Equines
Saddle Chariot - working ponies
Sunday 31 August, 2008
A couple of years ago, my chum, Claire and I "broke" Smokey to drive. I put the word "broke" in inverted commas because I don't like the work and I certainly hope he wasn't "broken". To cut a long story short, all was going swimmingly until we had a freak accident and our respective confidences took a bit of a knock. Shortly after the accident, I was contacted by a chap called Simon Mulholland, who designs, builds and drives (with Henry) the Saddle Chariot www.naturaldriving.co.uk. At the time, we were going off on holiday (July 2007), and I kind of put it on the back burner. Anyway, I had another look at the website a couple of days ago and emailed Simon. He called today and we had a bit of a chat on the phone. I'm hoping we'll eb able to meet up soon.
Smokey's sair feet!
Sunday 9 March, 2008
When we came back from holiday, Smokey had developed a mild case of laminitis. While we were away, the weather had been mild and sunny resulting in a flush of grass - so sair feet for the boy. Laminitis isn't uncommon in slightly overweight ponies who aren't doing much work but it can be very serious if the inflammation is bad.
Lucky for us, it wasn't but it's put an end to Smokey's outdoor 24/7 lifestyle. He's now boxed at night and out for part of the day in a field with his chums but with very little grass. To be honest, he's quite content being in - I thought he might fret, but no. A fellow owner feeds him in the morning, gives him a fresh haynet and tops up his water. I go up at lunchtime and longrein him in the arena before turning him out; I do his box and fill his haynets for night then go back to work (I have my office window open now!); I then go back up about 6pm and bring him in for the night. It's much more intensive management BUT the increased contact has improved our relationship, I think, and hopefully, I'll be able to get some weight off him.
Back in the saddle
Sunday 20 January, 2008
I was back in the saddle yesterday for the first time in a long time (apart from two very brief and demoralising events over the summer). And it felt good! It was in the arena and we didn't do anything except walk and trot, backup and turns on the forehand but there was no spooking at the trailers, or the jumps, or the digger parked outside the arena fence. Smokey did have a good, long look at himself in the digger's window, but he IS a handsome boy.
I did plan to ride today but just had so many other things to do, I ended up just walking Smokey out in hand for 15 minutes (for his feet). However, the walk gave me a chance to play some games with him, to keep him listening and respectful. The plan is to do this every weekday and ride at the weekend. Give us both the chance to get a bit fitter as well - we trot together, until I run out of breath (not far!).
Riding lesson 2
Tuesday 8 January, 2008
Well, I had my riding lesson and it was fine. In a group with three under tens,it wasn't hard to shine - at least I could keep my horse on the track! We walked, trotted, had a little canter, managed to stay on for a couple of little bucks. So I'm feeling a bit better emotionally - physically, I can hardly walk. I'm going for another lesson on Saturday, then I think it will be time to get on my own horse.
And no cameras!
I'll keep you posted!
Riding lesson
Saturday 5 January, 2008
I'm going for a riding lesson tomorrow. I haven't ridden for ages, initially because of a medical problem then latterly because I've lost my confidence. Over the last few weeks, I've started to feel like I want to ride again. I'm going to have a lesson on a school horse for a couple of reasons - firstly, it will know what it is doing and secondly, there is no "emotional baggage" as there is with Smokey and me.
In preparation, I bought a pair of Musto "Snugs". Dan nearly had a heart attack when I told him how much they were - and telling him they were a bargain via the internet didn't seem to help! But, boy, are they wonderful. I haven't seen myself in a mirror (and nor do I want to) but they look fine looking down. And they are soooo comfy - they're like fleecy leggings but you don't feel like you're wearing anything, they are so soft and stretchy. Buying the right size helps - but couldn't they call XL something else, like XXM or something? I've had to take them off because I got them muddy and it was a real wrench (literally!).
Warm work
Saturday 22 September, 2007
It's a lovely day here so we've been working outside. At thsi time of year, it seems that tidying and cleaning are the order of the day - and that suits me fine. While Dan was painting the window frames, I spent a happy hour scrubbing the rubber mats out of Smokey's stable.
Since we moved him home in February, the mats have been stacked behind the wood store - for seven months, I've been going to clean them since February but today turned out to be the day. It was so warm, working in the sun - it never seems so much like work, though.
Interesting facts about horse poo
Sunday 16 September, 2007
As you know, Smokey shares a field with three (or sometimes four) other horses. You may also have read my rant about ragwort and other injurious weeds. Well, I decided I should learn a bit about managing grass for horses. I have, therefore, bought a book called "Managing Grass for Horses" by Elizabeth O'Beirne-Ranelagh. Over the course of the next few weeks, I intend to amaze you with interesting facts.
Today's interesting fact: horses create latrine areas in their field. They will go to these areas to wee and poo. However, horses won't graze near poo (can't blame them for that, can you?) so the latrine areas become full of long grass and weeds. You will have seen this in horse fields - areas of long, rank grass (the ungrazed latrines) interspersed with areas of very short grass, where the horses DO graze. Now, those of you who have horses will already know this, so what's interesting about this? Well, did you know that stallions reverse into the latrine areas to dung, since this marks territory. Mares and gelding face INTO the latrine areas, so make the latrines ever bigger?
Smokey's bath
Thursday 7 June, 2007
Smokey's just had a wee bath. It wasn't a big bath - he was kind of topped and tailed, so he's white at both ends with a dull brown bit in the middle. He's awful itchy. I had hoped the immunotherapy had worked, and early in the season it looked like it had, but he's awful itchy now. His mane is thin in one place and the top of his tail is rubbed. He's also rubbed his face.
So tonight he had his face, mane and tail washed with insect repellant shampoo, and loads of soothing lotion applied. I don't know whether to put a fly mask on him - I suspect it's too late and sometimes the seams cause more rubbing than they prevent.
Hopetoun House Horse Driving Trials
Sunday 27 May, 2007
As if we didn't have enough "driving trials" of our own - we went to watch some yesterday at Hopetoun House. Horse driving trials are the driving equivalent of a three day event. Yesterday was the marathon - the cross country part. We didn't stay long - partly bacause I wasn't dressed for the cold and partly because we had so much to do here.
However, we did do a spot of Royal watching! We knew HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh was one of the judges but when we spotted him on his Easy Rider moped, we had to do a double take. He's good value for 80+ - but he should really get a moped with an electric start - the kick start seemed a bit hard!
The Godolphin Arabian
Wednesday 16 May, 2007
I've just ordered a copy of "The ByerleyTurk" by Jeremy James. It's the true story of one of the three foundations stallions of the English Thoroughbred breed of horse. The other two were the Darnley Arabian and the Godolphin Arabian, I think.
Anyway, this got me reminiscing about books I read as a child (lots of horsey books, mainly).I can remember reading a novel about the Godolphin Arabian but I can't remember the name of the book or the author. I can remember that the horse has a wheatsheaf mark on him and he has a wee, short name. I'd love to read it again so I'm relying on you folk out there to know the name of the book and to let me know.
