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The tack room
First BE ODE next month, any advice welcome!
Rollingdinosaur · 18/04/2016 13:37
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.
tootsietoo · 17/07/2016 18:58
Competition report! First BE90 on Friday. Average dressage for us, 31, 8th in section. Lovely clear SJ, so pleased, he felt great! And then a fabulous lovely forward confident XC round until a stop at fence 18, a pheasant feeder before a sunken road. Same old thing, he clocked the step down just as he arrived at the fence and stopped to have a look. I wasn't too gutted though as the round until then had felt fabulous (the feeling that we do it for!) He jumped a couple of tricky combinations and a skinny corner, was very chuffed. Will keep at the schooling, I think it is slowly working.
Rollingdinosaur · 19/07/2016 10:06
Mine may be some time as I am now without a horse. 
He has gone on trial to his new home, but I don't imagine he will be back, as the lady that has taken him, knows him well.
I am seriously tempted to drag my Mums old pony out of semi retirement, to see if I can persuade her to do a sensible dressage test to keep me occupied in the mean time. We checked with the vet last week, and he said it would do her good, as long as we don't expect too much of her. She is 24, but still a bit loopy. She will be good practice, for when I hopefully get a youngster! I tried schooling her the other day, and apart from throwing herself across the school every time we passed the gate, she was really good.
How did you get on with the saddler Gin?
frostyfingers · 19/07/2016 10:46
That's great progress tootsie - well done and I'm not surprised you're chuffed. Good luck with the stressage Dinosaur - and the horse hunting, that's seriously stressful!
Consultant appointment for me today although it's just been put back by 4 hours which has really made me cross as it's buggered up my whole day (how come I get penalised if I don't make the appointment but the consultant can change it at short notice?!) Actually cross doesn't really do justice to how I feel - really angry and absolutely spitting are nearer - and if I wanted to change it then it's another 2/3 weeks before there's another....
I'm still managing a bit of riding but it is seriously painful and I'm not really enjoying it, I could stop obviously but I really don't want to turn the horse away and let him get fat and unfit. Shame you're too far away Dinosaur.....!
Rollingdinosaur · 19/07/2016 16:13
Aargh frosty, how annoying!! Did you get seen in the end? What did they have to say?
I haven't started looking yet really, as I am going away at the weekend for two weeks, but as soon as I get back I will be looking properly. I am hoping it won't take too long to find something. Knowing my luck I'll find the right horse, just as we go into the worst of the winter though.
frostyfingers · 19/07/2016 16:52
Obviously my crossness worked - I got a call at midday to say if I could make 1.00 then I could have the appointment.....we live almost an hour away so I bolted up the road and met a hearse which was unfortunate as the next five miles were then spent at 30 miles an hour but it didn't feel appropriate to try and get past!
Anyway made it and the upshot is that I have a 2/3 longitudinal tear of the meniscus which requires surgery - hopefully it's only a "trim" which will be day surgery, two weeks off and a month before I can ride, or it could be an overnight and a month to two months off the road. Unfortunately he's leaning towards the latter because of the size of the tear but won't know until he gets in.
The grimmest news is that if I go on the NHS it's NOVEMBER before it can be done. So DH (husband that it, not horse) and I are having a think about how we can pay for it ourselves - just as well I've been busy with work over the last couple of months! The thought of living with this until November, leaving aside the issues about not being able to ride, is seriously depressing. I'll have to "help" you horse shop Dinosaur!
IsItTimeForGinYet · 19/07/2016 21:19
November Frosty???? How depressing!! So sorry to hear that but hopefully you will find a winning lottery ticket and can get it done far quicker. Good luck and keep us posted. What is it with horses and humans?? Either the horse is injured or the human is!!
Rolling I hunted my mums old hunter who had been retired for 3 years. We had him checked out by the vet and he loved it. He was 28 when I took him and he loved every minute. He died aged 31 in the field of a heart attack.
As for the saddle. Well a very nice Frenchman came out, put very nice saddle on horse, I rode him (horse not nice Frenchman) and have now placed an order to have one made. I think I need to sell a kidney (or a child...) so that's the good news. The not so good news is that it won't be ready until October!
frostyfingers · 25/07/2016 13:57
After much family discussion we have raided the piggy bank and I'm having the op done on Wednesday.......rehab time is 6-8 weeks which isn't too bad. More than anything else it will be good to get rid of this pain and actually do stuff without hurting. I'm not sure how soon I can ride but I intend to be cautious and do as I'm told because I can't afford to mess it up!
frostyfingers · 28/07/2016 19:00
Doing well thanks - in and out in a day and no crutches. 3 days house arrest, stitches out in 10 days and to be very careful until then. Follow up in a month and then hopefully I'll have an idea of when things will be back to normal. I haven't dare ask about riding yet, but it's much less painful than before already.
