extremes...

-5 C when i went out this morning about 07.30 .. brrrrrrr

11 C when I went out at about 3 pm ... but that was only cos the car was in full sun, it was 3 degrees and falling everywhere else, LOL! all round the car is still icy...weird!

and what was drying out mud at the field gate is now a pond again .. the ballcock on the trough had got wedged, somehow, in the open position and wasn't discovered till lunchtime (it was still frozen when i came home again this morning at 08.30 ...) so none of us, people or horses, are happy about that!

but the horses were able to be out for longer today, lovely sunny afternoon despite the cold, and we took them for some grass in the park after we'd groomed them..

and a huge temperature difference even between the middle of the field (sunny) and the front of the stable (in shade.. )

yes, i could have done some work with her...but i didn't...grass in her was the better option ..

and here's a good one ... molly deliberately poos OVER the fence! bizarre! hope YM is reading this... we don't want anyone thinking we've chucked it over (clear, in fact, that it is a proper horse done pile, not a person chucked one)... maybe Molly thinks she's saving us a job? in which case, she could do that with all her poos, which she doesn't...just along the one fenceline.

and it snowed again ...

but not for long and didn't lie!

horses didn't go out until 4 - g's youngest had to go to doctor! not a well boy! so all mucking out done after i got there from work - but they still didn't volunteer to come in - i think they hate the mud at the gate which is deep and boot sucking (and claimed charlie's shoe the other week!). he's now barefoot altogether and won't be doing any road work ...when we ever get them back in to work LOL

again, i haven't looked at the forecast...

didn't want to come in...

after her couple of hours out .. wouldn't be caught for gaynor! and i had to go through the mud to get her... don't think she was that keen on being out, either, TBH!

snow this morning, just under freezing; but thank goodness it stopped rapidly and didn't lie

looking forward to, i think, maybe 2 weeks time by which time it should be a good bit light enough to be able to do something. fingers crossed. it's not quite there yet, time we get done with the working day ...

interestingly, despite them being in a lot more, we're not going through the haylage the way we thought we might...or the bales are bigger than they looked!

20.13, partner just rung, still at work....but going to chippy on the way home!

minus 3...and again..

will it ever warm up?

apart from anything else, I'm sure the extremes don't do things like our cars much good...let alone us and our animals! thinking about trudi the other day - from -9 to +9 in one day?

breaking ice on the trough to get buckets to do the water in the stables this morning...

first day in...

wasnt' so bad ...

I did try and turn molly out, but she was clearly just going to stand and stare at Charlie, and he was going off it wanting to be out, so she came back in again!

They were both turned out about 3, when G comes home from work, and she said they were happy with that and grazed a bit, ran around a bit, and so on.

They hadn't eaten all the hay we'd given them; hoping that they will pace themselves better and we may end up using less, since they won't be starving all day and then gorging all night.. that's the hope, anyway. i know when Molly had that 6 weeks in with her bad legs Autumn 2008, she didn't eat huge amounts, so we may be ok.

the only minor glitch was that the nozzle on the end of the hose was frozen.. i was only pleased the hose itself wasn't, I hadn't taken it in last night (i did tonight!). but as I said to G, if it IS frozen in the morning we will have a problem and she will have to fetch water from the house..

and in case you're all wondering - i like to do mornings, as I like to have all the mucking out etc. done before i go to work - whether horse staying in or going out. saves having to do it all later!

lack of grass

now results in charlie having to stay in for a couple of weeks and go on a different feed to bulk him back up again (after consultation over phone with vet). not quite sure what i'll do with molly. she isn't stressing (he is!) and hasn't lost any weight - i could tell on Sunday when i put the massage pad on, no adjustments required in the straps ...hadn't used it for a while... She stands a bit, then grazes a bit, then stands a bit ... i'm told! where he stresses. and there's a concern that they are fed up with each other as well (too much time together?)

of course if we keep them in, they'll have to have a couple of hours out just for exercise..and it's still not light enough to work them at night after work (well, not for me, and G has children to mind as well until her OH comes home, so not for her..)

we've decided i'll turn Molly out in the morning and if she ends up just loitering about in the deep mud looking at charlie G will bring her in before she goes to work...

too much wet! too much cold. poached fields... doh.

mould...

for the first time for a while i got down the roller .. but didn't put it on Molly, instead brought it home for a good clean! hadn't realised how damp it had been in that tack room!

so molly went over to the arena to be lunged with nothing save her bridle and horseman's halter...and i took dresssage stick as well as lunge whip, thinking do some in hand as well, but most of the way over the bridge realised I'd not picked the reins up, doh!

never mind, she did some sensible lunging, none of the boinging we've had lunging in the field, and even though she coudl hear Charlie screaming, she didn't worry too much about him - cocked an ear every now and again, but that was about it.

didn't let her get sweaty, of course, just warm and the walk back cools her down - i really don't understand the traffic there, they will insist on passing when they can't see what's coming round the next corner!

then came home and cleaned the roller and put the pad & girth in the wash!

the saddle will be ok, as it was in the house whilst we were away..

anyway, glad to get something done with her, it didn't rain at all today was in fact quite a nice afternoon! not yet light enough to be able to do anything after work, but it'll not be long..

missing shoe....

but you say, Molly is barefoot!

