Enjoying a snow day

I attempted to drive to work today....30 minutes and a few miles down snow covered B then A roads to see the M11 with only one lane in use changed my mind and back home I crawled.



So I knew that driving to the girls wasn't going to be an option..out came trusty mountain bike and Spud the dog and I bravely went off into the wild white yonder!

Wasn't too bad a trip, but it was made much harder by having to carry my rucksack stuffed to the gunnels with soaked grass nuts and sugar beet...bloody norah it was heavy!! I'd better be svelte and fit after all this enforced exercise lol!

I think Bally & Dee heard me huffing and puffing up the lane as they were both lurking by the corral gate waiting for me.
Gave them breakfast and then we had a brush off and I tied them up for a hoof training session. Bally is pretty much sorted now in this department and stands patiently - she doesn't "lift a paw" on command yet like Safi used to but I'm sure that will come in time. She does get a bit impatient and lifts her foot away sometimes, but calm repetition and loads of reward when she gets it right is helping :-)

Dee...well here's a work in progress! Sometimes we have hooves thrown at me, sometimes gently given, I have hung on gamely to pistoning and cow kicking and other times she's popped her foot on my knee and happily stood like a lamb...that's babies for you...again just lots of practice and rewarding the good seems to be getting us on the right track. Trimmer is due in a couple of weeks so hopefully I'll have two well behaved girlies before then.

Off course with them living in a field that raises the where do we trim them quandry :-0

The open barn next to the feed room is a crushed hardcore floor and not level, so the only concrete I have to stand them on is in the feed room. This will present no problem whatsoever for Dee as she makes her way in on a daily basis to see if there is anything lying around to snaffle, but Bally treated it with trepidation...so some days I actually inch her bucket in the door then move it right in, she'll now happily walk in and stand and eat her dinner so...I'm hoping that this will do! Of course I don't have any electricity so will have to try and get Ellie to come of a weekend.....and then there is the fun of walking and trotting them up...on the lane.
Practice of this has gone swimmingly I'm pleased to say. So fingers crossed!

Anyway after the hoof work I let the girls out and Bally and I went for a wander round the perimeter of the field, just for a bit of fun and bonding and a sneaky brush up of leading manners. B was in fine form, all sparky but still attentive. She had a couple of yeehaa moments as the horses out at the back of the next farm had a hoolie but she gave me a couple of beautifully up bouncy still in my hand canter strides, did a circle round me with dragon snorts and a bit of a jog then settled down - never pulling away during any of it..brilliant!

We did a bit of controlled walking up and down one of the slopy undulating bits and that was all good too, so as we wandered back over to the others I let her loose and gave her a big scratch and cuddle.

Thouht what the hell I'll do some work with Dee too and made a funny discovery - I don't think she's ever been led from the right. Left - no problem she's really good for a baby, but I swapped sides (I always make a point of doing everything both sides) and she was "um...what??" it totally flummoxed her, so I did a bit of work on this and after a minute or two she got the idea and happily popped into place and walked along with me like a pro.
She's picked up the whistle stop and click for backwards already so we've got a great foundation to work from.

Back up to the others and Dee was let loose with loads of praise too.

I then got to see the whole herd have a play...instigated by Bally of course! She took off in a joyfully mad gallop and hared off in a big circuit...then homed in on the gang who all set off a bucking and a leaping as she approached, then Dee gave a squeal and a few bucks and took off closely followed by Bally and Bonita. Bonita does this hilariously funny whirligig move where she rears and spins 180, lands her front feet and spins another 180 with her bum in the air and leags out in all directions...glad I'm not the one who'll be backing that athletic little miss!
Then we had them all trying to out power trot each other, tails up, heads up snorting a plenty....I'd left my phone up at the barn so missed getting video :-(

As I'd managed to waste a good couple of hours I decided they could have their next meal now to save me having to struggle back down...it had started snowing again by this point so I didn't want to chance it.

So late lunch made up and scoffed and I popped Bally's rug back on, gave them both scritchy scratches and let them out.

The gentle snow had turned heavier so I thought I'd better stick to the tracks on the estate roads (technically shouldn't be on some of them but needs must today) well Spud and I put our heads down and soldiered on our way home ...and on...and on...and I suddenly realised I hadn't got a clue where I was and the snow was a blizzard and I couldn't see any of the local landmarks to get my bearings!!
Thank Gawd for my iPhone and it's GPS locater thingy.!! Turns out I was heading in totally the wrong direction having missed a turning. I'm sure I would still have got home eventually, but I'd have been exhausted!
Directions sorted and I soon found my way back on track and home. Couple of hours later and I still haven't thawed out properly!!

