On Thursday I finally had time to go and pay a visit to Filly. A long drive in some very very heavy showers, but the reward was when I got there.
After parking the car just outside the yard I walked towards the house. Then I heard the most enormous whinny from the stable block. I thought all the horses would be out so hadn't checked in there but recognised that voice. Filly was in her stable and had recognised the sound of my foot fall. I poked my head around the door to be greeted by an alert little face with ears pricked. So I had to say hi before going to the house. Within minutes she was used to my presence again and went back to her friends. Horses are like that and live in the moment. It probably just took a short time before she forgot I had even been away. But that's fine I had had my reward already.
I then went to the house to meet up with Nic and she took me out to see Fillys' feet. The first thing to say is that a huge abscess had blown out of her front left coronet band. If you remember that was the foot that was extremely lame just before she went to Rockley, so I guess it had been cooking for a while. Apparently she was lame again on it for a few days before it came out, but became much sounder once the pressure was relieved. Nic said it absolutely stank :( .
Once we had discussed that small problem we looked at her feet. I have to say I was amazed. They don't look like the same hooves. I had expected to see badly chipped hoof wall, but what I actually saw was hooves that looked like they had been manicured. OK, the very edges were a little uneven but no sharp chips at all. I also noticed that the frogs looked much much neater and, even to my inexpert eye, stronger. Due to the abscess I did not see her moving about outside the stable but she should be out again as I write this. In fact Nic is hoping to take her long walks on Exmoor soon being lead as Nic rides one of the other rehabs.
We then had a long cup of tea and a chat about all things hoof related and horses in general.
After tea I went back out to just spend some time with Filly in her stable. Nic went for a ride leading a couple of other horses while Filly and I just chilled. And I have never seen Filly so chilled. The atmosphere on this yard is so conducive to being relaxed that leaning over the door next to Filly I nearly nodded off and she definitely did.
After an hour or so it was time to face the long drive home. Bad rain again, but I was feeling so happy knowing that Filly was being well looked after mentally and physically. It was much less stressful than the last drive home. Trusting someone else with your horse for 12 weeks is a bit difficult but having got to know Nic over the last few visits I now feel very relaxed about it.
Nic has shared a few videos of herself riding and that just reinforces my view of her. She doesn't "do" Parelli or any other NH training, but watch these videos and I think you'll agree that that is because she is already there !
https://vimeo.com/81551001
https://vimeo.com/81551489
After parking the car just outside the yard I walked towards the house. Then I heard the most enormous whinny from the stable block. I thought all the horses would be out so hadn't checked in there but recognised that voice. Filly was in her stable and had recognised the sound of my foot fall. I poked my head around the door to be greeted by an alert little face with ears pricked. So I had to say hi before going to the house. Within minutes she was used to my presence again and went back to her friends. Horses are like that and live in the moment. It probably just took a short time before she forgot I had even been away. But that's fine I had had my reward already.
I then went to the house to meet up with Nic and she took me out to see Fillys' feet. The first thing to say is that a huge abscess had blown out of her front left coronet band. If you remember that was the foot that was extremely lame just before she went to Rockley, so I guess it had been cooking for a while. Apparently she was lame again on it for a few days before it came out, but became much sounder once the pressure was relieved. Nic said it absolutely stank :( .
Once we had discussed that small problem we looked at her feet. I have to say I was amazed. They don't look like the same hooves. I had expected to see badly chipped hoof wall, but what I actually saw was hooves that looked like they had been manicured. OK, the very edges were a little uneven but no sharp chips at all. I also noticed that the frogs looked much much neater and, even to my inexpert eye, stronger. Due to the abscess I did not see her moving about outside the stable but she should be out again as I write this. In fact Nic is hoping to take her long walks on Exmoor soon being lead as Nic rides one of the other rehabs.
We then had a long cup of tea and a chat about all things hoof related and horses in general.
After tea I went back out to just spend some time with Filly in her stable. Nic went for a ride leading a couple of other horses while Filly and I just chilled. And I have never seen Filly so chilled. The atmosphere on this yard is so conducive to being relaxed that leaning over the door next to Filly I nearly nodded off and she definitely did.
After an hour or so it was time to face the long drive home. Bad rain again, but I was feeling so happy knowing that Filly was being well looked after mentally and physically. It was much less stressful than the last drive home. Trusting someone else with your horse for 12 weeks is a bit difficult but having got to know Nic over the last few visits I now feel very relaxed about it.
Nic has shared a few videos of herself riding and that just reinforces my view of her. She doesn't "do" Parelli or any other NH training, but watch these videos and I think you'll agree that that is because she is already there !
https://vimeo.com/81551001
https://vimeo.com/81551489
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