Friday, February 10, 2012
Teddy Log: #157 - Disappointed and Confused
Teddy Log: #157 - Disappointed and Confused: Today I went across the road to take part in my first rally with the riders club. I've been a member since I moved here but I've never actua...
#157 - Disappointed and Confused
Today I went across the road to take part in my first rally with the riders club. I've been a member since I moved here but I've never actually participated in these rallies, I've just observed or taken photos as I didn't have a float and Steve was worried that something would happen to me if I walked Teddy down our road to the reserve in the weekend traffic.
So I had a joint lesson with an instructor I had never been with before. Teddy was in a new environment so he was hyper and I wasn't quite sure if my bruising had healed, so I was a bit nervous. It took me a good half hour to calm down Teddy with ground work as he was quiet flighty and even rears up a few times but we got through it. Then when I mounted he had a few half-hearted attempts at bucking me off! Half-hearted but for real, so that was a surprise to me. We walked through that then the lesson began.
I was quite confused by the instructor asking me not to do things that my regular instructor tells me to do. With this instructor it was all about the head and knees. I wasn't allowed to move my head at all, even when turning, which is different to what I normally get told, and I wasn't to use my body weight at a slight tilt to tell Teddy the direction I wanted to go, I had to do it with the opposite knee. I had already formed a habit with my regular instructor so I was spending most of my time correcting these things to the new way. It took some time and I was still a bit sore, particularly after a while, but I could really see a positive difference in the way Teddy carried himself; particularly his head. It was a very good lesson. The instructor was thorough and attentive.
When I got off Teddy all the other riders had been talking and one was waiting around to tell me how sore Teddy was. I knew he had a bit of soreness but they went to the extent of telling me I shouldn't be riding him at all. She even implied that they thought he must have a very old back injury and I should consider selling him or putting him out to pasture! This shocked me as I didn't think it was that bad. I heard this and all the other stuff being said about his back and his behaviour issues being a result of his back and I felt really deflated and sad.
I was watching Teddy socialising with one of the other horses in the corral opposite him and he was calm and peaceful. But the bucking is a clear indication that he has some soreness. To what extent I really don't know. When riding with my regular instructor I'm told that he works his way through it. Today I was told by onlookers that he flinched each time I rose to the trot. I haven't ridden since the last time I was with my regular instructor, approximately three weeks ago when I had received the injury. Today Teddy cantered fine and when I implemented the instructors no-moving-head rule I was stunned at how well he carried himself; so while I stood there watching Teddy play I was mulling all this over in my mind.
I've ridden with one other instructor before but I wasn't too impressed so I thought that I should give this new instructor a go. I don't think it is fair to just dismiss my current instructor because we all have our own methods that are adapted over time so it may well be that this is just another version of how to ride dressage. I'm also more interested in eventing than dressage anyway. This new instructor is more expensive and give you less time in the saddle but I've decided that I'll go to both instructors on alternate weeks for a while to compare.
However I am confused on whether or not to do lessons with Teddy. Neither instructor has told me his soreness is so bad that he shouldn't be ridden but I'd hate myself if I hurt him. Which reminds me - a strict diet for me is in order! Maybe I should look at retiring him and getting another horse but I'm definately not selling him and I cant afford a new horse now anyway. I don't want to stop riding either, particularly as I just got the float! I've been lead to beleive that back problems take years to resolve. I've come so far but it would be impractical to return to a school horse.
What to do?... I don't know.
So I had a joint lesson with an instructor I had never been with before. Teddy was in a new environment so he was hyper and I wasn't quite sure if my bruising had healed, so I was a bit nervous. It took me a good half hour to calm down Teddy with ground work as he was quiet flighty and even rears up a few times but we got through it. Then when I mounted he had a few half-hearted attempts at bucking me off! Half-hearted but for real, so that was a surprise to me. We walked through that then the lesson began.
I was quite confused by the instructor asking me not to do things that my regular instructor tells me to do. With this instructor it was all about the head and knees. I wasn't allowed to move my head at all, even when turning, which is different to what I normally get told, and I wasn't to use my body weight at a slight tilt to tell Teddy the direction I wanted to go, I had to do it with the opposite knee. I had already formed a habit with my regular instructor so I was spending most of my time correcting these things to the new way. It took some time and I was still a bit sore, particularly after a while, but I could really see a positive difference in the way Teddy carried himself; particularly his head. It was a very good lesson. The instructor was thorough and attentive.
