Won't stop, don't ask me!

Max is very full of himself after his week off. We've done a little work in the school this weekend. He's been sound since Thursday but still best to keep him off flinty bridleways for a bit and take advantage of the soft surface of the school until he's 100%. The last thing he needs is another knock to his vulnerable toe.

I had trouble keeping up with him yesterday as he dragged me about on the lines, full steam ahead. My problem is usually getting more energy from Max, but yesterday "Whoa" was not in his vocabulary. I had to drop the lines several times to avoid being left behind and pulling on his mouth.

Decided better to take a firmer hold of the situation and we worked on transitions in hand to remind him about walk, halt and stand, and then lunged him very large on both reins. I don't want him on any tight bends now that would put pressure on his just recovered off fore, so by moving with him rather than standing in the middle with Max circling round me, I could control the bends and still keep up the brisk pace Max was setting.

It was a good way to have a better look at his paces too, and he looks fine - no glimmer of lameness or discomfort.

Today we did a little ridden, but I kept it short. Wanted to see how he felt (fine) and work on transitions again. Walking and standing seem to have dropped out his repertoire in the past seven days!

There's a hoof in my bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza...

Max spent some time today with his tender foot soaking in water that had boiled and cooled down a bit to as hot as he could stand it.

This was on the advice of my YO, the reason being if there was anything brewing up in his hoof somewhere, like an abscess, then a hot water soak a few times a day would help to draw it out so we could deal with it.

Max was perplexed on the first go at 7.00 this morning. He lifted his foot for me gamely enough, as he always does, but when I asked him to put it back down in blue bucket filled with steaming water he was not keen. He hovered his foot over the bucket and resisted my coaxing.

I finally managed to convince him by applying downward pressure to make clear what was required, and Max finally obliged, then was delighted to get a loud click and pony nut as his reward! He was so delighted he immediately lifted his hoof back out of the bucket and offered his nose for a kiss.

"No, Max. Foot in the bucket please, sir. It's to help you feel better."

Again he lifted, again he hesitated and them, sploosh! In went the foot with eyes expectantly on me.

Click and pony nut.

Max nodded his head with delight. A new game!

I continued to click as he kept his foot in the bucket and offered pony nuts, one at a time. We managed to stay like that for five minutes.

Back at lunch time, boiled the water, cooled it, got Max back out of his box and showed him the bucket of steaming water. He had a good look and then straightened and looked at me expectantly.

"Foot up please, Max."

He obliged.

"In the bucket now, please."

Slight hesitation and then sploosh again, and again we stood, clicks and pony nuts offered for five minutes.

It doesn't do to get too delighted with oneself over these things though.

Our final dip was late this afternoon. I'd held Max back from his release to the field specifically so we could have just one more go.

Out he came eagerly and spied the bucket and the steam. Up went his foot and sploosh! into the bucket. Click treat, click treat, click treat... nose offered for a kiss and while disarmed by the whiskery muzzle coming towards me, I was unable to stop what happened next.

Max quite deliberately and slowly lifted his hoof out of the water, kicked the bucket over with precision and left me standing in a puddle. All while stealing a kiss!

We may try again tomorrow, though I'm not sure we need to. He's walking much more evenly this morning, and both his front hooves are the same temperature, so hopefully, it's nothing more than bruising after all and my wee hooligan is on the mend.

Max is lame!

Not in a good, telling feeble jokes to make me laugh way, but in a bad, something wrong with his foot way.

I first noticed something was amiss on Saturday when the Ent took him out for their traditional weekend constitutional. It was Max's head movement that alerted me. He was bobbing his head in an unusual way, and that made me watch his feet with concern.

I went to a vet talk last year. They do them in this area from time to time to raise money for good causes. I went to one on laminitis and another on lameness. One of the tips from the lameness talk was that although lameness can be really hard to pin down, sometimes the best pointer is the horse bobbing its head, and the direction of the lean of the head can help you determine which side the lameness is on.

Anyway, there was bobbing, so I looked. Really subtle, but something wasn't right. I thought it was his near fore but wasn't sure. Said to the Ent "I think he's a bit lame" and Ent at first dismissed, but then watched with his keen eye and said "Hmmm... left front?"

Exactly!

Had a good feel, no heat, no swelling, no distress from Max. Got back to the yard and checked to see if he'd picked up a stone, but no, nothing there.

Then flagged down the YO and asked her to watch as I trotted Max back and forth. Four times. She agreed something wasn't right, but couldn't make out where it was coming from. She first thought near fore, then more likely off fore but maybe off hind? She had a feel and agreed, no swelling, no heat.

