about the excellent facilities and services offered by Jonathan, Director of Equisea and his partner Kelly at New Barn Equine, a Livery, Training, Rehabilitation and Therapy centre situated in Chedworth, Cirencester in Gloucestershire, please click on this link.