Photos from Hobby Horse schooling show Aug 11, 2024 and a little recap of this year of Ducks rehab to this point.

I splashed out on some photos taken professionally at Hobby Horse last weekend.  I dont normally buy more than one or two but I realize that we nearly didnt go to at all, its been a long journey to here:

• He wasnt in a good place at the start of this year, at all, and even after his vet appointment with all his joint injections he mentally took a long time to get to place where we could even ask for more than trot. I was both sad and blown away by how we had got there. How did I not manage to avoid that?!!!

• There was a time when I was almost sure I wouldn't be able to ride him at all. Painstakingly we started him once more on the rehab road with gentle consistent work looking for how he was      responding. It was deliberately slow and considered. The first rides were just 5 minutes long, in walk. Followed by a bit longer and a bit longer, just twice a week while we kept him in the equiband with sliding side reins so that he couldnt get stuck at all in any frame and instead worked his body carefully. For months I didnt ride at all while my coach took him through this carefully reading his body language and attitude to the saddle.
  
  
  

• Talking of saddle, that too was changed as part of this. Each time we scrutinize his saddle I have to manage my disappointment that "here we are again. Why cant I get it right! If only he could speak English". Here he is the day we got his Stubben Xara.

Wearing it at Hobby Horse with his show saddle pad!

• Between January and May we worked through this gentle slow increase in ridden work until June came around and we were able to go outside. I trailered him to my coaches barn to see how he was somewhere new on a trail with her horse. He was happy!
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Once we started getting in the outdoor arena we could ask for canter but it had to be on the loosest rein possible and with zero pressure.
  
  
  
• We were able to attend Clayhill lesson day where he had to do the baby jumps and that went well, in fact he was joyous, he carried me in a happy canter for the first real time. This response  resulted in a chance to attend the eventing day there. Still on the baby jumps, still with low pressure, still careful with my rein.

• We got to a good spot where he was happy and then he trod on the nail. I knew the moment I saw it that he may not survive it, I dropped him off at AVC knowing full well he may not come home. That 7 hour round trip was hard on my head.

• The shows that I had hoped to go to, because he had come so far, in the 6 months at the most painstakingly slowest pace imaginable, had to be shelved. There was no way he could attend. I once again took Stori and Olivia and supported all my friends instead from the ground. I had one day where I had a bit of a bawl about it all but generally I was ok. It was what it was.
• We were allowed to go to the cross rails class at Horses at Work. I was excited to go somewhere to see if he was ok. To see if he would want to be there and if he still loved jumping or if we were actually on a new long road to recovery.

He loved it! No red flags anywhere to be seen.

• So this little schooling show, hot on the heels of this positive day at Horses at Work hunter cross rails class is a very big deal for me. We had the best time. He was a great partner and although we were ready to pull him if he even looked uncomfortable, we didnt need to. His enthusiasm shone through and despite me letting down the side by an error in course in dressage, we won our class. 

 

I am not sure, but this may be my first ever first place rosette.

July 2024 - nail in hoof and Eli arrives

In pure Ducky bad luck style, soon after our Clay Hill event he picked up a nail to his hoof. We knew this could be catastrophic as has been for many horses and took him straight away to AVC for the best part of a week. I had to manage my feelings on AVC - Ace went there and never came home - so I had to block those deep concerns.

Thankfully the nail missed critical structures and he came home to a week of stall rest and a slow return to work. To see how he was feeling we went to HAW for a cross rails hunter class and he did so well! Never did I think we would get the opportunity to return to jumping. I feel so thankful!

After Alpine went over the rainbow bridge we starting feeling the silence in the house and therefore put together our must have next dog list - we wanted short hair, rescue dog, good with cats.

Welcome Eli - hes a 14 month old Royal Bahamian Potcake dog - basically Nassau street hound. Was found on a garbage dump and brought to NS. Hes settling in well, has lots of zoomies around our yard, is in his place on the pecking order with the cats (the bottom), loves his toys and is getting better with barking. Took a while to warm up to Paul and doesnt like strangers, we are working on him getting more comfortable when friends come round to visit.

 

Chloe and I went to see the new Twisters movie last weekend, I love the original movie but this is a great addition to it, a really good summer blockbuster movie with awesome cast and soundtrack. Loved the weekend together doing this.

2023 and 2024 update

Its been a while since I last updated and while I have enjoyed reading other blog posts I haven't spent time updating this one. Heres the highlights since I last posted

• Ducky is 15 now. We remain unable to get more than a few months of consistent work in before some new or repeat issue shows up. He keeps it varied to say the least. We have now progressed to other joint injections to keep him happy and on top of all that hes had a virus, a corneal ulcer, acute injury from picking up a nail in his foot leading to a trip to AVC and I had a concussion from a fall in the summer of 2023 leading to 6 weeks off riding. Hes had a Wow saddle that worked for a while and now hes on a Stubben. I hope thats the last saddle I need to buy. 

