Cause For Celebration and The Top Barn Challenge Begins

And so the 2023 International Agility Club year ended.  Where would we end up in the League Tables?  I waited, chewed my nails, waited a little more, gnawed up to my knuckles. When the results came out i couldn't look.....literally. The site crashed!!  So I am absolutely humbled to announce that Charlie and I became European Champions and Reserve World Champions in the Walk Only Liberty League.  It was my very joking pledge at the beginning of the year......But I never thought we could pull it off!  I am full of pride for my boy, who started life badly and found himself on a meat truck at 5 months old.  Luckily he was rescued by the fantastic Sara Higgins.  Having spent 3 and a half years running with other colts, he was pretty feral, and coltish, and very opinionated. He is also partially sighted in his offside eye, seeing only light, dark and shadows.  But after only taking up Agility in June 2022, he has pulled this off. Whatever next??? 

So as we continue at the moment with the Liberty Agility, I am also prepping for Equagility (The ridden version).  I would also like to do this with Daisy.  My main aim for Charlie this year is to get him out hacking.

So I have entered both ponies into the Top Barn Winter Challenge.  Charlie is doing Bronze Premium ( 3hrs a week plus some extra challenges) and Daisy Copper (1.5hrs a week).  The Weather has been a Bitch.  We have had Rain, Flooding, Storms, Hurricane force winds, a biting, finger numbing North wind straight off the North Sea (only about 4 miles away), Snow (which went as quickly as it came) and now a dry frozen week (currently -3c).  But at least its dry!! 

The ponies live out 24/7.  There are no stables, barn or inside to work in out of the weather. We have no School or Arena.  Just an area I call my Playpen where I do my Agility. Its just a small grassy area, fenced off with electric fencing and completely exposed to the North East (handy that). However a wise person once said "There is no bad weather, just the wrong clothes".  This year in all my years of working with horses I have had cold hands. Actually they have been numb in the wind.  So I have bought a pair of gloves. Lightweight neoprene. Brilliant. 

I don't advertise or promote anything normally, but I also got some waterproof, fleece lined over-trousers from a company called Cuddlr.  You may have seen their adverts on Facebook.  I also never buy anything from ads on Facebook, but thought this was worth a gamble.  It was!  They have been a lifesaver. I pop them over fleece lined leggings. My feet are encased in Nordic wool socks, and oh so attractive fur lined muck boots.  My top half is covered in t-shirt, sweatshirt, fleece and my brilliant Yak wool jacket that I got a few years ago from Tibet. With a fur lined wool snood covering my face and a silly wool/fleece hat, the weather can throw its worst at me.  I might look like the Michelin man in all this....but I'm warm!  

The Winter Challenge is a Challenge because of the Weather. It wouldn't be much of a challenge if it were in the Summer months.  So buckle up guys, smother yourselves in many clothes and waddle through the next couple of months. Its surprising how many things there are to do with your horse without actually leaving the stable (if you have one).  With this in mind I am posting a weekly Challenge (Charlies Challenges) to compliment the Mini Challenges.  I am posting on Friday nights/Saturday mornings. 

Most of Charlies Challenges will be Trick related.  So we are re-visiting all the Tricks we learned over the years (Check out Horse Tricks Club).  So Top Barn Challengers......Keep it up.. The nights are pulling out, at a rate of 1 minute a day. Before you know it, Spring will be here.  Achievements are achieved by sheer hard work.  No-one ever got their horse out of a field after months off and went and won the Puissance.  It takes hard work and perseverance through whatever life or the weather throws at you. So keep it up, YOU GOT THIS. X

Winter Has Arrived - To Rug Or Not To Rug, And Its Nearly Time For The Top Barn Challenge

 So Winter has definitely arrived. A lot of the country has already had snow.  Here in the far East of England the snow has kept away (although some is threatened for tonight).  But its been frosty to say the least. Minus temperatures at night and only just above freezing during the day.  The ice has stayed on the ground with more ice added each night.  Taps and fingers have frozen.  And of course, the tractor sprung a major leak at the Weekend and suddenly spewed forth a lot of coloured liquid. Right in the gateway.  I feared it may have been the radiator. Jo and I quickly moved the Hay by hand before we had a riot on our hands, while trying to figure out how to move the stricken tractor.  Luckily for us Rob, Meg and Nancy arrived to help. Rob had a taste of the liquid on the floor and decided it was not anti-freeze. We looked under the bonnet and found a tube off. After some discussion we decided it was a pipe taking diesel to the Filter and so wasn't terminal.  Rob had another glug, but we were not 100% sure, however all the other important fluid levels were still full, so we risked firing it up and moving it out of the way.  Thank you Rob, Meg and Nancy for poo-picking with your car.  Our mechanically minded Horse Landlord confirmed it was just a diesel leak, so its all good!

