Tommy B - what a legend!!!

Well, today was the visit to Tommy. Diesel loaded like a total pro, just walked on and stood quietly when I was faffing around doing up the bar etc.

We had a 45 minute trip (which included a stop at the petrol station to fill up) and I didnt feel him move once. My hubby and kids came along too and Makayla kept looking out the back window to check Diesel was okay through the float window - so cute.

Once we arrived I took the ramp down and Diesel once again waited patiently while I untied him and opened the bar.

When he was backing off he seemed to be a bit shaky on his feet so not sure if he had been quite tense in the float for the trip but if he had been I had no idea atall as he travelled so well.

Got him off and took him over to where the barn with stables in it was situated. In all my worry of floating I just didnt give it a thought that he had never been in a stable before (well not since I've had him anyway). He took one look at the roof and just was so unsure whether he should go in or not - bless him!

We finally got him in the end stable and Tommy came straight over to see us. Tommy immediately said that he had seen Diesel was quite stiff in the back end and that he was doing short and choppy steps. Sure enough, his Sacrum was out and it might have been that way since birth (or if not it was not long after so a hell of a long time). Tommy got his mallets out, did his magic with a couple of 'whacks' to the right places and that was it.

His helper took Diesel out of the stable and walked him around so I could see the difference.....and boy, what a difference! Diesel was tracking through a good foot more than he was before. Tommy said to give him a couple of days off to recover and then we can start working again. He mentioned that Diesel should feel alot more free moving too, but not in a 'taking off' way, just a comfortable and floating way.

Reloaded Diesel like the pro he is (ha ha) and went home again....we stopped at the Bakery in Kumeu on the way and police cars were going past with sirens blazing and Diesel was as happy as Larry in the float. Unloaded him at home (no stiffness like before), gave him a feed and rugged him up and put him back in the paddock.

All I can say is I am ABSOLUTELY OVER THE MOON with my boy, although we are not doing that much at the moment, what we do end up doing is so successful that I really look forward to doing alot more. We seem to be getting a really good connection between us and I like it.....

Feet trimmed and body clipped!

Another busy day for the boy yesterday.

Michelle Horan came out and clipped the fella.....he was so much better behaved than I thought he would be lol. Only thing he didnt like was the hair blowing into his face but apart from that....what a star! He looks FAB-U-LOSA, will get some photo's next time he has a decent brush!

Farrier also came out and trimmed his feet, remaining shoe was taken off and he will just be barefoot over winter as wont be doing too much. Again, was really well behaved.

Tomorrow is the visit out to a place near Woodhill Sands to see Tommy Berns, hopefully he will load fine and behave himself - after recent days I think he will.

Am also trying to find a decent sized roundpen to hire so that I can continue working him in a confined area over winter......

Lunging the naughty pony.....and float training!

Got Diesel out again a few days ago and thought I would lunge him to see how he behaved.....well I am glad I was only lunging him and not riding him!!! He was a total naughty little twit....spooking at his shadow, leaping around and bucking, being an idiot. I was not impressed and again was going along the lines of 'What am I doing??? Why do I have a young horse???? Will I ever enjoy riding him without worrying??? etc etc etc and again felt very defeated :o(

I think part of it was due to the fact that I left Chevy in the paddock with us, we were in a taped off arena so Chevy was on the other side and Diesel kept veering off to be with him. I feel that I really expect too much of Diesel, I want him to be perfectly behaved 100% of the time and in reality he is a young, newly broken in horse that has not had much asked of him in recent years! He is going to have his moment of madness but are these going to be too much for me to handle????

After making him work pretty hard and for the first time in his life get up a decent sweat I took him back up to the yards to cool off. As it was already pre-planned I hooked the float up to do some self-loading training with him.

I am taking Diesel to see Tommy Berhns this Saturday and will more than likely be doing it by myself so need to be able to float him alone. Well, I shouldnt have worried. He walked straight up to the float and just went straight on, stood there like a trooper and waited for my next instruction! I had put a small feed in there to encourage him but to be honest I dont think it was needed.

I then unloaded him quietly and one step at a time and once off reloaded again for another couple of times and all of the times he was great. Chevy was in the bottom paddock nutting off, whinnying and galloping along the fencelines and Diesel didnt even care so that was a relief....

So we had some good and also some bad. I dont really know where we are going to end up, and if Diesel is going to be my forever horse like I planned and hoped all those years ago when I brought him but in the meantime, until a decision is made, we will keep doing little milestones and working things out in our own little way......

A walking we will go......

So, Diesel has been basically left untouched for the last two - three weeks. The weather has been absolutely foul and once the kids went back to school last week I got really really sick with a cold and couldnt do anything so hence my untouched pony.

Today, I got him out and gave him a decent brush (he is possibly the fluffiest I have ever seen him - beautiful, soft black fluff) and decided to take him for a walk in-hand up the road. My hubby came along too!

Well, Diesels eye's were on stalks the majority of the time, and on the way back he saw some Alpaca's in a side paddock and I swear he grew to 18hh! All I can say is I am really glad that I was not riding him.

I dont really know what I am going to do with him over winter. The paddocks are getting a bit wet and muddy now and I dont want to ride in them too much longer and risk us falling over, yet I am not confident enough with him to take him hacking up the road yet either.

I see my options as:

*** Take him up to Weiti Station once a week and hire their arena so it keeps him ticking over a little bit (or if not Weiti find somewhere else).

*** Turn him out for winter

??????? Cant really think of anymore at the moment. What to do, what to do??????