2008 - First Ride of the Year!

I decided, since we had no plans to leave, that the time was right to start riding again. So the first task was getting my saddle fitted!

When I decided my tack would be living at home full time, my boyfriend started kitting out our spare bedroom as my "tack room", so that I had somewhere for my saddle, bridles and various bits of kit to go. I had a mass tack cleaning afternoon and polished every bit of leather until it gleamed (even my work shoes!).

I made an appointment on Thursday 29th May for a saddler to come out. Since there was nowhere for me to ride at the field, I made arrangements for us to take Salsa to the DIY yard for a couple of hours. I brought him in, brushed him down and popped him in his spare bridle so that my boyfriend could walk him down the hill, and I met them there in the car.

Sal was incredibly over-excited. He danced and whinnied and snorted his way into his old stable-block. We had almost an hour to wait for the appointment, so he spent the time head-bobbing, stamping his feet and harrassing anyone who came past. I tried popping him in Jacob's stable (my dad's cob for anyone who doesn't know) with a haynet, but he only weaved until I brought him out again. When the saddle fitter arrived, he wouldn't stand still at all, and the fitter (knowing my previous confidence issues) asked if I was sure I wanted to have the fitting done today, because I would need to get on and ride. I will admit, my heart was in my mouth, but I was determined! Even my boyfriend looked a bit concerned at me getting on a horse who was apparently under the impression that he was a "wild stallion" now!

Once the saddle fitter was ready, I popped his bridle on, did up my hat and led him to the wall to mount. I swear my heart was beating so hard I think everyone in the area must have heard it! I was expecting him to go shooting off like a bullet from a gun as soon as I was in the saddle, but aside from a little impatient jig while I tightened the girth, he stood nicely.

We walked into the school, and just walked around first on both reins. It felt so strange but so familiar at the same time. It's not like I haven't ridden at all - I've had two or three rides on my friend's Arab x Welshie over the last few months, but this was Salsa. I am so unfit after all this time off, and within five minutes we were both starting to sweat (it was also about 24 degrees C as well!). We didn't canter, but we did have a little trot around and I am so happy to report that he was a saint! No messing around, no spooking at grains of sand. His transitions weren't perfect, but definitely better than I expected.

And the best news?

He has gained so much muscle over his back since being out on the hill that his saddle needed flocking taking out! The saddle fitter said he has never seen Salsa looking so well. After his illness in 2006, his spine has always been a little bit prominent and I had problems with muscle wastage behind his withers, but all that has improved enormously. I am pleased to say that my Thoroughbred has a "proper" horse's back! I felt so confident that I even hacked him back to his field! It involves a few minutes on a 60mph road once you get off the bridleway, but Salsa has always been so good on the roads. What I didn't realise was that the broodmare he is turned out with was taken to stud while we were out, so the two colts (the youngest of which has never been separated from her before) were alone and as soon as they heard us, they began calling. Salsa started doing a dance up the road. At one point, I felt his whole body bunch up and I was convinced he was going to buck, but it was just an enormous whinny! Daft creature.

However, his silly behaviour didn't phase me and considering that the colts were having an absolute fit on the other side of the road and charging up and down the treeline, calling and generally carrying on, I think he was very restrained.

So the bit you've been waiting for... You're very lucky, because I didn't know these pictures existed until this morning - my dad snapped me while I was unawares! Please feel free to ignore the hippo on top and just look at the lovely horsey - I am very fat and unfit following my winter of hibernation!

He doesn't look too impressed, does he? - 29th May 2008

He's not really that bum-high, we're on a slope!

It's only a very short video, I'm afraid, but I wanted to share my first ride on Salsa of 2008!

2008 - Turned Away

He moved on 31st December 2007.

My boyfriend led him in-hand up the hill, while I drove over with his stuff. When I had cleared out my tack room, I was shocked at how many bits and pieces I had that I just wouldn't need for a few months. Intially, he was turned out with six other horses (two other liveries and four owned by the land owner) on sixteen acres, but as spring arrived, the two liveries left and the land owner took her Welshie down to the DIY yard for the summer, leaving Salsa with her broodmare and two colts.

