Listen To Your Horse, A Crazy Month and Top Barn Challenge Begins!

 OMG Its been a crazy month!!! At the end of November my 84 year old mother became ill.  We thought it was a chest infection, so being the only child I began visiting daily ( hour long round trip).  I abandoned the Show-jumping classes and just did The Top Barn Fancy Dress classes with Charlie. (We got a 5th and a 6th and received some massive rosettes).  Apart from that Charlie languished in the field becoming feral, while I raced around in Headless Chicken mode.

Then I lost the plot slightly and decided to take him to a Livery Yard and put him on full grass livery. It seemed the only option in my new Time Short Life!! Christmas Day I went to Mums, and 'enjoyed' a Pot Noodle for Xmas Lunch!  I've had some dodgy Xmas Dinners in my time, but this took the prize!  But, never mind. Boxing Day lunch was booked up with Mark The Mechanic and Part Time Horse Whisperers family at our local Sports Club.  But upon ringing my mum, I discovered she had collapsed and an ambulance had been called.  Lunch abandoned, I got warp speed out of the Astra, and arrived just behind the Ambulance, running up the stairs and bursting into the flat, gasping for air.  The poor Paramedic!!  He was just about to give me oxygen as well and book a second ambulance, but I managed to gasp out that I had a long-standing heart and lung condition, and I would be fine....eventually.  Having extremely low oxygen sats, Mum was taken to hospital with Blue Lights and all.  My life then revolved around a booked in visit with daily Lateral Flow Tests, for a week, until the Hospital suspended visiting.  Turns out she has blood clots on her lungs.

So the day came to take Charlie to his new home.  He has always loaded fine.  In fact any time we have had a trailer or lorry open, he has loaded himself just to check for food. He wouldn't load.  When I say wouldn't, I mean he violently refused, rearing, knocking me over.  He couldn't have said No more clearly. It got dark. We gave up.  When I arrived the next morning, Lu was curled up like a dog. Charlie was flat out, snoring and leaning against Lu. When they got up, I realised Lu had Colic.  Jo and I went into nurse mode, like a well oiled team.  A few hours later, Lu was feeling better and I went home, thinking.  I don't generally think much. I kind of Do, and sometimes React, but never overthink.  However my brain was in Full Thinking Mode.  I realised the Ponies had spoken loud and clear about my decision to move Charlie.  They were not happy. I also realised that I had had a knee-jerk reaction to the changes in my life.  I have always had a habit of doing a thing I call 'Chucking The Balls In The Air'.  When things change, I react without thinking and change everything, and see where the balls land.  It has rarely worked out.  So this time I followed my heart and Charlie's feelings....and we are staying put.

And so the Top Barn 12 week Challenge has begun.  2 days later my Mum was released into the wild.  As weak as a kitten, living alone, but apparently not feeble enough for any help.  And so I am again racing over to cook her meals, shop, clean etc. But I will not give up the Top Barn Challenge.  The answer has been simple!  Get Up Earlier!!!  Plan each day like a Military General. Forgo the PH induced afternoon nap. Ignore the Side Effects from my meds. Oh and ignore the state of the house (Its NOT the end of the world if I don't hoover daily...after all the doggo makes a mess daily).  I have in fact discovered if I ignore the Washing Up long enough that Mark The Mechanic and Part Time Horse Whisperer does it! 

And so the first week of the Challenge has gone surprisingly smoothly. Charlie has forgiven me for trying to move him and is entering into the spirit of the Challenge with enthusiasm.  We have mostly been working on the next Top Barn Competition, and re-visiting our trick training.  We belong to a Trick Training Group, Horse Tricks 101 and are completing our levels. Who needs Sleep?

SUMMER HAS ARRIVED!!!! And Trust Is a Two Way Thing.

 Yes you saw it here first (well actually you may have noticed), SUMMER IS HERE!!!! Finally the temperatures have soared into the 20's.  I have had my old fleece surgically removed from my body. I have cautiously cut a pair of jeans down (only to knee length, I mean I do not want to subject the world to my blue thighs yet). The boots are where they should be at this time of year, in the Boot cupboard, and the Crocs firmly glued on. I may even have a Watch mark appearing!