When I got off Teddy all the other riders had been talking and one was waiting around to tell me how sore Teddy was. I knew he had a bit of soreness but they went to the extent of telling me I shouldn't be riding him at all. She even implied that they thought he must have a very old back injury and I should consider selling him or putting him out to pasture! This shocked me as I didn't think it was that bad. I heard this and all the other stuff being said about his back and his behaviour issues being a result of his back and I felt really deflated and sad.
I was watching Teddy socialising with one of the other horses in the corral opposite him and he was calm and peaceful. But the bucking is a clear indication that he has some soreness. To what extent I really don't know. When riding with my regular instructor I'm told that he works his way through it. Today I was told by onlookers that he flinched each time I rose to the trot. I haven't ridden since the last time I was with my regular instructor, approximately three weeks ago when I had received the injury. Today Teddy cantered fine and when I implemented the instructors no-moving-head rule I was stunned at how well he carried himself; so while I stood there watching Teddy play I was mulling all this over in my mind.
I've ridden with one other instructor before but I wasn't too impressed so I thought that I should give this new instructor a go. I don't think it is fair to just dismiss my current instructor because we all have our own methods that are adapted over time so it may well be that this is just another version of how to ride dressage. I'm also more interested in eventing than dressage anyway. This new instructor is more expensive and give you less time in the saddle but I've decided that I'll go to both instructors on alternate weeks for a while to compare.
However I am confused on whether or not to do lessons with Teddy. Neither instructor has told me his soreness is so bad that he shouldn't be ridden but I'd hate myself if I hurt him. Which reminds me - a strict diet for me is in order! Maybe I should look at retiring him and getting another horse but I'm definately not selling him and I cant afford a new horse now anyway. I don't want to stop riding either, particularly as I just got the float! I've been lead to beleive that back problems take years to resolve. I've come so far but it would be impractical to return to a school horse.
What to do?... I don't know.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
#156 - Teddy self loads! And riding through the pain!
Teddy and I went for our first ride since the accident and it was painful for me; and Teddy was a bit stiff too.
Teddy's is probably from the work he had been doing and then not doing. His mild bruising around the poll and cheek seems to have cleared up.
I've discovered that I also injured my coccyx bone and when I was going into trot, sitting for the first few steps, I was getting pain I didn't know was there. I've also got pain from my groin where there is a deep muscle bruise that is hardening. I had to stop and walk at times mainly because of the coccyx bone. Also due to the injury being on the right side of the groin I was much better working to the left.
We will preserver and hopefully we will slowly get through this while still working on our riding.
On a very positive note today Teddy self loaded onto the float on the way up and back so I was excited and surprised about that. Just waltzed right in. Way to go Teddy!
Monday, January 16, 2012
Teddy Log: #155 - Health Check done!
Teddy Log: #155 - Health Check done!: It's been a sore couple of days. I've had Teddy checked and he has minor bruising on his poll and the top of his jaw, otherwise he is doing ...
#155 - Health Check done!
It's been a sore couple of days. I've had Teddy checked and he has minor bruising on his poll and the top of his jaw, otherwise he is doing fine.
The swelling on my knee went down after the first day to reveal a half golf ball size bump and bruise beside the kneecap, and that has reduced to about half again this morning. The bruising to my groin is still black and blue and you can see three distinct lines for each time he reared up and lifted me off the ground!
It's painful when I initially sit so I hope that will be bearable for tomorrow's eventing clinic or I'm going to be in pain with every bounce! But on the positive side it could well teach me to be much more gently with my sitting when rising to the trot!
Although I'd like to feel the wind in my hair and ride away I will have to be sensible about this and see how I'm doing tomorrow. Everybody keep your fingers crossed for me!
Go Teddy!
The swelling on my knee went down after the first day to reveal a half golf ball size bump and bruise beside the kneecap, and that has reduced to about half again this morning. The bruising to my groin is still black and blue and you can see three distinct lines for each time he reared up and lifted me off the ground!
It's painful when I initially sit so I hope that will be bearable for tomorrow's eventing clinic or I'm going to be in pain with every bounce! But on the positive side it could well teach me to be much more gently with my sitting when rising to the trot!
Although I'd like to feel the wind in my hair and ride away I will have to be sensible about this and see how I'm doing tomorrow. Everybody keep your fingers crossed for me!
Go Teddy!
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Teddy Log: #154 - The Great, the OK and the Down Right Painfu...
