Back to Work For a Second Time

So I tried to bring Freddie back to work after the snow and ice last month, but after a few bucks and feeling that he wasn't quite himself, I decided to wait and get his back seen to.

The back lady came on Thursday and had a look at him. She said he was a 'good well built strong boy' lol, which is great. He had a few niggles needing ironing out, and he was particularly tight on one shoulder, which she said would causes him a little discomfort, so she did what she needed to do and said to lunge the next day and then get on the day after, which was today.

So yesterday evening I lunged and he was surprising chilled out, seeing as he's done absolutely nothing since mid January... So today I got on. I have to admit I was a little apprehensive as I thought he may be on his toes. But he was a superstar. He worked fantastically and really tried for me. Perhaps I should give him a month or so off work more often, lol. We even had a couple of lovely canters and I felt he was completely settled. I thoroughly enjoyed riding him today.

So a good start to take two of bringing him back to work this year. The hard work starts here though, if he's going to get the muscle and condition back that he had before Christmas, in time for the shows, we need to knuckle down. However, I do think I need to make sure I keep things varied for him this year, as I want him to continue to enjoy his work, like I felt he did today... so more jumping, hacking, lateral work, pole work, etc. all in the pipe line this year for Freddie.

So pleased to have him back under saddle and looking forward to what is to come.

Freddie On The Run - Only for a minute though!

He escaped!!!

He usually has a stable chain across his door but his royal itchiness has been scratching on everything in his reach lately and has broken his chain, lol... so the door was wide open.
I'd moved the wheelbarrow out of the door and was just laying the bed and sweeping back the mess... I could see him sniffing around the door out of the corner of my eye, but he's usually so good that I didn't worry. Next minute I know, he's off!!

So off he trots down the yard and I run after him with a headcollar... but he thinks it'll be fun to play a game and keeps letting me get about a metre from him and then trots off again, lol! Well, it's not funny really, but I can laugh now.

Luckily I got passed him and got to the feed room... got an empty bucket and the daft animal forgets he's on the run and gets distracted by the possibility of filling his greedy face, lol. So while he was taking a moment to realise I was only offering him an empty bucket, I slipped his headcollar on and caught him. Mwahaha! My horse really is to dumb and too angelic to be a bad boy.
Don't tell his friends though, I'm sure his story would be somewhat different!

In other news. I have suspisions that Freddie's back is not quite right, so he is, yet again, doing nothing. Which is a little depressing, but unavoidable at the minute. Hopefully, with work starting to look up, I will soon be able to afford to have him checked and even to buy myself a new saddle and we will be able to get back on track before the better weather arrives. Fingers crossed.