First BE ODE next month, any advice welcome!

[Rollingdinosaur]

I am finally taking the plunge, and having a go at a proper affiliated ODE next month, if I don't get balloted out. I am excited, and somewhat terrified. I have done several unaffiliated ones, and not made a complete tit of myself, so this seems like the logical next step.

I would be interested to hear any tips, or ideas of what to expect, from those in the know. Will the standard be a lot higher? Will I look a prat, as a lot of my gear is on the cheap side, and I will be turning up in 4WD and trailer, rather than a swanky lorry. I am also not sure on the hat standard required, it mentions PAS 015, and kitemark. Does that mean it needs both? My hat has the kite mark, but not the other bit. I suspect that means I need a new hat, but I don't want to fork out for one if I don't need to. Any tips will be gratefully accepted, thanks.

[Jonsnowsghost]

thanks. He's actually looking better, his leg is looking less floppy and he's started to stand with his back legs crossed again...although not a good position to stand in he always does and he hasn't been when he was first injured! I've got the vet coming tomorrow to have a check over him again so fingers crossed.

Oh dear! I'm glad he redeemed himself at the end, it's all just too exciting being out and about

[Jonsnowsghost]

The vet came today and said he's looking great, another 6 weeks of box rest then he's going to come and sedate him so we can turn him out although him going nuts! And then he'll be out :) but the best news is....i can get back on!! 5 minutes walking increasing to 30 minutes over the 6 weeks. Think I might do in hand first!

[Rollingdinosaur]

Brilliant news! When are you planning to get on him?

[Jonsnowsghost]

I think Saturday when there's more people around in case he gets too excited. I'll do in hand tomorrow, Thurs and Friday and I'll put a plan together of when I can start increasing walk times too. I'm excited to get back on!

[IsItTimeForGinYet]

I had to sedate mine for walking. I started off riding him and that was bad so then attempted hand walking which was fine a couple of times but then that went a bit awry too. However 1 notch of sedalin 40 minutes before his walk worked a treat. Even then I still wore my hat, he was in a bridle and with a lunge line attached. Hopefully yours will be fine but Good luck and stay safe!

[Jonsnowsghost]

Walked him Thurs and Friday and he was well behaved then got on Saturday and he was a star
Today was a slightly different matter as he'd got a bit wound up after being left on his own (he wasn't, a horse he likes had just gone to be ridden ) so I took him into the bigger field to ride then said horse came in for the end of its lesson and left whilst we were still walking and he had a bit of an explosion! All fine though he calmed down pretty quickly.

All in all very impressed with him

My old pony has sore feet - not sure if I've mentioned it - but they're still sore so I'm worried about him he's an old man with lots of problems but he's still quite happy pottering around. Difficult to know what to do with him.

[tootsietoo]

Eurgh, 6 more weeks! Box rest is horrible.

How old is your old man JonSnow?

We've been playing musical ponies round here. I have failed to qualify for a regional final, and in the space of a week DD's pony has been confirmed lame (some coffin joint arthritis medicated, should be fine soon), DD has taken over my pony, who is definitely now hers, and I have bought myself a 5 yr old 14.2 fancy looking little connemara, collecting him tomorrow! Too much excitement! But no more eventing for me for a while now, just lots of schooling. Next season will probably be all unaffiliated eventing for me as I have an eye to selling him in a few years and I want him to have a tidy BE record, and DD will be 11, turning 12, so she could do a few unaffiliated events and maybe finish the season with a BE one or two if she earns it. It is fun making plans.

[Jonsnowsghost]

I know...only 38 days to go! Total will be 12 weeks box rest.

He's 24, I've had him for 10 years and he's now arthritic with metabolic syndrome so he's really laminitic too. He loudly neighs hello to me every day and I can't even think of him not being around

Wow new pony! I love connies, what's he Like?

[tootsietoo]

Old ponies are such a worry. I had my 30 year old 14.2, who I'd had for 26 years, put down about 3 years ago. He was fine, but he'd lost quite a few teeth and was starting to not eat as well and every winter he'd come through a bit less well. I knew that the only thing that would bring the status quo to an end was something bad, so I made the decision before the something bad happened. I think we're lucky to have the option to do that for them. Funnily enough I miss him more now than I did 3 years ago when I made the decision. I wish he was still around.