True, but Charlie isn't and so can't be ridden and so we can't ride out.. between the showers

i said to gaynor today, my next horse is one that has been well brought up and will hack on it's own and not be terrified of gates/approaching fences/nothing at all...

the weather forecast

i haven't looked at it.. because i think that would be tempting fate ! :-)

2nd post of the day; Colonel Carde response to FEI

copied from facebook, linked from Horses for Life

Colonel Carde : Response to the FEI statement regarding the Feb.9th FEI roundtable on Rollkur/Hyperflexion

I am not surprised with the outcome of the meeting. Had the FEI truly condemned the hyper flexion of the neck, it would have rejected the training technique behind the success of a triple Olympic champion, and disowned the judges, trainers and riders who have benefited from it until now.

In reading the text of the FEI’s press release, we find that the FEI is now authorizing Hyperflexion when it is obtained without force (“Using the technique known as Low, Deep, Round (LDR), which achieves flexion without under force in acceptable”.) It appears the roundtable of February 9th did not really change anything.

To justify its position, the FEI committee implied that Rollkur and LDR are different. They chose to completely ignore the history of Rollkur. One must remember that this training technique was developed by trainer Sjef Janssen who baptized it “Low, Deep and Round”. It then became commonly referred to as Rollkur by Swede Theresa Sandin on her website. Without a doubt, Rollkur and LDR are exactly the same technique as all the pictures published on this topic can attest to.

In reality, it would have been better to set aside Rollkur and LDR which are one and the same, and focus the discussion instead on hyper flexion, which is easier to define. To forbid Rollkur and authorize LDR is meaningless. It is akin to forbidding the consumption of pork but allowing pig!

In the final analysis, the conclusions arrived at by the FEI will only be valid if the FEI produces different photos showcasing on the one hand, the difference between Rollkur and LDR, and on the other hand photos showing horses in the authorized LDR posture. Otherwise, the ambiguity will remain.

minus 4...

is this ever going to end?

it did (according to the car's temp gauge) warm up to about 5 degrees in places, but not sure i believed that - think that was very localised where there was a bit of sun .. although the frozen mud turned to soup again!

FEI & rollkur

for those who haven't seen it:

http://www.fei.org/Media/News_Centre/News/Pages/summ.aspx?newsName=news-RoundTable-9Feb10.aspx&inc=0

hyperflexion is bad, LDR is not....

and the man looking sour in the pic is, apparently, Sjeff Janssen...

progress of a sort, one supposes... at least people now can't be seen in public in rollkur without everyone being able to say they shouldn't

one hopes, therefore, the rules will now be enforced.

Molly? didn't come in till about 5.30 pm; gaynor had been out the full day as well and it was still daylight! WOW! shame about the continuing snow showers...

showers and sunshine

snow showers, of course!

light....

just, but still light in the sky at 5.30 pm! so progressing towards spring, i would think in another 3 or 4 weeks i can look to being able to work Molly evenings.. no doubt that will upset her a bit, but it'll please me, LOL

in the meantime, it was trying to snow again..

and the scones turned out fine!

rain.....dry....rain

rained all morning b ut did eventually stop

you'll never believe - actually lunged! gaynor was involved with her 5 year old's birthday party, so no riding, but it was not raining so wanted to do something!...had to leave Charlie in the field - odd, he was ok at first, but then after we'd been out 10 minutes (bearing in mind he could see us) molly kicked off a little (boing!) and so he did too...

i think she'd had enough - she actually did quite nicely and offered right rein from the off

then left rein she started boinging .. and then made it clear she'd had enough... by heading in a straight line back to the stables... then charlie started boinging as well... and i had to be careful not to be knocked over!

a rod for our own backs, really, only two of them

in by 4 pm, they were...

roll on spring?

then home and did some work, and made a stew, and then some scones....which may end up a disaster as i misread the amount of liquid and put too much, and so had to tip more flour and baking powder in ... but they LOOK ok...

a rather good anti rollkur logo

we are all free to use:

right click and save as to put on your pc....then use wherever.!

thanks to deborah norris on facebook..

fog....

in varying degrees of intensity.

