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Bourbon the Horse 🐎

@bourbonthehorse

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🐎🇮🇪 Bourbon ☆ 2 #kissingspines surgeries • ulcers • rehab survivor
🤷🏻‍♀️🇬🇧 Tara ☆ Ordinary 40yo rider • PMOS • trying to figure it all out
📍Wiltshire

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The vet said he might never be rideable.

People told me I should have put him down.

When he did come back into ridden work, I was advised he would never accept being ridden in an arena.

It's taken years and years, tears beyond count, heartache and patience, but here we are - and Bourbon is doing it all, against the odds. 🖤

#bourbonthehorse #kissingspines #equinerehab #showjumping #crosscountry @bourbonthehorse @cavaletticollection by @bourbonthehorse

Yesterday. Oh my god, yesterday.

I bought Bourbon back in 2020 to jump. With all his issues, we didn't jump at all for years - and then when I was told he was ready to start jumping with a rider on board, we tried a couple of times and it... wasn't great. We didn't have anyone on the ground for help, he rushed so I put the brakes on too much, so he rushed more... it wasn't pretty. We tried again last year when he was being fitted for his jump saddle and again, it was hairy. Other than that, I hadn't jumped him in six years of ownership.

Yesterday, in our lesson, that changed. We started off with a single fence, and ended with a mini course of five jumps.

We flew. I had the biggest grin on my face - I could feel it. Biggest jump was about 40cm, and it felt like 1m as we went over it.

Thank you so much @jillholtequestrian for all your support over the last few months and getting us to this point, I'm so grateful 🖤 And thanks @gemma_barber377 for the video and cheering me on yesterday!

#bourbonthehorse #horseandrider #showjumping #kissingspines #equestrian @bourbonthehorse @cavaletticollection @henryjamessaddlery @racesafeeq @saddl.ekind by @bourbonthehorse

No words, only happy tears.

It's been more than two years since I was last able to ride Bourbon, and today, my dream came true. I'm back on board.

#horsesofig #instahorse #horse #horseoftheday #bayhorse #irishsporthorse #irishhorse #sporthorse #horseriding #horseandrider #bourbon #bourbonthehorse #rehab #equinerehab #horserehab #equinerehabilitation #hearthorse #kissingspinerehabilitation #kissingspineshorse #kissingspines #kissingspinerehab #kissingspine #kissingspinesurgery #isld #riding #horseandrider #horsegirl #happytears #horsetraining #flatwork @bourbonthehorse by @bourbonthehorse

Today we had the always lovely @saddl.ekind out to check the fit of Bourbon's jump and dressage @cavaletticollection saddles.

Even if you don't think there's been a change, regular checks are important to ensure that you haven't missed something. I was confident the jump saddle had dropped in front though with the increase in workload Bourbon has had, so it was doubly important to get it looked at.

As expected, we needed some extra flocking in the jump to fluff it up, but the dressage was still all good so nothing needed there.

I'm very excited to try jumping in the saddle next week (Bourbon is having a bit of a rest week this week), to see how he feels now that his shoulders will be a bit freer!

#bourbonthehorse #kissingspines #saddlefit #sadddlecheck #irishsporthorse @bourbonthehorse by @bourbonthehorse

Another little clip from Sunday's training - we actually did our first ever hedge hopping at the weekend, with a line that finished on those huge uphill tyres.

This is actually two clips joined together but are of the same run through the hedges and then onto the tyres - just recorded from two different places! The only thing you can't see is the gallop after the tyres back towards the start, before turning downhill and ending over a ski jump drop.

Very proud of both me and Bourbon for this, I've never done these types of XC jumps before and it's been a long tine since Bourbon went hunting, so I think we did a cracking job!

Thank you @gemma_barber377 for all the videos and @jillholtequestrian for the training and video 😊

#bourbonthehorse #kissingspines #kissingspinerehab #irishsporthorse #horseandrider @henryjamessaddlery @cavaletticollection @weatherbeetauk by @bourbonthehorse

Some clips from today's XC session. Bourbon is definitely finding his feet, and I need to keep up! Scroll through to the end for my favourite clip, as this is by far the biggest jump we've attempted so far - uphill on the approach and 80cm on the landing, so at least 90cm on takeoff and VERY wide!

Thank you very much @jillholtequestrian!!

#bourbonthehorse #irishsporthorse #kissingspines #crosscountryschooling #crosscountrymachine @bourbonthehorse by @bourbonthehorse

I genuinely don't know where to start with Sunday.