Taking Stock

Well what a rollercoaster year 2009 was - I started it with two horses - Safira and Merlin and ended it with two horses..Bailarina and Determinada, who'd have thought there could have been so much change?

Safi's blog the Long and Winding Road is on a private members forum, but some readers of that and this blog followed and supported me through the very darkest days...you know who you are and Thank you from the bottom of my heart for that x

So onwards and upwards from here I think .....well from rock bottom (as Yazz said the 80's)....The only way is UP!

Bailarina and Determinada continue to delight me on a daily basis, both so funny and full of character, but so fundamentally different!
Bally has always been the baby of the bunch in her life so far and I think she finds the job of being big sis to two yearling fillies a bit challenging sometimes...but oh Lordy does she rule the roost in the little clique which I've christened the Three Musketeers...Bonita and Dee certainly know who's boss in their little gang, but the cheeky pair delight in pushing their luck - I think they sense Bally's inexperience as herd leader. It's fascinating watching them all interacting. I could and frequently do spend ages watching and learning more about their individual characters!

We are all loving life at the new yard..well field! Much as running water and electricity would be nice I cannot complain at having the girls living out naturally in a stable herd.

The herd of 5 are all rubbing along nicely and I've seen them all pairing up separately, grooming each other etc. More often than not they are are in a loosely grouped little set all together keeping an eye and ear out for each other. They have so much space - I really am blessed with sensible yard owners who are adamant that they won't have more than six horses out in the 20 acre meadow.......most of them round here would have it sectioned off and put twenty + horses out on it :-(
Paul the new owner used to keep his youngsters here many moons ago and wants to keep it as it is...hurrah!!!!

I'm still "working" with the girls every day, mainly just at keeping their respect and good manners. This generally involves catching and leading them in (both fantastic considering the amount of land they have to run around in!), checking them all over, picking out feet (and practice rasping), rough brushing etc. Dee has head touching issues so I've made a point of working up to being able to touch her all over her head and ears stroking, scratching and rubbing her so she learns it's a wholly pleasurable experience :-)
I do the odd bit of mini in hand work with Bally just walking halting and reinback from body language so that when she comes into work proper again in March it's not too much of a shock. Once the snow and ice has gone I'll take her out for walks up the lanes and byways we have locally too...looking forward to that!

Today Superhubby and I rode our (new...New Years get fit malarky) bikes


on a 10 mile round trip across, round and over to the girls and took some pics & video of them in the smattering of snow we had today....enjoy!!! (we certainly did!!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HU5C_m46jLk

Bun fight at the OK Corral

Horses are such jokers...especially at 6am!!

Got up to the field this morning...10 minutes behind schedule as I'd had a sneaky snooze (oops!)

No sign of the horses...

So I wander up along the fence line calling and rattling my nuts bucket, get suddenly confronted by all five thundering towards me in the dark and we have a mad dash down to the gate of the corral so I can grab the feeds...and shut the gate!

Of course as it's all been going so well I didn't have my headcollars, so there was a bit of a melee as I'm trying to get Bally and Dee in the corral and keep Bonita and the boys out.
Finally mission accomplished and Dee and Bally settle down to their breakfast...or not.

Bally decides Dee's looks better and we then have five minutes of to-ing and fro-ing between buckets with no eating going on until I actually park the damned things right next to each other and they settle down. I get to do my hands on daily check for any overnight lumps or bumps and I'm very pleased to find nothing, both all fine and dandy.

So then B decides she wants to have a wander and explore the corral, so off she trots, tail up...the frosty morning really has her on her toes! D meanwhile continues to stuff her face lol!

I pop in the barn to get B's headcollar so I can curtail her antics and she sticks two hooves up me kicks her heels up in the air and does her amazing passagy show off trot back down to the gate. OK...out you go and I open it.....nah only kidding says B and wheels off back into the corral taking Dee with her this time who thinks this is a great game now.

And of course as my back is turned Bonita and the boys let them selves in the corral too because numpty here left the gate open!!

ARGH!!

It's now 6.40am I'm late and I have the whole pack of jokers careering round the corral having a right old ball. It's so cold I'm puffing, wheezing and coughing at the overdose of extremely fresh air as I'm pegging it after them to herd them all back through the gate, pick up the buckets and make sure there's no collisions.

