Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2009 10:50 am Post subject: November
Still another week to go till the opening meet, but the horses have been in full work since the beginning of August, and the 2 hardest working boys, Charlie and Felix, have covered 500 miles hunting so far this season.
They never cease to amaze me - we had a very fast 10 mile run yesterday, over the sort of ground that always worries me - deep, wet, trappy moorland with areas of long dead grass, which are as tiring for the horses as deep water. After 10 miles of that, Felix was only just warming up, despite the really steep climbs and drops that we an inevitable part of the morning.
We did 17 miles yesterday, none of it on good ground, and thats not taking into account the ascents and descents, and honestly he felt as if he could have done the same again without any problems at all
Us too Nic. On a moorland hillside, up and down through at times knee deep bog. And two long canters on appalling stone-on-concrete/packed limestone tracks. I wouldn't have done those paths on a shod horse at a canter in the past, but Radar was completely unconcerned and is well and happy this morning.
To top my day, on his sixth time out, having only been broken in this spring, he is already popping hedges over four feet high as if he has been doing it all his life. I can see from people's faces that he's the horse they want to be on. Plenty of them have told me so as well, so I'm very proud of him. He has the most perfect feet I have ever managed to get on a horse - straight sides, concavity, great big broad frog, strong heels, not a mark or chip to be seen. Feet to die for.
Jazz has sailed through the late autumn grass flush which made him very footie on stones this time last year. I credit that to increased magnesium and a swap to brewer's yeast from Yea-sacc. I stopped restricting his access to daytime grass four weeks ago, so it's not that.
Button the little mustang, sorry, Shetland, has the sweetest feet I have ever seen on a tiny pony and has not had a hint of laminitis either. In spite of ad lib haylage and plenty of grass. That may simply be because he is two and still growing, we'll see next year. He is, actually, the most difficult to trim because he doesn't work, so his feet don't wear down and have to be rasped off. A job for which I need a child's stool to sit on and my reading glasses on!
I've been dying to contribute to this section for ages, and its not in the same league, but Storm is finally able to walk on the stony woodland track! Unfortunately it is in-hand as part of his rehabilitation - the onion is being peeled - but looking back over the last two and a half years he has NEVER been able to walk either in-hand or ridden more than once a week on these tracks without boots, and he's been out for 30 minutes seven times in the last ten days totally barefoot. Fantastic.
Oh cool StormyBracken - tremendous to see the progreass ain't it!
We have had a day of torrential rain. Two of the three roads to our place are completely blocked and the third is heading that way. Lots of cars stuck in the floodwater - pulled two of them out on the way home becuase they had kids, but got fed up of wading knee deep to pull people out of holes they should have had more sense than to get into with small cars! A 4x4 is a nightmare a the diesel pump but so good to have in the winter!
One of the appraoch roads was about 4-5 foot deep so had a long detour
Normally would not be so bad but the land is already waterlogged after the last two to three weeks of rain so there is nowhere for the new water to go. Add that to the huge quantities of leaves and it is becoming a nightmare
Took new boy Sid out to his first endurancy ride today. He came from Ascot sales at the end of August, took his shoes off a few days after he came home. We've been working mostly bootless at home as he transitioned very easily however not knowing the terrain facing us I booted up all round today (Renegades at the front/Gloves at the back). It was just a 12 mile training ride but howling with wind and I had no idea really what he'd be like - he's an ex-racer. He didn't put a foot wrong, dealt with horse stiles, trains, narrow metal bridges and our first canter. Boots all stayed put and not a slip or a slide. Very proud of him today. He'll be concentrating on his flat work over the winter - he's not quite got the hang of circles or straight lines yet - then hopefully proper endurancing next year. His feet are coming on a treat - been very surprised and impressed at how quickly they've developed.
We have started November off well foot wise. Took both neddies out though yesterday and had a bit of a disaster.
Went over a couple of fields and over a river into the woods again. Feet were great over rocks etc but little mare bottled it jumping back into the stream to come home. It was a bit of a drop so I waded back in and took her around the long way but I didnt know it was a bog.
I was in up to my knees and she was in up to her tummy and got stuck. Luckily with alot of encouragement and me trying to be ever so brave she managed to haul herself free. I had visions of her giving up and dying whilst I summond a local farmer with tractor and winch. But she was OK. I now feel a really bad mum.
She is none the worse for her ordeal, although she has had some Boswellia in her last couple of feeds and I have managed to brush the smelly bog mud off her now. She is actually full of it ! I think she is quite delighted to still be alive and a bit proud of herself for being SO brave.
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I had visions of her giving up and dying whilst I summond a local farmer with tractor and winch. But she was OK. I now feel a really bad mum. 