The difference in him was incredible. He went barefoot for the first time in his life, and his hooves improved incredibly. Without being stabled, his weaving stopped completely. He was never difficult to catch, usually coming right up to the gate as soon as he heard me approach (I can recall one occasion in the last five months that he point-blank refused to come in )

Salsa (far right) with me and two of his field mates - January 2008

We quickly got into the swing of our new routine. If the land owner went during the day, she would feed him for me, but he was always quick to tell me that he hadn't been fed when she hadn't been! He became very relaxed, and I have to admit that every day I would literally stand for a few minutes while he was eating, or being groomed and savour the peace and quiet. I could literally feel the stress falling from me. We had been used to a large DIY yard with over 150 horses, so there had always been people around. Now, it was rare that I saw another human being there unless I took my boyfriend with me. I loved being able to look after him how I saw fit, without any interferance. I loved the quiet of the place. I loved being able to take a couple of hours out of my day and make them my own, with no expectations from anyone or responsibilities to anyone. It was bliss!

Unfortunately, disaster struck after a few weeks, and in mid-January, Sal developed lymphangitis in one hind leg. Luckily, although not in regular use, there are a few stables at the field, so the yard owner let me use an empty box for his fortnight of box rest. For two weeks, I was sending my boyfriend on a morning to feed, muck out and take Salsa for a ten minute walk while I was at work, and then on an evening, he would go with me again to help me muck out (trying to muck out in the dark with a torch is not fun or easy! ). Salsa was bored and fed up, despite having a companion who was on long-term box rest, and I have never seen a happier horse than on the day that he was turned out again! His stint of being stabled caused a little weight loss, but with careful feeding and haylage supplementing the poor quality of the grass, he soon started to build up again.

2nd March 2008

As May progressed, his weight came back on gradually, and despite the lack of muscle he started to look better than he ever had done in early Spring. Although it did take a while for his winter coat and clip to grow out!

May 2008

His feet and coat continued to improve, and as the weather warmed up, I started to feel better. After a while, I was itching to get back in the saddle. My plan had been to have him winter out in the hope that our financial situation would have improved enough by May to take him back to the DIY yard, but I realised how much happier he is on grass livery. Since our situation hadn't really improved, I decided to continue keeping him there indefinitely. There seemed no point in leaving if it would undo all the improvements in him, and aside from the physical improvements in him, he seems so much happier and relaxed in himself. So I let the land owner know that we would be sticking around if she was happy to have us.

2007

By early 2007, I was happily riding him at walk and trot, but I was still afraid to canter. I had never suffered from riding nerves before, and wasn't entirely sure what to do about it. I didn't know if it was my own insecurity and fears after his bolt, or that he would simply never be able to do it. Even when my instructor rode him, he resisted and made a big deal about the canter transition.

In February, I took him along to an Ex-Racer Club clinic at Leeds, hoping to work on some of my confidence issues. I explained to the instructor that I did not canter under any circumstances. I had, however, begun a lot of pole work, and we had started popping very small jumps from a trot, but never cantered. Of course, the instructor took it as a challenge and was determined that I was going to!

The Ex-Racer Club Clinic, Leeds - 18th February 2007

I realised it was my own fear over cantering, my lack of trust in my horse, and my automatic forward seat that were causing the problem, and on February 18th 2007, I realised we could do it. It did take tears of terror, followed by almost screaming hysterics when I thought I couldn't stop, but I was told "Of course you can, you stupid girl", and my shock at being spoken to in such a manner cut through the fear, and I realised, yes I could. Please forgive my horrible position, terrible riding and Salsa's nerves in the following videos. It's purely my fault - I was terrified.

And there we go!

It was one of the most frightening, but rewarding experiences of my life - I conquered my fear, and realised that my horse was perfectly willing to please me, but I was scaring the life out of him!