And so to the main question......To Rug or Not To Rug.  I am a great believer in Not Rugging. Obviously if your horse is elderly, clipped or struggles to keep weight on, then go ahead, rug away. However...... If you have a fit, unclipped healthy horse, it does not need a rug. It takes away a huge amount of stress for you and your horse if you leave him as nature intended. Don't forget, horses survived the Ice Age!

So while as humans we are all freezing and wearing as many layers as we can move in, our horses are not feeling the cold. Apparently a human is comfortable between 25c and 30c.  That means we do not use energy to keep warm at those temperatures.  Although most of us in England would agree we are more than happy around 18c, and 30c is a tad hot!  Its called a Thermoneutral Zone.

Horses have a much larger Thermoneutral Zone. They are comfortable between 0c and 25c.  Horses also have an internal 'fire' which is stoked up by the fermentation of fibre in the hindgut (Ie....Hay Hay Hay).  If the Horse has his natural coat, it is waterproof and provides as much heat to the skin as a 400g rug. Horse hair also stands up when its cold, creating an insulating pocket of air next to the skin.  A rug will press this hair down and eliminate the natural coats ability to retain heat. When checking how warm your horse is, forget the ears.  Horses are designed to leave the extremities cold to direct the heat to the organs. Feel under the armpits!  Also if your horse is covered in snow which is not melting, you can be sure he is well insulated.  If you over rug your horse, not only will he be uncomfortable, he will also be prone to EMS and Laminitus. 

Our ponies are all natives, unclipped, unrugged and live out 24/7.  This is the most natural life we can give them.  They do not have hard feed. They do however have plenty of hay. They are all happy, warm and do not have 'problems' that many pampered horses have.  Yes they will drop weight this winter (hopefully), but that is natural, ensuring that when the spring grass comes around, they will not suffer Laminitus etc.  This includes Daisy (who had EMS) and Coco who the vet diagnosed with Cushings, but who is doing fine this Winter.  And we can sleep at night, knowing they are all fine, no matter what the weather throws at them.  

In the 2nd pic you can see Charlies hairs standing up doing their job.

Anyway enough lecturing! So last months Agility Comps were a little hard. Having moved up a level, Charlie and I had a lot to learn.  There were a few poles to step over, and back up over.  Being a hard nut (partially blind) Coblet, he has the tendency to plough through stuff! Poles? What Poles? Oh Yeah, I'll just kick em out of the way!  We also had a lot of wind, which kept blowing my course over. So I was hugely surprised that we got another 1st in the On-Line Medium Level Comp and 3rd in the Liberty.  We are currently working on The December Xmas Courses. They are fun and involve dressing up which we love. I would like soft ground though for Charlies enthusiastic jump!  There is a lot of running in our level!! I couldn't beat a snail for a seat on a bus with my Dodgy Lungs and Dicky Ticker, so next year we will be swerving sideways and joining the Walk Only Leagues. My November Rosettes arrived today.  I showed them to Charlie, but he was busy eating!

And so its nearly time for the Big Event!  No Not Christmas! Its just a day like any other.  Get up early and see to the horses!  No, I'm talking about The Top Barn 2023 Winter Challenge.  I have already printed off the worksheets and put them in Charlies File.  I know a lot of people have got the diaries.  Others will have computer based spreadsheets. Being old I prefer to write stuff down with a pen!

I have declared Bronze, but will aim for Silver.  Charlie and I have a lot of stuff to work on.  As well as The Agility Stuff, we have also been building up Charlies chest muscles. He is definitely looking more muscular, so its time to try and ride him again! 

Good Luck everyone taking part in the Challenge. 

Winter Grazing, Feral Charlie, and Top Barn 2020

First Published 7/11/19

Wow Where has this year gone??  It seems 5 minutes ago since we were barefoot and in shorts.  Now its Waterproof trousers and Winter woolies!! I have looked at the Wood Burner in the Tack Room at least twice recently with the thought of lighting it.