           We have had some fun at some off property lessons and even been to a couple of events and I enjoy what we can do. He still loves to jump way more than flat and we keep it low to keep him ok.

• Dukie passed away January 27, 2023 after a gradual decline and then Alpine followed in Jun 2024. Alpine went on a lot longer than we expected but in the end his body gave up long before he was really ready. Both losses were devastating to our family.
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We went away a couple of times in 2023 - to New York in August as a family for the long weekend and then away to Vegas for Pauls birthday in October with friends. Both trips were so very precious.

• This year we have had to be more careful spending in this expensive post pandemic world with Freya coming up to her final year of High School and Chloe finished her 2nd year at university.

Still very thankful for this life.

2022 in one post - its been a year

 Its been over a year since my last post and what a year its been. It was a year of change and learning for me.

Ducky and I

I learned that I have to advocate for my horse and not willingly trust professionals if I have doubt. I had massive doubt about the fit of Duckys saddle but put too much trust in its fit being ok. I had had his appointments with the fitter and spent $$ on the rechecks. After having a large vet bill for the damage it caused, I made a decision to get a second and third opinion that resulted in the sale of it, it was a beautiful saddle but the angles did not fit him, and then hunt for another. I was not surprisingly nervous of committing to buying one but we found a Wow saddle that so far seems to be the answer.

We lost lots of time and opportunity last year due to the saddle issue and then an abscess but still got to a baby event at Clay Hill at the end of the summer where I let nervousness overcome me and therefore Ducky was not confident at all, we got round but mainly at trot with a lot of anxiety of simple tiny jumps. It was a lovely time with him though.

We went to an end of season dressage event that was amazing and I loved it. We got over 60% in both classes which was my aim and came away with plans to do all the dressage events at HAW next season.

Ducky and I moved barns in July, I found an option where he has a deep and cosy run in and his own paddock, inside and outside arenas and some trails. Its 20 mins from home and he was happy from day 1. Thank goodness.

Despite all efforts we have come to realize that Ducky does need his 9 monthly vet appointment and no amount of careful work for him can avoid it. We tried, we now know for sure. Thankfully hes a horse that tells me hes uncomfortable without being dangerous.

Work

Work - it was a year! I decided to follow my original dream and make some sacrifices for a promotion in a finance dept that was not my natural comfort zone. 9 months in and I knew (I knew from day 1 but gave myself 9 months) that I had to make a change. The role was not for me and didnt fit my life at all. Just one week ago I approached my old manager at this current company and was able to move back to corporate finance in an exciting position. The relief and new excitement is overwhelming. I had completely lost myself for a while. Had no time, no sleep, no work life balance and was losing confidence by the day. 

Trips

Paul and I went to Massachusetts in March to collect a trailer, it was a great choice and a memorable road trip 

We went as family to Orlando in Spring break. This almost requires its own post as it was when PCR testing was mandatory for travel. The stress of all that was insane. The return to Bahama Bay was emotional. There had been so much building work around that area that it was almost unrecognizable but inside the gates was the same place that I love so much. It was baseball training season so it was full of teams and not so quiet but we worked with it. Universal Studios was nuts with the crowds and we couldnt get fast passes but we all got on the Harry Potter ride.  I cried when we had to leave Bahama Bay and return home.

I took the girls to Toronto for a weekend in July. Another one for the books. Just the three of us went and Chloe took on the role of navigator and organizer, Freya chose restaurants and I had the credit card. We enjoyed the time individually and together and for me it was a joy to see these new baby adults.

Chloe went to Barbados with her boyfriend and his family in August and she came back all in love with that spot on the planet. I fully understand how this feels.

Paul, Freya and I went to Bar Harbor in November, it was a little baby road trip and we loved it. The hotel was lovely and inspired to buy our own waffle maker.

I travelled for work and experienced the nightmare of airtravel in a coming out of covid world. Experienced cancelled flights, delays due to lack of staff and being left to fend for yourself in a layover airport. Thankfully each time was on works dime so it could have been worse and I felt for the other passengers trying to travel for personal reasons. It was all hard.

Other things:

Chloe started university and tried residence. I was devastated when she left but we all got used to it. Not so Chloe who was feeling miserable so in true spirit of changing what makes us unhappy she moved back home after the first semester and is so pleased she did.

The summer was long, it was hot from June to September, like really hot and Angie came for graduation which was wonderful. Its been the weirdest winter so far, more rain that snow and more plus temps than minus ones. Not sure what this means for the future but its concerning to see the change both here and in other places on the planet.