A wee glitch in the process....

So, Alice called me last week to say that Diesel's cough is at the stage where they can't work him. At a walk he is fine, but as soon as he trots its 'cough cough cough' and she thought it would be best for me to bring him home to recover and send him back when better. He is not completely broken in yet, has not done any canter work but is doing really nice walk and trot, and been hacked out a fair bit too.

So, for the first time ever I went and floated him home all by myself. He was great, loaded perfect again and didnt feel him in the float on the way home.

Unloaded him, and he saw Chevy and just kept whinnying - bless him, he sure did miss him!!!

His cough is quite nasty. Last week it was just a dry, tickly cough and just seemed more of an irritant to him than anything else. I did call my vet, Neil Twentyman, for his opinion and he organised for me to get some Potassium Iodide (or something like that) and to give him some every day.

Today, his cough is still the same, but there is slimy, yellow/green snot coming out of his nose. Its really thick and totally gross! I got him out today and gave him his medicine and spent a good 5 minutes just sponging his nostrils to get rid of the gunk that was stuck on them. He also has a discharge coming from the corner of his eyes. I am not sure if this is a good sign (is this the virus coming out???) or if its a bad sign so will check with my vet when they are back at work - its a long weekend and I am not concerned enough to get an emergency callout.

Poor old Smeezie - its so unlike him to be sick....and after all the work he has been getting he looks absolutely fabulous, quite trim and muscly. Just need to get ontop of this cough and then he can go back to Weiti Station to finish off the breaking in process...

Couple of pics.....

So, Alice and co have introduced Diesel to hacking out with other horses and in her words via email 'Diesel has been a very good boy, hacked out the last couple of days with some other horses and behaved very well indeed.'

I am super stoked with him. Going to see him again on Monday but here are a couple of pics Alice sent me of the man out and about...

Another update

So, have been in regular contact with Alice at Weiti Station for updates on Diesel.

On Monday he had his first ever ride off the lunge. They had him in the arena and after some riding on the lunge they thought he was ready to try it.

Took him off and walked and trotted him around and apparantly he was as good as gold.

Yesterday they were going to take him for his first little hack around the farm but the weather was really windy and raining so instead they had him in a box all day.

This morning they took him down to the jump arena (grass arena) and did some more work with him off the lunge and then rode him back up to the yards. Alice said he was great.

Diesel seems to have a slight virus at the moment. He has been coughing alot when they work him. I actually noticed that Chevy was coughing the week before Diesel went to Weiti Station but never actually heard or saw Diesel coughing so thought he was fine. Apparantly not!!!! Neil Twentyman (my normal vet) was at Weiti on Monday so they got him to do a quick check on Diesel and he said that he just has a virus, his nose discharge looks okay and that he should come right soon. Today Alice said that he was still coughing but his nose is definitely clearing up. If he gets any worse I am going to bring him home for a week or two to recover and then take him back but would prefer he stay there and not interupt with his breaking in.....will call again tomorrow and see how he is.

Diesel's first ride.......EVER!!!

Went up to Weiti Station for 10.30 appointment to see my Diesel being ridden for the first time.
Got there and he was tied up in the yards with about 8 other horses. He looked quite chilled out (was atanding next to his new girlfriend, Aubergine), looking around and taking all the sights in. There were horses, people, quads, and the farrier all there so it was quite a different environment for him to be in....and he was not that perturbed!!!!
After giving him a big hug and a cuddle he was tacked up and walked to the arena where they started by giving him a quick lunge (only for about 3 minutes).

He was so settled, and working so easily, that they decided that it was time for one to hop on him. He just stood there while the rider just had a lay over the saddle. Then she slid off and Alice gave her a quick leg up and she was on him.

The rode him for about 15 minutes, just walking around on the lunge, in both directions (Alice said he definitely favours one side aswell, which is what I have foung when I have been lunging him). Then towards the end of the session they also had a little trot on him aswell.

All I can say is that he looked superb. His attitude was fantastic, there was no trouble atall, he was very happy working away and learning new things. I swear I could almost hear his brain ticking away as he worked him way through things.....lol

Alice said that he had a lovely soft mouth and was very receptive to all that was being asked of him. I am absolutely over the moon with the whole thing. Seeing him being ridden was unreal. I am really pleased so far with my choice of sending him to Weiti Station. I like the fact the yard is so busy. They are not working the arse off him, when he has learned what he needs to in that session they finish. Very very pleased.

Here are a few photos of his first ride......

Update of progress at Weiti Station

Alice had told me that Diesel has settled in really well. I felt like a neurotic Mother as I just had to text her the day after he got there to see how he was!!!!!

Yesterday they tacked him up and also Mouthed him. She said he was really good.

Today a group of them were going to go hacking over their land and lead Diesel off another horse. I am sure he is going to really enjoy it. They are also going to start backing him.

Tomorrow they are going to ride him!!! ARRRGGHHHHH. Alice is going to let me know what time they are doing this and I will go over and watch it and take heaps and heaps of photo's.


It is such a surreal feeling knowing that Diesel is finally being broken in. I have waited soooo long and it is finally here. It is a VERY exciting time in our journey together. Will update his blog after tomorrow with the photo's...dont think I am going to sleep much tonight, tooo excited!!!

Diesel turns 4 and is sent to school....

So, on Monday Diesel turned 4 years old. He is looking super, although a little bit chubby. He has been in the jenny Craig paddock for about 5 weeks now and has lost some weight but still has a fair bit to go. Its amazing how the weight quickly piles on and is suddenly noticed.

Anyway, on Monday he had his feet trimmed by Chelsea (Love Chelsea, she is so fantastic with her work and attitude). Diesel was pretty good, with his first foot he was a little toad but we soon realised it was due to all the flies. As soon as I started rubbing him down to get rid of them he was fine.

After his trim he was let into the big paddock for a couple of hours for a good feed for his Birthday.

Early in the afternoon it was time to take him to Weiti Station to be broken in. Caught him. led him up to the float ramp and within 30 seconds he was in. Pulled partition over, put back bar on and raised the ramp and he was as happy as larry in there. Drove him over to Weiti Station (all of 5 minutes from home) and he travelled perfectly, no kicking or stomping, no movement from the float atall so was super stoked with that.

Got to Weiti and unloaded him, one step backwards at a time. He was great. He had a good look around, whinnied for a minute, grew to about 17hh but was pretty good about his new surrounding. Walked him over to the yards to wait for Alice. Considering he has not been off my property in 3 years he was so well behaved.

Alice came over, we put him rug on and walked him into his temporary paddock where he will stay for a couple of days while he adjusts to being there. He was an absolute gem, had a quick 10 second trot around and was fine.

I am soooo pleased with him behaviour, this was such a new and different thing for poor old Diesel to be doing and he did me proud :o)

Here are a couple of pics I took of him on his 4th Birthday, excuse the quality of them, my camera is crap!!!!

D-Day is near......

Spoke to Alice at Weiti Station yesterday and I am delivering Diesel on Monday Afternoon......thats the day after tomorrow!!!! He will be there for breaking in and then some hacking out, so will be away from home for between 4-6 weeks.

I just CANNOT believe that it is so close, I am so excited about seeing him being ridden, and even more excited to be riding him myself afterwards.

I am going to miss having him in my paddocks and seeing him every day but it is the beginning of him being a big boy and I cant wait! :o)