Epworth Equestrian Cross Country Schooling

So today we went Epworth - its a step up from the jumps we have done in the past. All the fences are pretty solid and 70 cms or above!  There were a few I didnt do - as there were a few that I was nervous of and blooped them a bit so decided that the bigger ones might just be a bit tricky.   She went really well - the ones we fluffed were due to me approaching too slowly and causing funny leaps.  But she is still leaping over them and thanks to my new saddle I am finding them easier to sit :)

Time for the Dentist

Well the dentist came to see to the horses week before last.  Dainty (after a bit of persuasion) allowed him to use the power tool in her mouth.  She needs her teeth brushing as her gums are receding and food is getting trapped.  Well let me tell you that was fun trying to brush her teeth!  Lewis eventually managed to get them done.   Mulls was fine - his bite may need some correcting next year due to age but on the whole his mouth was fine.

Sadie's bite has locked again.  I could kick myself as about 4 years ago this was discovered and under sedation it was corrected.  She then had 6 monthly visits from the dentist and we kept on top of it.  But then moving to the farm and not really doing much with her and then using someone who is not a true equine dentist last year who visited the yard I completely forgot about it.  But a few months ago she started getting really iffy in her head / mouth and started chewing / mouthing objects like her lead rope, bucket - anything really and was really locked on the left rein. She has also had a few episodes of choke as if she is not chewing her hay properly.  So, I contacted my old dentist who came out to see them.  He is really good - he trains other dentists and therefore his schedule is very busy.  We had to wait two months for our appointment.  As the procedure that Sadie needed doing required a much bigger power tool she needed sedating.  He could come back out end of October or I could take her to a monthly clinic in a neighbouring town.  Que me booking the morning off and a friend came with and we trundled off to this yard to have her teeth sorted.   Basically her jaw neither moved side or side or up and down (if you moved the jaw around)  the teeth were wedged together in the bite. 

It is easily corrected and took about 15 mins.  On arrival we had to wait our turn in a stall - she was such a good girl.

The vet arrived, asked me if she had been sedated before - I said yes and she asked how much sedation she normally has ?? !! What !!  I said I dont know my vet always just gives it and gets it right.  She didnt listen to the horses heart - ask any history - weigh her - nothing!  Bam - sedation in.  Sadie was very wobbly - I thought she might fall over but I was assured she was fine!  Thats ok to say when its not your horse that may fall down on concrete.  Anyway moving on - she was put in a special halter thingy that held her head up and the dentist did his job.

Vet presented me with a bill and told me to record in her passport the dosage.  I think not - horse seemed far too groggy.  Anyway she took about 15 mins to come out and when she heard another horse she started neighing really loudly and after I had walked her around a bit I loaded her up and went home.  She was still actually a bit groggy coming off the trailer ramp but once she realised she was home she seemed fine.

So we are back to 6 monthly visits for now to see how it goes.  I have not had a chance to ride her yet but I am sure she will be much more comfortable.  I am off on holiday for a week so will crack on when I get back.



Continuing the Journey ...

Well time is running out bit for this year in my journey to improve my confidence as soon the horrible weather will be back and horses will be back in at night.  

Decided to go again to Danethorpe with the intention of pushing to do the next level jumps.  I dont know what happened but my nerves just got the better of me.  Luckily once we had gone through the wood land trial with Lauren shouting encouragement at me we improved slightly but didnt really get my act together and so really felt it Monday and in fact Tuesday - felt I had been steam rollered.  Probably sitting too tense and gripping!

Sadie was due to have some dental work done and I toyed with going bitless but after a practice session decided it was just not safe.  She was fine but towards the end was a little iffy and I tried really hard to just leave her head alone.  She is not a horse that jumps on washing line reins though and is in fact very green in her jumping as we found out trying to do the steps lol. 

I get so frustrated with myself as I know the horse can do it - all she wants is for me to tell her to do it and I just freeze.  I am shouting at myself in my head - sit up, hold her up and kick.  I dropped her at one and she hit the brakes and luckily Lauren quickly point out my mistake.  So what I am trying to do now is look at the positives and to be positive - we tried the bigger drop fence and did a few new jumps like the steps, the coffin and a few banks but afterwards I felt cross that were others that are calling me to jump them and I just chicken out.

So .... we have a hunter trial planned for October and one more practice session before that to give myself a kick up the rear!  Maybe if I have a definite goal to work towards I might just pull myself together.

I have decided I need to jack my stirrups up a few holes and possibly get a gp / jumping saddle as the dressage and VSD saddle dont really help.

Hopefully this little clip of the coffin will work - she is normally very confident over ditches but we took a few trys to get it smooth - again she was probably feeding off my tenseness.

We played quite a bit in the water trotting through out over a small log and on to a slightly bigger log. She will jump out of water fine - but will not jump into water.

Trying to sort my knitting out on the steps lol :

she still wouldnt drop into the water and would slide along until she could jump off the corner.  She was getting a bit upset when I tried to push her so I left it at that.

Jumping out the water was no problem - although this picture makes me laugh as it looks like I was trying to lift her up lol.  She did eventually get the hang of it.