#84 - Teddy's first arena ride with me!

I haven't ridden as much as I would have like to this past week - damn life gets in the way all the time! However I have ridden once at home and yesterday I saddled up and walked Teddy over to the KDARC arena. As before he was hyper alert once we go into the grounds and when we stepped into the arena itself he pranced around a bit. As there was no mounting block there I was trying to mount from a log about as thick as a telegraph pole. He was so hyper that he kept stepping over it, back and forth and I thought I was never going to be able to get on his back. He was starting to make me nervous. But I sucked it up, walked him around the arena a bit and he calmed down enough for me to mount.

During this time a woman with two girls that looked about 6 or 7 years old arrived with two ponies and used the public arena next door. It's all open air so they were right beside me and Teddy was very interested in these ponies. He couldn't take his eyes off of them! I was also interested to hear the woman instructing the children to whack their ponies! I guess that being so small it wouldn't have had much impact as the ponies would hardly feel it and it was probably her way of getting them to give aids that would be felt by the ponies; I just hope that they don't grow up to think that 'whacking' is the way to go.

I went through the paces with Teddy who was ridiculously forward moving to start with so I spent a fair bit of time just trying to get him to walk at a relaxed pace. In a while he was fine. Once again he was great with the aids so I did some balance work and then some trotting work with him. I was pleased with the improvement in my balance but still have a long way to go. Maybe I should be doing some sit-ups on a regular basis... and maybe not! (forget that! I hate structured exercises!) We both handled our session well except my stirrup leathers were giving me the shits. I haven't touched them and for some unknown reason the were bothering me. They have a safety on them as well so I know they weren't twisted. Go figure.

The change in weather and work with Teddy has made him lose a bit of weight. I guess the nutritional value in the grass has changed and the riding has increased his calorie burning. It is noticeable but not a concern as he was too fat anyway. However I do think I could now benefit from a new gullet in my stock saddle. Also, trotting in the stock saddle isn't ideal so I will start looking for a general purpose or dressage saddle and see what second hand deals pop up.

I'm proud of you Teddy! Well done!

#83 - A besotted boy and a busted butt cheek!

Yes, Teddy is still besotted by the recently born calf but has calmed down about it a lot. I don't think it's an issue for him anymore. His leg seems completely healed and he is in need of some attention so I will be back riding him after work on Friday and put my latest lesson into practice.

I had a lesson on Dick yesterday and in the process I must have strained the old gluteus maximus as it's causing me some pain, particularly when getting in and out of my chair. I think this is a result of working outside the arena yesterday.

I arrived at my lesson while Kim was working one of her horses. While walking to the arena I had the overwhelming urge to just go and ride - no lesson, just explore the property and venture out on a leisurely horsey adventure. I put this to Kim as she was working her green mare but she felt that the mare wasn't ready for such an outing but suggested that we could have a lesson with a difference.

We started off in another arena to the usual and Dick was a lot more forward moving in these surroundings. I hadn't ridden in over a week due to Teddy's injury and it felt like I had never been on Dick before! Dick has a lot more speed in him then he lets on! Also, that morning I was in such a rush to get to work and had my mind on a meeting I was having that I hadn't packed my jodhpurs or anything so I was doing my lesson in my work clothes. Luckily I wore my riding boots to work!

Anyway, after a while we went out into the front paddock which had a number of natural obstacles like tall grass, ditches, uneven surfaces etc and I was learning to improve my balance out of the seat out there. Just at a trot it was a whole new world of balance due to every few steps being a different surface. I concentrated on riding through ditches out of the saddle. I think that all the moving about made me pull a muscle of something. It was a great lesson though because it is definitely something I can replicate at home.

I will spend the next week working this through with Teddy. Although I feel stable and comfortable in the saddle and don't have an issue with any of this, the fact that I don't always balance correctly really annoys me. I really want to get this right and I know when I get it right but cant do it consistently as yet. I have to learn to keep the inside of my calves in contact with the horse at all times while rising out of the saddle without using my knees or thighs or moving forward. I know my problem is my feet so I really have to concentrate on this. The slightest move forward and I'm out of alignment; having my toes pointing down and I'm messes everything up etc. Damn annoying!

