Rocky update today

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[cirocco]

 We went to the school :db:It had to be done, but i have to say I hardly slept last night.

It was our 6th time out, He's done this ride twice a week for a couple of years so I hoped he would be ok. 
One thing ive learned with Rocky is that I cant be undecided. Ive to be totally committed and positive in whatever we do, so it was leg on and go.. no matter what.

The first 'hazard' was a crawling kerb cleaner in front of us, so we 'practiced' titchy walk until it went through the dreaded road works that we were heading towards. Again the road works have been there for months so again I hoped that he would be ok. On our right [ his good side ] they were using a drill to dig up the pavement, good lads stopped while we passed, but then we had to negiciate the road bridge that has one lane traffic, and flappy things both sides as well as a crain and piles of stone. Men in yellow coats, traffic cones.  and irate motorists!.
I think I held my breath for five minutes while we got through phew!

Then it was up onto the bridleway... We met a 'lost' tent stuck to a fence, then British telecome pulling up new power lines across the track. I have to say I was quite wobbly at this point, especially since when he saw them he was about 22 hands.  [ well nearly ]
They had two vehicles parked across the track that they had to reverse 200 yards to allow us to pass, and they had to stop pulling the lines and pink tubes over the field.

Anyhow I got off and led him passed so we arrived at the school unscathed.

In the school he was wonderful. Ive never ridden him when he has been so light in my hands. I could have ridden him in cotton reins. He just was wonderfull.
I was able to see how he was going through the school's mirrors and I have to say it was totally gob smacking seeing how relaxed and happy he was.
{in a shape and no R.K} 
Id no idea how he would go and so just walked and did a little bit of trot for ten minutes. Then we did some fig of 8 and a couple of serpentines. Then I asked for an extension over the diag wow off we went no problem at all. All the time he held himself together with hardly any rein contact, he was light and floaty.   I was so happy.

Then we came home. He passed the tent, past the men in yellow coats, ignored several huge wagons, two sets of traffic lights and  a mechanical digger!


And im still alive

[ukica]

great...very well done 

[Lucy]

  Great!!  Wish I was where you are now i.e. actually riding!  Hope the progress continues.

[Amanda1950]

Absolutely fantastic 

Well done you (and Rocky) 

[shoveltrash]

good lord, MY horse would never have maintained his sanity thru all that!!!!
never mind working in the SCHOOL

i'm so happy to read such a great report!!!!

[Mandeigh]

good lord, MY horse would never have maintained his sanity thru all that!!!! 

  I don't think I would have kept my sanity!!

Good Job!

[EmmaB]

Good grief, that's a traumatic ride, especially:

Then it was up onto the bridleway... We met a 'lost' tent stuck to a fence

   
Well done to you both 

[winnieandben]

  Some journey!  So pleased he is doing so well 

[cirocco]

8th ride and 1st lesson today, but not the usual sort. It was just us getting to know each other again. I looked at it as if he was a new horse and I didn't know him. I thought that was the best way. I think if it had been a trial though id have walked away.!

The trip up was ok, nothing to worry about. We were passed by all the usual heavy goods etc. Then the bridleway and that blo**dy tent......Hoolying horse next was ok, a bit of dancing but nothing much.
The lesson was kept to 20 mins of mostly trot circles. He hangs over to the right [ his good eye side] and is reluctant to circle left, ive to hold out the rein to lead him round, after a while he was better and even circled 15mtrs well balanced.
We did a serpentine in trot, no problems there, then some canter. All in all we were pleased with his first time since the accident. 17th Dec since our last lesson.

Coming home was scary. We followed some kids going on a ride, rocky was possessed!. [ glad he's only 14.3 not 17hh ] But he's so quick.
We had spinning, dancing on the spot, jiggy joggy and diving off sideways [good eye back looking for  ] oh and snorting. Once we got passed the ponies however he settled right away and we came home nicely relaxed.

Im undecided tonight where to go from where we are.
He was a stressy horse  before all this, a nightmare to take to do anything. He cant be held by anyone for me to get on, so its a case of me leaping on at a slightly less than fizzy moment.
He never settles away from home and wont be left.
Today has shown me that he can still be deeply distressed for no real reason, going from totally blown to calm in seconds. 

I can see that he's going to be difficult 'again'. Im quite exhausted thinking about the way it was when I first got him, I dont think I could ever put myself through that again. Its a difficult one.

So what to do.

[Trudi]

I don't have any answers Penny, sorry but just wanted to say how well I think you're coping with Rocky and all he's been through. I'm sure the best way forward will become evident soon.

[Lucy]

Would a  help?  Sorry, I have no suggestions, but really do sympathise with you.  It's a horrible situation.

[cirocco]

Ride no 10 today. Trussed up like a chicken.

He wore a martingale, and a neck strap, I wore my well padded helmet, body protector, thick leather gloves and hi vis orange jacket....

We hadn't been able to get out since last week due to the ice and snow, then work, so I thought he was quite  'reasonable' going up the road, a bit bouncy, making little squeeky noises, got a bit on his toes when we met three scooters and a trials bike, whoooosh off he went. 19hh and spooky.
I talked to him and lowered my hands onto his shoulders as he danced, he kept trying to look right [ his good side ] scooting along sideways grunting like a pig. [Thank goodness for knee rolls!.] I took him off the main road and walked him through a quiet estate, but It took him about ten minutes to settle down enough for us to get back onto the main road and return home.
The trouble is ive nowhere to go without having to go right out onto a really busy road, its not a safe thing to do with a horse who's not 100%, he was 100% but not now, now he's only 30%.

Im trying to buy a trailer today, if I get it then ill take him to the livery yard in it rather than hacking there, he seems not to be able to cope with noises..
I loved schooling him, it gave me a lot of pleasure teaching him, its been very rewarding. If I could still do some schooling with him then I would be happy enough, it would give me the pleasure I used to enjoy and what Im missing so much.

Thanks for the hug, yes I need it.

[DollysMum]

Edited as I replied after reading the OP and not the whole thread

Sounds like you're doing really amazingly with him - the amount of "monsters" you meet out hacking would blow most horses minds, let alone a stressy one with a dodgy eye!

I hope you can buy a trailer cause it sounds like he's amazing when he's in the arena, and you would also be able to go hacking in quieter environments and build him up to the scary main roads.

[cirocco]

Ive been to look at two trailers today, both not as advertised... one which said it took 2.. 16hh was a pony trailer !   [ O.H not impressed my car was broken so he took me... ]

The other needed a new floor, the ad read.. ''ready to go;'' O.H said he agreed... to the scrap yard!.

[janehon]

Just seen this not sure what size you need trailerwise but if you still looking I have a Pegasus with front/rear unload, stabalisers, sound floor etc takes 2 15.2hh that is sat in my yard. Not been used for 12mths since we finished the rebuild on my ancient lorry.

My horse just hates trailers, although this was a godsend as the stabalisers ment I could load her with lots of persuasion as they make it rock solid.

If your interested let me know. I'm Worcestershire.