New Shoes For Daisy and A New Experience For Charlie

First the weather report......And the heat goes on.  It was 32c the day before yesterday and Jo and I were muttering about mad dogs and Englishmen, as we shoveled shit during the hottest part of the day.  We have moved Lulu and Charlie onto the 3 Acre with Polly and Daisy, as the grass is all burnt, albeit still quite tall. We have separated them though, Charlie has moved in with Daisy and Lu with Polly. It seems to be working. 
Today the Farrier came to sort out Daisy's feet. I brought Charlie in as company, and to give him a good groom, and plait his mane, hoping it will make him a bit cooler. Following the ex rays the Farrier cut away a fair bit of Daisy's toes, to expose the rotten bits.  He then put front shoes on her to give her something to stand on, and make it possible for us to work her......The last thing we need right now is Laminitus. 
I was in the stable with Charlie putting the longest, thickest plaits ever in his mane in the hope it will make him feel a bit cooler, when he suddenly spun away. I realised the Farrier had started his forge, and there was a good chance Charlie had never heard that before. When Daisy's hot shoes were put to her feet, Charlie grew to about 15hh and had eyes out on stalks.  He must have thought she was on fire! All good education, as he will certainly need shoes at some point in his life.
But best of all when we turned them out Daisy galloped away bucking.  Her feet must feel soo much better already.

cut away toes

Seedy Toes and Roadsigns

Yes, we have found a road sign to use in our training.  It had been laying around for months.....so Jo and i requisitioned it. Its a big triangle with a 20mph limit picture.  it was a little big for the car, and we were giggling like school girls loading it.  It now sits in the round pen. Both Charlie and Lu have been worked round it and neither battered an eyelid.  All good to make a bombproof pony.

And on to Seedy Toe.  Not something you hear much these days. Horse problems seem to come in and out of fashion.  Seedy Toe is one of those old fashioned problems.  And Daisy has it. She has been lame since she was last trimmed.  It got worse.  Initially thinking it must be laminitus, although theres no grass left in the one-acre, we moved her in with Polly, on long old standing hay, and popped on a grazing muzzle.  However neither Jo or myself were happy that it was laminitus to blame.  Daisy is quite lean, there was no crest, no pulse and no heat in her feet.  I turned to a very old veterinary book I have (my bible) and came up with White Line Disease or Seedy Toe.  Having put Daisy's boots on and found it eased her pain, we called the vet out for x-rays. As with lots of technology these days, it wasn't all plain sailing.  The x-ray machine refused to talk to the laptop. Katie the vet switched it off and on again.  Daisy stood patiently on the wooden blocks.  Still no joy. Katie phoned her boss who suggested she switch it off and on again.  Still Daisy waited on the blocks. Still no joy. Katie phoned IT support.  While we waited for the callback, Katie tried again, switching it off and on. Daisy nodded off, still on the blocks. Katie tried the off/on trick yet again. Phoned IT again. Daisy dozed peacefully.  Eventually IT rang back.....When Katie said 'Yes 4 times' we knew he had asked her if she tried turning it off and on again.  We all fell about laughing. Eventually it worked.  X rays duly taken we could see the problem was in the toes.  Its like a fungus that goes up from the white line.  The toes have to be cut back to expose this and the air will kill it. The Farrier is coming Tuesday.

Jo, and the vets doing x-rays on Daisy

Dung Beetles and Destruction

The heatwave continues,as does the chaotic month Jo and I seem to be having.
We managed to coincide last saturday.  We also had Chanice Who Helps On Saturdays with us...which was a good thing.  The horses (Lulu) had taken down all the electric fence posts which separated them, and had eaten all the remaining grass/standing hay. Everyone looked fat, full and slightly sheepish.
We started to put the dividing line back up.....but decided they all seemed to be ok together, so just set about picking up all the posts and winding up the self tangling electric wire.  We were just about to leave, when Charlie started to follow Polly, with an interest in mounting her.  This got faster and faster.  Lulu decided to join in. At first we thought she was putting a stop to the chase, but watched with horror as she joined in and they managed to corner Polly against the fence.  As Jo and myself ran after them shouting, Chanice opened the gate to let Polly out. Poor Polly.  She had a bite on her neck (Charlie) and a nasty sliced cut on her foot. We have put her in the next field in wither height grass, where she can gloat over the fence.  The cut looked worse than it was and after a day slathered in Dermobian and a bandage, she is fine.  The shetlands are sticking together like glue and Charlie has had a few double barreled kicks in the chest from Sweet Pea. We were disgusted by his and Lu's double act though and have decided when we move to the next field we will separate them for a bit, as we don't want separation issues when we take one out without the other.

Meanwhile I have been a bit slow poo-picking due to my strange fascination with Dung Beetles. They are amazing.  If you roll them over accidentally, they roll back the right way up.  They roll their eggs up in perfectly round balls of dung and pop them down perfectly round holes under the pile.  Then have lots of tiny babies.  When i come across them, which is all the time at the moment, I try my best to pick up the poo around them. Everyone should look out for them.