my mother, 20 mils north west, said she had clear blue skies and frost on the pavements (sidewalk, for american readers).

we couldn't see far and had fog lights on

in South Shields, 12 miles or so north east, no fog but no sun.. but at least clear

At the yard, when i got there - the fog had cleared, but they were shooting in the woods all round the stables, so thoughts of lunging in the field went out of my head

but i did spend some time grooming, and discovered i'd overrugged her - heat scabs! pah! i wouldn't have thought it would have been too heavy a rug, as it's been so cold, but there you go.. i was wrong!

and poo picked the field again - left a couple of bits as the barrow was over full by that point ...

thawed .. and rained!

rained all day....gaynor got them in early as they were SO wet...rugs hanging up to dry ...we're hoping it clears for tomorrow but i'm not holding my breath.

the only good news - gaynor found some drowned rats! not arguing about that!

do...

so, partner says she'll be home early from work as she has an evening meeting of a local group she's in.. so i, knowing i had no time to spend with Molly, didn't ...

guess what

that's right, partner didn't come home on time from work...

there were going to be more pics, but it crashed... and facebook upload didn't work either!

pic from christmas

Gaynor took this, has just sent me it

from minus 4 to snow

and it only got above freezing after 5, just enough to enable it to snow... pah.

stopped again now, just, but who knows! i've invested in some more de icer for the car...

three sorts of weather

in the one day.

it was raining this morning, but not that cold (above freezing) and the rain was easing.

after i got home, about 9, it started snowing!

then after lunch it got out clear and sunny ... but time I went down to the stables @ 4.30, it was 0 degrees C

but at least it was light enough to poo pick! need to keep on top of that...

bad us

well, bad me really ... took purse to stables this morning to leave money for haylage which is delivered today, running a shade late due to ice, couldn't find charlie's breakfast, did jobs, came home - purrse still in car with money still in it - result, not enough money for haylage. thank goodness he's fine about it and will collect thursday! Oops that could have been dodgy!

the sheet ice has largely melted from the roads today, thank goodness - was a shade iffy this morning as difficult to spot the bad bits even with full beam on!

still coooold

I didn't go out until the car had thawed out today - probably about 2! gaynor does turnout weekend mornings.... but it was still pretty nippy, still dodgy ice on the roads, nearly lost the car at one point but happily didn't! you'll have noticed our original plans for the weekend went pear shaped!

this is nessie last night (she'd been after my tea):

doesn't do a lot for me, of course...

ice rinks

on the roads, as they hadn't gritted. i was toodling along at 15 mph or thereabouts in 2nd & 3rd gear and using engine braking, and people were driving too fast... the road to and from the stable is a hill..scary where the sun had hit it, fine, but not much of that.

on the other hand, poo picking frozen poo is easy, and i took my jacket off whilst doing that as the sun was beating down on the field and i would have melted.

and i bought us a present - new wheelbarrow, LOL

overnight snow

but only a couple of inches at home and it's a gloriously clear sunny day - but freezing!

cooold

and there was us thinking it was starting to warm up.

ZERO tonight on the way home (i had planned to go to the car wash when leaving work,but decided against, the mud etc. will have to stay a bit longer!)

i didn't go down to the stables tonight; late out of work, freezing, and had made up teas etc this morning, and gaynor volunteered to fetch in etc.!

Do hope we can ride over the weekend, that was the original plan, but it may not happen

but, something is growing grass wise, or was earlier in the week; molly more than happy to stay away from the gate with her head down nibbling and they're both happier to stay out later, than goodness!..

thrush gone!

thought it was better, but a really good look in really good light today, showed i was correct.

Her feet are now trimmed, we're very pleased with how they are looking.

She has that (I am told) rare thing, bars that grow further forward than bars generally do, overgrowing somewhat and thus creating a space where dirt can be trapped, hence the thrush. now that's sorted and the trim is right, that shouldn't happen again.

She was pleased to be out, i'd kept her in until the trimmer had been due to the mud!

it was not dark!

well not fully - still a glimmer of light left in the sky, in a vague sort of way .. another month, i reckon, before we'll be able to do anything at night (we are already planning lunging for the period when it gets dark at 7!)

new trough looks good, could just about see it!

molly fine - but nessie kitten a bit put out!

because she had her first visit to the vets today for her jabs, had her ears well poked (mites!) was weighed and generally assessed!

hadn't intended that for today, but got her registered and they had an appointment, so did it - next jab 3 weeks, then she will probably be big enough to think about wrestling with the cat flap and to meet neighbour's cat Charlie and then the other neighbourhood felines.

this is her firstly helping me work last week, and secondly popping her head out of her favourite sleeping place..