Sunday same thing. YO checked him early and no heat in his feet. I took him out for a short walk then in the school to trot him round and again thought "Nah... something is off" but it was so hard to pin down.

Today he came in with heat in his off fore. Happily farrier was on the yard today, so YO had him have a good look.

There is no sign of anything obvious, no puncture wound, and he didn't want to dig round too much. The only thing Max had a slight reaction to was a bit of pincher pressure on the toe of his off fore. More of a "get off, you're annoying me" reaction than an "Ouch! Ouchy! How dare you BE GONE!"

When I arrived at lunch time there was still heat to be felt and Max seemed a little subdued, but not obviously off colour.

We hope it's just a bruise to the sole of his foot, but there is the possibility that it could be an infection of some kind, which is more worrying.

Max the Mighty Warrior

Back in the day, Fjord ponies were used as war horses by the Vikings... so I'm led to believe. Today, Max claimed his ancestral heritage with a stamp and a snort!

Between yard duties and office duties, we had time for a hackette out on our ownio. It really was a brief foray out into the wide world, probably only 40 minutes of gentle riding through the sleechy mud of the bridleways. No time to work him in the school first, not time even to prepare him for what we were about to do. A quick grooming session to make sure his girth area was clear, his feet were picked out and there were no annoying clumps of mud in his tail to bang against his hind legs in an irritating way, and then saddle up, mount up and we were off!

He was brilliant, very alert and attentive and we strode along, me first singing Kookaburra, and then whistling it, guiding Max through the sloppy path and around the rabbit holes. We had a few pheasants fly up in our faces, and followed a hoppity bunny for a while, Max with ears pricked "What is it? Why it boing, so?"

All was well, Max had a crafty munch of some long grass that was just too tempting, and we turned for home.

This is when we met the dreaded foe. A discarded plastic shopping bag, stuck in a hedge, fluttering in the wind and making crackly plastic noises. Max stopped, neck arched.

"I spy the enemy!"

He readied himself for a swift turn and retreat and I prepared myself for the sudden lurch and change of direction. Then Max changed his mind and advanced cautiously.

The bag fluttered more vigorously, crackling in a taunting way.

"Yikes! It's armed!"

Max did an exit, stage left, and headed up the lane a few paces.

"But Max, you're heading away from home," I pointed out reasonably. "How are you going to get your bowl of parsnip bites if you don't go home?"

At this he turned again, faced the bag and advanced, all snaky necked and snorty!

"Back to the devil, I say!" he commanded. "I fear you not! I FEAR YOU NOT!"

Right up to the blasted thing in the hedge, gave it a shove with his nose, and then trotted past, yes, a little hysterically, but we'll let that slide.

"Brave boy!" I exclaimed. "You sure showed that bag!"

"That bag, all bags, I fear them not!" Max snorted.

We were home safe and Max got his parsnip. What courageous warrior doesn't deserve a parsnip to celebrate victory over a dangerous enemy?

You're not paying attention!

Funny ol' Max. We haven't really been up to anything blog worthy, but I've mentioned before about Max and his special treats in his feed bowl, how he gobbles enthusiastically, then rests his head against me while he chews because it's SO good.

Well, yesterday, we were doing that. I finished my shift at the yard, picked out his feet, did a last skip out of his box, gave him some new hay, made a fuss of him and then brought him a little plastic baggy full of half a chopped parsnip, a chopped pear and a sliced carrot with a handful of ponynuts. He saw the bag, he got excited, he went back to his bowl and thumped it with his nose "In! In, in, in! Gimme!"

So I dumped it in for him, and stood by his head while he chomped away, with each mouthful resting his head against me, sighing, chewing and looking all blissed out.

But I heard a noise on the yard, and I looked away from him, out of his box door, listening while I idly scratched his neck. Just wondering who it was, what it was... We've had a recent "crime wave" in our area, milk, eggs, garden stuff going missing, so we're all on alert. I knew the tack room was open and I was trying to figure out if anybody was on the yard, paying more attention to that than what Max was doing.

So Max nudges my hand, twice, to re-focus my attention on how delighted he was. I turned to look at him and "Ah, that's better. Look at me loving my food!" and he leaned his head into me again while he chewed in bliss. Apparently, I have to pay attention when he's eating his treats! Funny boy!

Today, the weather is miserable, and I tucked him into his hoody while he fretted like an impatient child. "Not the clasps, they bind. Out now! Out. Cease fiddling!"

Brilliant boy. He makes my day, every day.

