Frank was put to sleep this morning… he had a bad recurrence of laminitis over the weekend and was in terrible pain. Always and forever, my mane man, my heart is broken. I never, ever got over the majestic wonder of him …. his courage and ability helped me achieve goals i never imagined were possible – I have never ridden a braver and more genuine horse 💔🖤I loved the bones of that horse…he was the kindest, sweetest, cheekiest, bravest most beautiful horse I have ever known – he made us awesome together. I never ever found out just how high he could jump as he never refused anything.PWe had such a strong bond and so many times I had trusted him with my life….those teamchasing runs… oh my days…it was like riding some mythical beast. He just carried me round, all I had to do was hang on as he hurtled towards massive hedges. How the fuck I stayed on I don’t know but the power he had to clear those fences so easily was something to behold.Now his bones are beneath my feet and I just can’t quite believe it….Frank, unbelievable, even at the end.

No trip to Gerald Moore’s would be complete without some detailed explanation of origins of words. Take for example, this afternoon, when observing a bumble bee go about it’s revisionary path around the garden where we were sat. Do you know the origin of the word bumble bee asks Gerald? Failing to come up with anything remotely funny to do with bums, I had to admit I didn’t know. The name actually originates from the word ‘humble’ and is to do with their liking for solitary and humble dwellings as opposed to living in a hive with other bees. The humble bumble bee… must also be to do with bumbling about..

Picture of Gerald Moore, famous also for his roast potatoes… described as being ‘out of this world’

Shortly after, we heard the wren and Gerald asked again if I knew the origin of this little birds name. Again, i had to admit i didn’t know. It’s to do with the middle English name given to a stallions paddock or ‘wrenna’. As a defining feature of the wrens appearance is it’s erect tail this was thought to be quite stallion like…hence the name wrenna or wren. A little addenda here is origin of the name Wrantage which, according to Gerald, was the place of stallion pasture.

I do wonder sometimes if Gerald just makes these things up.

Frank has been on the sick now for two months. Initially he presented with a really sore back back, shoulder and hamstring. I have no idea how he has done this. Two days before the wheel fell off, we came second on a 1m showjumping class -just two seconds behind the winner. This effort was followed by a day off (field turnout) and a steady hack on the second day. On the third day towards the end of a flatwork session practising a couple of Novice tests someone notices his saddle is lifting off his back. Shortly after this Frank stops and cow kicks his belly as if trying to remove a pesky fly and then refuses to move forward- it was like trying to push a wonky shopping trolley. Since he won’t go forward and something is clearly bothering him I dismount feeling sure that there is something wrong with the dressage saddle. I turn him out and Frank has a good roll in the mud and a gallop round the field bucking with glee at being set free. Hmmmmm? he doesn’t look that much in pain does he? Next day he has a day off and on Saturday we box up to a yard with a solarium. He’s still in discomfort Saturday afternoon so we have no choice but to withdraw from Sundays dressage competition and I feel like my world is capsizing. Ten days after Frank’s initial symptoms appeared he has a two hour appointment with Imogen Gifford, physiotherapist. Deep tissue massage, ultrasound and laser therapy to back muscles which appear hard and unyielding. Tuesday appointment with Bethan Lloyd who found similar soreness and realigns a rib. By Friday 25 January he’s no better. The following Monday I make an appointment with Cotts Wednesday 30. As he is trotted up , slight unevenness behind is noted. Lunging in the round pens makes this more obvious. Investigation of hind limb lameness blocked to the left stifle and Frank was prescribed previcox 57mg/day for 30 days then half a tablet for 20 days. Xrays of feet and hocks show no arthritic or bony changes. Both hind xrays show broken back between pedal bone and short pastern – this is being remedied by my farrier who was now able to see exactly what was going on.

This could possibly be affecting Franks stifles. Conservative remedial farriery has reduced this angle by about 3 degrees.

Background

Frank has always found working from behind difficult. He would rather just overbend and let his back legs try and catch up. in the four years since I have had him he is not so overbent (this issue has been written about in great detail in earlier posts since it is something we have worked hard to improve). This could possibly be as a result of earlier career as a show horse. Prior to my buying him he had suffered a trailer accident but details are vague. He passed a five stage vetting. He finds walking downhill difficult and the way he stands at rest in his stable suggests some back discomfort. Frank takes time to warm up and is sometimes a little stiff coming out of the stable so I try and take him for a 10-15 minute hack before lessons. It seems Frank might have some chronic discomfort somewhere which is not manifest as visible lameness –  my eagle-eyed trainers have never spotted anything untoward. Issues with getting Frank into a more ‘through’ frame are discussed in greater detail in the ‘Flat out’ post. If horses are forced into a false ‘correct’ outline with use of draw reins and the like and are allowed to continue in this frame unchecked then problems are only being stored up for the future. It is possible that difficulty in achieving a consistent correct frame might be contributing to Franks current back problem. The other wrinkle in all of this of course is the saddle fitting. When I tried Frank out prior to purchase he was wearing a Prestige saddle. This was the most comfortable and secure saddle I have ever sat in- so of course I had to have one. After about six months Frank showed signs of discomfort- even trying to bite me whilst being tacked up. A mobile saddle fitter who came to the yard looked at Frank’s back and told me to get rid of the saddle. My lovely Prestige is now in New Zealand. In time, the lumps on Franks back began to disappear and I ordered an Albion K2 jump saddle (from my usual saddler) on recommendation of the mobile saddle fitter. Just to note here, I ordered my new Prestige saddle from my show jumping trainer – not from either of these master saddlers. I later bought an Albion SLK dressage saddle -again from my usual saddler. Both saddles were checked regularly. Both had a tendency to slip back and with regular and at times fairly intense training Franks shape changed slightly. Since Frank has had the back problem the mobile saddle fitter has refused to look at Franks saddles reasoning that as neither of the saddles had been made to measure for Frank he was unable to make any further adjustments. Having discussed the made to measure issue with Albion and the saddle fitters at Colne saddlery they have advised that made to measure does not necessarily avoid saddle fitting problems. Feeling a bit fobbed off and quite worried about the whole saddle fitting problem I have been doing some research on the issue. Discussion with Albion suggested I contact saddle fitters at Colne saddlery and on the strength of this Frank and I went up there is search of the holy grail. I was expecting to buy another saddle but Lois and Charlotte assured me that both my saddles could be adjusted. First, they were both really overflocked. The dressage saddle was too narrow (the gullet had been adjusted recently by the saddler from whom the saddle had been purchased). Girth straps on the dressage saddle – altered by the mobile saddler- had possibly made things worse. Most apparent of all was that the K2 jump saddle stitched seams were clearly off centre… even I could see this. I am really not sure how this could have happened since I bought the saddle from new.

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