Molly?

had her feet done - we're just about on top of the thrush, but still scrubbing and medicating every other day - hope we'll be able to stop soon!

the water trough? will be replaced tomorrow. chap had only replaced the ballcock yesterday, didn't believe there was a leak until gaynor showed him!

still dark at night...

2 weeks ago it was light at 5 but last week and this it hasn't been - too much cloud cover, depressing! so tea and done is the order of the evenings for a while longer, but molly is happier to stay out longer, which is good.

the trough has been mended, yay! so fingers crossed we get no rain to speak of for a week or so (i know, wishful thinking, but it would be good if the muddy pond would be able to dry up a bit!)

rode!!!!!!

we went up the park down beside the geldings field to harbour house, had 10 minutes in the arena there, and then back; I had to get off and lead to go back down the park, it's a seriously steep hill and molly wasn't having any of it and started backing herself towards the cattle grid! that was fair enough, i haven't asked her to go down a hill of any great steepness since we left blackdene (you will recall, the hills there showed up her lameness); so i doubt she has the confidence to do that sort of steep hill mounted yet! fine when i got off.

does poo picking

keep you fit?

4 barrows out of the paddock today - we're still wrestling with the stuff that was buried under the snow, and I think this finally got on top of it!

that was after mucking out

end result, no time to do anything with molly (we'd been out in the morning to hairdressers...)

Just saying to allison, not totally sure i've enjoyed this winter with molly, first time for years with no immediate safe access to arena at all times...so no work done really! she has kept some muscle (more than Charlie, I think) and not dropped more weight than she needed, which is good, but it's all to start again!

rain and water...

it was raining this morning, and the trough still leaking. we've decided to tie up the stop cock and empty out the trough and just use large tubs (of which we have a selection) until the trough gets emptied. then if it stops raining the area round the gate might dry up, you never know...

hoping for reasonable weather at the weekend!

the cover up...

covering up the suit with the drizabone and long muck boots, lol!

haven't done that for a few years!

we have a hole in the water trough in our field ... happily the water keeps running in so it isn't emptying, but it's clearly been there for a while and the ice has finally made it large enough to be noticeable.

this will account for the mudbath inside the gate/round the water trough as well, we'd thought it was just run off from the slightly higher ground outside the gate on the stable side, but clearly not!

hopefully it gets replaced soon!

out earlier

because i've got part time self employed work in addition to what i was doing anyway (pays money!) so the horses went out 1/2 hour earlier than usual... at least it had thawed a bit! no frost on the car, water could be done....but then of course i didn't finish and get home till 5.30...

minus 3 again...

and guess who hadn't taken the hose off the tap and emptied it?

doh.

and then freezing fog through the morning ...

at least it came above freezing for the afternoon!

warm or cold?

this morning when i turned out it was 7 degrees C. tonight when i brought in, it felt really really cold - it was in fact 3 C.

and more snow is forecast!

But - it was still light at 5pm, so can look forward to lighter nights and being able to start bringing her back into work again soon...

the river subsided!

We were somewhat surprised, but subside it did thank goodness... probably until the hills start melting sometime later than the lowlands.

and we did lunge - took them both out together! they were pretty good considering it's the first time they've done anything at all for weeks. a bit full of beans, but settled well and we were pleased with them.

Molly's feet improving - of course, the one advantage of all that snow was that Gaynor didn't have to deal with muddy feet, but with clean feet - she says, they were pristine! not cured yet, but a huge amount better than they were...

river rising with the thaw...

at 10.30 it was still 3 degrees C and sleeting/raining and the river was full but within bounds and not too fast.

by 11.45, when we got back from getting shavings, it had noticeably risen

by 15.30 it had speeded up substantially, all sorts of interesting things were being swept downstream (entire trees, Gaynor saw a huge bit of ice with a bin on top!) and it had burst its banks...

we are, of course, keeping a very close eye on it and Gaynor is hoping not to get a call from the flood watch people....

and by that time it was 5 degrees C and thawing fast, very little snow left our way, i saw some people riding (we'd spent the afternoon digging out the beds and grooming, as they hadn't been groomed for a while!)

we think we need to do some lunging before we start riding again!

doctors....and kittens...

is where i'm going on tuesday... i've had a cold since just after i went on holiday, spent the entire time carrying boxes of hankies round with me, and lost my voice wednesday just in time to get back into the country...someone pointed out this morning that getting pneumonia would not be a good plan, and since this has now gone on for too long and self medication isn't working, the doctor is the next port of call... oddly, i feel fine in myself, and no problems sleeping ... anyway, we still, of course, have snow lying, although it is starting to thaw... not that you would have felt warmer today, windchill being what it is!

horses were pleased to come in this evening, and pleased not to do anything even though they are bored.. but no where to take them anyway if we wanted to -

pics of new kitten...

guess what? snowed some more!

but it's a lot better than i am told it has been.