I will also read Sally Swift's Centred Riding to see if this can flip the switch for me so I get this the way I want it. I've been doing this now for two months (seems longer doesn't it?!) so I am happy with my progress in some sense, but I expect more of myself.

#82 - rock-a-bye baby calf....

We drove home this evening to find Teddy in the hallway so I was relieved that he wasn't pacing the front fence looking out for the new born calf. But I soon found that the calf was moved and Teddy had simply found the best vantage point on the property to keep a keen eye over his adopted baby.

Oh Teddy you are a silly boy.

#81 - Teddy should have been born a mare!

When I got home from work Steve tells me that Teddy is pacing up and down the fence and has been for the couple of hours he's been home. I'd noticed it too as I came down the driveway but didn't think much of it, but for hours... well that's a different story. I was wondering what was up as he hasn't down that since the first few months he came here.

I went out and fed him with his final dose of anti-inflammatory mixed in with the feed and he seemed happy enough to eat but then he matched back over to the fence and was looking back at me, then back across the paddock, then back and across again and again. He came and ate some more and then repeated the whole process. I wandered over to the fence beside him to get a look at what had got his attention and a far way off in the distance, right near the back of the neighbours property is a cow cleaning its new born calf. I think, Oh no, here we go again!

This is similar to the last time a calf was born next door but not as dramatic. Last time the cow had her calf right beside the fence Teddy was near and he stood sentry the whole time during the birth and wouldn't leave their side after the birth. When the neighbour took the mother and calf away because the baby wasn't drinking Teddy threw a fit! He was calling them for hours and running to the house and back again as if to say "A human took my baby!" He carried on for two days!

I called Steve out and as soon as he sees the calf he understands.

Thankfully as yet no fit has been thrown. But as I type this Teddy is watching the new calf and pacing. I swear that horse should have been a mare he's so maternal. It is kind of sweet though.

If our loan bull Roger has done his job we should have two of our own calves in September - imagine Teddy then!

#80 - safe and sound... the story continues...

As I was saying... When I got to the front of my place a older lady pulls up on the side of the road and hops out of her 4WD say "So you found him!"

It turns out that this woman spotted him on the road but as she was afraid of horses she called some people to come and get him and put him in the paddock where I found him. She put him there knowing it was secure even though it not her property. She figured that it wouldn't matter as the people who own it are never there anyway. I thanked her then took Teddy back to his paddock.

When I got to his paddock, to my astonishment the gate is closed and latched! I don't remember doing this as I was in such a hurry to get to my house to get shoes so I could go looking for him that I didn't stop to close it. What was the point? He wasn't in there anyway! I ran to the house trying to balance on my heels while holding my pants up! I didn't stop to close the gate - it was open inwards as wide as can be so I think I would remember running to that side of the paddock grabbing the gate, closing it and latching it. Steve had already left for work and it's too far from the road for anyone driving past to see and think,' gee I better lock that gate for those strangers'. I must be losing my mind!

Anyway, I took Teddy to the crush paddock, rugged and gave him some chaff and water just to see if he would eat and he was fine, so I waited for the vet.

Heidi the vet did a thorough exam and said "Mr Adventure" was good, just some muscle strains like he had turned on his back leg too quickly and slipped. The stiffness in his stifle (horse's knee) was also due to a strain and she gave him some anti-inflammatories and told me not to ride him for a week. Through the whole exam Teddy was as relaxed as can be, nibbling on stuff and exploring with his lips, nudging, willy out, yawning etc. She was praising me on what a well behaved, gentle and co-operative horse I have. I didn't say anything but I was thinking, "He must be in a bad way cause that's not the description I usually get for Teddy!" Granted, he has improved heaps (if we don't count the rearing and flipping right over incident with the dentist the other week) so maybe I should take that as a compliment on the great work we have gone through together.

