2 weeks of Fred!

Ah where do I start! Freddie has been with me for 2 weeks now and we've actually done rather a lot in that time! 
Since my last post where Fred had settled in and also had his teeth checked and rasped, as well as being wormed, well he's now had a full set of shoes on, had a physio session and started his proper walk work regime! A lot huh!

Our wonderful farrier Chris has been out to firstly put a front set of shoes on and then a week later he was back at the yard so Mum and I decided to put back shoes on as we're doing quite a lot of road work.
Our wonderful physio Alex also came out on Tuesday to give Freddie a once over and sort any problems; turns out there were multiple..
Freddie had a misaligned sacroiliac joint which in turn was making his gluteal muscles to spasm which is why he was sensitive about having his bum brushed. After a quick realign Alex worked on his sore withers and also popped just about every major joint. About an hour later he was all popped out and feeling much more relaxed. He even didn't mind his bum being brushed anymore!
The morning after he was feeling a little stiff so I walked him out to loosen him off, I also did this Thursday and Friday mornings and he really started walking well.
I also got my saddle back from being fixed so I could finally use it! So last weekend I put the saddle on and walked him round the school and he didn't seem to care at all. 
I had been told that in training he got a bit cold backed and to walk him on the walker before working him but after his physio session I think he was just sore and in pain before, and now that he's not then we're having no problems!

I've now been upping our walk work and have been taking him out in hand for a good 2 or 3 miles depending on which way I go and he's been loving going out and seeing the surrounding areas to the yard. He just loves to look and take in everything that is going on! I can tell he's been really enjoying it cause he walks so exuberantly I have to power walk to keep up! Boy can't half walk let's just say that!
I've also started running in the evenings as and when I can and that's been really fun and rewarding actually. I am fitter than I thought so it's been really nice for Freddie and I to do our fitness regime together! #FitForFreddie!

As well as walking out in hand we also have walked him slowly on the lunge and he took that all in his stride, no bucking or silliness. He's just so chilled! He's responding well to vocal commands also such as woo-hoo to slow down and/or stop, Stand, Walk On etc which I feel it really important for retraining not only for lunging but also for when I do start riding. He definitely knows my voice, which I absolutely love.

Overall I am super impressed with his progress for far, he's already looking so much better! His body obviously feels better as his bottom is no longer as concave and is filling out and he's really pushing himself when he walks instead of dragging with his front end. That bum is also really swinging so his back feels nice and loose. 

So where now! This week we'll obviously just keep up his walk work in hand and maybe take longer ride routes so he can really get used to his new surroundings. And work is good work! 

 He knows he's cute!

 "Thank you for my rug Sophie M" - Freddie

 He may have a baby face but he's hardly small! I'm 5'11"

Bums! One gaining in size and one reducing! 

Freddie, Week 1

Wow, a week has gone so quickly; Freddie has officially been with me one whole 7 days!

So, what has happened this week then. First thing Monday we went and got him a wormer and gave it to him just in case. We were told by his trainer that he had been wormed within the last 4 months but we felt it better safe than sorry and wormed him again for safeties sake. It seems that he didn't have any worms or eggs which is really positive!

He is just so incredibly calm and relaxed, we cannot get over it! We think he’s enjoying the quiet less busy yard and also very much enjoying being turned out in the lovely grass. The first 2 days he was a bit excited to go out in the field and we had some gymnastics with legs in the air which is totally normal for a horse joining a new yard and being with new horses, they do find it exciting and rightly so! Come Wednesday he just sauntered off once put out in the field to go and graze. Perfect, that what I wanted him to be likely, settling into the routine of every day life. 

He’s getting nice and round, his pointy edges are slowly covering over and we’re pleased with his progress for just 7 days with us.

We had our vet out on Thursday to do all the horses teeth and Freddie’s weren’t bad at all, just a couple of sharper edges but nothing major and he didn’t mind at all. I am really pleased with how level headed he is and just seems to take everything in his stride.

He’s also taken very well to being tied outside his stable to be brushed, rugged etc and stands there completely relaxed with no thought of pulling back, what a good boy considering he’s probably never had that before and has always been ‘done’ in his stable. Some horses realise they can pull back and can run off round the yard but he's never once thought about that so I am impressed with how quickly he's picking up the new routine and our expectations for him. 

Friday afternoon I roped Georgie in to helping me thin up Freddie's mane and also take quite a lot of length off it as it's grown really long and thick. As you'll likely see from this blog page Georgie and I are brand ambassadors for Smart Grooming  so we used their humane mane comb to thin on the bulk of mane rather than pull it (as mane pulling does hurt horses I didn't want Freddie to associate mane combing with pain and that make him head shy). Georgie and I did a 'How To' video while we did this, which I will upload shortly! It really is helpful!