Finally with bucking, farting and snorting a plenty (and that's them not me!) I herd every last one out back into the wild blue yonder and as one they hoon off up the field delighted at giving me plenty of exercise to start the day

*sigh*

Horses don't you just love them LOL!

The Big Move

So we were all set for operation moving yards and it was all a bit of an almighty faff in the end! Nothing is ever simple!!

When we'd been up to see the field and meet P & R a couple of weeks ago they'd shown me the barn (full of crap) pointed out the knackered fencing and gate down in the corral. The field had basically been left to go to rack and ruin which was a shame because it really is wonderful!

Once we'd set the date for all the youngsters to arrive they promised to have the work done....made slightly difficult by the fact they were only moving house & horses to the yard themselves the day before...best laid plans and all that ;-)
So I did B in the morning and left her in, packed up all the feed stuff and bits and bobs going with her and drove it up to the field....only to find fencing still down, barn still full of crap and lane full of cars as there was a football match on at the little ground next door :-o
No answer on Rachel's phone so we dumped everything and drove up to the yard = Poor Paul was just loading the fencing into his van - hugely apologetic, they'd had problem after problem and just hadn't been able to get everything done, but they were on the case.

Drove back down to the yard to find B going mental as all the others in her block had been turned out. Nettie had tried bringing B's neighbour Button back in but she was so upset that didn't work. I got there to see her sweating, shaking and attempting to take chunks out of anyone going past...poor stressed baby!! I went straight in and popped her headcollar on, talked to her and quietly stroked and brushed her...she calmed down straight away....which was a bit of lump in throat moment - she has so much trust in me now and that's really humbling.

I wasn't going to leave her in any longer so as we weren't going to be able to go anywhere for a couple of hours I put her out in her paddock for one last mooch (i.e gallop up and down to make it resemble the Somme just a little bit more :-o )

Finally got the call to say lane was clear, barn done, gates and fencing all fixed and Bonita arriving any minute so we could make our way over.

Gi arrived like the cavalry in Bessie Horsebus and B was brought in and I popped her straight on the box and off we went. I travelled next to her in the living just to keep my eye on her and offer her support. She still hasn't quite got the hang of this balancing lark, but she travelled really well considering we were off down some seriously little winding lanes. I'm so proud of her!

Got to the lane and had to park in a layby to unload, all absolutely fine till someone roared out of the carpark past us just as she was backing off, she slipped and nearly fell then clattered off the back of the box. I felt sick to my stomach - all that patient hard work and it could be ruined in a split second. Thank goodness she didn't hurt herself, she was a little shaky, but calmly walked up the lane to the gate.

In we went and I introduced her to Bonita in the corral, after five minutes of them having a sniff and a squeal as we wondered in awe at what P & R had acheived - barn spotless, all my stuff put away nicely, gate up, fencing done..blimey!!!, we let them out into the big field where they said hello to the other three...not too much argy bargy, but boss mare and Bally exchanged a few warning kicks and B & B went off to graze.
Then Little D arrived with Becky and Steph. I popped on the trailer to unload her and she walked down the ramp cool as a cucumber and I led her into the field. We had a little bit of excited baby jogging, but she halted and backed up when I asked her to. None of the others came over to investigate so we let her off.....

And Boss mare promptly detached herself from the two oldies and flew across the grass straight at Dee :-o Dee hot footed it out the way, then realising her bestest buddy George wasn't off the trailer set up screaming for him...cue George on the trailer yelling back and oh lord!!

Becky had to go to keep George calm and went...One very confused Dee ran around screaming for him as they drove away. Bally and Bonita kept approaching her and trying to stay with her and after five minutes of running to the gate she stopped a couple of times to snatch some grass...phew...another minute and she was happily grazing with them.

We left them to it and took the box back and then I popped back up to check and feed them. Happily the three Musketeers were off grazing a small way away from the Olds and both groups were studiously ignoring each other.

B & D were happy to be caught and led in to the corral where I stood with them whilst I fed them. Then after checking for lumps and bumps and finding none I let them back out to explore their fab new home!

I've been up again this morning and again it worked fine, they were waiting down near the corral, in, feed, scratches, check over and breakfast...done!

Tonight...no sign, but a couple of calls and shaking some grass nuts in a bucket got them over - unfortunately as I'm there at 6am and 5 pm in the week it's pitch dark..thank the lord for head torches lol!! Pleased to report that everyone seemed just fine and my girls wolfed their food down, had a little brush and some nice quality time before I let them out.