Molly is now in Charlie's old rug - the one he first had when he was 3 (some years ago, that was) - as the thick one i had for her got soaked and also Gaynor thought this might fit her, which it does.

if it carries on thawing a bit (currently hovering just over 0 every day) then we may be able to go into not quite so heavy rugs.

no prospect of doing any work with them though .. and no point taking them out for the very small mouthfuls of grass that have appeared under the trees.

we are hoping that any thaw is slow, as a rapid thaw in the pennines up Weardale may result in a flood... gaynor and i both had the same thought on that one a couple of weeks ago...

have got some pics of kitten to put up...

and for caroline:

http://clairesholidayblog.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2009-12-20T00%3A20%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=7

explains all...

hello again!

had a good run back, got off the boat about 9 or thereabouts, and was home by 16.45, having gone via a farm outside Doncaster to pick up a new kitten, 9 weeks old (photo when she's settled enough to sit still when a camera is pointed at her!). All black.

Given we were in good time, I went down to see Molly - had thought it would only be possible to talk on the phone, but turned out I could go down.

Gaynor is REALLY pleased I'm back - and whilst she is pleased it is thawing out, she's a bit annoyed it didn't hang around long enough for me to see just how bad it was, LOL.

went in to see molly who was still discussing her tea and not that bothered to see me in consequence.

Gaynor's had them out most days, the only horses on the estate that have been able to go out regularly due to it being no distance from stable to field ...

BUT she says they're both bored rigid due to there being too much snow and no other animals of any sort to be seen (one email whilst i was away, she said Charlie had taken to chasing the pheasants for something to do)

dratted royal mail were meant to have all my post on hold... and still tried to deliver a special delivery item on the 5th; it'll have been sent back to sender by now, drat!

snowy busy day...

we were both up at 5 EEK couldn't sleep .. so hopefully we get some kip before setting off at an early hour tomorrow! work, bank, letter hand delivered to court, rescued gaynor from her carless state - here's a nightmare, yesterday Gaynor's car died, starter motor, just when she was going to pick her sons up from school/granny (one 5, one 1); so that's bad enough. today, her OH's car died terminally - drive shaft broke! and he was at the other end of the county...

so i collected her from work, her mother & children up, took her home, we did evening stables and i showed her the feed/feet things, then she had to borrow my car to go shopping whilst i did child minding...

molly i think will be pleased to be out tomorrow (despite the lack of grass) and her front feet are looking a lot better already with teh stuff i was given to put on it - a hardener and germ killer that you brush on to the affected area.

right that's this for a bit; gaynor's in charge! see y'all on the holiday blog!

snow and thrush

i think i mentioned the thrush 6 weeks ago when her feet last got trimmed. since then, been religiously scrubbing and spraying and it hasn't improved (which was why changed the bedding last weekend!) and is now into the hoofwall.

so she stays in again tomorrow (in today because trimmer was coming! yesterday because of the weather) and we have some new hoof hardener stuff to brush on to the toe area where it all is every other day... and poor Gaynor has to deal with all that whilst I'm away on my Christmas jollies (burglars reading be aware it's all locked up and the neighbours are keeping an eye out).

I will be blogging tomorrow night (not that there'll be a lot to say!) but don't know when thereafter, although i will have internet access... over on the holiday blog...and i'll let you all know where i am when i get there ....

more rain again!

kept them in this morning to save the grass a bit.. not that it'll do a huge amount of good, but still...they went out for an hour this afternoon...

on molly's quantity of eating. it occurs to me, last year when she was in for 6 weeks whilst her legs recovered from whatever it was that caused the hair to fall out, she wasn't pigging out like this..... there was always something left... and i'm sure i wasn't feeding more haylage than i am this year!

why i keep thinking i might ride in an afternoon i don't know.. clearly isn't going to happen this week, anyway!

december

so i don't know why i complain, i should expect this weather.. but i suppose because there's nothing on their paddock

had them both in by 2.30 today; molly had a 20 lb net - gaynor rang at 6.20 to ask if i'd left a net for overnight! so she had to make a new net up for her...

this is ridiculous.

oh, and i meant to say - following up from mary lou's post about rugging - left her with her aerborn thermatex under a thin stable rug (the outdoor had leaked) and gaynor had to change her rug to her thicker indoor...

doh.

bad me missed a day...

yesterday's post...

the plans for teh day went a shade pearshaped.

we had thought - get them in about 1, then go over to the arena to ride whilst everyone at work.

it rained ... and it rained... and then it rained some more... so got them in about 2.30 for the night and they were well pleased!

