Olly – End of Summer Update

This end of summer update is the first post I have written about Olly since his spring update which I wrote back in May.

Quite a lot has happened in that time although nothing of any real excitement.

May Time

As of May Olly was out of work and has still done very little all summer.

My business, The Lady Saddler, has picked up in work tremendously, although I’m still having to work the part time day job and most evenings I am exhausted.

I’ve attended two weeks worth of training since May also and Olly became sick enough to have to call the vet.

Laminitis Scare

Olly was diagnosed with borderline Laminitis, although he was also tested for EMS but his blood test results were not of a common outcome that really he didn’t have either issue but to get him well I was advised to treat as if he’d got laminitis.

So restricted grazing, hay fed, no hard feed (although this was low anyway) and eventually his exercise to increase and eventually he had shoes on.

Having to work so much is taking more out of me than I’d like. I’ either out of sync with my body and not fit or exhausted all the time.

An Additional Rider

I have a lady who has started to ride Olly albeit once or twice a week but it helps to keep him active and it encourages me to plan more when I actually ride.

Olly doesn’t seem to be minding it all. He seems to like the new rider and as long as he doesn’t take advantage of her and she kicks him into touch then they will accomplish loads together.

Knocked My Confidence

My confidence hit rock bottom since my fall. In the 30 years I’ve been a rider, I’ve never once lost faith in my riding ability. But now I question it every day.

Some days it affects my want to ride Olly and some days I wonder why I’m letting him go to waste with me. The truth is I love him so much I don’t ever want to lose him again.

However, every day I fear he’s too much of a horse for me now and I worry my lack of confidence will rub off on him and he will take advantage of the situation.

I am working very hard to make sure I have the livery and hay money every week that the truth is I cannot afford much more help and assistance.

I get support from the yard but even then I feel I’m taking advantage so I try not to receive too much unless I can give something back in return be it money or help in some way.

Together…

I’ve got him, he’s safe, I have zero money left each month to buy nic-nacs for him or a take away for the family, but we’re all healthy and we are together as a family which is so important to us.

New Shoes

Since getting back into work, Olly has had to have front shoes on, as he was struggling with the stoney paths leading to and from the fields and was always looking not sound in lunging, however the minute he was shod he became a different horse. Suddenly sound and moved forward wonderfully, once pushed through his lazy ‘i don’t want to work today’ stage.

He became really quite thin when on restricted grazing and although showing a few ribs is quite normal for a racehorse, he is no longer on the track and can afford to have a healthier covering of flesh over the rib cage.

He’s gone from 475kg to 511kg in approximately two months, so now he looks in my eyes ‘healthy’.

The Plan

I’ve always got a plan but it never works out to plan but as long as I have a plan of some sort and I keep to 25% of it then that is surely better than not having a plan at all.

The plan for me is to ride him at least 3 times a week during autumn and winter.

Having a part time job that takes me away from home three days a week during school hours which means I will in effect lose three days of riding once the dark nights come.

That will be easier now there are a few more people that livery at the yard and ride during the evening and weekends.

Riding without fear…

This time last year we had reached a very beginner level of jumping, so my only goal the rest of this year is to aim towards that again by spring 2020.

Nothing too elaborate, I just want to be able to ride without fear and enjoy spending time with him.

Until next time… Clair x