After all this I have a lot of questions in my head -

• I know for sure the farrier closed the gate as we stood there and had a specific conversation about the gate as he latched it - but maybe when I was getting the money to pay him he went back in to get something he'd forgotten and not closed it properly when coming out the second time?
• The gate was fully open inward and if the horse had leaned on it and moved it, opening it, you would think that it would have opened outwards - but maybe a gust of wind blew it back in?
• I have absolutely no recollection of closing and latching the gate when I realised Teddy was gone - but maybe I was so stressed out I forgot I did it?
• If someone had opened it you would think the dogs would have barked but they didn't.

I am going to assume that this was all the latter and learn from the experience. First thing to do is Steve is bringing home padlocks tonight. We have to remember that if Teddy gets out on the road and is hit by a car we are liable and I don't want to loss everything, so padlocks it is.

I will also take a thank you bottle of wine to the woman who put him in the paddock. This story could have been a lot sadder if it wasn't for her.

To top everything off, after the vet left I thought I better start tea in the slow cooker. I went to open a jar of tomato paste and it exploded all over me! Perfect!

#79 - Woke this morning to Teddy missing

What a dreadful morning I've had. Leaving for work, going to my car I find the front gate wide open. I called out to Teddy and he was nowhere to be seen. I ran around to the hallway paddock and he's not there. He was gone and I freaked right out!

I ran back to the house fumbling with my clothes as I was dressed for work and had heeled shoes on and dress pants that were too big so they were falling down as I ran. All I could think of was getting better shoes and a halter. I jumped in the car and drove up and down my road looking for him but I couldn't find him anywhere.

The road I live on is over 30 kms long, it just changes name along the way as it passes through to Redesdale, but I started in the direction towards Kyneton as this is the way I walk Teddy to the riding centre so he is familiar with it. Nothing. I turned in the other direction and drove a few km but still couldn't find him. In a panic I rang my friend Sam and she was trying to get me to calm down. She woke her baby to get him in the car to come and help me. Sam suggests that I go down driveways or dirt tracks to areas other horses might be. Great suggestion and something I hadn't thought of in my panic.

Again I travel towards Kyneton looking for him but couldn't find him so I head back the other way towards Redesdale. About 1.5 to 2km down the road I drive off to yet another dirt road and about half way down I see him locked in a paddock. I search around trying find access into the paddock while I ring Sam to tell her I have found him and stop her from packing up Mitchell and the float and taking the 25 minute drive to my place. I discover that she has called Deb in Kyneton who in turn called her policewoman friend, both of which where on there way to help me look for Teddy! I'm so grateful I have such good friends! I put a stop to the search and collected my thoughts while standing in the pouring rain.

I find a gate to the paddock and walk over to Teddy who is standing still and miserable. I easily halter him and see a house at the back of the property so lead him over to it. I discover that he is limping badly. I get to the house but it's actually inside the neighbouring property and no-one is home so I lead Teddy back to the car.

As we walk his back leg is stretching out and improving a bit but his is very stiff and the initial move forward is hard for him. At the car I remove his sopping rug and have a look at him for injuries but there are no cuts etc. He is clearly favouring his left hind leg and he reminds me of a footy player whose done a hammy. The poor guy has to then walk the couple of kms home.

It takes ages for us to get home. It's pouring with rain the whole time, I'm leading him down a 80 kph road of which everyone is doing 100 kph and the sides of the road are either covered in waist high grass, flooded, blocked by fallen trees logs, full of ditches and/or eroded into massive uneven corrugated trenches. There was not a single clear area the whole way and I had to stay off the road as it was commuting traffic. No wonder Teddy was injured getting so far in that lot in the dark! And I was surprised that so few people slowed down when approaching a woman on the side of the road in the rain with a limping horse!

The vet just showed so this is to be continued...

#78 - horsey week is leaving me sore

What a full on horse week it has been so far. I took Teddy out around the paddocks riding Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, had a lesson on Dick Wednesday and came home to the farrier today who did an excellent job on continuing with the corrective job on Teddy's feet. My last farrier lost his drivers license, the eejit, so I had to find a new one.

Gerry was very good, not a macho dick or trying to dominate in any way. He shows a lot of natural horsemanship skills, which I personally like, and contrary to popular believe he doesn't only do barefoot trimming, he shoes as well.