So after a trip to Papworth recently, I found out my Dodgy Lungs are ever more Dodgy, and my Dicky Ticker is very Dicky. I have agreed to have a Hickman Line fitted this Summer (now its finally arrived). Without going into boring details, a Hickman Line goes from the Heart, pops out of a hole in the Chest area, and attaches to a pump (worn in a fetching Bum-Bag at all times), which continuously pumps drugs in every 5 seconds.  Apparently this is not to be used for recreational drugs....Spoilsports!!!!  This means A) my Heart may cope a little better when its fitted, and B) I have to take it easy until then.

So with this in mind, I have abandoned trying to ride Charlie and resumed with Tricks, Trust and Connection. Charlie loves playing games and learning new tricks. He is curious with new things.  This is NOT because I have desensitised him by flooding. It's because he trusts me. There is a lot of talk in the Horse World about Desensitisation and 'Flooding' is often used. I.E Horse is frightened of the Hose? Hold him down and hose him, until he gives in!!  And there's a mind trick for you!!!! Trying to think of an example of 'Flooding' I came up with Hosing!!!!!! But this happens with anything...Saddles, Clippers, Traffic, Umbrellas, Noise, Dogs, etc etc.  The Horse has not 'got used to it', he cannot get away and has shut down in fear!!  For example if you are out on a Hack and your horse freezes at the sight of a cow? You shout at him, maybe take a whip to him? Eventually he passes the cow. But this has only added to his fear of cows!  Next cow he sees? Same scenario happens.  It is impossible to Desensitise your horse to every single thing.

But if your Horse trusts you its a different matter. Something scary? You gently say "Have a look, think about it. I'm Not Scared. Its Ok". It may take time, but if the Horse trusts you, he will eventually pass the scary cow/dog/giant green alien and Hey Presto....Nothing bad happened. The Horse trusted you, and you were right! Next time out...Cow? Scary? I don't think so.

So that's why i work at Liberty with Charlie. There is no reason for him to stay with me, when I introduce something new. But there is also no reason for him to run away. He trusts me. I do not chase him down, but stay put with whatever weird 'toy' I produce. I let him come to me. Last week I collected a Carrot Cannon from my friend Amanda.  It's genius! Two short pipes that swivel on a wooden frame. Treats go in one end, the Cannon is tilted up, and the Horse has to work out to push on the pipes to get the treat out.  When I first put it in the Field, there was snorting and spooking from both Lu and Charlie.  But when they realised I hadn't been eaten by the scary contraption, they both came over. Charlie approached first, but Lu figured out the connection quicker (It's a Girl Thing).

on

Don't forget, Trust is a Two-Way thing.  You cannot expect your Horse to trust you, if you do not trust him. I often work in bare feet with Charlie. I like being bare-footed!  It does not occur to me that he might stand on my feet, because I trust him not to. I like to lay down with the Herd. I trust they won't stand on me....because they don't. I used to ride back from the Pub in the dark on my old pony Paddy. Couldn't see a damn thing....But he could, so I trusted him to get me home.

Have a good Summer with your Horse. 

Life As We Know It!!! And 25 Things

So, nearly the end of April.....and life is still weird!! In fact with 6 ponies to look after every day, life is actually pretty normal for Jo and I.  Except it isn't! 
Everything seems in slow motion.  Its blissfully quiet at the Farm, with a lot less traffic going past on the road. April has given us warm weather, vast blue skies and nature in abundance.  Its almost like everything is in HD.  And we seem to have slowed down too. Not in the sense of getting the basic work done.  In that respect we have got it down quick. But it almost seems we get done and go home.....as if being outdoors for too long is dangerous, or illegal! 

With me being one of these boring people that are supposed to be shielded, everyone is avoiding us.  Its OK to come up.  We are missing you all.  Just treat me as if I have the plague....and don't be offended if I stay 12ft away from you at all times, wearing a bandanna.  We have soap, hand-sanitizer, buckets of bleach and a system for scolding the cups every day.  I have my own towel and will not touch anything anyone may have accidentally picked up.  The ponies would love to see someone else!! As would we!