New connie is currently being shod, and the farrier is pleasantly surprised at how cooperative he's being! He seems like a nice chap, although has a permanently worried expression on his face, and he doesn't know what treats are!! He wouldn't take a polo or an apple from me yesterday!

[Jonsnowsghost]

Oh bless him! Took Buzz for another in hand walk yesterday where he kept trying to squash me and jogged the whole way, I'll be sticking to walking around the yard today I think! He's got personal space issues so walks into me rather than away

30! Wow. He's got all his teeth but I know what you mean about the "something bad" as he's grey he's got a few melanomas (including an enormous one at the top of his tail - always thought it was a fat patch!) So I guess the inside of him is probably riddled poor thing :(
On the other hand when I got there yesterday I was told he escaped and spent 20 minutes cantering around refusing to be caught!! so maybe feeling slightly better this is why i get confused about it as he's so cheeky still!

[Rollingdinosaur]

Glad to see all is mostly going well with Buzz. I do feel for him, being on box rest must be so dull. I'm not surprised he's a bit full of it. It sounds like he is coping well.

These old ones are a worry. My Mum has a 25 year old Welsh Cob. She has cushings, and arthritis, but is still more of a handful than my youngster out hacking. She's looking really well now we've got the cushings under control, but it is a constant juggling act keeping her weight down, and getting her to take the medication. I do find myself wondering as each year passes, how many more she has, and we've had her since she was foaled, when I was a child.

Tootsie, it sounds like things have got very exciting round your way! The new connie sounds fab! For a thread that started off being about eventing, there is not a lot of eventing going on with most of us at the moment!

[tootsietoo]

That is why it is such an achievement just getting to an event even slightly prepared!

[rollingdinosaur]

Very true! We went out and had a go showjumping on grass this weekend. Still only over tiny fences but he stayed calm and jumped everything he was asked to, so I'm pretty chuffed.

[Jonsnowsghost]

That's good! Still walking....up to 10 minutes now and he's being very behaved (if a little lazy!)

[frostyfingers]

It's ages since I've posted - life has been frantic for the last couple of months and riding has barely featured! I was working full time for 6 weeks, then had 10 days holiday and am now completely overrun with MFH work. I have started dhorse's fitness routine but he's fed up and now runs away up the field when I go to get him in! We're out every morning at 6ish which is lovely but hard work - at least we beat the worst of the flies. Hound exercise starts on horses next week so hopefully he'll find his motivation.

Glad to hear Buzz is improving and that everyone else is managing to get out and about.

[Jonsnowsghost]

Well, all my praise for how well Buzz has been behaving has gone out the window! He was so awful on Monday he was dangerous...leaping with all 4 feet in the air, spinning, trying to take off...all sorts. The reason was he wanted to eat not walk
So yesterday I decided that as he has 3 weeks left (YAY!) And is now on 20 minutes walking that i'd turn him out in a bigger grass area whilst I did his stable (he's on a small sand area during the day) and just hope that he would eat and not run around as surely that'd be better than the twisting and leaping he was doing. Well he didn't! He just ate then we went for a walk and he behaved perfectly so fingers crossed that will help. I don't blame him though as he's been in for 9 weeks now with no grass :(

Anyone off competing any time soon?

[Rollingdinosaur]

Wow, Frosty, does sound like you've had a lot on! Any competitions coming up?

Jon, I can't believe its been 9 weeks already! Maybe he's playing up because he's feeling better? Hopefully the next few weeks will go fast.

Is anyone else finding the flies are worse than usual this year? Poor horse is being plagued by them, not helped by the fact he keeps losing his fly mask! I am also having issues with his feet falling apart. Shoes are lasting 4 or 5 weeks maximum. After a couple of weeks his hooves are just crumbing around the nails. I've put him on biotin, but from what I gather it will take a year for the new hoof to grow. Not sure what to do to improve things in the short term. Add that to his many scrapes picked up playing in the field and he looks like a disaster at the moment. Oh and we are going to a showing show this week. Its not really my thing, but it is run by our local riding club, very close to the yard where he lives, and it will be good experience for him.

[IsItTimeForGinYet]

Hello! Golly it has been a while. Good luck snow with the hand walking. Sedalin was my friend but hopefully yours will continue behaving now he's on more grass.

Frosty how exciting! Won't be too long until clubbing starts. I guess another 6 weeks down here.