We got, what amounted to, half a bucket of mane out. It was just so thick it was splitting down the middle to form two manes! Ugh! 

Before - 

After -

After we had thinned it out we then took 2 inches off the length. Not only was it looking straggly it was also 'cutting' Freddie's neck in half and giving the illusion of this really thin neck, which we certainly didn't want because A) it looks gross, untidy and unkempt, but B) it also doesn't help when we're looking to monitor his muscle gain during the weeks/months of his retraining. Now he actually looks decent and more like his usual self! 

Super smart if I do say so myself!

Saturday was really sunny so I decided to give Fred a wash with some baby shampoo to get the excess grease out of his skin (that wouldn't shift with just brushing alone), get the dry skin off from weeks of not being brushed and also help get the shine in his coat. He really was looking a bit dejected! 

He was a very good boy to be bathed and enjoyed standing under the heat lamps to dry off. 

So with him near enough dry I put his bridle on and got him ready to go out for his first walk out in hand, down the road. He is in Erik's old showing bridle (the only bridle I actually own) so he looks a little silly in a very thick nose band but still so gorgeous at the same time. He was a little exuberant so I wasn't able to get any photos unfortunately. When I say exuberant I mean that he just wanted to walk quickly/jog slightly, and pretty much puff up and grow a couple of inches but nothing silly at all. He was just very much excited to see what his new surroundings were like and from his reaction of ears pricked and eyes looking at everything I think it's safe to say he liked it. 

As obviously we're just starting out and he doesn't have shoes on yet it was literally just a walk down the road and back but having done it on Saturday and again Sunday he is pretty clear on that he loves it. On Sunday I also went into the school and on a lead rope I just build our bond and also just see how responsive he is to being asked to stop and wait, and also to set the foundation of being allowed to walk off when I allow it. I am very big on horses having good manners and it all starts with ground work. 

I also put some walk poles down just to see if he'd seen any before and how he would react; he did have a look at the poles but absolutely no hesitation, he just walked straight over then and really picked his legs up high. What a cutie!

For his first week I am really excited with his progress. He's very affection and has proven himself safe and trustworthy round Georgie's two girls. Expecially loving Frankie, 6.5 yo, who he nuzzles and smells at any opportunity, she even led him back to the field on Sunday afternoon in just a head collar and he just sauntered along next to her. It's very reassuring to know he is safe with her. Fenella, nearing 2 years old, also loves being around him and he is very gentle with her also. 

This coming week he is having the physio come and just look at him, he does seem a little sore over his lower back so I am wanting to see what Alex feels about that, he is also having front shoes on on Tuesday also so that he won't get foot sore now that I am doing walk work on the roads. 

I will continue to work in hand with him, he will also be lunged and once built up muscle enough I will get on.

Week 1

New kid in the gang!

So quite a bit announcement but I've bought my own horse! 

It all happened rather quickly, with the space of a week in fact but now he is home with me I am excited to have him.
Our journey together is going to be a long one; he is very light at present and will need plenty of time in the field every day to fill up with grass and nice hay and feed morning and night and then with that I can start his rehab work to build up the muscle that has just pretty much completely gone.

What are the details I hear you ask, well... His name is Krugermac, who I have given the stable name of Freddie (like Freddie Kruger), he is 8 years old, an Irish thoroughbred, he was a National Hunt Hurdler and Chaser, he was in training with Gary Moore. He is approximately 17 hands and is dark bay. 

We went down to Gary's holding/R&R, pre-training etc yard on Sunday to view Freddie and see what he is like. He was quite excited to be having a trot up and a walk around but was overall a very responsive chap who listened to instruction so with a lot of discussion and talks of how we have to see the diamond in the rough we got him and he came home with me.
I was really surprised that considering he had never travelled in a trailer before he walked on first ask without any hesitation at all and travelled home as quiet as a lamb.
I unloaded him to which he very cleverly assessed the ramp first before ambling off and with my permission towards a nice bit of grass that he eagerly put his head down to eat.
It would seem he hasn't bee out on grass for some time so he's very grateful to be out in a field with lot's of lovely grass to feast on to make him nice and round.
And boy does he need it! He sadly is rather light on the weight and muscle front so for the next few weeks he will be solely put out to pasture every day, have a nicely snuggly bed with plenty of hay and good hard feed so he can round off before I start from scratch with the ground work in hand, some lunging and finally when he is muscled up enough then I can put a saddle on and get on but I will absolutely not be doing that before he is ready. 

