Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 6:13 am Post subject: June
Last month was our busiest ever, by the number of pages we all filled with our exploits, so lets hope June is even better Fab weather at the moment, so get going, everyone _________________ www.rockleyfarm.co.uk
or our blog: www.rockleyfarm.blogspot.com
Both my boys were out at the weekend. Carly doing the 18k pleasure ride in Delamere Forest with Renegades on his fronts like Fari. Not taking any chances as nasty stony trot-up for the vet. He probably didn't actually need them for the ride itself as not as stony as in previous years and nothing that Carly couldn't handle. However the boots did perform well and stayed on Rooster did 32k yesterday completely barefoot again. The farrier complemented his lovely hooves having actually taken a look at all four feet He was a very nice young man The trot up was quite deep sand which Rooster wasn't keen on and the vet made us trot up on the concrete as well, which fortunately was fine, thank goodness. The ride had lots of lovely grassy going at the begining, middle and end, but quite a bit of road work in between and a few stony forest tracks but not enough to bother Rooster. The lady I rode with was unlucky at the end when her shod mare tripped on the concrete and skinned both her knees. This was right in the view of the vets but neither of them came over to see if she was OK. I couldn't help but think that if she was barefoot that wouldn't have happened. As usual saw some horrors in the queue for the farrier's inspection including a lightweight thoroughbred type horse wearing thick heavy wedge front shoes Rooster trotted up at the end in fine style so again very proud of my boys
Snips is entered for an easy 20 mile on Saturday. Probably do booted (in her new gloves) as she is feeling her feet a bit at the moment. Currently stabled unless being exercised. Temporary home doesn't understand the concept of grass free turnout. They have a foundered pony whose feet are literally purple from top to toe which they still turn out on very lush grazing. But apparently it is his breeding..... If only he weren't gelded we could make a fortune breeding purple footed ponies ...........
Max (aka -ex nav hoss) did his first xc schooling session on Tues .... lets just say the feet were awesome but the mule inside the TB body apparently didn't like ditches. We took a loooooooooooooong time to overcome that little issue. Full details on the blog.
Magic and I went away last week to learn to ride properly (!) and he's now feeling superfit from being ridden 3 times a day. We went gallopies tonight and he nearly pulled my arms out, even on the third lap! _________________ http://magicsownlittleworld.blogspot.com/
We went barefoot eventing in style today - even with 48hrs solid rain and ground like grease.... I wasn't looking forward to it but neither Magic or Dan even noticed!
Dan, with his sharer, did the 80cm, got a 42 dres, and a double clear and came 5th.
Magic and I did the PN, got a 30 dres, and a double clear and came 2nd.
The shod horses were slipping around and having real trouble in the dressage.... the xc caused carnage and given that it was Dan's 3rd ever xc course, and Magic's first event since September, the boys did good.
I still never quite believe my own hype that barefoot is better than shoes and studs... but it does seem to be with my boys and even my traditional sharer is very VERY impressed with Dan's surefootedness and complete inability to slip even when acting the goat
Yippee kay ay for Dan and Magic Well done all of you
Nothing much here over the weekend in terms of performance, though I am really pleased with the rehabs (details on the blog) and the non-holiday boys (Felix, Ghost and Jacko) have had fun pootling hither and yon out on hacks - today not even in the rain...
Snips the little QH did 21 miles at Breamore on Saturday. Although a bit slow (rider error re route) they did well, passed the vet, got the ribbon.
Used the Gloves which performed well, not perfectly but we were glad we had them. A bit of rubbing on the pasterns, I think the gaiters are made for longer fatter bones. But not bad considering two of the boots nearly got destroyed in bog the previous day when the rider decided to gallop pony into it..... Pony was fantastic, didn't panic unduly, but did step on herself and boots when clambering out.
My fantastic parents spent half the night effecting emergency repairs (which held perfectly).
Despite trailering 5 hours home Snips looked as bright as a button this morning and was happy to walk out for nearly two hours (on long reins).
Hot and dusty here in central Indiana. Spectacular thunder storms across in Ohio last night though.
Was round my friend's farm in Ohio this weekend drinkin beer, fishing for widemouth bass, and just hanging out - he has trotters and pacers - got out on a trotter on the 1Km oval limestone grit track. Boy - that was scary fast!
Horse's feet are something to see and I had to diplomatically keep my trap shut - hooves very long in the toe and more underslung than I have ever seen. Apparently they have to be that way for trotting and when you see them go you can understand why it seems that way, but they ain't healthy hooves.
Periods of lameness are accepted as normal, and there are a few interference injuries- one horse has taken chunks out of her front hooves and abscessed - again this is just accepted. They are all on a timothy alfalfa grass mix and the hay is bright green, spiky and crisp. I am used to the beige stuff so that was interesting. Smelled sweet though, but would be too rich for my guys.
They have a couple of rescue horses come to them - both in a pitifull state. One was just like Link's twin and tears prickled behind my eyes when I saw him , you could see every single bone and had half healed sores where he'd lain on a hard floor - he had laminitis but the previous owners had stabled and starved him to emaciation - so thin that even his cheeks were sunk and his face looked bony. He's being fed up slowly and controlled so as not to over challenge him, and although he still looks awful, he has gained 100lb in the last four weeks so Lord only knows what he looked like before. He was a gentle and affectionate soul, and my friend's wife Chrissy is giving him a second chance. Seems the recession bites hard in more ways than one.
Anyway - I got an unexpected present on Friday - I had been chatting with my counterpart on the client side about tools (he's an amateur blacksmith with his own forge) and mentioned that I find some tools great for the larger horses but really need smaller tools for the wee ponies - so he presented me with a hand made shoe puller for little shoes - about 10" long. It's really not bad at all!!
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Fab weather at the moment, so get going, everyone 
Rooster did 32k yesterday completely barefoot again. The farrier complemented his lovely hooves having actually taken a look at all four feet 
He was a very nice young man 
Rooster trotted up at the end in fine style so again very proud of my boys 
Well done all of you 
, you could see every single bone and had half healed sores where he'd lain on a hard floor - he had laminitis but the previous owners had stabled and starved him to emaciation - so thin that even his cheeks were sunk and his face looked bony. He's being fed up slowly and controlled so as not to over challenge him, and although he still looks awful, he has gained 100lb in the last four weeks so Lord only knows what he looked like before. He was a gentle and affectionate soul, and my friend's wife Chrissy is giving him a second chance. Seems the recession bites hard in more ways than one. 