Henry bitless....

 
 Bitless:

It's finally happened, Henry was ridden in his new Micklem bitless configuration at the weekend.

 




Tom needs a bigger one, so his is still on order.

As you know, I've been deliberating this for ages (years actually), but I thought now's the time to make the leap.  The boys are teenagers now, and very well behaved (if a little excitable and strong).



 




My pony Brandy was ridden very successfully in a hackamore (the old-fashioned version) and he was brilliant in it. 

 

The bridle itself doesn't do-up like a regular one we're all used to, so will take a bit of getting used to.  And the leather, though obviously good quality, isn't supple yet - so the cheek pieces stand out until the leather 'learns' it needs to go through the d'ring and round a bend.


 



















We only did a quick ride, just to be on the safe side, but Henry seemed very comfortable in his new bridle.  We were able to stop, turn, reverse and fine-tune our speed too - which was my initial worry.  








 



I like to change speeds in a pace to keep them focused on me out riding, and my concern was I'd be less effective bitless - but actually the opposite was true.  





 






He responded well to the increased pressure over his face and head ( and I ride with very loose contact and soft hands - so i never ever pull them about anyway).






 



My feeling is, a good horse, will always be a good horse in spite of the equipment - and taking a bit out of the equation, not only simplifies the whole message, its so  much nicer.

I's suggest giving it a go if you're considering bitless.

...perfect

Happy Birthday Henry

Repeat Offender

Henry

...I love this horse, and Trakehners as you now know are clever and cunning.  They are sharp and light on their feet, they can tip toe and pirouette.  They spin, side step and do fancy Prix StGeorge dressage maneovers in their field.  So is it any surprise they are also very good at shifting shoes...however strongly they are attached!?

Farriers have scratched their chins in amazement at the level of cunning Trakehners will adopt to get a shoe off in fact.

...but Henry takes it to a new level.

He'd get the Gold medal for shoe-shifting if it were an Olympic sport.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm sure they don't lose them more often than is to be expected, its supremely muddy and wet everywhere, and galloping around - which isn't optional at WW -  is a risky strategy if you want all shoes kept on.

But Henry can twist them too, which is a task in itself!

Poor farrier Dean.

Henry is a repeat offender, and look at the twist in that shoe by Lemmy, even the cat can't understand it!

..the aftermath...

...Tom, and the stitches come out...finally...

Today the vet came and gave Tom the big thumbs up, and took out his stitches:
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First she cleaned the area with weak Hibiscrub, then proceeded to cut and whip out the bright blue wires one by one. 
 

 

 

Her blade was curved and the process quick.  Tom must have felt the top ones more because he fidgeted and raised his leg up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've had my fair share of stitches out, and though not painful it does have a weird pulling sensation, which I'm guessing Tom didn't like.  But without sedative, he did stand still and allow it.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I invited the vet to linger and watch as the boys were turned out finally, since she gave me the green light to allow Tom to test his scar to the limit!
 

 

 

 

 

...and test it he did, they love being out at grass since they have been restricted since the 'unfortunate incident'.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Take a look at these photos, you'll see.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

...I think you'll agree, all back to normal now...

...stay calm, and carry on...

...aftermath...

So, you've got a horse that has a massive healing wound on his side, with twenty stitches sitting proud of the swollen area. 

 

Your good friend Lesa has made you a special batch of red velvet cupcakes to cheer you up, and they definitely help.

 

OK, so the area doesn't need now to be kept sterile because the surface has sealed, we just need to keep the flies away, especially from the still open tiny drain at the bottom. 

So you buy a fly rug, the type horses who suffer with sweet itch wear, and customise it by sewing a dressing inside that sits over the stitches.

























Here I have a layer of dressing suitable for contact with the damaged skin.  Over that a layer of gauze dressing, sew-able.  I lay the pieces on the back after marking the area to be covered with a marker, and stitch the pieces together.  Outside it looks like quilting, not particularly pretty, but the job gets done.

Brilliant, no more dressing and worrying.
 

 

Next, your horse needs to move, the yard is no longer large enough to keep him occupied and of course Tom can see Henry enjoying the summer grass and quite rightly wants some.

 

So I have been grazing Tom up the driveway on a lead rope, here you can see him and Henry pruning the hedgerow.  But then John had another cunning plan: a corral.

 

So, John has constructed a small area of turnout for Tom.  A totally flexible electric tape area, to address living arrangements for emergencies, and we all have them from time to time. Unless of course yours is a horse forced to stay indoors so these accidents don't happen, but then your problems are likely mental rather than physical.

 

Tom is happier now, I have moved a Haybar so he can eat with Henry, friendship is important for horses.
 

 

The vet will return next Wednesday to check him over, make sure there's no problems, re-evaluate his drug intake, then a week later out come the stitches, and that, I'm hoping, will be the end of the matter.

 
 
 

Henry

WHEN SHELLEY MET HENRY:
22thJuly2006.
Love at first sight.  Holme Grove Gwygion was five years old.

A character already.

 

Henry was born 16th March 2001, 7.30pm bay colt: here he is two.

 

 



TCJpart98 Henry part Three

QUITE SIMPLY STUNNING:
Holme Grove Gwygion (Henry), a stunning little horse.