Breakfast alfresco and a pooped Tilly!

Breakfast in the sun this morning for Kirkby and Millie.  Tilly, Mez and Maisey all came in for the day.  Kirkby had a little paddy when he realised he was left in the field with evil Aunty Millie but soon settled down when I took breakfast out.  I turned Maisey back out at lunch time, after we had had a little cuddle in bed, and then I took Tilly to the beach for her fast work.  Today she did 8 1/2 minutes of canter all together, 3 1/2 at half speed down the beach and then 5 at full speed back up the beach!!  I had intended to ride Mez when I got home but the weather was pants by then and I was pooped and there was a 'man' in the field across the road trying to train his sheepdog and he frightened the horses to death........I didn't think there was much chance of getting out of the drive on Mez!!!!
So I did some work on the Supplements 4 Horses website, which is now on the first page of google if you search for 'horse supplements' thanks to a lot of boring hard work building links!!!
I have left Tilly and Mez in for the night as it is cold and Tilly is pooped too and Mez is just monged!!!!
So off to Yorkshire tomorrow to look at a horse for a lady.....fingers crossed that it does what it says on the tin!!!!!

OMG.....we've been riding Maisey and a minging Jack......

Last week I decided that the time had come to get on Maisey and see what happened.....ha...and I'd not even been drinking!!!!!!!!!!  So we tacked her up in the stable, she has not had her bridle on since last June and was not best pleased.  She holds her mouth open in the hope that the bit will fall out!!!  So I got on her in the stable from the mounting block as she is used to this and she was fine.  We then took the saddle off and led her outside, I didn't want her to catch the saddle on the stable door, and put it back on.  I got the mounting block and got back on her.  Peter was under instructions to walk two steps then stop so she could get the feel  of me on her back.  We did this a couple of times and she was fine so I decided that we would walk up and down the drive and I would tell him if we needed to stop.  Anyway she was a little star and was more bothered about the bit than me sitting on her!  When we got back to the barn we gave her a big pat and I dismounted.

We then had the saddle on Kirkby again and I stood on the mounting block next to him and jumped up and down and banged around.  I couldn't get my weight across him as he is too big so we just left it at that.  He is only three this year so no big rush there.

Mez has been awful this week......I checked back in the diary and yes she is in season.....thank goodness as I need her to be fairly quiet as I am not riding her as much as I used to.  We are going to the dressage on Wednesday at Myerscough so we have been to the school today to have a practice.  She was good considering she has not been ridden much.  I will go back tomorrow and run through the test but will not get chance to ride on Tuesday as I am going over towards Doncaster to view a horse with someone.

Jack and Stan have had a traumatic week.....this a picture of Jack on Thursday morning after he had found that a bunny or something was living in the muck heap....uummm and we had to go home in the car.....minging!!!!  Anyway he has been doing funny things with his mouth this week and drooling and was finding it hard to eat so I took him to the vets on Friday and he has a gum infection.  So pills morning and night for a week, £60 lighter and they want to see him again and may have to knock him out to look in his mouth!!!
Stan has pulled a muscle in his bottom...he is very stiff but has had a lot of massage and is getting better slowly....we think he must have done it on Wednesday when we went out in the horse box....

Shock, Horror.......a dressage frilly for Tilly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

With Stafford ODE approaching I decided that I'd better get Tilly to some dressage.  As she was still in humpy mode for her canter I picked an Intro test at Barton EC.  Tilly is allergic to dressage and really does not see the point in it at all.....she just wants to know where the jumps are!
So off we popped to Barton last Saturday morning to get back into dressage mode.  She did work in rather well, only in walk and trot, considering some rude boy was just cantering and cantering around the warm up arena for about half an hour.  The warm up arena has a huge boggy bit at one end, which I was very conscious of as it was very deep, and this coupled with another 7 /8 horses and the rude boy did not leave a lot of room!!!  So into the arena we went and she held it together and nearly looked like a dressage pony on the video.  She got a little tense towards the end of the test but I was very pleased with her but imagine my surprise when we managed a third rosette.....this is Tilly's first rosette ever in the dressage arena!!!!

So since then we have been to the beach for some fast work which I was very pleased with and up to Helen's ....see the last blog, for some jumping.  I have been trying to hack her most other days and do about one mile of trotting up hill.  This week I am hopefully going to get her to the beach on Monday and Friday and take her to the school to have a run through my dressage test, which I have not looked at yet!!!!  I will up her hacking a bit and try and have a jump on her again before next Friday........

Tilly jumping on video.....:)))))

Just a quickie to say that Tilly's training is going to plan.  Today we took her to Helen and Brian's and bobbed a fence up.  I wanted to jump her bigger than she will be jumping at Stafford on the 30th to make sure she was ok.  No question of that!!!!  As far as she is concerned she wants me to 'bring it on'!!!  Everyone to keep everything crossed that she will continue to stay sound.  I have entered her for Stafford ODE which is two weeks on Friday......we are both VERY excited about this!!! Proper blog to follow soon...........

HORSE STOLEN TODAY.....Can you help.....