Foul weather friends

Yuck! What a grim day it has been in this little corner of the world. Lashing it down with rain and high winds. As I type this, there is a respite; no rain, but leaden skies and cloud cover that promises that this is just a cease fire, not surrender.

Max was exercised today by YO and she was very pleased with him. I found him tucked up in his box wearing his fleece, with evidence of his hard work still to be seen. She said his cantering his coming along very nicely and the transitions are getting better. He still strikes off on the wrong foot on the right rein, but is getting the hang of "flying changes"! My boy! He's growing up!

He won't do it for me yet, and I guess maybe I could feel bad about that, but I don't. I love that he is responding so well to the tuition from someone more able than myself, and it's up to me to learn and catch up to his level. I have no problem with that. I'm delighted with his progress!

I tucked Max up in his medium weight rug with hood again. The temperature would be too mild if it was a still, dry afternoon, or promised to be a still, dry night, but the forecast is for more wet 'n' wild overnight and I think Max is better off well protected from the elements. Better he comes in a little toasty than drenched with a chill.

Although the paddock where Max and his mates spend their time drains quite beautifully, today it was over-burdened with water and they had a little lake to investigate. The three stooges, set free, all gathered around the edge of the lake.

"Look boys, we got ourselves a swimmin' hole!" declared The Boss, stamping his foot and making a splash.

Max and his best mate tried some splashing too, and we left the three of them there, delightedly stomping in the water like three mischief makers at the public baths, ignoring the posted signs of, "No diving, no bombing, no splashing, no running."

There I was, reluctant to take my poor pony out in the miserable weather, but he's a horse, and he cares not about the weather.

I watched for a while, smiling at their antics, and walked away whistling, "Singing in the rain".

Once again, my pony leads by example "Don't worry! Be happy!" Max finds the silver lining round every cloud.

Max does community service

No, not as a punishment for defacing public property or nicking polos from the local shop - the other kind of community service; being kind and helpful to a local person in need.

In this case, the local person is one of the neighbourhood children, and the service is that the old pony on our yard that she and her brother "borrow" is now a little bit old for the role, so I told their mum (my friend, K) that if they wanted to move on up to play with Max, I'd be very happy for them to do so. They're both good kids, cheerful and caring, they won't be unsupervised and K knows what she's doing and has ridden Max a few times herself.

So today, while I was at the yard cleaning tack and organising my grooming kit, Max was ridden in the indoor school by a very enthusiastic young girl. I watched for the first little while, and was pleased with the care Max was taking. Unfortunately, it became clear he was rather pleased with himself too, and he kept coming into the middle of the school to stand in front of me, offering his nose for a kiss in hopes of a click treat. I removed myself from the school and apparently this bewildered him at first, but he decided K was a good enough adult supervisor and carried on bravely.

Max and his young charge worked on serpentines, mainly, and a little bit of trotting on either rein, but mostly walking while they got the feel of each other. K's daughter is a fine beginner with kind hands and was delighted to learn Max's "trick" - shift your weight forward a little and he stops.

Max may not have taxed himself with hard work, but he sure did plant a big smile on a little face today.

Yesm's is a good boy, Max!

Revisiting parsnips

There was a half price sale on parnisps at the supermarket today, and I remembered how much Max enjoys them, so bought a bunch.

We did a little work in the school today, cut short by a tremendous downpour. Oh, we were sheltered and dry, but the sound of the rain hitting to roof of the indoor school with such force prompted Max to believe he was under attack from many cobblers' apprentices, hammering away with their little silver hammers, and he lost all his concentration.

I released him from his work and let him trot around, tail like a flag, until he settled enough for a roll and a few snorts, and then we just worked on clicker training and not worrying about the rain.

When we were done, I took him back to his box and presented him with his feast. A little plastic bag containing a chopped parsnip, a chopped carrot, a chopped pear, and a handful of pony nuts.

It isn't much, but Max went into his happy trance, chewing and resting his head against me while he chewed... "Oh man! This is sooo good! I'd just about offer you some, but I know you don't want any so..."

The last day of my "holiday" and couldn't have asked for a better way to draw a line under it than happy Max, munching appreciatively on his treat.

Quiet time

The big plan for this week was to do lots of work with Max because I don't have the opportunity when I'm working two jobs.

Today we did nothing at all.

I arrived at the yard quite late, because I know he likes to have his morning snoozy time. It was almost noon when I got to him and shockingly, Max was asleep, sprawled out on his straw bed looking incredibly comfy.

