Remi's Rehabilitation journey

Monday, 20 May 2013

Weekend of schooling!

Saturday

Despite being very tired, I made the effort to school both ponies. Seeing as I havent schooled Remi since last weekend, and Mac since before he went lame with bruised feet.

Remi lunged and then schooled. Lunging good. Canter improving. Movement good, but decent stretching down intermitternt. Different ridden tactic. After lunging got on and went straight into trot, thinking forward large shapes, lots of changes of direction, all very large shapes. Using whole school, doing 20 metre circles and then changing. Got some really nice work. Tried some shallow leg yield bits. Heaps to work on but progress and starting to feel less at sea with the movement. Did a few mini walk stretch breaks, picking him up quite quickly before he decides is end of session. Was tempted to try canter but restrained myself. Interesting that he is much easier to ride on left rein.

Am encouraged, very long way to go, but feels like we are starting proper riding. Probably did 20 minutes lunging and 20 minutes riding. Have booked a 30 minute lesson for him next sunday afternoon.

Mac schooled nicely too considering how long he has been out of the school.Only did a gentle 20 minutes with him.

Spent 2 hours clearing the old paddock space of wet haylage that was lying on the ground. Horrid job. Cleared out car that had become a junk room / tack / rug room! Put all stuff in proper places.

Cleared out sun room at home (had become rug room / tack room).

Entered short Endurance ride for Mac 2nd June. Thought about taking Remi too, but they said were two stretches of 500metres of flint, which I think might be a bit much for him. Am looking for a nice 15km ride to take Remi on that is barefoot friendly.

Sunday

Up at 5.45am and had both horses schooled by 9am. Both good again. Ventured for 1/4 of a circle of canter on both reins which was good. More trot figures. Generally good. Put ponies back out and started poo picking - unfortunately paddock space had quite a lot of existing poo in it. 3 hours later had done most of it. Put a bottom line on last bit of paddock fence, and trimmed vegetation away from trough and battery.

Hacked both with Rachel on Mac at about 12pm. Remi not footy despite the unplanned increase in grass intake. FANTASTIC.

Considering they arent really eating much haylage, and are doing green poos, I am very pleased he isnt footy, though it might not last. In a few more days there will be less grass in paddock. The laminitis app does say it is okay at the moment. So fingers crossed.

Out hacking we met huge numbers of cyclists (some event on), ballons and banners, and lots of horse boxes. Both ponies sensible. Mac seems back on form and was bouncing about and not keen to be behind. He was annoying Dash and Remi in the field. I think he needs his manners rebooting. Nice to see he is feeling well again and has his sparkle back.

Both horses are looking good - shiny, building muscle, good weight, generally looking content.

Saturday, 18 May 2013

Bodywork - 4th session post Rockley and musings

Body work update

Elaine came over Saturday 11^th to treat Remi. He started off looking pretty good on lunge, but bit tight through neck. After treatment he looked better still. Some bit of irregularity, but generally he has a longer stride and was looking pretty good on lunge.

I lunged to warm up and schooled Sunday morning. Remi was powering off with a massive walk and trot. Making him quite hard to organise. He is rather wobbly and lacks strength, and he is a big horse with lots of movement. It does strike me that we are going to end up with a huge horse with a huge amount of movement which is rather daunting! Was a good schooling session and played with some shallow leg yield and shoulder for in walk. And trying to keep basic balance in trot.

Must do more schooling. I find it quite challenging – mentally, physically and emotionally. I worry about doing the wrong thing. I worry about asking too much of him. I worry about having my hopes and dreams invested in schooling him. Also he is a big moving, big horse that is weak and very crooked so he is challenging to organise. My life is running very busy at the moment, and I have been prioritising hacking, but planning to increase schooling. My back has been very sore recently – mixture of lugging large amounts of haylage, and Remi being crooked to hack, and general stress I think. Physio treatment only helps for a short time. Hopefully Remi getting straighter will help.

Definitely finding 2 large horses paddocked a struggle. In terms of poo picking, transporting 60 lbs of haylage to field, access not easy, field not that close, bucketing water, changing rugs / fly rugs / fly mask, feeding, foot care, working them, commuting and working in London. Add to that lots of minor yard and routine crises and it is proving hard work.

Am starting to look for someone to help feed and exercise one or both horses a few times a week.

Monday L came to look at his feet. Felt they are improving, but the front feet heels are still weak and need to bulk up but will take time. Landings were judged to be heel first behind and flat in front. She did a small tidy up, which did make them look a lot prettier in my eyes. Landings remained same but said I should look at them in a few days to see if better / worse / same, as a guide to how he felt about trim. L has adjusted mineral analysis for me – as changed to a diet of almost entirely haylage. I have repeated the grass analysis, as was so off scale for iron and a few other things. Has come back mostly similar. I have bought more lysine, and selenium and calcium for the first time.

Tuesday hacked Remi. Overslept so did a shorter route round Reigate Heath. First time Remi has been that way in over a year. And first time I have truly varied our hacking route since he came home. He was a bit google eyed but was very good :-)

Wednesday day off

Thursday hacked with Rachel. Both horses felt good. unfortunately had to completely move paddock as become poached in recent heavy rain. Rachel kindly helped move it, it meant more winter field grass. So will have to cross fingers it isn't too much.

Friday morning hacked just Remi who again felt good. So okay on moved paddock so far.

Have booked Remi in for 30 minute lesson next weekend!

Friday, 17 May 2013

Remi feet comparison photos

Right fore

right fore

Right fore

Left fore

Left hind

Right hind

Thursday, 16 May 2013

Remi hind feet photos 11th May

left hind

right hind

Remi front feet photos 11th May

Right fore

Right fore

Right fore

Left fore

Wednesday, 15 May 2013

Saturday 11th May - body work report

www.orchardfarmequitherapy.co.uk
mail: elaine@orchardfarmequitherapy.co.uk

Mob:07815 310568

Remi notes 11^th May 2013

Lunge session:

Pre massage assessment –This was the best I have seen Remi move pre-massage. He was free moving, still braced in neck region but back muscles were moving, as were muscles over the quarters. Even left rein he was more upright and less inclined to lean over left shoulder.

http://youtu.be/kqCSRG3JLhU

Palpation and massage: (see diagram)

Straighter through spine, still asymmetrical shoulder development but he has mostly been hacking – schooling should see more equal development – see photo attached taken post massage.

On palpation, no major areas of concern. As still braced through neck on lunge, elected to work mostly on cervical region and quarters. His back was much better. Very responsive to massage of biceps femoris: origin.

A big improvement overall.

2^nd lunge session post massage

Most obvious improvement on left rein. Moving more freely forward and more balanced.

http://youtu.be/kqCSRG3JLhU

Aftercare:

To continue as before!

Tuesday, 14 May 2013

Remi lunging video

Before and after bodywork 11th May

http://youtu.be/kqCSRG3JLhU

I think there are some glimpses of nice movement here, and that his stride length and alignment is improving. Still early days, but I think there are some nice bits in this video clip. Comments and observations welcomed.