In a matter of weeks, the Ponies have devoured the 'Bowling Green' aka The Future Campsite side of the 4 Acre and have moved onto the rough side. The permanent Winter Grazing. Knee high in standing hay and weeds, which I like to call 'Herbage'.  The Biggies (Charlie, Lu and Daisy) have already bared it enough to stop playing "Spot The Poop".

They had their first Winter hay today. The Mini Herd still have a way to go, despite eating for England. They are all a little fat. Not a bad place to be this time of year.  They all have enough Winter coat and fat to get them through the cold season.  Living in this natural fashion, they will thrive in the Winter months without feeling cold or hungry. Not sure the maids will do do well!!

While Charlie was out on the Hill Field with Lu, he became a little feral again.
Having spent the Summer learning tricks, having me get on him, ride up the drive etc, its now time to work in the Round Pen again. Being part of a trick group, I set out to make a video about static targets (cones), and how the Pony will stand by the cone while he is groomed and tacked up. Charlie had other ideas. See YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVqsTnk2Q-w

So its seems we are back a few steps. Again!  Hey Ho...Watch this space.

The Top Barn Challenge is back!! Charlie and i had a blast last (this) year. The Idea is to accept the challenge to work with your Horse for a certain amount of hours each week in deepest darkest Winter for 12 weeks.  This is designed to motivate during the Dark months. It starts in January 2020. There are Mini Challenges to complete.  There are prizes....but the real prize is self challenge. This year I have entered with both Charlie and Lily (what was I thinking). My personal challenge is to be riding both of them by March.  Jo has entered with Lulu.
Again....Watch this space!!

We also have a challenge this Winter to set up BET. Blossoms Equine Therapy. We aim to provide Equine Therapy for children with Autism and other Learning Difficulties.  While not ready yet, we already have Ellen and Byron, who are helping us. They are both teenagers with High Functioning Autism and we are very grateful for their input.

Byron learning to Long Rein with Daisy

The Beast From the East Has a Little Cousin!

And this Winter never ends!!  The snow went, the sun came out....And Then....The Beast from the East sent its little cousin.  Thankfully no snow this time,  BUT, the 50mph Easterly winds have been bitter. Face numbing!!

At least we can use the tractor, but its still hard work, working against the Wind.  I am fed up with the amount of layers I am wearing.  And worn down by the bloody wind. Not helped by Facebook reminding me of last year....and the year before, by showing pictures of us riding in tee-shirts!!  If the summer isn't really hot I Am Going To Complain!!

Princess Polly, who is let out every day to have a feed and graze, has discovered that we don't mind if she goes into the hay barn, so now heads that way every day. The others have lost a little weight, but went into winter as fat as pigs so its all natural. 

Jo has entered Lu for the Suffolk Show again, so we really need to get her working again. Hopefully this year she can stay sound.  If only Spring would appear soon...But according to the forecast The Beast is sending some long lost Aunt over to give us a white Easter.  

Watch this space to see if we survive the longest Winter ever!!

Officially fed up with Winter

Polly in the Hay Barn

Charlie at the 'All You Can Eat Buffet'

The Beast From The East....Winter has Arrived In Spades

Ok Still not a weather channel.....But we have some weather at last!! The so called Beast From the East has hit us with the first real snow of the Winter. Ironic that its nearly March. 
Having been prepared for this, we had rugged the tractor, and stabled the hoses. (Presumably the British Train Network were also forewarned, but it didn't stop them cancelling all trains to London from here in the East. Made me wonder how the Trans-Siberian Trains operate???).

Happily the tractor started.....Being rear wheel drive it struggled on the hills though!! I know its only a lawn mower really, but surely it should be 4WD??
Anyway with a bit of shoving here and there we were able to take a lot of hay out, and poo-pick.  The hoses, despite being stabled, were still frozen in the joins.  Just goes to show...a warm cozy stable really isn't that warm or cozy!

Some hot water, and patience later, we finally managed to top up all the water butts.  The horses also all had a feed. Clots of ice were removed from hooves, and they all felt warm and happy. This is probably the first real snow Charlie has seen in his life, as we haven't had this much for a few years now.

Polly, who eats free-range every day is not dumb.  With no grass to be seen, she made her way into the hay-barn, where I found her happily helping herself to a round bale. 

The dogs had fun....Prudence in particular was happy to run after snowballs. Scrumpy couldn't see the point. I just had to make a snow angel.....despite being 51!!  It just has to be done.   Photos galore of this pretty landscape.

