…. and the living isn’t always easy :-(

For some years now JJ has struggled in the summer months. His performance in the school has hit the skids, first manifesting itself in a lack of forward, and then in down right refusing to move.

The biggest problem with this is that horses can’t talk - no s*** Sherlock and therefore we start down the route of assessing what is causing the problem:

… back, teeth, gut, breathing, eyesight, quality of poop, tiredness, feed change, hay change, supplements, new tack, bit changes etc etc

and end up doing the following:

• putting them on an energy supplement

• putting them back on something they recently came off of (probably for good reason

• inspecting the latest hay delivery

• having a vet check

• getting the farriers advice - is he foot sore?

• asking the yard owner what they think

• asking friends what they think

• asking JJ what he thinks (he just said more carrots please)

• stopping schooling for a while in case he’s fed up

• giving time off in case he is fed up

• giving yourself time off in case you are fed up

You get the picture!

Anyway in our case because J’s nostrils can be very flared and he gets much better in his work after he has had a good few blows of his nose, I decided that his issues were not mechanical and are all about his upper airways and irritation in the nose. We took a trip to the vet for a trachia check and all was normal and was advised to try homeopathy with no joy.

Over the last few years, we have tried courses of antihistamines and also a nebuliser to administer steroids and saline and I feel sure I’ve tried every supplement on the market, although of course they are always inventing a new one as us owners are so desperate to find a solution for our steeds. I’ve had some success but nothing that I can say has provided a clear solution.

Interestingly, In winter when I was working and riding in the dark in the evenings, J was on fire. As soon as the clocks changed, literally over the actual weekend, schooling in the daylight in the ménage was difficult and completely different to 3 days before. Also I remember a time when I was riding around the edge of a field and J was fine in the shade but started violently head shaking when i moved him a metre into the sunshine.

Despite years of trying to resolve this, which also became an issue in the winter, and days and days of me being fed up because I know how well he can go and he clearly is feeling rubbish, I think I’ve found a happy place.

JJ hates nose nets and whilst they would make him blow his nose a lot and ultimately that would make him work better, the head throwing and general hate for the net was a pain to get through at the beginning of the ride.

Bear in mind this issue has been going on years and I never knew what I would get in the school. J was sometimes able to work well and other times was dreadful based on heaven knows what factors but certainly including pollen, heat, wind, dust etc. If anyone tries to suggest you keep a diary of the weather, the length of turnout, time of day ridden, heat, etc then feel free, it certainly has its place, but despite doing that there was no clear answer.

This year (2022), I came across the Shakeaze nose net. Having tried others these appealed to me because of the idea that they help to keep wind off the muzzle and stop that kind of irritation. Game changer - honestly. I thought initially that it was just one of his good days but as the schooling session went on I happily found some consistency. The headshaking and pogoing almost stopped and one time when J was wearing it and constantly rubbing his nose on his leg (not a regular trait) I removed it and he was so so much worse.

At the same time I put him back on Blood Tonic, something he started to be given some years ago. I took him off it in August last year because in desperation I decided to go back to basics and give him no supplements at all except for Cortaflex.

I believe the combination of the net, which stops the pogoing and the Blood Tonic which gives him energy have made an improvement to the point where we can enjoy schooling again. JJ isn’t back to his old normal self but he is much older now, I’m just happy to be able to work him so that I keep him as fit and strong as his age (and mine) allows.

It will be interesting to see what this winter brings.