I'll try and get some piccies this weekend so you can check out their des res ;-)

Phew glad that's all over though!!!

Ch..Ch...Changes

Well I can finally update my blog and let the cat out of the bag :-)

There have been changes afoot in B's world, first of which has been a winding down of the work - we've had a couple of walks out and done some inhand work just to check we both still had the right idea, but today she officially started her winter holiday...oh and moved...and met my new horse :-o

The holiday is three months off to let her grow into herself, mentally I think she'd have been happy to keep working, but as the next thing to do is back her and she's still not quite there physically as that lovely peachy bum of hers is still considerably higher than her withers, so no pressure on that delicate back for a wee while yet!
My YO had offered me a space at her other farm - an 8 acre field where she keeps her old pair and the two currently broken hunters...but then changed her mind. B couldn't stay where she was as our paddocks are too small and not sheltered so I was on the look out.
Managed to hit the jackpot through a post on the Horse and Hound Forum and was introduced to a couple just taking over my favourite yard in the whole area......oh and they also had a an old meadow....a 20 acre old meadow full of trees and natural hedging, lots of ups and downs and a spring fed watering hole..a barn and stable on site for storage and emergencies and a seperate corral to feed your horse in.....my idea of horse heaven!!!! They were looking for a couple of other horses to add to the four already there.

So who's the new horse????????

Well I'm now also looking after a rather lovely little part bred yearling Luso filly Determinada :-)

Dee was bought by my friend and instructor Becky's Mum Steph when Becky brought her Luso boys Ambar and Violino as she felt so desperately sorry for her. She'd been born prematurely out of a purebred mare that the owners hadn't realised was in foal and had been in work until a loss of form prompted a vet visit and a very late pregnancy diagnosis. Dee was born very weak and twisted and not expected to survive... but against the odds she did and showed such a spark and love for life that her name just fitted her perfectly :-) A very special little girl!
She stayed in Portugal until she was deemed strong enough to cope with the journey and arrived in the UK a couple of months ago looking a little the worse for wear bless her.

As Steph got to know me and my love for young Luso girlies she asked if I'd like to take her on. I went, I saw, I fell in love with this super friendly sparky little lass - very elegant, but going through a little bit of a fugly phase...sweet!
I'm not really ready to take the plunge and buy another horse after Safi, but as Steph isn't really looking to sell her and wants only for her to have a great start with someone who likes playing with youngsters..especially girlie Luso ones it was agreed that she'd come and live with me and we'll see where we go in future :-)

So today was the big day, both girls and another yearling Bonita - owned by Claire the fab lady who introduced me to Paul & Rachel the new yard owners made the journey and arrived at Perry Field...........

Tomorrow I'll tell you all about it, I think we've had enough excitement for today lol!!!

Monumental

I'm so sorry for the lack of updates, life has been completely tied up with moving my elderly and disabled mum from her home of 25 years in London into a warden assisted retirement flat closer to us.

Long time coming and it's taken months of preparation, there have been some seriously upsetting moments and scary bits along the way - particularly this week!!!! But she's in, she's settling there and seems reasonably happy which is a better result than I dared dream of. Huge thanks must go to Superhubby who has supported me above and beyond the call of duty..much love!!

So on to the star of the show, the wonderful, amazing, lovely Little B..what have we been up to???

Well we've still kept up with our inhand work in the school and had a few lunging, loose and long lining sessions. Usually short ones due to the rather waterlogged state of the school *rolleyes*
Bally has been working beautifully, we're now geting half halts on voice command, no lary behaviour..work is work and play is play, so rewarding!!
I'd also had Bessie Horsebus serviced and MOT'd so when I had the opportunity I'd actually been able to practice loading and standing on with the engine running which was almost an anticlimax as B paid no attention at all and just loaded and stood on no differently to normal lol!

But today was a special day in all sorts of ways!

Firstly we had our first Becky Holden lesson - I wasn't 100% sure I was getting the close inhand work 100% correct as B found this the hardest part of out training to do, so as she was coming down to do a clinic locally I snaffled her for a lesson ;-)

Becky is brilliant, a true master at classical in hand work, but so lovely to be around too - She stayed over last night and together with my dressage instructor and friend Becky Ewart we had a great evening talking dressage, horses and dogs!

I knew that she used to work for Peggy Litton at Asoka Classical stud...who bred Bally's Mum Maravilha!!..and yes she not only knew her well, but her grand dam also!!! It was fascinating to hear about the history of her lineage.