Teddy Log: #154 - The Great, the OK and the Down Right Painfu...: The Great: This morning when I went out to catch Teddy to take him to the eventing clinic he was lying down in his paddock. I walked over t...
#154 - The Great, the OK and the Down Right Painful!
The Great:
This morning when I went out to catch Teddy to take him to the eventing clinic he was lying down in his paddock. I walked over to him and he let me lie down right beside him! I haven't been so happy about something in ages. It's the ultimate sign of trust as horses are flighty prey animals and to be lying down is when they are at their most vulnerable. For Teddy to allow me to not only approach him but lay down beside him and be totally at ease demonstrates to me that he has complete trust in me that I wont harm him and that he wants to share his time and space with me. It was bloody fantastic!
The OK:
At the clinic he was great unloading and the calmest I've seen him among other horses. There were three other horses in the arena today and we all worked well together. Teddy was still a bit too fast for the others but it was manageable. I felt I was maintaining my rhythm well and during the flat work his head tossing had eased during the trotting. Then when I was asking him to canter on a regular basis he started to stress out and really toss his head. It was at the end of the session so I was getting tired trying to work with him and keep my balance. Although, overall the session was a good one, I ended it feeling fairly frustrated.
The Down Right Painful:
After the session I took Teddy back to the float to get his gear off so he could rest for the hour long break. I have now discovered I was about to learn one of the most fundamental but important lessons of my horsey life.
I tied Teddy to the outside of the float with his lead rope onto a double strand of hay twine and undid the throat strap of the bridle, all as I would normally do. Next I took the halter and put the head strap around his poll and fastened it. I was about to take the bridle off when I thought I was a bit too close to the float so instead of moving Teddy out of the way or walking around him to get to his other side I foolishly decided to step over the lead rope. This was a VERY VERY bad idea and one of the things you are taught not to do when you first start riding horses. As I was about to do it a voice inside me said not to but I ignored it! I put my foot over the lead rope and just as I was straddling it Teddy started to back up. I tried to stop him by grabbing hold of the lead rope quickly with one hand but this just spooked Teddy and he reared up! The lead rope was between my legs and he reared that high that he took me completely off the ground to about the height of the float wheel.
In a perfect world the hay twine the lead rope was tied to is supposed to break but it didn't. Teddy reared again and the lead rope lifted me off the ground again. The pain was so intense it was like being hit in the nose and my eyes started watering and all I could think of was what a fool-hearted idiot I was and how was I going to stop this? Teddy reared again and this time the pain and shock made me scream out. The hay twine still didn't break but the halter did! I fell to the side as Teddy got himself loose and I landed on my feet sideways, straight into the side of the float.
Teddy had managed to rip through a few millimetres of tightly webbed nylon strapping and four metal eye-hole ringlets on the halter to get himself free. In the process he also stepped on the reins and snapped the bridle. The pressure on his poll must have been terrible.
A number of people came running while I was hunched over with my groin singing in pain. If the rope had been an inch to the left I would have been torn in two! Thankfully it wasn't. I was trying to catch Teddy but was still hunched over and he just stood at the side of the float looking on like a sad pony. Kim and a number of other people help put the halter back on Teddy (there was still one ringlet left to use) and took off his saddle etc.
When those trying to help were asking me if I was ok I was in so much pain from my groin that I could hardly speak. Then when that pain started to ease I discovered my knee was starting to swell up and ache. As was my hip and elbow. I decided it wouldn't be wise to straddle a horse and get back in the saddle so I called it quits for the day. After watching another person have a lesson and collecting myself, I headed off home. In the car my knee was bothering me more than anything and my old elbow injury started to get sore again. I guess I must have hit it on the float as well. In the picture below you can see that there should be a kneecap there, but its so swollen you cant see it anymore. Also I am badly bruised in other places that I'm not photographing.
This accident was purely my fault. Not my horse, not the equipment, not anyone else there. It was TOTALLY MY FAULT! I knew I shouldn't step over the lead rope, that it was too close and that I should just go around. My mind even reminded me just as I was about to do it but I still ignored it. This could have been a lot worse and I'm grateful that it's not. It could have been a lot worse for Teddy too but he seems to be fine. If any horse people read this learn from my mistakes! Seriously! I'm having trouble sitting right now so it's just stupid not to take this and note the following lessons:
... or maybe I should consider learning how to use a horse drawn wagon...