I have just read this on another site, so thought I would share. Please help spread the word. Candice Quayle PLEASE HELP!!!! My gorgeous boy, a 17.2hh palamino apaloosa ISH has been stolen from the Horley area about an hr and a half ago! He was taken with a skewbald ISH yearling by two men in a red and silver trailer 2008 reg in a black pick up. He is microchipped and on medication. Im guessing he was taken because he is an ex proffesional grade A showjumper and the yearling having an amazing pedigree! They were picked out of 12 others so we believe they knew what they were looking for! Please if you have any info let me know asap! Please look at my album to see pics of him if u think u may know something! I am really worried so anything in the slightest i will pass it onto the police! Thanks

My home made supplement….ingredients revealed!

So what did I put in my home made supplement and why did I choose what I did??

Well I had some very good advice from a friend and he has got me totally hooked on making my own natural supplements to help me horses.  It's Supplements 4 Horses first home made supplement.
So firstly we had Rosehips.  These are an anit-oxidant, also know as a ‘blood tonic’ and are very good at helping the body cleanse itself of toxins, whilst supporting the kidneys, liver and circulatory systems.  They are also important nutritionally or healthy hooves, bones, skin and coat.
They contain a very rich source of vitamins A, C and K, and thiamine, riboflavins and niacin, natural Iron and biotin.  These help to support the immune system and are good for horses recovering from injury or illness.


 
Then we had Nettles. These are rich in nitrogen, calcium, silica, iron, phosphates and vitamins B, C and K.   They are usually used as a diuretic and blood cleanser, ridding the body of uric acid.  It is for this reason that they help reduce painful inflammation (seen in osteo-arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis in humans).



Next I used Burdock.   This can be used for a variety of compliants including digestive disorders, itchy skin conditions, respiratory conditions, coughs, constipation, ringworm.  It has antiseptic and siuretic properties and is a very effective blood cleanser and helps reduce swellings and excess fluid.




I then added Mint.   Mint has a lot of uses and is an aid to the digestive system.  It helps flatulence, diarrhea and colic. perspiration and can help respiratory conditions.  It is a anti inflammatory, calmative,  stimulant, tonic, antiseptic.  It can be used as an appetizer to encourage fussy eaters.


I blended them all separately and mixed them together before test driving it on my horses.  All four of the ones I tried it on cleaned up their bowls including Millie who thinks I am trying to poison her since she started on her cushings medicine!!!!


I have a couple of other herbs that I feed but that will be coming shortly in my next blog…….I hope this has been helpful and please watch this space……………..

Horse Search on....can you help us???

OK .... as much help needed as possible to find this lovely lady a new horse / friend. 

This is a general description of what she is looking for but we are open to other possibilities too.

 

The type of horse/pony I need would be :-

 

SIZE - 14:2 to 15:2

TYPE - Connemara/Connemara cross - Welsh Cob/ Welsh cross - Irish Draught cross - New Forest cross (however, I don't want to restrict your search, but it is the characteristics  and build of these breed that I favour most))

AGE - 9 upwards

PRICE  - up to £3000.

 

The horse needs to be 100% in traffic - especially with large agricultural vehicles. No vices.  Good temperament, good to handle, shoe, clip, catch (out in company or alone) and will travel.  Hacks out alone or in company.  A good all rounder/Riding Club type who has a snaffle mouth, good paces is well schooled with good manners (in and out of the stable and the field). In a nutshell, I need a horse that is forward-going, fun, yet sensible, a genuine horse that (essentially) will look after me! It would be nice if it could jump, it would also be nice if it was attractive to look at, although I am a firm believer in the old addage, 'handsome is as handsome does!  I am not fussed about gender or colour. 

 

I need a horse that is reliable, one that I can quite literally get on and ride away, I don't want to be wasting my precious riding years 'ironing out problems'.  I also need a horse that I will be able to 'sell on'  relatively easily when the time comes.

 

I have been riding since a child, and have owned numerous horses and ponies over many years.  In my time I have been a keen member of the Pony/Riding Club, attended Pony Club Camps/ hunted, ghumkhanas/showing, etc.  Have both Pony Club and Riding Club tests to my credit (lower grades!). I am not, now, competitive as I have reached the age where Riding Club activities, hacking-out and flat (school )work is all I want to do. I do still have my riding confidence.

 

In return, the horse will be kept at (DIY)  livery,  3/4 miles from my home, it will be well looked after (by me), have everything it needs, including time, it will be much loved! 

 

I would think that the areas of search would be Cumbria/Lancashire/Cheshire/Northumbria/Yorkshire

 

I am 65 years of age, retired, but fit and healthy, apart from back problems (due to 'wear and tear'). However, my back problems are not a problem when riding, just when hulking great bundles of feed and hay around, hence my decision to use a livery service.  Although, as I said, I am presently fit and healthy, obviously at my age, you have to be realistic, you never know what's 'round the corner'.  I should mention that I was diagnosed with 'significant Osteoporosis'  three years ago, so this needs to  be factored into the choice of horse.  I will just add, that I am not in the habit of falling off.