back to normal

Molly is.. we'll just have to keep a close watch on her seasons

in the meantime, there's practically nothing left for them to pick at and their field is gonna be trashed (albeit it's the only one that is poo picked religiously!)because it has been so wet this year it isn't surviving. so we're going to keep them in more; I'll turn them out in the morning, and they'll come in around 1 ...

today, I tacked up and went over to the arena... should have gone this morning! the riding club were doing pony club games for adults ...

so went and lunged in the field! she did some nice canter, a few bucks, we had a bit of a walk up the field and back down, and then I let her pick some grass before we went back in (i mean the big field outside theirs...)

not os bad...

in that molly was turned out today and they had 2 hours or so of just chilling before she started spraying, so i go her in again rather than wind charlie up more...

we think it'll all be fine again by monday - hope so! - and we'll investigate that agnus castus stuff....

unfortunately, even though the weather came out not too bad, didn't have time to do anything at all except bottom her bed ... but will have time tomorrow, and the weather is supposed to be ok! at least the fog should lift.

hand in front of face

was very hard to see in the thick fog we had today, horrid! full fog lights on when i went out, truly awful.

so the plan to have one horse out half the day and the other the other half worked reasonably well . and my friend mucked out for me as well, which i hadn't expected!

here's a couple of pics partner took at saltwell park tonight; the dancers are not people, they are silhouettes - there were lighting installations based on the song "12 days of Christmas". the green lines are lights along the tops of hedges making up a maze, and the thing sticking up from that is a "pear tree"

agnus castus

has been recommended for both - am consulting with friend, but in the meantime they are going to have to be separated - one out half the day, the other out the other half.

oops.

on a lighter note, someone sent me this video. hope it works.

we have a problem...

charlie and molly like each other a bit too much....

oops.

we're all upset as we thought charlie had grown out of this ...(he's not a rig we know that)

oh dear.


had i been able to stick to the first though (which was go down earlier and ride, plan interrupted by work) this wouldn't have happened (well, not today, and not so they got caught)

but it's as well that we know...

any words of wisdom out there?

a safer christmas

an acquaintance was sent this, and it's brilliantly funny so have to share. word of warning ot jean, though - you might need to not read this until after you've healed, laughing might not help you at the moment!

The Rocking Song
Little Jesus, sweetly sleep, do not stir;
We will lend a coat of fur,
We will rock you, rock you, rock you,
We will rock you, rock you, rock you:

Fur is no longer appropriate wear for small infants, both due to risk of allergy to animal fur, and for ethical reasons. Therefore faux fur, a nice cellular blanket or perhaps micro-fleece material should be considered a suitable alternative.

Please note, only persons who have been subject to a Criminal Records Bureau check and have enhanced clearance will be permitted to rock baby Jesus. Persons must carry their CRB disclosure with them at all times and be prepared to provide three forms of identification before rocking commences.


Jingle Bells
Dashing through the snow
In a one horse open sleigh
O'er the fields we go
Laughing all the way

A risk assessment must be submitted before an open sleigh is considered safe for members of the public to travel on. The risk assessment must also consider whether it is appropriate to use only one horse for such a venture, particularly if passengers are of larger proportions. Please note, permission must be gained from landowners before entering their fields. To avoid offending those not participating in celebrations, we would request that laughter is moderate only and not loud enough to be considered a noise nuisance.


While Shepherds Watched
While shepherds watched
Their flocks by night
All seated on the ground
The angel of the Lord came down
And glory shone around

The union of Shepherd's has complained that it breaches health and safety regulations to insist that shepherds watch their flocks without appropriate seating arrangements being provided, therefore benches, stools and orthopaedic chairs are now available. Shepherds have also requested that due to the inclement weather conditions at this time of year that they should watch their flocks via cctv cameras from centrally heated shepherd observation huts.
Please note, the angel of the lord is reminded that before shining his / her glory all around she / he must ascertain that all shepherds have been issued with glasses capable of filtering out the harmful effects of UVA, UVB and Glory.


Little Donkey
Little donkey, little donkey on the dusty road
Got to keep on plodding onwards with your precious load

The RSPCA have issued strict guidelines with regard to how heavy a load that a donkey of small stature is permitted to carry, also included in the guidelines is guidance regarding how often to feed the donkey and how many rest breaks are required over a four hour plodding period. Please note that due to the increased risk of pollution from the dusty road, Mary and Joseph are required to wear face masks to prevent inhalation of any airborne particles. The donkey has expressed his discomfort at being labelled 'little' and would prefer just to be simply referred to as Mr. Donkey. To comment upon his height or lack thereof may be considered an infringement of his equine rights.


