Bella - The Story *PIC HEAVY*

[*Solo's Mum*]

WARNING EXTREMLY LONG WITH LOADS OF PICS AND A FEW VIDS:)

Well i thought i would give you all some BG on my mare :).
Since i have had her we have been through one heck of alot of crap!
So in Nov 2007 i went to dealers yard to try Bella, she was very calm and placid but had a heck of a jump on her and fab movements.
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/DSC00111.jpg
it was love at first sight and we bought her home the following week
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/Image005-2.jpg
she was a skinney 3 year old ex racer.
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/GetAttachment.jpg
she had a pretty easy winter/spring with just being aloud to be a horse with the occasional rainy hack and long line
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/DSC02045.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/DSC02119.jpg
she made the most of this time and decided to wollow in the puddles :rolleyes:
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/DSC02137.jpg
Her weight started to pick up as did her charactor and she became bolshy and rude.
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/DSC02086.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/DSC02090.jpg
so we worked on ground work and manners as well as light hacking.
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/DSC02139.jpg
we got good at hacking but then she had her first health problem, an abcess.
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/DSC02178.jpg
box rest 2 sore stood on fingers later she was rideable again
we had a horrible hack and she completly wrecked my confidence so i got her a sharer who rode her alot but i tried getting my confidence back, her weight continued to get better and her summer coat had started to come through
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/horses-005.jpg
i started riding her more often once her sharer quit after bella bolted with her and got her off [very unlike bella]
this was my first hack for a while
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/horses-013.jpg
i took her to the school [no facilities on our yard] that was a 25 min hack away and she was good
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/100_1249.jpg
our bond grew more and more and her manners improved by the day
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/100_1303.jpg
so i booked a lesson at the yard i used to work at with my eventer RI
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/100_1475.jpg
she wasnt bad but she showed her true colours
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/th_100_1485.jpg
this is when the issues started
our whole summer was a wish wash of injuries leading to time off and confidences gains and losses. we got to a point where we would be hacking out daily, happily. but then she would get an injury that lead to box rest and we would have to start from square one.
At the end of June we had a tragic day, Drimard, Bellas field mate and our close friends horse broke his [injured] leg and was PTS. This obviously upset the whole balance but our summer continued to be a wish wash of injuries and confidence issues. It was just one of those YEARS to be honest not one i want to go back too. It was just a year of injuries even my beloved pony came down with laminitus.
heres some pics
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/100_1550.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/100_1547.jpg
bad eye
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/Photo-0074.jpg
the last pic ever of Drimard, 2 days before his death :( RIP lad </3
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/Photo-0075.jpg
we had 2 more lessons throughout the summer ending on an emotional one with my RI asking me if i really felt like i could succeed with Bella with no school at my yard and i ended up crying because my confidence was just SO low with Bella it was ridiculous.
So we stopped with the lessons and stuck to abit of hacking and confidence gaining
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/DSC00141.jpg
We had a new arrival Thyme who Drims owner bought
They became very attached
Bella and myself continued to venture out alone with someone on foot but not far getting happier with eachother
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/100_1715.jpg
here we are after a solo hack
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/Photo-0120.jpg
alas, as we were getting better, she injured her leg horribly and it wsas discovered that she had a bone chip cue more box rest
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/081126_152918.jpg
swelling
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/081126_153010.jpg
Bella and Thyme
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/081126_153018.jpg
we got the vets OK and started in-hand walking and trotting she was getting very exciteable on the way home and bucking and rearing etc
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/090216_113653.jpg