So onto the lesson - Becky wanted to see how I was working her and what we could do, so I showed her our inhand stuff...great news is I just needed a few gaps filling in - my body positioning and contact are spot on (chuffed!!) I needed a little help on correction work - so that if B becomes at all heavy I give a lift with my inside hand to raise her poll and at the same time take the outside rein and give a "leg" aid with the whip. I'd tended to give her a little too much leeway as I was concerned about being heavy on her mouth, but with a clear "up" aid the pressure is actually taken off her bars and tongue and works only on the corners of her mouth..lightbulb moment!

We had some amazingly soft work - just like riding when you get the correct flow of energy from back to front on a soft relaxed contact it just flows and feels great. Lots of lovely stretches interspersed with good work and quickly feeling when to correct her if she was silly or tried to lean and make me support her meant a very worthwhile session - made all the more amazing by the fact that B had never worked first thing in the morning before and was having to concentrate when she could hear all the horses being turned out. Clever B!

I then drove over to Becky E's yard where Becky H helped her with Ambar & George - fabulous to watch and so very, very useful!

Back home and I roped Gi in to take the last small but all important step in the box training of Little B.....going for a journey!!

She loaded as she always does, slowly, carefully and at her own pace, then with the box running Gi did the gates and popped the ramp up. I stayed on with Bally for reassurance and to keep a close eye on her reaction....and there wasn't one!!! She had a little wobble and moved her feet to balance as we set off around the farm, but she kept completely calm throughout the five minute journey, alert and looking around her but no hint of panic, or tap dancing.

Once we'd stopped she unloaded (still backwards) and when I asked her to step back on the ramp did so!

I was almost in tears I was so happy - all that patience and calm methodical training paid off :-)

Happy Day!

Thank goodness for the Lovely B

I have had a horrendous day, tensions at work have got so bad three of us would quite happily have walked out today....some idiots should never ever be allowed to manage people }-(

I also had the most ridiculously upsetting call from a researcher on behalf of Rossdales vet hospital who wanted to ask me some questions as Safi had received spinal xrays there.
Researcher "Could you spare some time to answer a few questions?"
Moi "Um, yes that should be OK"
"So could you update me on how your horse is now"
"....um...well...actually she's been PTS"
"Oh yes, well looking at the report and seeing the xrays I was expecting you'd say that"
"...stunned silence......"
"So you don't want to answer any questions then?"
"..um...no..."

Gutting

I got home and there in the post was a cheque from the insurers for the loss of Safi, I had actually thought that it being such a bad day I couldn't feel any worse, but wow that was a proper knife in the guts......I know it is ridiculous but I felt like Judas receiving my thirty pieces of silver.

So after some wailing and weeping I went to see the delightful Bailarina for some equine therapy. That lovely sleek little diamond you saw pictures of a few weeks ago is now a proper hairy, muddy, filthy beastie! Bless her she knew straight away I was feeling down. She glued her nose to my back as I walked around and poo picked the paddock, no naughty nibbling, just a touch and a connection the whole way up the field...such a precious feeling

I brought her in and took her into the school for a play, just a single line and her headcollar, some raised poles and a mini pheasant feeder jump, no pressure, not really 'work' just a play in walk. Thinking exercise, obedience, stretching and most of all relaxing and enjoying

B was her usual fun, inquisitive self. After a walk round with circles and changes of rein to warm up I asked her to walk over the raised poles...our first approach was met with incredulity by B who wasn't sure she could raise and lower her legs in the gaps provided...I led the way and she merrily followed, daintily making sure she didn't touch a single one.

We popped over them a few times each way and B very kindly followed exactly what the text books say, stretched her neck down and out and lifted those legs to have a lovely whole back and shoulder workout!!

We had a bit more wandering / circle / straight work and then I led her over to the 12" high mini pheasant feeder jump...."oh my LORD" went B with a snort Lol!

She tried to duck out to the side so I just walked her back and then up to it again. Bally very bravely took her life in her hands and popped straight over it second time of asking and received loads of praise

We had a few goes playing over it and after only a couple I could ask her to walk over (oh look at those leg lifts!!) or trot and pop it as a jump, what a good girl!

I let her off the rein after this so she could have a free wander about as I cleared our playground away and then we wandered back to the stable and tucked her up for the night as none of the ponies were out tonight.

A brush down..well more of a scrape off, tea and bed...

Bally just makes me smile.....therapy indeed x