We Three Kings
We three kings of Orient are
Bearing gifts we traverse afar
Field and fountain, moor and mountain
Following yonder star

Whilst the gift of gold is still considered acceptable - as it may be redeemed at a later date through such organisations as 'cash for gold' etc, gifts of frankincense and myrrh are not appropriate due to the potential risk of oils and fragrances causing allergic reactions. A suggested gift alternative would be to make a donation to a worthy cause in the recipients name or perhaps give a gift voucher.
We would not advise that the traversing kings rely on navigation by stars in order to reach their destinations and suggest the use of RAC routefinder or satellite navigation, which will provide the quickest route and advice regarding fuel consumption. Please note as per the guidelines from the RSPCA for Mr Donkey, the camels carrying the three kings of Orient will require regular food and rest breaks. Facemasks for the three kings are also advisable due to the likelihood of dust from the camels hooves.


Rudolph the red nosed reindeer
Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer
had a very shiny nose.
And if you ever saw him,
you would even say it glows.

You are advised that under the Equal Opportunities for All policy, it is inappropriate for persons to make comment with regard to the ruddiness of any part of Mr. R. Reindeer. Further to this, exclusion of Mr R Reindeer from the Reindeer Games will be considered discriminatory and disciplinary action will be taken against those found guilty of this offence. A full investigation will be implemented and sanctions - including suspension on full pay - will be considered whilst this investigation takes place.

but not today

i might have thought about going out to do something with molly after lunch if the weather had been relatively sensible, but it looked horrid .. and then i forgot the time again, as well, as I do...

she was pleased to come in, of course!

good lord i rode!

turned into a nice day eventually (but had been raining at the time booked for partner's lesson so that got cancelled again!) and i took molly over the bridge to the arena, just on spec but the person having the lesson & her pupil were quite happy for me to work round them (thank you them).

little bit of the usual chew getting on, and i think i manage to accidentally hit poor molly in the head with my whip as i tried not to fall backwards off the mounting block as she moved! ooops. but whatever in fact happened, she then stood stock still..

she was slightly unsettled, and i never got her standing long enough to put my nearside stirrup up the required hole (i have to have it a shade longer to get on, or i can't) so just did a lot of walk keeping changing the rein

can tell how long it is since we've done anything, i knew i was a bit tight everywhere! but considering she hasn't ever been ridden in that arena before (only lunged twice) and we could hear Charlie screaming for her from across the river i was quite pleased really..

going back, some d**k head decided to try and pass me despite the blind bend ahead, so i told him loudly he was an idiot and he told me loudly i was the same... but he didn't try and pass (but still as well no one came the other way, as he didn't drop back in behind me!)

think gaynor got stuck christmas shopping ...the perils of having family, i think! shame as it was anice afternoon, despite the fact that it did try to rain whilst i was in the arena.

in hand again.

if i'd not bothered going home for lunch, i would have had time to go over to the arena with some prospect of getting back before it got dark...

as it was, by the time i got the mud off (it was still slightly damp when i got her in!) etc, there wasn't going to be time to do that

so in hand along the lane again, via the puddle!

Actually, had a relatively good horsey day... after the hairdressers went for feed and stables on my way home, to went that way to drop feed off; G was there just finishing her mucking out, i did mine, during which time YO and YM turned up to look at, we think, proposed arrangements to move the field gate and water trough; then we took the horses through into the house lawn for some grass (given that it's too late in the year to mow, LOL, and they need some - very good at that lawnmowing they are!), then put feed away and went in for a cuppa before going home for lunch

Scott's dog mic

Jean's horses were shod and Scott's dog was very disappointed she wasn't out to play ball (I have his permission to post this pic) (and Danni, you should go say hello to her...)


and molly & I?

well, another day of work for me and another day in the field for her.. they're scratching round for smething to eat and getting everything by way of overnight hay/feed, but at least they're both moving about!

plans for any joint efforts tomorrow have ben scuppered - i'm getting hair done in the morning, and gaynor in the afternoon.. doh.

looks like sunday might be scuppered as well, the weather forecast is to teem down all day

good news from new jersey

Jean is out of surgery, doing ok and was well enough to receive a visitor last night! which is good.