Importantly he doesn't have an all or nothing approach. A few of the natural horsemanship people I've met are straight down the line believing that no horse should ever be shod, or for example, their methods of lowering a high head is the only right way of doing it. But if I tried Silvia Scott's way of lowering a head on Teddy I would be guarantees to get a rear! It might work for her but not for me. I believe that there are different strokes for different folks, even the four legged kind. I'm similar to the Cesar Millan style of changing you approach to meet the needs and circumstances of each dog, I believe the same thing goes for horse. I know the Parelli catching game didn't work for me after the first two times, but it works great for others. Teddy simply has a different mind set and outsmarted that game in no time.

With all that being said, I still have to see how Teddy's trims progress before coming to a final conclusion on Gerry, but so far so good.

My rides with Teddy are ever so slowly showing results. The head tossing has improved but we have a long way to go.

My ride with Dick was good but I am finding myself getting frustrated at my poor balance in a standing trot. The longer I stay out of the saddle the further forward I go and I cant feel it when I'm not straight until its too late. The moment I do it well and my mind says "yes!" my feet come out from their position ever so slightly and I move forward. Unfortunately this isn't because of concentration. As explained to me even if it's only a centimetres movement in the leg, the trajectory makes it 2cm at the hips, 3cm at the chest, then toppling forward at the shoulders. When Kim tells me I'm straight I feel like I'm leaning backward and I'm also doing something weird with my left foot or leg that makes me "feel" it all the time. I go through my positioning checks so I know I'm doing each thing right but the fact is it cant be right or I would have better balance.

The rising trot each beat is simple, cantering I feel very balanced, trotting over jump poles and I'm fine, but standing out of the saddle and keeping contact with your thighs, heels down, not using my stomach muscles... well it's a good workout! I could feel every muscle in my legs working today.

I don't know if there is an answer to why this is happening and why I am able to feel my left leg in such a dominate way but it has me thinking that my left leg has to be part of the overall problem. Until I can work it out I will just have to keep trying.

#77 - Teddy is a tosser!

... a head tosser that is!

So to work on this issue I saddled him up and took him around the front in the proper position at a walk. He was confused a bit at the start, waiting to be told to trot on etc but it didn't happen. We spent a good 30 minutes just walking, stopping, turning, serpentine, figure eight and all with the correct aids. I made sure I was spot on with aids and position.

It was beneficial for me as I got to keep a close eye on everything I do and I made sure that I only turned my head and shoulder when asking him to go in any direction. Not the slights move of the arms or hands - and he did well. I still think he has done better when we first started riding but that was when I wasn't sure of exactly what I was asking him for so its really hard to judge.

The other good thing about today was when I was asking him to stop I would move my ring finger back a touch, nothing more, and he would stop.

The head throwing was still there. It improved as we went on, but in the end it was still there even slightly. Maybe in the last 5 minutes he didn't do it, but I could have been concentrating on other things and not noticed it as much. Either way it's definitely something we have to work out before we move forward.

If the weather holds out I will try and work him through this every night or so this week, except on lesson nights. I should be bow legged by the end of it all!

#76 - It feels good to ride

Though my body was aching with a suspected virus and it was hot and windy, getting on Dick today for my lesson was great for the soul.

When I got home Teddy was there to greet me. He was in the gentlest of moods, alert and happy but resting his huge head in my arms for a neck rub while nickering softly. I put my arms right around him and rest my hands on his withers and he stood there contently for as long as I wanted to hug him. I rugged him up and tickled his face and he was relaxed as can be. A perfect horsey moment.

I came in the house exhausted. Throughout my ride today I felt more comfortable in a canter than in a trot but spent 50% of the lesson doing serpentine trotting up one length of the arena then over the jump poles along the other end. The pace was good for me as it helped me feel like I was getting it before moving on, something that isn't always the case. Instead of two beats in the saddle in the transition from diagonals I was required to stay in the raised position and this is something I still find a challenge. I have booked another lesson for Friday to keep the momentum going.

All in all I'm just so grateful for my horse.