I started to get back on her and started to get brave, untill one day. She went completly mad on the way home bucking and backing up and kicking into fence and scaring the life out of me so i refused to get on her untill i could go to a school.
We booked the school and i refused to walk her there, completly i wanted my mum to trasiler me and she agreed. The stupid car broke down so this was out of the question so my friend [whos horse broke his leg] walked down with me and helped keep me calm
bella was good though still bucking in the canter.
i started to make this a weekly thing and she improved with each session.
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/SDC10216.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/SDC10213.jpg
we even started to do trot poles
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/SDC10251.jpg
i even hacked her home
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/SDC10240.jpg
i lunged her each time before i rode
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/DSC_0073.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/DSC_0107.jpg
we even did some jumps!
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/th_MOV00329.jpg
Then one tuesday she did something she has never ever done before, she reared.
She nearly went over backwards and it shook me up, but i had booked a lesson with international event rider Mark Todd on the thursday and she didnt even attempt to play up in the lesson at all
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/2914_194669975088_598920088_6580341.jpg
after that lesson i had a lesson with who was to be my new RI on the sunday, i was expecting great things after how she behaved at Mark Todds yard but no, this is what i got
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/DSC_0065.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/DSC_0058.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/DSC_0043.jpg
= a quivering crying *Solo's Mum*
i was so scared of her.
In the 2 springs i have had her at the begining of the springs she became hard to bring in, planting in the field and all that. Stupid mare!
my friend kindly rode her on a hack to show me shes not all that bad, pfft she proved her wrong when she started backing up and bucking into the fence but my friend just got off to get her away fromt he fence and got back on, props to her tbh!
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/Photo0081.jpg
SO i started having weekly lessons with my new great RI but one day, when i was walking Bella down to the yard [in hand as always] with a friend and Bella, out of nowhere, started rearing and bucking, i got so scared started crying and shaking i called my RI in tears and asked her to come and meet me and my friend, thankfully, took over as we were just winding eachother up. She did calm down but then she did rear infront of everyone [RI had come by this point] i was SO scared of riding her and started crying etc. My lovely RI suggested to the owner of the school [who is lovely and really is up for helping me and Bella through our problems] that i moved Bella to her yard, even if it be for a month as it would help alot.
She kindly agreed. She also suggested Bella would benefit from Bowen treatment and it wasinteresting to find that poor Bellas muscles were all tight and painful so 3 treatments later she was much better and more supple.
They day Bella moved was a disaster. She almost ended up on horsemart.
She took 40 mins to bring in from the field [planting being a cow etc] then she would NOT load, not something i have ever hads a problem with this with her, spent another 40 mins of this staying very calm but to be hoinest by the end of it i was fuming so i was just like "bugger this im just going to walk her there" [ didnt want to and was nervous cause of what she had done the last time]. Got about 2 mins down the road and she jujst stopped dead and started to bite me.
i took it personally and just broke down, i was hysterical i called the owner of the school and said thats it im not coming shes going up for sale etc. Bless her she came down and her daughter and i walked her up to the yard.
She settled imediatly and is on individual turn out.
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/Photo0143.jpg
Since she has moved in she, and I have improved leaps and bounds, our new RI is GREAT and so is the YO its now been 5 weeks and the YO has kindly agreed to let us stay an extra month.
So yes 5 weeks on with work almost everyday and very supportive helpful positive people on we are now working as a team. We have learnt to communicate with eachother and currently my confidence is sky high, i've lunged her in a field, i've ridden her at walk trot and canter and now, when she does have a tantrum i have the confidence to tell her to stop being a cow and get on with it! Its great
today we even did poles again :D
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/DSC_0126-4.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/DSC_0132.jpg
abit excited first time lunged in field
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/DSC_0086.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f197/Jessmeeka/DSC_0132.jpg