I watched the Eventer Challenge at Hickstead and they were talking about the Olympic horses flying out - I haven't looked at my H+H yet, do you know when the eventing is on?
Can you not ride your horse until October then Gin - or will you try bareback?!
IsItTimeForGinYet · 28/07/2016 20:28
So pleased the Op is done and went well and do make sure you do nothing at all risky over the next 10 days!!
So horses flying out tomorrow afternoon and arrive early Saturday morning. Trot up is on Friday, dressage Saturday and Sunday, XC is on Monday and SJ Tuesday. They then fly home again a couple of days later. All should be on one of the red buttons or sky channels 980 onwards. If you would like I can update nearer the time - it's part of my job!
Not riding bareback!! He's 17.2 with high withers. That's never going to be simple or comfy!! I have a dressage saddle and quite happy doing fast work in it. If I can't find something to borrow in the meantime I will attempt jumping ready for cubbing!!
frostyfingers · 29/07/2016 17:45
I was looking at the pictures of them loading the horses on to the planes - gosh horses are tolerant aren't they? I hope it all goes well especially for WFP as I think he might scale things down soon. Feeling a bit sore & groggy today but will wander down to check horses - my son is doing all the work, I'll watch over the fence but I'm missing my daily fix so even that will help!
IsItTimeForGinYet · 29/07/2016 18:30
Amazing isn't it? So nice they are sharing so much on social media as well. Also really hoping WFP and Chilli do well. I'm so pleased he has made the team. What a year he has had. I do think the team looks good this year. Hope they all travel well and come home safe.
frostyfingers · 08/08/2016 10:15
How's things? It's gone very quiet here! I'm looking forward to settling down and watch the Olympix XC this afternoon. I didn't watch the dressage much but think we're in a reasonable team position - it looks a tricky course though.
My knee is ok, although I do feel very vulnerable when I'm out and about - a misstep, or twist/stumble scares me so I'm very slow! The stitches were meant to be out today but it's a bit soon so have to go back at the end of the week.
Fingers crossed for everyone this afternoon .
Rollingdinosaur · 08/08/2016 18:16
Glad to hear the op is done and went well Frosty! I have just got back from holiday, just in time to spend an afternoon watching the Olympic eventing. It does not appear to be going to plan for us at all so far. Fingers crossed Kitty King can do something amazing. I have emailed enquiries about a couple of horses too this afternoon, so the search is on for my new horse. It is the first time I think I have ever felt excited coming back from a holiday, because I knew I could get looking as soon as I got back.
IsItTimeForGinYet · 22/08/2016 20:37
How's everyone doing? Horse hunting? Knee recovering? Olympic withdrawals?!
Finally got round to entering horse in an unaff dressage comp this Sunday and was meant to be taking him xc schooling tomorrow eve but discovered this evening that something has bitten him right where the saddle meets the girth. It's big. And it's oozing!! Blasted flies attacking horse!!! He's in during the day and now wearing a turnout at night to try and delay winter coat so how did they even ambush him. Grrrrrr!!!!!
frostyfingers · 23/08/2016 10:20
How frustrating (and typical!). If it's open try dabbing a dot of tea tree oil on it although it can sting so be wary if your horse is a bit sensitive. I've found it works a treat on small things like that and it keeps the flies off.
Knee recovery going very slowly, I'm feeling a bit down about it at the moment as it's still painful and quite swollen and panicking that it hasn't worked. Follow up is next week so hopefully my fears will be allayed. Otherwise ok, horse is fat, dirty and unfit although I have a lovely friend taking him out once a week. We're currently walking 3 hound puppies so I'm busy making sure they're not completely trashing the place or disappearing to where they shouldn't be!
IsItTimeForGinYet · 23/08/2016 12:50
Hound puppies!! You are braver than me!!! What have they stolen and/or destroyed so far?! Hope follow up appointment is all positive and that you can start doing more soon. Just think when you look back at this time it will have flown by and be just a distant memory although I know that's hard to believe at the moment.
Didn't have tea tree oil to hand yesterday. But did have Terramycin so he now has a very fetching blue patch. It's dry this morning and not quite as huge so hopefully will be ok for the weekend and shying at white boards and things lurking in the judges sheds...
frostyfingers · 23/08/2016 16:43
These are our 2nd batch, the first couple were remarkably well behaved although they did find some amazing stuff - gloves, old tubes of god knows what from around the farm (we rent and there's loads of stuff around and about!), a newish and freshish looking bed sheet, ancient dog bones, bits of string...... Cushions were a particular favourite. These 3 are only 9 weeks but naughtier by far, not sure how long we'll hang on to them if they carry on like this!
Good luck for the weekends, I've never done a proper dressage test as an adult, I think my biggest worry would be remembering - or are you allowed a caller?
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