It is going to take a very long time and is definitely a project as opposed to getting on him and getting out straight away. Once I can ride him then we have that saga to start with him having to understand a different way of moving and using his body. I don't think we'll be out competing at all in 2019 but I am totally ok with that. Slow and steady wins the race as they say and I think with bringing Freddie on the slow pace and making sure I do it properly will be what counts.

He has only been with us 2 days and is settling in to his routine nicely, will already stand tied up outside his stable while I put rugs on etc and is generally a very loving affectionate chap who just wants all the love and attention you'll give him.

I am very much looking forward to Friday afternoon when it's warm and sunny so that I can bath him, tidy up his overly long mane and give him a good scrub and trim. I know from grooming him already that he is going to love it!

Here are some photos from the last couple of days. I don't want to do a photo without rugs yet as I am aiming to do a 'when he arrived, X months later' in say 6 months time so we can really see the difference in his appearance.

So everyone, meet Freddie! 

 Winning The Geotech Soil Stabilisation National Hunt Maiden Hurdle in November 2015. Photo by Steven Cargill/Racing Fotos

 In the parade ring at Ascot. Photo by Mick Atkins

Ascot Hurdle win

Jamie Moore guiding Freddie to win at Ascot

Final Hurdle before winning at Ascot

Second day at the yard, with a new turn out rug ready to let down for a while

 Currently super loving the grass 

 Watching  and look at all that is going on when being let out 

The Gang <3

Riding Club Arena Eventing at Keysoe

Sorry it's taken me such a long time to write a post! Last weekend Georgie and I went to Keysoe for the Riding Club Arena Eventing competition and all was well. Then Sunday I woke up feeling unwell, I (stupidly) still attended my RoR Club Night in Norfolk and turns out I felt super ill cause I had the flu! 
I then spent all of last week confined to my home with a fever, aches and pains and generally feeling like I was dying a little bit!

Anyway, I am now well enough to be back at work and writing! So... back to arena eventing!

Georgie and I started the day pretty early as the class was due to start at 9am but got moved back an hour for the temperatures to warm up to 10am but wanted to still leave in plenty of time not to have to rush. We were the first to arrive but parked out the way in order for Georgie to figure out where everything was while B and I wondered round for him to see everything and take it all in. He settles much better when he's had a good nose around! 

I stood minding B while he snacked on grass while Georgie when and walked the course. It turned out to be really quite twisty and turnie but the course was well up to height and looked like it would be an interesting course.
While Georgie walked the course she realised, much to her dismay, that she had forgotten her back protector and it wasn't like we were close to home! That'll teach me not to do a role call before we leave like I always do!
Luckily our wonderful friend Rachel had hers with her and being the same size as Georgie, luckily it fit! Phew, crisis averted.

It didn't take too long for Georgie to warm up and be ready in the collecting ring for her number to be called. I got in position with my camera and hoped I wouldn't be too rusty and I got some nice photos. 
B was on fine form and in a much better space than he was the weekend before for the show jumping, there was no tense atmosphere just a nice friendly fun vibe!
They made their way in to the ring and off they went. B flew over the show jumping fences which came first, they were by all means up to height but he had a big spring in his step! Wasn't long before a twist and they were at the cross country fences, again really nice jumps and well up to height (and turns out they're made by our brand ambassador company's son, small world hey!). 
B was absolutely flying, and it came to jumping the penultimate fence, a smart 90 degree turn back on yourself and over the 110cm joker show jump fence to finish. Really frustratingly B had it down; darn it!

It wasn't about the result though and Georgie and B finished really happy to have got round and that he had jumped out of his skin. We finished the day with a bacon roll while sitting in the trailer out of the cold! It really was very cold after having snow all week! 

I am really pleased with how my photos came out, it's always lovely to have the sun come out as the camera can pick up some really nice natural effects! 

Cross Country Colours by GGGear, Storm Chase Gloves, Rose Gold Spurs from Eclat Equestrian.

After a busy couple of weekends I am not quite sure what competitions Georgie has lined up for herself and I am on the hunt for my own horse so I am sure there won't be a dull moment!
Oh and we're very excited, Georgie and I, as we have been picked up continue to represent Smart Grooming as brand Ambassdor's for 2019 making that 4 years on the trot! We absolutely love Smart Grooming, so do click on the link to see what lovely products they do!

What have you all been up to?

Sophie x

Riding Club Show Jumping at Keysoe!