Busy Summer But Still Bonding

August has been sooooo busy.  Dogs, work, visitors.... The last week or so has been so hectic, Jo and I have barely crossed paths.  We have been taking it in turns to water, poo pick and move fences back.  Yet Charlie and I have still been progressing.  The other day I could have cried.  Walking into his field with the headcollar ......he came over and dropped his nose in, face on, no rope.  Its only taken 9 months. And he knows I am going to rub sun block on his nose. Oh, and feed him.
Last Saturday I had a little extra time.  Seemed to spend it taking selfies with Jasmine....and stopping her removing my coke bottle from the trailer.  Monday i had help from Mark The Horse Whisperer.  We went to go for a walk down the lane with Charlie and Scrumpy.  Charlie was a bit spooky though.....The Horse Whisperer thought it unsafe, so we had a quick 'Bonder/Follow Me' session instead.  The Horse Whisperer filmed it.  Please excuse the dodgy bandy-legged walk I had adopted.  Oh Ok I admit it.....Thats my walk.  The old cowboy walk. I learned it at 'The Ministry For Silly Walks' Academy.

Heatwave Survival and Nasty Horse-Flies

Phew its been HOT.  Too hot to ride.  Not complaining (much) but this is a bit like winter.  We are in Survival Mode.  By the time we have finished the chores, its time to hide from the heat. 
This doesn't quite mean contact/bonding has stopped. I am actually having a major break-through with Charlie......This is because of his pink nose and the searing heat.  It has become imperative to sunblock him daily. So I have been taking a tiny feed or carrots up to him daily.  This means catching is no longer a problem.....He's starting to drop his nose into the head-collar. He has a minor protest about the sunblock... A very small rear or two, but its getting on and stopping him having a crispy nose.  Oddly enough he is fine with fly cream on his face and sheath.....and talking of sheaths, he is really happy for me to clean his.  Odd Pony!!!
Our grass is now standing hay...and burning off, so we move the fence back without fear of laminitus.  It is vitality important to keep the water clean, fresh and topped up. And to fly spray everyone. Including ourselves!
Last week I got bitten by a larger than normal horse-fly on my jelly belly.  This week its swollen and spread, and has lovely blisters.  Doc says its called Cellulitis.....I thought that was only on my thighs!  So antibiotics and slight apathy from me to do more than strictly necessary.
We thought we might use the time to clean all the rugs with the pressure washer.......but inevitably its broken after one rug!!

Cracked It, Baths and Balloons

This week Charlie has been a star.  I have caught him up for 3 days for a feed and a fuss.  I have been using a slightly different approach.  Walking in the field, veering away from him, and approaching him from the side.  Rope round neck, head-collar on. No Problem.
So we started work again.  Playing in the round pen....with scary things like blowing plastic....which he tried to eat.  Chairs and Balloons......which he tried to eat.
Getting on and off.  No tack, no helper, no fuss.
Yesterday he approached me in the field and blew into my face.  So I blew into his nostrils....he blew back.  No biggie?  Well he has never accepted this form of greeting before....So its a huge step as far as I am concerned.

The Shetlands have been bathed.  Neither of them like it.  Sweet Pea can rear vertically.......and does.  Debatable who was the wettest today.

Bareback Teaching, Charlies Chute and Spies Are Us

Wow what a week...  So on Saturday, Jo and I spent a good half hour fixing up an electric fence 'chute' for Charlie, running from his field, through the 3 Acre to the round pen, so I could drive him there to continue the headcollar debate. Giving him a chance to work with me first, I strolled over......and put the rope round his neck and the headcollar on.  No Fuss. He got a feed for that.  Same again Sunday and Monday.  Monday was farrier day.  After Charlie had been done I put him in a stable, removing his headcollar in case he caught it on some random nail.  When all were done I went in to get him......Headcollar? No Way. Its like an instinct kicks in.  Luckily its not a huge stable. I wish I could get to the bottom of this instinct.  Until then I'll continue to use a rope first as it works.

Saturday I gave Chanice Who Helps On Saturdays a bareback lesson on Daisy.  I can't believe how much her position has improved since she first started with us.  I am so proud of her. Bareback riding should be practised more often. Positions improve no end without a saddle.  Its so much easier to feel the horse.

Today we have been mostly spies.....Long story short.  A local woman got done in March for cruelty and banned from keeping animals for 6 years.  Should have been life as its the third time this has happened.  Anyway, we have been spying on her since then.  She still has dogs, cats, chickens and 7 mares in her back garden.....And 4 stallions tucked away on another piece of land.  We have been in constant touch with World Horse Welfare about this, and today they came for a recce. Just as we drove past her house she was pulling out in a car.  So Jo and I tailed her, giving the guys time for a better look around, while we spent an hour in the local town watching her, of all things shop in a Horse Charity Shop.
I've always wanted to be a spy!!! Anyway when this is resolved I will name and shame.