sorry for the LENGTH of it and i'll be amazed if anyone actually reads it but i thought i would write it so i could log myself just how much we have come on :)
o btw she is 5 now :)
thanks for reading if you did, :).
x

[sgttibbs521]

that was nice! you two have come a long way and have been thru a lot of stuff! i think that the more you go thru together, the stronger the relationship you have with your horse. Gorgeous horse by the way!!! :D

[jeezitsjacki]

well I read the whole thing and can relate completely. I have had by horse for almost 2 years and we went through a scary phase, although not as bad as yours, I can relate to how scary it can be. Im glad that you have found good people to help you and your horse, and that things are improving.

please keep us updated! you have a beautiful horse

[Dogote]

i read the entire thing too and i have to say..... as bad as it was for the two of you.. YOU have more guts than most horse people i have met over the years! i am so glad you didnt sell her! i'm sure she's glad too. it seems the easy answer is to just sell or trade a horse like this. "let it be someone elses problem/liability."
i have to say you're very brave in spite of it all. reading this made me feel guilty on several levels because my last horse had to be sold. we started out great, very good relationship but when i started college and got a different job(i used to work at the barn and spent loads of time with him) we just drifted apart and the few times i rode him was bareback in the pasture close to the barn... then one day i saddled him and set out for one of our long solo trail rides(something we hadnt done in ages) he did fine until on the way back to the barn.... when suddenly he decided he was afraid of cars - even though cars were passing us all the way on the trail.. this one in particular caused him to bolt. when i tried to rein him in the headstall broke! (it was my boss's headstall, and i had never used it before... HE didnt even know the leather was rotten behind the ears)
needless to say.. the pavement was wet, the horse was running hell bent for leather, and that truck was still beside us... and i was running out of soft landing spots. i figured my options were 1.stay on and hope we dont slip on wet pavement and get run over by a truck... or 2. bail out now and try not to break your bloody neck....
well i bailed out. nearly did break my neck, but i didnt.... it kept running through my mind the entire time "how the HELL do cowboys do this every day!? AND land on the back of a steer?? HOW!?"
there happened to be some men working in a nearby field who came to my rescue - i tried to get up but they made me stay down..- and of course they ALL had horse horror stories to tell .. one of them about a horse that did exactly what i was afraid mine was going to do(slip on wet pavement while running like a demon.. though there was no truck involved in his accident)

Long story short i ended up selling that horse to a neighbouring farmer(which is a whole other adventure) and since then that stuborn gelding is retired and has a "girlfriend" that does all the work. the farmer couldnt ride him either so he bought a little mare to ride and keep my horse company. i've asked him a couple of times if he would sell him back to me and he always says "Noooo i like him too much to get ride of him"
My future husband got to meet this horse before i sold him and he liked him a lot and if he'd had the land would have talked me out of selling him. Alas, we were renting a lot in the city and had no room or time for the horse. i think one day if we ever buy some more land i'll sweet talk the farmer into selling him back to me.. but right now i know where he is and i know he's ok so i dont feel TOO guilty.. but sometimes i wonder what would have happened if i had stuck with it like you have done.
Hats off to you!

[Miracle Whip]

Sounds like a mare to me. Could the rearing etc be pain, since she only does it once in a while. The only time my mare has ever bucked was when her back hurt. What do you do when she rears? Just let her do it? My Dad's mare liked to rear on occassion and it didn't bother me in the least. Up, down, swat her with the ends of the reins and it was over. Course, Dad had gotten her to that point, where she would accept discipline and behave herself.

I'd be careful about hacking where there are fences and in traffic! Seems like she is rather unpredictable. How about trying some mare magic or a similar supplement?

The weekly riding lessons are the best thing for this horse. My instructor can always tell me why Ginger does something, whether she is being a brat or looking for guidance, cues or support. She helps us work through our problems. You have to ask yourself if someone else could do better with her.

[Vibe]

Wow I read through it all too. Thanks for taking the time to explain everything to us. You and Bella seem to have been through it all! And you do have major guts! Bella is a gorgeous mare and I am glad things are starting to look your way.