After several supervised "test flights" in the school at home, I became brave enough to canter on a hack... and he was fine. Now, I recall the fear, but I'm not sure WHY I was so scared. My horse was in pain to begin with, but then my own insecurity caused all the issues that followed. I finally felt able to get on with the business of re-educating my ex-racer. Over the summer, he came off his calmer and we hacked out alone, fitting in a good canter in areas that were safe. I still never let him "go", and will not permit anyone else who rides him to either - cantering is always as safe and under control whilst hacking as it is whilst schooling. He has plenty of opportunity for a good "blast" during turn-out hours. His schooling improved, and although we have not yet cracked the perfect trot-canter, canter-trot transition, I know time and patience will get us there.

Over the Summer, it became necessary for me to find a part-loaner. I will openly admit I wasn't happy about the idea, but I was in the process of divorcing my husband, I was finding Salsa's costs a struggle. It is my intention that Salsa will never be for sale. He has given me so much, that I owe him a home for life. I couldn't live with myself knowing that he may spend the rest of his life passing from pillar to post. So, I decided, realistically we needed someone who would enjoy and have fun with Salsa a few days a week.

In September, we found a lovely girl who was able to devote three days a week to him. Things weren't always perfect and a few times issues arose, but mostly we were able to resolve them. Unfortunately, she began to feel that her commitments away from the yard were preventing her from enjoying her time with Salsa, and after only two months, she had to give me notice that she was unable to continue. It's unfortunate, but circumstances do change. Since my own hadn't changed for the better, I was left with a dilemma - try to find another sharer or put him out on loan.

After all the hassel of sharing, I advertised him for loan. I got so many strange and occasionally down-right weird phone calls that the stress began making me ill and for a couple of months, I simply couldn't face riding. Previously, I had always been capable of keeping "general life" away from "horse life", but the financial stress and my depression really began to get to me. As winter progressed, my joints became more and more painful, and by late November, my hands were agonising, so much so that even such simple tasks as mixing feeds would have me in tears. My boyfriend and my parents made a huge effort to help me out, and although again I considered giving up I realised that my trips to the yard were the high point of my day. I had serious discussions with my boyfriend about what was going on in my head, and he felt that losing my horse would cause me further emotional issues and that I would regret it. Whenever I didn't feel well enough to go to the yard myself, my boyfriend would go for me and would bring back pictures to cheer me up.

3rd December 2007

Whilst at the feedstore, I noticed an advert for grass livery and realised it was so close to where he was currently living. The idea of turning him away for a holiday was suddenly a possibility. I worked out that in terms of finances, I would save almost half his current expenses. The opportunity for us both to have a break sounded wonderful, and since he would be out for the rest of winter, it meant no mucking out, no filling buckets, none of the physically demanding work that I always had to have assistance with. It seemed like the best option that was available to me, so I went and had a look at the place, met the land owner and explained to our livery yard owner that we would be leaving.

I finally felt like I was actually doing something positive.

2005 - 2006

On October 21st, 2005, he arrived at our yard.

21st October 2005

4th December 2005

In January 2006, he developed a large abcess on his lower jaw, which burst. After x-rays of the jaw, he was diagnosed with osteomyalitis of the lower mandible, and my vet explained to me, honestly, that his chances were pretty slim. Salsa was put on immediate box-rest and had several penicillin injections to fight the infection. He was then put on a daily cocktail of antibiotics and painkillers, and began loosing weight and condition, despite several feeds a day. His jaw had to be cleaned and dressed twice daily. My vet felt that if the antibiotics hadn't made a difference by the date of his next x-ray, he would have to travel to Newmarket for the jaw to be operated on to try to remove the infected tissue. By late February, the abcess wound had virtually healed externally, and the vet suggested that he be allowed to exercise in the school, while we waited to see if the bone itself would begin to mend.

Finally free! - February 2006, after almost six weeks boxrest

A well-deserved roll!

Fortunately, the medication worked, and by the date of his final x-ray, in April, my vet happily informed me that I would be able to start to ride again. I decided, having only had two months riding before his illness, just to go back to scratch with ground work, lungeing, long-reining and pole-work. Salsa had lost a lot of condition, so it was necessary to begin ridden work slowly and carefully, building him back up to fitness.