This morning when I went out to catch Teddy to take him to the eventing clinic he was lying down in his paddock. I walked over to him and he let me lie down right beside him! I haven't been so happy about something in ages. It's the ultimate sign of trust as horses are flighty prey animals and to be lying down is when they are at their most vulnerable. For Teddy to allow me to not only approach him but lay down beside him and be totally at ease demonstrates to me that he has complete trust in me that I wont harm him and that he wants to share his time and space with me. It was bloody fantastic!
The OK:
At the clinic he was great unloading and the calmest I've seen him among other horses. There were three other horses in the arena today and we all worked well together. Teddy was still a bit too fast for the others but it was manageable. I felt I was maintaining my rhythm well and during the flat work his head tossing had eased during the trotting. Then when I was asking him to canter on a regular basis he started to stress out and really toss his head. It was at the end of the session so I was getting tired trying to work with him and keep my balance. Although, overall the session was a good one, I ended it feeling fairly frustrated.
The Down Right Painful:
After the session I took Teddy back to the float to get his gear off so he could rest for the hour long break. I have now discovered I was about to learn one of the most fundamental but important lessons of my horsey life.
I tied Teddy to the outside of the float with his lead rope onto a double strand of hay twine and undid the throat strap of the bridle, all as I would normally do. Next I took the halter and put the head strap around his poll and fastened it. I was about to take the bridle off when I thought I was a bit too close to the float so instead of moving Teddy out of the way or walking around him to get to his other side I foolishly decided to step over the lead rope. This was a VERY VERY bad idea and one of the things you are taught not to do when you first start riding horses. As I was about to do it a voice inside me said not to but I ignored it! I put my foot over the lead rope and just as I was straddling it Teddy started to back up. I tried to stop him by grabbing hold of the lead rope quickly with one hand but this just spooked Teddy and he reared up! The lead rope was between my legs and he reared that high that he took me completely off the ground to about the height of the float wheel.
In a perfect world the hay twine the lead rope was tied to is supposed to break but it didn't. Teddy reared again and the lead rope lifted me off the ground again. The pain was so intense it was like being hit in the nose and my eyes started watering and all I could think of was what a fool-hearted idiot I was and how was I going to stop this? Teddy reared again and this time the pain and shock made me scream out. The hay twine still didn't break but the halter did! I fell to the side as Teddy got himself loose and I landed on my feet sideways, straight into the side of the float.
Teddy had managed to rip through a few millimetres of tightly webbed nylon strapping and four metal eye-hole ringlets on the halter to get himself free. In the process he also stepped on the reins and snapped the bridle. The pressure on his poll must have been terrible.
A number of people came running while I was hunched over with my groin singing in pain. If the rope had been an inch to the left I would have been torn in two! Thankfully it wasn't. I was trying to catch Teddy but was still hunched over and he just stood at the side of the float looking on like a sad pony. Kim and a number of other people help put the halter back on Teddy (there was still one ringlet left to use) and took off his saddle etc.
When those trying to help were asking me if I was ok I was in so much pain from my groin that I could hardly speak. Then when that pain started to ease I discovered my knee was starting to swell up and ache. As was my hip and elbow. I decided it wouldn't be wise to straddle a horse and get back in the saddle so I called it quits for the day. After watching another person have a lesson and collecting myself, I headed off home. In the car my knee was bothering me more than anything and my old elbow injury started to get sore again. I guess I must have hit it on the float as well. In the picture below you can see that there should be a kneecap there, but its so swollen you cant see it anymore. Also I am badly bruised in other places that I'm not photographing.
This accident was purely my fault. Not my horse, not the equipment, not anyone else there. It was TOTALLY MY FAULT! I knew I shouldn't step over the lead rope, that it was too close and that I should just go around. My mind even reminded me just as I was about to do it but I still ignored it. This could have been a lot worse and I'm grateful that it's not. It could have been a lot worse for Teddy too but he seems to be fine. If any horse people read this learn from my mistakes! Seriously! I'm having trouble sitting right now so it's just stupid not to take this and note the following lessons:
- ALWAYS use one strand of hay twine and don't loop it as it WONT BREAK!
- NEVER walk across a lead rope, even if it looks safe!
- WALK AROUND your horse and don't be impatient or lazy!
- LISTEN to your gut instincts, they aren't wrong!
- Do what your TEACHER TELLS YOU! They have good reasons for saying not to do certain things and can save you a lot of pain. They are at the place they are because they didn't do stupid things that could prevent them from ever getting in the saddle again.
... or maybe I should consider learning how to use a horse drawn wagon...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)