So news this end. I did my first ode in 20 years! My friend who is doing wobbleberries entered the Hannah Francis ODE but then decided that she and her lovely horse weren't ready so she asked me to ride him! It's only his second time xc and this was the first time he had never seen the fences before. So dressage was good. We had a couple of minor mistakes but scored 27 and that was good enough to lead his section. Show jumping he did brilliantly. He was spooky but carried on forward (with quite a bit of encouragement!) and was unlucky to roll a pole. And then xc he had to have a look at everything and was not impressed that I expected him to canter all the way round. Due to backing off everything we got quite a few time faults but it was a great experience for him and a real treat for me to do an event after so long. Thanks Hannah for the inspiration x

[frostyfingers]

No competitions for me - horse is so unfit, if I stop kicking then he stops walking!

Rolling, have a look at Kevin Bacon's Hoof Dressing or possibly Keratex Hoof hardener - they are both pretty effective although obviously not a super quick fix. I've been riding at 6.30 to try and beat the flies and then the horses are in until the evening to escape the worst of them. I don't think there's any effective spray, or at least I've never found one!

Time for Gin - congratulations, well done to horse and rider. That must give you a real sense of achievement. Braver than me by a long way!

Hound exercise on horses starts next week so apart from getting up at 5am it will at least motivate the horse to actually use himself rather than slobbing along with his mind a million miles away.......

[IsItTimeForGinYet]

Another vote for Kevin bacon. One of the grooms recommended to use it every evening during the summer and this summer his feet have been the best ever. Something to do with the different moistures drying the hoof out more? Or something like that!

[Rollingdinosaur]

Well done Gin, that sounds like it was hard work! Are you going to do another one? Thanks for the suggestions, will try that! He lost a shoe yesterday, and they'd only been on 3 weeks!

Well my attempt at showing didn't go well, in fact it didn't go at all. Horse was so stressed when we got there, that we just rode around a bit then went back to the yard. Being so close to home, there were lots of his field mates there, going in all directions, and he just couldn't cope. I think if I'd tried to take him into an actual class he would have just exploded. It was the same issue again, big open field, with horses he knows cantering around.

[IsItTimeForGinYet]

Kevin Bacon (not the actor!) is brilliant. Honestly put it on dry hooves every evening before the grass gets damp.

And well done for attempting showing. My horse is quite smart and could do well in hunter classes but I can't face it. The idea of all of us cantering around a ring fills me with horror! But great that you took him and just keep taking him places until he finds them not quite so exciting. Clinics are brilliant as they get to stand and watch a bit too.

[tootsietoo]

Lots of progress updates, lovely!

Hurrah for IsItTimeForGinYet! What an achievement to go out on a strange horse and go so well. Will you do any eventing with yours??

Rolling, you are getting out and about, every small step is progress! I agree that showing is probably much harder than it looks like it should be.

JonSnow, I feel for your poor horse, at least you have light at the end of the tunnel.

Frosty, I am in awe of the responsibility you have taken on with MFHing. And your horse will be hopping fit in 3 months time!

I am sitting here procrastinating when I should be making packed lunch for day 2 of pony club camp, and washing the wet jods and numnahs. DD2 is doing day camp and DD1 living in for the first time this year so I have 2 weeks of PC camp, I am actually in heaven . New horse is going well, he is a bit wary and wobbly, but so willing to please and hasn't frightened me at all yet! I took him out in to the big field this evening for the first time while DD1 galloped around me jumping, and he didn't buck or spin or tank or anything, and even bravely jumped some tyres! I think this part of summer is the worst for riding, the hard ground and the flies makes me ground to a halt. I think it's a good time for a bit of a break, to get going again in the autumn.

[Jonsnowsghost]

Today is the 2 week countdown! Still being naughty in hand (don't blame him) but he's been good when I've ridden him - if a tad lazy! We're so close to the end of box rest I can't wait. No more disgusting stable! Old pony is so clean in his I will never moan again

[frostyfingers]

I've been working hard at both mine and horse's fitness the last month or so, up at around 6am every day (except for a couple), 1.5 hours exercise and finally there's progress! I've also been doing hound exercise a couple of times a week which involves getting up at 4.30.....

Pic today is of us scrubbed up for the hound parade at a local agricultural show - we had to dodge thunderstorms but it was fine in the end and dhorse piaffed most of the way round but at least he didn't buck me off! An awful lot of effort for a short time, but it seemed to be popular so it's worth it for that.