We had our first "quiet" hack out in early May. Unfortunately, it turned into a horror-ride through the woods. Salsa bolted and we crashed into another horse and rider, who had tried to block our path. The result was a dislocated shoulder and concussion for me, and a broken leg for the other rider. Fortunately, both horses were fine, and after a call for assistance, and one to the police to alert them to the loose horses, they were both found safely. I was so shaken by the incident that another livery offered to ride him round the route we had taken to show him that he couldn't get away with it, and I agreed. After only a few days everyone thought he was a devil horse, "too much" for me and I started to seriously consider just giving up.

I have always lived by the mantra "Teeth, back and tack", and although I couldn't honestly say that bolting was "out of character" for my horse (having only had two months riding before his illness), I knew I had to check out all the physical issues prior to giving up. My instructor suggested that he go on a calmer, and be ridden with a martingale and flash noseband. I had his saddle checked, and my vet came out in his role of dental technician to check his teeth. My vet's opinion was that his jaw may possibly still be tender, or it could be "remembered" pain, and Salsa was scared that the bit was going to hurt him, as he wasn't bothered by the vet's investigations of his mouth.

Salsa and I - May 2006

Despite regular lessons, I couldn't seem to get on top of Salsa's cantering issues. As soon as I asked for the canter transition, he would leap into a gallop and I would feel immediately out of control. In July, I took him to our first show together, and entered the Tack & Turnout and In-Hand classes - I didn't feel I could trust him for anything else, especially given the excitement of the showground itself. I booked him for another saddle-fitting, as I wasn't convinced that it wasn't the cause of the problem.

Tack & Turnout - July 2006

At Sal's second saddle-fitting, I was finally told that the saddle didn't fit "correctly", and he had considerable back pain. I was recommended an equine physiotherapist and over Summer and Autumn 2006, Salsa had several treatments, and several more saddle-fittings. We tried, on various saddle-fitter's recommendations, front-riser pads, rear-riser pads, thick saddle-cloths, no saddle-cloth... nothing made any difference, although his physiotherapist did inform me that the pain was improving.

By Winter, I started to question why we were still trying to make the saddle fit, when it clearly didn't. It was an adjustable Wintec 500, but Sal seemed to be in-between sizes. I felt I had missed out on a year's worth of work and fun with my horse, and Sal had spent most of the year suffering. My instructor rode Salsa on one of our regular schooling sessions, it was a disaster. He was clearly unhappy and uncomfortable. It was the final straw, and I had another saddle-fitting session. I tried a new, wool-flocked Sabre saddle in December. Salsa's behaviour improved and so I bought it in January 2007.

Early History

Salsa was born at Whitsbury Manor Farm & Stud, Hampshire on 19th April 1998. His dam is Lana Turrel (USA) and his sire is Salse (USA). He was trained by Michael Dods, of County Durham, and began racing in July 2000. His racing career ended in May 2002, with total winnings of £5,070.

Racing at Musselburgh - 23rd August 2001

He won! - 23rd August 2001

From 2002 - 2005, he drops off the face of the Earth. So far, despite letters to his trainer, breeder and the one other listed owner in his passport (not the original Weatherbys one, which appears to have vanished at some point in his history), I have no idea what he did during those three years.

In June 2005, he was sold at York Auctions, Murton to a lady from Northallerton, for her teenage daughter. The daughter showed little interest, and despite only little schooling, Salsa attended several long-distance pleasure rides. In October 2005, he was for sale again.

I had gone out looking for an Arab, and found one that sounded promising. After a three hour drive, the viewing went horribly. They wanted me to buy as seen, and had expected me to take her home with me then and there, with no vetting. I was so upset on the way home that I called my then-husband and had him pick any horse at random out of the paper for me. I called the advertiser from the back of the car as we drove along the motorway and managed to arrange a viewing on the way home!

My first viewing of Salsa - October 2005

It was love at first sight and within minutes of arriving I knew this was the horse for me.