Yes old thread but still relavent 6 years later after my original post. Iconic @Mary Poppins that when you posted you had no issues. Did we jinx you. Youve been through so much with Ben these last few years.
Just shows we never know wht life will throw at us.
As for chunky, well he is basically retired from riding now. I was already questioning him being still ridden but due to covid that has completely finished. I was thinking of asking someone with a young child if they wanted to just lead there child on him to keep him moving but with the covid restrictions i havent got round to it. He certainly feels like hes deteriorated in this last year. He shuffles more theough the hind end.
Ive had couple of sit ons but hes not happy with my 10 stone to be ridden. Ive driven him a couple of times this year but his front shoulder lameness shows more in the carriage so its not fair. If i could do a little loop in a quiet housing estate then id probably still have tried to drive him but we are near main roads and steep hill so not fair on him or safe in the insane traffic.
The only thing ive been able to really do is the odd lunge or ride billy and lead chunky on walks. As chunky is so good and our rides across the hill are in a fenced enclosure i do let him go and he will just plod along behind us. It does become more difficult leading as his stride is much smaller than billys so poor chunky has a job to keep up.
It still breaks my heart seeing him getting old and less able day by day.
Just shows we never know wht life will throw at us.
As for chunky, well he is basically retired from riding now. I was already questioning him being still ridden but due to covid that has completely finished. I was thinking of asking someone with a young child if they wanted to just lead there child on him to keep him moving but with the covid restrictions i havent got round to it. He certainly feels like hes deteriorated in this last year. He shuffles more theough the hind end.
Ive had couple of sit ons but hes not happy with my 10 stone to be ridden. Ive driven him a couple of times this year but his front shoulder lameness shows more in the carriage so its not fair. If i could do a little loop in a quiet housing estate then id probably still have tried to drive him but we are near main roads and steep hill so not fair on him or safe in the insane traffic.
The only thing ive been able to really do is the odd lunge or ride billy and lead chunky on walks. As chunky is so good and our rides across the hill are in a fenced enclosure i do let him go and he will just plod along behind us. It does become more difficult leading as his stride is much smaller than billys so poor chunky has a job to keep up.
It still breaks my heart seeing him getting old and less able day by day.