But that will do now. Its amazing how long it takes in snow just to do the basic jobs. And how tiring.  So come on Spring, its time.

Polly caught in the act.

Sharing Feed 

Happy Bulldog

Life Without The Tractor and Hay

And now for the weather!!!! Funny how us Brits like to talk about the weather. I guess as we have a temperate climate, we tend to talk about any unusual weather conditions.  Even though its normal to have cold weather in December.....we tend to forget!  Anyway it suddenly got COLD (for us). We even had a few flakes of SNOW!!!!!  On Thursday I had leggings under my jeans and a hat!  We even rugged Charlie, Dora and Lulu. The forecast was 0c, 25mph north winds and rain/snow.  OOOh.  Bit of a shock after a mild November.

Naturally the Tractor broke down!!  Why wouldn't it? BTW its not really a tractor, but a ride on lawn mower....But it does the job of a tractor. Daily it pulls our little muck trailer, and helps us deliver hay. It stopped working on Thursday....My mums 80th Birthday. The day I had to leave on time, as I had booked us Spa treatments and lunch at a posh hotel/golf club. So we used Jos' Subaru....Not a 4WD, but an AWD with a tow-bar. 

Friday came, Tractor still would not start....Weather, Sleet, Cold. I was at RDA. The sun came out so I poo-picked with a wheel-barrow....well 4 wheel-barrows, then set about fixing up a paddock on the Winter grazing (Nearer to tack room and full of grass). Spent at least an hour untangling self tangling fence wire as the sun set and the temperature plummeted. Lost the will to live (and all feeling in my lips and fingers).

Saturday...still no tractor.  Once again I was at the RDA, filling in teaching.  By the time we had finished there I was cold and hungry. Jo had texted me saying horses had Hay and Water, Lu and Charlie had broken into the Minis' field and raped and assaulted Dora. I went straight home thinking 'Tomorrow is another day'.

Sunday saw us full of Scarlett O'Haras' grit and determination.  With Megs help we cleared the backlog of poo with the help of the Subaru. Moved the ponies to the Winter paddock and picked up all the fence posts from the 3-Acre.

Monday....I begged Mark The Mechanic to come and fix the Tractor. Which he did.  Meanwhile we untangled and reeled up all the self-tangling fence wire. Today was all calm.  Tractor working, ponies all on Winter grazing, temperatures back up to 8c, rugs off....Woohoo!!!

At the moment we don't have to give Hay.  Maybe only for this week, as we have lots of old grass and the horses are happy and full. BUT....this will not last. There is no goodness in the grass. Once the temperature drops below 5c it will not grow. Once there has been a frost, the goodness is gone from the grass. We are lucky that our ponies have gone into Winter fat. It won't hurt them to drop a bit of weight.  BUT if the grazing is poor, or the horses are old, or at the right weight, Hay MUST be given.  For a start the horse trickle feeds all the time. They need something decent in their guts at all times.  It keeps them warm, and it keeps the guts moving.  Without Hay a horse will get grumpy, drop weight and possibly get colic. Once an elderly pasture kept horse starts to drop weight in Winter, its a very fast slippery slope. Next thing you know, you will take a rug off and see ribs.  

This time of year it is vital to a) Feed plenty of Hay....There should be some left over, and b) Remove rugs daily for a visual check, and weigh tape once a week.

Happy Winter!! x

Warm ponies with lots of Hay.

The container stops it blowing around in the wind.

A Nice Sunset.

Charlie Has Visitors and Winter Arrives

Sorry I haven't posted for a while.  I have a new laptop which is taking a bit of setting up.  And the clocks have gone back so now there is less time than ever.

Winter seems to have appeared suddenly.  Last week I was poo picking in a bra with bare feet as it was so warm. Now it's 3 layers, long boots and a hat!! The big ponies have lightweight rugs on and we have moved to the Winter fields. At least there's so much old grass we won't have to fence for a while. 

I have been sneakily getting on Charlie while Jo is busy lunging Lu. And Daisy is still excitable.  Though I schooled her the other day and she settled nicely. 

Charlie had visitors the other week. His owners came to see him. Sadly they are not able to carry on with Blossems Rescue Centre but all the ponies have homes.  Charlie was enchanted to see them, and Sara was impressed at how much he has grown.  I  assured them that he has a home for life. 

In my other life as Rda instructor last week I clipped 2 ponies.... First time in 8 years.  Bit wobbly!!

Hobbit Feet!!

First clip in 8 years!