[Dogote]

i was lucky i guess at the ranch where i worked. we had several mares there, one stallion(little snot) and three geldings -the numbers fluctuated depending on my boss and if he wanted to trade or if he was boarding someones horses) the mares were pretty reasonable. even the three year old filly. she had the usual beginner jitters. only spooked once when i took my hat off to fix my hair while on her back. and the mare i rode all the time before i got my gelding was a real baby sitter. you could do absolutely anything with her on or off her back. thinking about it now there really was only one mare that gave me a BIG problem.. and she was 18hh. it didnt matter if i was holding the lead or not. if she wanted to go left then she was going left and i could either go with her or be dragged. she didnt care. her name was Crash lol

i wondered too if maybe she was feeling some pain when she acted up. but really i think she is just smart. she knew what buttons to push to get you to leave her alone and if she didnt feel like working then she'd have her way with you. looks like she was testing the waters with the others as well.

[vicklynn]

Very good story of the 2 of you. Sounds like you have come a long way, great work!!
With her being 5, she is still young, so that alone was a good achievement.

[Gypsy Rose]

Wow! You and Bella have really had your ups and downs! I'm glad things are going much better for you now.

[Petra]

I read the whole thing too. I have to agree, you have some guts!!! There is not a lot of people who wouldn't sell her.
I am impressed you stuck with her. She is a beautiful horse! Good luck with her. I hope she'll continue to improve, you sure deserve it after all you went through.
Good job!

[TheBadLands]

I read through it all, too. Very impressive story. And sorry you lost your guy to laminitis.

[Equine_Woman]

What a long year!!! I'm very impressed with your stick-to-it-ness. She's a gorgeous mare and I hope you two stay going the way you are going!!!!!!

[Piper522]

Please continue to keep us posted...i admire your tenacity to keep going and never give up. THat had to be tough....a couple of rears and I would have been crazy.

Good luck and I look forward to hearing more about your adventures.

[*Solo's Mum*]

thanks for the lovely replies guys :D
so many times i nearly sold her but i persisted and i am glad i did now :D
we think the rearing was 2 things, pain related [the bowen treatment showed where her pains were and they are now sorted] and the fact that she just couldnt be bothered, she has done it once since we moved and had this treatment and it was tiny and very "NO i dont want to do that!!!" lol
It has been a long hard journey and im sure not one that will end here knowing her :rolleyes::p

I read through it all, too. Very impressive story. And sorry you lost your guy to laminitis.
We didnt loose my little man to laminitis he just came down with it in the same summer, the guy we lost was a gorgeous boy who had a leg injury that got infected infected his bone then one day [it is supposed] that he went down to roll went to get up and the leg just snapped beneath him. :(

xx

[sugarsgirl]

Great story and pictures! I love all the purple, looks great on her :)

[Horserider]

I read the whole thing and you have a lot of guts to keep up with her through all that! I hope she continues to improve and good luck! You've come so far already!

[XshadowfoxX]

Loved the story, very inspirational. Id love to see where you guys go from here =]

[*Solo's Mum*]

aw thanks eveeryone :D it had def been hard but i just kept looking into the future trying to stay positive :)
x

[allie0]

Congrats with her!
I hope you both continue to improve =) She sure is gorgeous ;)

[KittySawrus]

Welcome to the forum :D I haven't been on for a week or so so I just thought I'd say that...
You are an INSPIRATION :) What you two have been thru sounds horrendous! I dunno if I would even have had the patience to put up with that! You're so great for sticking it all out, even when you did have a breakdown point on moving day - and how great are the people you stable with? She is a beautiful beautiful horse and I hope you two continue to improve :D
And OMG Mark Todd?? I'm so jealous xD some friends at the yard I volly at had a lesson with Mary King, and monthly lessons with some top instructor...some BHS lady...I'd looove to have that experience.
And you be English person! O haiii :D

[Gliderider]

I read the whole story. Wow you have been through a lot with her. Most would have given up. I want to give you a pat on the back for sticking it out with her. I do hope she just keeps improving for you. With all you 2 been through together you will have a strong bond. She is a pretty mare. Keep up the Great Work !

[miatapony]

ok i would go find the biggest heavyest rope saddle i could and sack her out .. but i like your way too you have a lot of guts hun WTG .. big hug from my western barn !