I announced my presence quietly, and went in with his marmite toast. One eye open to look, then head raised, but no inclination to get up. So I fed him as he lay there, piece by piece, and then I gave him scratches and rubs and watched his big head droop and listened to his deep breathing and remembered that it has been months since Max and I have sat together through one of his naps.

I'm so glad I got the chance to do that with him this week. Doing nothing together is just as important as doing something.

Max in the hands of another...

Frustrating and inspirational, watching Max work for my YO yesterday. Actually, not very frustrating because he was so beautiful - only frustrating in that I can't get him to work like that myself. Partly because I'm nowhere near as skilled as my YO (but I'm working on it) and partly because Max knows all the tricks to get round me - the best of which is making me laugh.

I've taken a week off from the office this week but am still working the yard. I spent seven blissful hours there today. Yes, hard graft, but lots of time with Max, and no pressures to push off anywhere else, so I could take my time to fluff up the beds and spend loads of time loving the lovelies instead of feeling like just a little jaw scratch would have to do.

Yesterday I watched Max working in the pessoa for the first time since August. Although I've been carrying on with working him myself, I haven't seen just what he can do in the hands of the YO and my boy has advanced!

Started off in a nice trot and I commented, "It takes me about ten minutes to get him to that point!" to which YO laughed and said, "Oh, he can do much better than this. I'm just letting him work the stiffness off before we really get going!"

Monkey! Hiding his light under a bushel from me.

Well, YO says Max is a bit idle, and if he can find a way to get out of work, he'll do it. He's all about less work, more food.

I was not downhearted about this at all. She gave me some handy tips to push him on, and now I know what he can give, I'm in a better position to ask for it, politely but insistently.

Today we had a go on our own, and although I still can't get him going as well as YO, and we failed to get into canter at all (he cantered and cantered for her yesterday), I know we'll get there with a little more work from me. It's still all about timing, when I ask and where I put myself when I ask.

Max had a bit of a grump on. He would prefer that I don't watch his sessions with the YO because it gives me Ideas. Max prefers me without Ideas, unless the Ideas involve something tasty, or a scratch between his front legs, or a soothing rub of his ear tips.

We had a great old time though, and finished off our session with Max in a light sweat, so I took all his gear off and he had a grand roll in the school before going back to finish his lunch and have a sponge down to get the sweat off his belly. Then light rug on, and out to the field with his mates.

Bonfire night tonight, and the fireworks will be starting soon, but I'm not too worried. He's with his pals, the Boss is nonplussed by bangers and his chill will tell the other two there is nothing to fear.

On this crisp November evening, with the smell of woodsmoke in the air and the exploding lights in the sky, Max extends a hearty horsey welcome to his new Canadian cousin, Jamaika, a stunningly beautiful mare who has had the good fortune of finding a kind and loving guardian who could not be more thrilled. Love it when dreams come true!

Here's to dreams on this beautiful night! Welcome Jamaika! Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

Max i' the hood

Early November, and Max is back in his tartan rug with neck hood. It seems early to be moving up a notch in his weather protection, but it has turned very rainy with a sharp, cold wind. I expect he’ll be back in his lightweight before long, at least I hope so, but for now, I prefer to know he’s dry and snug, out in the field with his hoody mates.

Friday, and again today, we experimented with long-lining up the lane, but this time, instead of one long line on either side, I used one line attached to his bridle at both ends, giving me “driving” reins. It means I’m closer to his behind, and with Max, that’s only a good thing. Much more able to chivvy him along when I’m close behind him, and there’s nothing to fear from a kick from those hinds, that’s just not Max.

My theory is the more I can build him up lining out in the open, the better he will be at hacking with confidence. I’m still on the ground with him, which is reassuring, but he is leading the way, which builds his confidence.

He doesn’t have to deal with my weight and balance on his back, and I don’t have to deal with it either, so we can both concentrate on moving forward and perfecting our aids. If he gets surprised or scared, it’s very easy for me to be where he needs me quickly.

The downside is Max’s tendency to graze along the way. Today we had a much longer walk with the Ent leading the way, and grazing was still a problem. Not a constant problem, but the greenery proved a distraction for Max and every now and again he’d abandon his post and single-mindedly head off for the grassy verges, ignoring protest from his companions.

“Somebody talking? All I can hear is nom, nom, nom…”

"Max! Head up!”

"Oooh, are those rosehips?”

“Max! Get up! Walk on!”

“A delicacy! So lush, I really could just stand here all day… Oops! Apparently not. All right, I’m walking on, already! Jeez. Get a grip, lady!”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Snort.”

I think “snort” is the equivalent of “phht!”. I’ll have to look that up in my English/Equus – Equus/English dictionary…