Today's blog is dedicated to Alex.......

Well Alex.....Millie is showing you what you are coming home to!!!

All this mud just for you!!  She looked very proud of herself indeed tonight when I brought her in.  I nearly turned her out with out a rug this morning as it was quite mild....imagine that!
Peter is out walking Charlie at the moment as Chris is not coming tonight. 
I haven't done much with the ponies this week.....jumped Tilly on Sunday at Myerscough and survived to tell the tale and then hacked her again on Tuesday early n the morning.  Good job we hacked on Saturday or I think we may have doing humpy bumpy at Myerscough as it was all a bit exciting to begin with! 
Haven't ridden the dressage pony this week although I am intending to get up early in the morning and if the weather is ok take her for a hack before I go teaching.
Had a monster of a day on Thursday with teaching and massaging!  Had to get a ready meal from M&S on the way home, have a bath and collapse in bed...your dad went to pick a guitar up from Skipton so he wasn't even here to pour my wine either!!!!!

I have volunteered our services for Ros's show at Barton in April.  I have said we will do anything at all. :). If anyone would like a schedule please follow the above link. 

I made my homemade supplement this week out of all that stuff in the side room.....nettles, rosehips, burdock, hops and mint...maybe supplements 4 horses should have it's own supplement range!!!  I tried it out on them all tonight and they have all cleaned their plates including Millie so it must have been good!

Not sure if I'll see you tomorrow so hope you have a good week and Millie is looking forward to a good brush and another raz in the school!!!!!

Tilly jumps in public!!!

Today saw Tilly's first public outing for over a year and a half.  She was very cool about it all just like an old pro until we got into the collecting arena....luckily there were only three of us to begin with so it gave me chance to have a good trot round and calm her down a little!  Everything was just a bit exciting but she pulled her head in and we had a lovely walk to canter (not asked for) but with no humping I though I'd take what as on offer and carried on!  She work nicely on the flat and I let the others know before jumping the cross pole for the first time...just in cast I got humped off....but she was a star!  We jumped the warm up fences a couple of times and then went into the main arena to do the clear round.  I had chosen Myerscough for our first jumping outing as the surface is lovely and the fences were small so if she took a flyer then she hopefully wouldn't put too much strain on her legs.  She bobbed round twice, a little speedy at times, but all things considered she was fantastic......It was soooo good to be jumping again.  So everything crossed that she stays sound and we can go xc schooling on the 29th. :))
A big well done to Sarah and Sharna, next to us in the above pic who also got a clear round, possibly quicker than Tilly!!

Another Frillie, a bucking Millie and Tilly jumps again!

Well all my plans for riding Mez went out of the window last week and the only time I managed to ride her was on Wednesday when we went for a family hack round the block.  I had intended to school her on Thursday and Friday but the weather was against us and time ran out.......This meant that the last time I rode her was the dressage two weeks ago!!!
Saturday morning arrived and I had hosed her off and cleaned her up on Friday evening so we were nice and clean...or so I thought!!  However as Peter was setting off for work he popped back in to say that 'dressage pony' was in the field!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  She was covered in mud....the tap was frozen so I couldn't hose her off...and there was no way I was turning up at British Dressage with legs covered in mud. I dragged her back in and she promptly fell asleep as she had obviously had a hard night!!!  She had trashed all the breakfast haynets, pooped everywhere and had a jolly old time....I bet Tilly was going mad!!! So I rang Peter and had a bit of a paddy, did my mucking out and by 9am the tap at the top of the garden had defrosted so I had to move the hosepipe and tie her to a plank of wood and hose her in the garden......Very non BHS!!!!
We trundled down the hill to Myerscough and our first test was P19 which was good.  Bless her she cantered two strides early on the right rein as I must have sat ready to ask her and she nearly jogged in the medium walk when I gave her a boot to wake her up!  But we managed to scrape 65% and a third place.  We then did the N39 which I have never done before and had not even practised....I can't remember the last time we did 10m circles and the like!!!!  So a quick run through some movements in the working in and a little chat about our canter/ trot/ canter transitions and they called our names!   It did ride a lot better than I thought and she went well all things considered and we got a respectful 65.86% so gained 3 more dressage points.



After returning home on Saturday, Alex and I had a late lunch and then rode Tilly and Millie.  We popped round to the school so that Alex could have a canter and remember what it was all about!  I had not ridden Tilly for a week and she was on one but Millie topped the day with a lovely flat out bucking session down the school with Alex....I just kept shouting 'sit up, sit up' and Millie headed for the gate which is where Tilly was.  Fantastic riding by Alex I do have to say!!!! 
On Sunday we took Tilly upto Helens and did some jumping in her school, we put a course of three small jumps up and apart from a little breakage (one pole) Tilly was a star.  She took a flyer at a couple but then I asked her to wait for me and as you can see in the video above she obliged!  There is some clear round jumping at Myerscough on Sunday that we may go to....need to check with Peter first and then we are hopefully heading to Somerford on 29th for some xc schooling....fingers crossed she can cope with the increase in her work.  It is so exciting!!!