It's been an odd and rather quiet few weeks for Georgie and I as it's January, it's a long month and after being rather accustomed to the mild start to the winter, it has been freezing!
I had mixed feelings about this weekend far various reasons but had been looking forward to grooming for Georgie at the Riding Club Show Jumping at Keysoe EQ centre. 
It was an early start to the morning as the 100cm classes started at 9.30 but not only was it started slightly early they were flying through the rounds with letting the next competitor in while the current rider was still jumping the final 2 fences which caught a lot of people, including us, and there was a distinct tense atmosphere in the indoor arena warm up area, plus it was absolutely rammed with people! 
Georgie was able to warm up a little outside in the 80cm warm up arena as it was definitely less busy and chaotic so at least that was a nice start! 
Unfortunately not having room to really jump enough fences and the indoor class arena being absolutely rammed full of fences (personally I felt the 80cm should have been in the smaller indoor arena and the 100cm in the outdoor, more spacious arena but that's just my opinion) and the course being really tight G did sadly did roll a few poles out of their cups. This is really uncharacteristic for B as he's usually very careful but we summarised that he was going much to fast and feeling very keen and enjoying himself that he just wasn't fully focused. 

Now me, being a total newbie to anything riding club figured it was just like normal show jumping right? If you aren't a clear round you don't do a jump off etc. Well, no, no-one had told us anything and I proceeded to untack me and get us bacon sarnies ready to have an early end to the day and drive home but alas no, even if you have poles down (and even get eliminated) you still have to go back in for another round and they'll be bigger than the round before. Does that make sense to me..... no, but there we go.

Good old B, I had to tack him up in lightning speed, put boots back on and get back in the arena for Georgie to warm him back up! He proceeded to take it all in his stride and perhaps the first round and time to chill meant he went back in the arena much more steady but still, with a very tight course and a horse with a giant stride such as B has they sadly still rolled a pole but came out more positive than before.
Not the start we'd obviously wanted to 2019 but Georgie and B hadn't done any show jumping comps since October and B was obviously excited to be out and about! 

I am certainly looking forward to this coming weekend when we're back at Keysoe for Arena Eventing, which is much more fun and will be outdoor so we won't be lacking space! 
I took my camera and some of the photos came out okay considering my camera struggles a bit in low light and the arena and warm up's being so cramped!

I really liked Georgie's House of Montar jacket even if I wasn't sure of it when Georgie bought it at Olympia. Plus I am so pleased I offered her my rose gold spurs from Eclat Equestrian 

Scent laying for the Cambridge University Drag Hounds

Sorry I haven't posted for a while, I've has such a busy December and start to the New Year, plus I spent most of it ill with this chesty cough that has been doing the rounds!
Erik and I have enjoyed me being off work as he's been being ridden loads and loads and we've been doing different rides or our normal rides backwards to liven things up and he's loved it!

He got dressed up for Christmas when Georgie, Frankie and I went out for a lovely hack Christmas even and obviously, any excuse to dress up your horse!
We've also has some jumping schooling at home which he's enjoyed. We carried on from our last lesson  and have been doing some 'gymnastics' in the school at home, namely in the form of raised trotting poles, a square grid at the end which you can use to come at in all different directions, doing jumps with no ground line with flower pots underneath and stacking cavaletti's.. It's all been going on! When i've been doing these are home Erik has been a little fresh and unfocused with him wanting to stare through the fence to see what Beanie is up to but some trotting pole grids and lot's of circles and turning soon got his mind focused and paying attention. Jumping has been going well and I am pleased.

Georgie and I having a quieter December meant we were keen to get out and do something, so when I had the idea of being the scent layers/draggers for the Cambridge University Drag Hounds we were keen to ask and were excited to be accepted. Trumpington Hall is somewhere where Georgie and I have been going for a long time, since Pony Club even, and with it being so close to home it's always a fun one to go to.

We plaited up that morning and spruced up the horses the night before we were all ready to go, so with my whizzing off in my car to the meet to walk the lines Georgie and Mum very kindly bought the horses along a little later. As we've not had rain in a good few days the ground was absolutely perfect! A nice combination of give in the ground but not too heavy at all, absolutely spot on. 
We obviously left the meet about 10 minutes early to make sure we weren't caught up by the hounds, huntsman Duncan or the field! Lucky we did because we got started and jumped a few fences when Erik thought this was all very exciting and tried to zoom off with me and after a brief wobble in confidence and a bracing pep talk from Georgie we were off again and going. I hadn't quite got the new to keep jumping as it's then that Erik get's really excited and tended to want to just go off as fast as possible! 

Photo courteous of Timelight Equestrian Photography, used with permission on social media

Luckily I had Georgie and Beanie with me to drag the first line while I got myself in control and faught off my demons. Beanie really is amazing he just jumped anything Georgie put him at, while dragging the scent! 

