Slow Slow recovery...

I am so over this weather, one day its 29 degrees hot hot then next day its absolutely pouring down for days. Poor horses.. covers off, covers on.

Had vet up again for my boy and more antibiotics for his infection. I hate needles so its a challenge to say the least! But each day I think hes getting better. So much for my summer riding though.... Hmm i guess im getting fit with all the mucking out of stables i'm doing LOL!

My old Ginga Ninga isn't to happy neither and i'm seriously thinking that I have to make the big decision in a few weeks. I was going to do the deed last winter but he perked up really well. Kids are back at school in a few days, so that will make it easier. Im so dreading making the call...

Actually its not been a great start to 2010 for my animals. Ive lost 2 chooks, they are quite old, infact im sure they were over 11yrs! I didnt think chooks lived that long. They just died in their sleep, way to go I think, but they had a good life.

One of my goat keeps getting a foot infection, probably due to the wet weather, and he hates getting his foot stuff on. So I get dragged around the yard...but i win...well most of the time. Oh for a little goat stall..

I then noticed one of my sheep got pink eye, was blind for a bit, so I put the antibiotics in and she coming right now. Just got to round the rest up and check them.

Crazy Weather

I'm singing in the rain...Just singing in the rain...What a glorious feelin'....I'm happy again...NOT! Bugger off rain ..I want some sun, sol, soleil, that yellow dazzley shiny thing in the sky ..if its still there!

Ok so enough said about that, she says listening to the rain pounding on the roof and thunder rumbling in the background....

Vet came up today (before the rains) and Holdy has an infection in one of his front tootsies. So a big jab of antibugs and painkillers hopefully will get him back on track, plus a follow up of bute to help.

Well we have grass from here to Africa, its ridiculous. All animals are in about 3 acres of the farm on diets!! The rest of the farm is getting overgrown with grass. Its times like this when i really wish we had flat land. Hmmm think of the hay we could had cut...ah well.. This time last year the grass was all brown, what grass we had that is. Crazy crazy weather we have now...

Ahh buggar again

Well the haynet incident has appeared its ugly head again. No Holdy didn't get his foot stuck in the haynet again.. but his foot is now swollen and he doesn't put much weight on it. I have a feeling it was Harry that made it worse. I popped Harry in the Jenny Craig paddock with Holdy for company. But Harry was not happy about it and kept bulling Holdy. I feel maybe it has aggravated his foot.

So the vet has been booked for tomorrow. Poor boy he really is having a bad run and I sooo want to ride him. He is however looking very nice and slim... he really is a lovely looking horse.

On a more fun positive note, my daughter is on her 3 day horse course at the moment and is loving it! She goes every holidays...she just lives eats and breathes horses. Hmm that sounds familiar! On the last day they have a sort of gymkana and her room is already filling up with horsey ribbons, with of course a dose of pet lamb ribbons from A&P shows and Young Farmer shows. Its a shame her wee pony is retired now due her gammy knee but its certainly not stopping her. She gets lessons once a week and has improved ten fold. Its lovely to watch.

Mid Life Crisis?

Ok can someone tell me please... Why do I have winter covers on my horses? Why have a lit the fire in the lounge? Why is it bloooody freezing and raining and windy....and its January, middle of summer? Global warming my ass!! More like global freezing lol

So I am reflecting on things.....I cant believe how fast time goes by. I remember when I was in my 30's, I commented on same thing, only now in my 40's it seems to be going past much faster, god knows how fast it will go in my 50's? I think I may be having a little mid life crisis (or maybe its just this weather!) Is it too late to have a mid life crisis?

Anyway I realise in the last 10yrs, I have slowed down my activities and you know what...I think I'm getting bored and feeling old.

So I'd better get off my ass and get fit and start doing the things I love again. Ok I might not be able to mountain bike the pylon track or gallop around the paddock on my horse bareback and in a halter (wow did we really do that !) but I can still mountain bike and still do 2 day horse treks....And who says I'm to old for indoor soccer LOL

Now im a doofus!

Ok we went out yesterday and got back home quite late. I had totally forgotten that I had left the covers outside...well....what happens....this morning its raining and cold and my two oldies were shivering. Covers were soaked right thru, so I wasn't quite sure what i was going to do.

Thinking cap on....firstly I put the big old guy in the barn with some hay, so he was happy. Then i found my old shetland cover. Ok so I have a Shetland size cover that some how had to fit on my 11.2hh pony. Hmmm not rocket science it isn't going to fit. But i plonked it on her back anyway and gave her some hay . She warmed up quite quickly and it stayed on for quiet some time. I decided she will have to go into the barn to, even though she absolutely hates it.

As for the others, well they just have to tough it out im afraid..after all its supposed to be summer not Winter!! I do need new covers for next winter, but dont have the cash at the moment to go and buy them now.

This weather is very frustrating, I really wanted to ride Harry over the hills this week!!! I bet that when the kids go back to school, the sun will shine and the thermometer will rise LOL...Suppose i can wait until then, its only 3 weeks...

Silly Doofus!

Well I checked on the big lad (who is in Jenny craig pen) to check his water and to give him his breakfast. As I was walking towards him he didnt look right...and gave pathetic whinny,then i saw....silly buggar had got his foot stuck in the haynet! I hate hay nets for that reason, so i have been extra careful...but...

So i have no idea how long he was like that. Hopefully he just did it, but it could have been anytime in the night. Unfortunately his good front leg was stuck so his weight was on his sore leg. So back to square one ..again. Might have to get the vet up tomorrow..

Back to work

Well i decided it was time to put some serious work into the fat wee ornaments in the paddocks!

So first off it was Jocks turn, well what a performance from a 14.2 pony. You would think that there was a big scary monster behind him ready to munch his tail off. Talk about jig jog jig jog. Very nervous for some reason and ears laid back...not a happy chappy. So i just worked him slow and then there was the beginning of that dreaded rear. He didn't managed to do it but i could feel him getting ready. A few yells and growls at him made him change his mind, but it had certainly made my mind that he is not a good prospect for my daughter. Shame as he is a lovely looking chap and does have nice moves. But i will work him more and see if its the grass that's still making him go silly.

Then it was Harry's turn (Thats him in the photo here) What a lovely willing chap he is, always trying to please. I just lunged him today and spent some one on one with him.


Holden is still in the fatty paddock, much to his disgust. Cant work him yet but hopefully in a few weeks he will be better.

Old Friends

Its funny how you can come across many horses in your life, but there will always be one or maybe two that will stay with you forever. The dark bay in the photo is of my old horse "Roo". I got him as a 9yr old and when i saw him for the first time I was in love.... He wasnt flash but had been a B grade jumper at one stage and had potential. Though he certainly didnt show it when i took him over a log, he flately refused not once but three times, there was no way he would jump, even the owner at the time couldnt get him to jump. But i didnt care to much ...he was the horse i wanted..
So that was that and we were together till he was PTS at the grand age of 34! He got cancer of the mouth a very agreesive cancer so there was nothing we could do. Im not sure if you can have a horse as a soul mate but I think we were darn near it. We were very much tuned it, he followed me everywhere, he knew what i wanted and I him. Its been 5 years now since he has gone and i still miss the grumpy old sod... One day I will write a book of all our adventures, as there certainly was many happy and a few nail biting moments we had together.

The grey pony was "Alfie" a cheeky wee shetland who i trained to pull a cart. He had his moments and could be very stubborn but didnt have a bad bone in his body. I had the wee chap for about 15 years, got him as a year old colt, but sadly he struggled with cushings for many many years.