The Ponies are of course unaware that the World As We Know It has changed. Although they may be missing certain people.  Mini has asked me where Nancy is!!  They could all do with baths!! Any volunteers???

Daisy is in self isolation...of a fashion.  Although fit and well, we are so scared she may get into trouble with the Spring grass, that we have confined her to a Pen within the Hill Field.  The Minis surround her, and she spends a couple of hours each day out with them having a bit of grass, before returning to her pen with a feed full of EMS fighting supplements and 3 soaked hay-nets.

Its a Catch 22 really.  She could do with the exercise right now, and its a brilliant time with the roads so quiet to hack out.  Just fighting with the guilt of What If?  Its ridiculous. I have never even come close to coming off Daisy, and of all the falls I have had, over a lifetime of competing and working with horses, the last time I ended up in A&E was when I was 17! 35 years ago!!!  Ridiculous but there's always Sods Law!!!  Jo had never fallen off Lu, ever, until last week, when a sudden spook n spin unseated her.  Shes Ok, but had a huge bruise and now has protesting back muscles.  Not to mention the fact that before the pesky chest infection in Jan/Feb that floored me, I had high hopes of riding The Gypsy Cobs by now!! 

But anyway....Worst Things Happen At Sea and all that!!  So I have been steadily working on a series of short videos called 25 Things to do With Your Horse on The Ground.  I have just posted Number 9 entitled 'SMILE'.  If you missed them (shame on you 😊), I have covered #1 Hang Out, #2 Lunch Date,
#3 Lunging, #4 Follow Me, #5 Begin Clicker Training, #6 Correct Leading, #7 Ground Tie, and #8 Long Reining.  Still to come is Parking At the Mounting Block, Pole work, Backing, Teaching Pick-Up and more (12 more if my math is correct, which is highly doubtful).  

So check out YouTube UCLYQBYhWqo_WPVdz9MFkCtA.  Please hit the subscribe button. 🙏 I only have 12 subscribers 😩.  It doesn't cost anything to subscribe. But once i get a 1000 subscribers I can monetize the videos and that could pay for next years hay!!!

Yours beggingly
xx

https://youtu.be/nnhrn4XVQOE

Teeth And Feet, Tricks And Worries

First Published 28 Sept 2019

OMG What a week its been!!! Daisy having been as sound as a pound, suddenly became hopping lame on her Off-side Hind.  We sent a video to the Vet, who thought it might be an abscess.  We poulticed it. Nothing. Judging by the way she was limping we feared it may be a pulled Suspensory Ligament. Not good,
as she would be putting a strain on her other hind. As she has lost a lot of muscle, due to her confinement, due to rotated Pedal Bones, due to her EMS, we feared the ligaments in her other hind would give out.  We were very doom and gloom. Jo and I love Daisy to the moon and back. She had a hard life before Jo bought her, and she is the most grateful and loving pony.

The Vet came out Wednesday to do Teeth rasping.  Having examined Daisy, she feared we may be right in our fears ....however being a good Vet, recommended an X-ray to be sure, just in case it was a abscess.  Charlie, Daisy, Lu and Lily were duly rasped. All were well behaved. In fact I would go as far to say that Charlie actually enjoyed it. Lily was sedated,as it was her first time away from WHW and they always sedate.  Lil spent a couple of hours in La-La Land! Mini and Dora however needed another visit with the Electric Rasp.

So the Vet came back today. I was actually away at a Funeral, but I spoke to Jo asap.  X-rays showed that Daisy has in fact a deep abscess. Boy was I relieved to hear that.  Its deep, and its a long shot, but we may be able to sort it!
Meanwhile both Mini and Dora were sedated and electronically rasped. Mini had a tooth abscess (ouch, we have all had them), and Dora has really odd teeth.