 Thank you Kamikaze photography for the photo 

 Thank you Kamikaze photography for the photo 

 Photo courteous of Timelight Equestrian Photography, used with permission on social media

Thank you Kamikaze photography for the photo 

We however steadily dragged the scent for the entire first line and it was nice to let our horses stand and have a breather while we watched the hounds and field make their way towards us! 
It was a rather surreal experience being the other side of the field and seeing everyone coming towards you rather than being in the field itself with everyone! 

 Waiting for the field 

Caught up by the field at the end of line 1

After a brief breather Georgie and I set off for line 2, along the bank of the River Cam and along the cross country course! Over the years we've cantered along here on various horses so it was nice to add another to that count and Georgie had fun popping over fences and waving to onlookers in Granchester Meadows! Erik was behaving himself well here and I was able to take the scent line from Georgie while she jumped along! He was very good considering he had never dragged before and he's got a line of bailer twine with a very smelly rag on the end dragging along behind him! 

 Photo courteous of Timelight Equestrian Photography, used with permission on social media

 Thank you Steph for snapping this pic! 

We then made our way to the final part of line 2 which was in to the woods where the cross country course usually winds through! The last time I went through that woods was during a cross country trial when I was a child/teenager so that was a lovely blast from the past! 

We ended the line in the field we began in and again it was really fun to see everyone canter back in to the field with lot's of smiley faces. It looked like everyone had a lovely time and really enjoy themselves, as did the horses! 

With a lot of steam coming off the horses a breather was needed before line 3, which was lines 1 and 2 backwards and without hounds so a good half returned to do line 3 while the rest made their way back to the boxes to wash of their horses and have some refreshments. 

It was a good few miles and quick pace so they were well earned by horse and rider. Georgie and I decided for the later and to call the day the end there and finish on a good note. Both horses adrenalines were certainly still up while we untacked and we quickly dried them off and got them home to settle before having a thorough wash off and clean up! 

Back home Bean was dried off under the heat lamps and Erik snuggled up back in his bed, both of them with a big pile of hay and a hearty feed!

We had such a lovely day together Sunday and we wanted to say thank you to the Cambridge University Drag Hounds for having us and providing such a lovely day out. 

If you'd like to go out with them yourself, their meet card can be found on their Facebook along with corresponding events pages. 

PS we'd highly recommend Burghley! 

Snuggled up! 

Absolutely flying; Erik and I having our 2nd jump lesson

I've had an interesting Birthday weekend; Saturday was not only blowing a hooley but it was also 1 degrees and the word 'snow' and 'sleet' mentioned heavily in forecasts but I was absolutely determined to ride on my Birthday even if it was arctic and I was riding alone. 

I got down the yard as the sun rose to tack up Erik and try on some new equipment; I've decided we are going to trial a grackle and he seems to be happy in! After that fitting I tacked up and got ready to go, to say Erik was raring to go would be an understatement! I had to ask him to stand 3 times at the mounting block while usually I 'park' him at it and he waits but Saturday he was fidgeting about and as soon as my bum hit the saddle we were off, when usually he waits for me to tell me. Naughty E!

Despite being absolutely freezing Erik and I had a lovely ride, had a few trots and a canter and he loved going on a new ride that we haven't done in months! 

Sunday came and luckily the wind had died down and the cold arctic winds had moved on and we actually had a nice mild day for my second jumping lesson with Erik at the beautiful Palace House in Newmarket. I was hosting RoR lessons there that day and a last minute cancellation meant an empty spot so I asked G if she'd take me when she went for her lesson with Beanie, to which she kindly said yes and off we went! 

After my first lesson I was feeling confident that I could jump a little bigger and had much more of an idea of what I was doing with this big galumphing horse. We started off with a grid of poles on the floor to get Erik and I thinking about what we were doing and me 'allowing' him to find his own stride instead of trying to over control him. He likes to stand off fences so that takes some getting used to but after a couple of runs he stopped rushing and found his own stride. 

In no time at all the grid was going up and up and we were away! I really liked this grid for adding in some 'gymnastics' time to a lesson rather than just jumping whatever is needed.
We had successfully done the grid a few times and then a double was put in and then another double so the next thing I know we're snaking down one side if the arena, across the diagonal and down the other side. I really was enjoying myself, and so much so that once my lesson had finished I hadn't realised that we had in fact been jumping 90 to 100cm!
Erik what a good egg he is! 

End of the grid, flying!

 must remember, elbows in! 

Windy ride the day before, on my Birthday!