It's taken me a couple of days to fully process that yes, against all the odds, despite everything we've had thrown at us over the last years and everything I've been told, that yes - we actually went to a show.

And not just any show... a hunter trials, going straight in at 70cm, completing it and coming 19th out of 32 at @westwiltsequestriancentre.

How the hell did my clever, beautiful pony and I reach this amazing moment?! ☺️🥰

I'll be sharing a lot more photos (and possibly re-sharing some as well, because why the heck not?!) but I just wanted to start with a few for now, and share my gratitude to this incredible horse with you all.

I have a lot of fabulous people in my life to be grateful to as well, but I'll do that on another post as this one is already so gushy 🤣 I will just say a massive thank you to my long suffering other half @pointthenclick for not only sticking by me through thick and thin, but also coming down to support me and taking these amazing photos 🖤

#bourbonthehorse #kissingspines #huntertrials #backfromthebrink #kissingspinesrehab @bourbonthehorse @saddl.ekind @henryjamessaddlery @cavaletticollection @superxcountry by @bourbonthehorse

Best pony ever! Best day ever!

Today we went to @westwiltsequestriancentre and did a schooling round around the flagged 70cm XC course, in preparation for our first hunter trials that's coming up. I was pretty nervous, but as soon as I got on and I felt how happy Bourbon was, all my nerves left me and we just had the best time!! 🖤

Even the warm up was incredible - for Bourbon to school softly, in a contact and stay relaxed in a big, strange, open field with other horses going round was something I never thought possible. Then going round the actual course, he was bounding forward to each one without rushing, and he stayed with me the entire time!

There were a couple of jumps where I could feel he was unsure, but when I told him it was OK I could just feel the difference as he put his trust in me and went for it 😃 we had a stop at the water but did go in after a few seconds, then came around a second time and went straight in.

Thank you so much for today @jillholtequestrian and @gemma_barber377!

#bourbonthehorse #horseandrider #crosscountryschooling #huntertrials #kissingspines @henryjamessaddlery @cavaletticollection by @bourbonthehorse

Bought some exciting things to go and do something exciting in... so open them up and try them on with me, and let me know what you think!

I'm in no way affiliated with SXC, I bought these bits myself but wanted to show them off - big thanks to @superxcountry for all the help and the beautiful finished products!

#bourbonthehorse #eventing #horsetrials #huntertrials #crosscountry @bourbonthehorse by @bourbonthehorse

I can't believe my eyes, looking at this video. For us to have reached this point, where Bourbon is actually working into a contact... it doesn't really seem real to be honest.

You can see those moments where he loses a little balance, but now when he does, I can reassure him and he listens, and comes back, and straight away works correctly again - which is another massive change for him.

Even the canter is starting to feel softer, and easier, and more flowing.

🖤

#bourbonthehorse #kissingspines #horseandrider #irishsporthorse #flatwork @bourbonthehorse @henryjamessaddlery @cavaletticollection @jillholtequestrian by @bourbonthehorse

Those dapples 😍

Bourbon had his first clip of the season yesterday - as his workload continued to increase and his coat continued to change, he had been getting rather sweaty each time he was ridden, so I felt a warm sunny Saturday was the perfect time to give him a clip and help his exercise recovery.

Now he is ready for autumn, and our upcoming exciting adventures!

Isn't he looking well?

#bourbonthehorse #kissingspines #horseclipping #irishsporthorse #autumnready @bourbonthehorse by @bourbonthehorse

I can't get enough of this cheeky, happy face! Doesn't he look adorable? He was raring to go for a ride today!

We had a little session in the arena this morning - it's the first time I've actually done any jumping on my own, and he was a VERY good boy. Nothing big mind you, as my game plan was to do one or two jumps at a time and then maintain canter around the arena a couple of times before doing another jump, rinse and repeat style, as we need to start working on stamina for the hunter trials!

Once we'd done that, we had a bit of a breather and then spent some time working on walk-trot-walk transitions, to help him soften back into the trot and realise that although he wasn't finished yet, he also wasn't cantering again. He really anticipates canter once he's already done some, so this was a very useful exercise for him and he did well. Plenty to work on still, but also plenty to like today!

#bourbonthehorse #kissingspines #horseandrider #showjumping #irishsporthorse @bourbonthehorse @henryjamessaddlery by @bourbonthehorse