Dora in particular can be a little Shit.  We have now had her back checked, her saddle checked, put her in a Bitless Bridle and had her teeth done.  These are always the first things to check if a pony is mis-behaving. Teeth, back, tack....and Ulcers. We are fairly certain she doesn't have Ulcers, as she lives out and has a diet of Forage only.  So now we are sure she is not in pain, if shes still a little Shit, then so be it, thats what she is.  I love Dora.  She is feisty. She is a Wild Child.  Horses should be allowed to have a personality!! 

Meanwhile I have been continuing with the Trick Training. Lily is really interested. Videos are on YouTube of our progress.  Charlie who has been doing it longer, has just learnt to remove my hat! Check it out.

ODD Mares! And Lazy Tricks!!!

So we are slowly moving the fences out.. For the Fat Grass Munchers at least.
Daisy and the little uns have had less grass, but haynets every night to keep their bellies working.  Daisy has also been doing 10 minutes in the Round Pen every morning, before having her EMS-busting Breakfast. 

Last week the farrier came, sucked his cheeks in and pronounced them all too fat!!! We had actually noted their lardiness. This is nature at work. In the wild, horses lose weight in the Winter, gain in the Spring, lose a bit in Summer when the grass dries, gain in the Autumn Flush....And Yup the cycle continues! However these are not in the wild, despite living as close to nature as possible, we simply haven't got 20 odd miles of land for them to cover daily. Nor have we got the time to ride that far every day.....Anyone wanna come and help exercise??? Also Charlie and Lil are just starting their ridden careers, and are not being hacked out yet.  Dora is just a tad too small for me to hack without feeling guilty....And Mini??? Mmmm I could straddle her and my feet would still touch the ground!!

And so I tried out a theory last Saturday with Daisy and Lil.....Double lunging!! Both together in the round pen, me in the middle with the lunge whip.  Would they follow each other? Or would it end in chaos?  It Worked!!  Yup I have invented Lunging For The Lazy (or time pressed owners).  There is NO finesse to this....but it works as an exercise for....er exercise!

I also took Charlie out for a walk with Jo on Lu.  I planned to ride him back up the drive again.  But... All he was interested in was eating.  He got cross when I stopped him and he started nudging me. By the time we got to the end of the drive we were both a bit cross.  But I got on. He backed up, I squeezed and clicked, he reared, and backed again. He was bubbling up, so I got off. As there was a roar of motorbikes coming along the road, I didn't want to lose him.  When Charlie gets cross, he starts to build it up into a tantrum.  When we reached the 4-Acre Jo and Lu turned off to school and I continued to the Round Pen. By this time Charlie was in full Teenage Boy mode, prancing, neighing, pulling, trying to push me into the hedge.  As I was untacking him, he took off, racing round the Round Pen, with his reins getting ever closer to his ears.  I eventually managed to untack him so he could have a full blown temper tantrum!  Lu meanwhile, in earshot, was apparently on her toes, but obedient.
These outbursts are rare these days!

So for our next Lazy Trick.....Haynets out to the field. They are heavy.  The Hill field is a fair walk......Mmmmm....Would the horses carry them out for us?  We knotted 2 nets together, slung em on and set off.  Surprisingly Charlie and Lu were more than happy to carry them!

Yesterday we tried the double lunge with Charlie and Lu, who were brilliant, and carrying the Haynets with Daisy.  All Good.  I might start a Site for Lazy Owners 😂.

And so to ODD Mares!!  Lil is a tart!  She flirts with Charlie, teasing and squirting!!  But also flirts with Lulu!  This has happened before, but this week more so!  We have to walk past Lil, while bringing Lu and Charlie out. Instead of aiming at Charlie, she is aiming at Lu.  And the Ultimate Ice Queen is responding by squirting back. And Charlie is ignoring it.  But while in the field together, Lu has NEVER squirt-flirted with Charlie!!  Lu is the Alpha Mare. Does this mean she has more testosterone?  Can Lil sense that? Can Charlie sense that?  Does anyone know the answer?  I will be doing some research into Alpha Mares and their testosterone levels. But... Anyone care to chip in?