Will keep you all posted here and by comments on her blog (when blogger lets me in there LOL)

in the meantime, hoping for good weather for the weekend, you never know i may be able to ride my horse and partner may be able to have her deferred lesson...

hurray!

blogger wouldn't load ... at one point it said i wasn't following anyone, and then kept timing out...

server instabilities? i note i'm not the only one having problems!

thinking of jean for tomorrow....good luck!

i don't understand

what seems to be wrong with blogger, and i think something is.

the blogs i follow have their own space at the bottom of my dashboard and i can see who's updated and go read and say hello etc.

so far as I was aware, Nicola, for example, hadn't posted in ages.... tonight, a load show up as being posted 25 minutes ago, and when i go read, i find others had commented on the day they were posted.

bizarre!

ditto for Marylou

all VERY strange!

anyway, change of subject - has anyone seen one of these?

http://www.furlongs.uk.com/products/haynet.html

and if so, in what way are they different from your bog standard small holed haynet?

my routine has changed so much that molly is now in a lot earlier than has ever been the case, and feeding by weight from my usual small holed haynet means that she has nothing for a long time. if i feed from the haybar, as i would prefer which is why i have it, she eats it quicker!

a bit wet....

after all the rain yesterday, we were a bit worried - think i mentioned the flood warning?

when i got down to the stables this morning the river was well over it's bank, not quite as far as the cattle grid but almost, and the muck heap was developing ponds from underneath.....

i tried to take a photo, but only had the phone and it was just not quite light enough (mind, i realised later I should have changed the setting as well)

anyway, here's the afterwards:

so the horses stayed in until about 1.30, and i went down after lunch to muck out again and we got them in about 3 (including some grass on the lawn, which they appreciated!)

at least the pond in the lane meant that i could get molly's feet washed out without scrubbing! an advantage! plus she can't avoid the puddle which is good for her getting used to going through them! We did a deliberate diversion via that for the purpose!

edited to add: for some reason,the add video button is NOT available, booo - ah! sorted, went back to old settings... help was helpful!

lunging in the rain...

We are mad, of course, but it had to be done.

We were glad we'd decided to keep them in today - didn't stop raining and there are now ponds in the paddock

we knew there was a free spell in teh arena from 2 - 3 - as it happens, everyone else must have cancelled as there was no one there when we went over early - not surprised, it had lashed down most of the day.

So molly was lunged with her waterproof luminous exercise sheet under the roller, and Charlie was lunged with his lightweight outdoor on! They both needed the work.

but we decided to keep them in tomorrow as well...


eventually got home about 4 (I'd been out since about 11) - and no sooner got in when my mate texted to say we're now on flood alert.  bummer.  So we've got our fingers and everything else crossed....  

rode my horse!

I would have to look back a few weeks to see when i last rode - that was the day gaynor & I rode round the big fields opposite the main yard.

today we didn't go as far .. just out of our gate and round the big field behind the stables & paddock.

We did wonder afterwards if we should have gone the other way...

it's very hilly, so we decided to set off left on the flat, then up the hill and pallningn to go right along the fence line at the top then back down.. choosing always the least steep bits to go down.

all relatively ok until we did the final left to head to the bottom by the track .. molly was startign to nap to go  up the park (as if she were going back to her previous yard) so i decided to get off rather than have that battle.. 

we had in any event decided to just do some minor schooling before we went back.. (if only to add time on to how long we were out...)


i was doing some in hand work whilst G did a large circle . her horse threw a bit of a tantrum as molly moved away from him... essentially, panic caused by insecurity, G thinks...so happily i heard her shouting for me to come back, when i turned round she was doing well to sit the bucks.. which stopped as soon as charlie realised we were coming back!

so we gave up and went back in...

next time, we will go another way...

course neither of them have done anything for a few weeks

but - if the weather is ok, we are going to use the arena tomorrow, have arranged it!  have confirmed the time it is not booked by anyone else, and have said we will be there! 

But hey, i rode!

what will tomorrow bring?

fair weather or foul?  i haven't looked, but if it stays like today, we may manage to get our horses ridden! i hope so!

now - what might cause a horse's poo to go runny when it hasn't been before?  i've always thought of it as a stress thing... but i don't think molly is stressed particularly

so tell me...

before i poo picked the field, it was not raining.  after i'd poo picked the field, it was not raining.

whilst i was poo picking the field ....

you guessed it, it was raining, i got soaked.

and it was blowing hard and that got worse.

late meeting tonight, so gaynor did molly this evening, and apparently molly blotted her coypbook on the foot lifting thing...bad girl.

 

thrush improving

the near fore is starting to look a lot better; the off fore still not so good but no doubt will get there.

but molly's starting to be a bit of a B about the foot picking up thing - with her front feet, where previously she didn't want her backs picked up before she was started on no bute..- so i think she's fed up wtih teh process.

tough, i say!  i carry on!

but it's tough on my back as well, bend down, lift hoof, scrub etc etc... and all repeated several times!

we/ve pretty much given up any idea of doing anything much through the week - I know I COULD take it out of my working day, but i am expected to be here ... 

odd, when i was an employed person i used to think about going in to work late having done something with my horse...

now i am a self employed person, i am conscious of the need to be at my desk in case the phone rings/an email arrives...

odd that.  It wouldn't actually matter, no different than if i were out at a meeting, or in court, of whatever.. and it's very easy to make the time up, of course!.

USDF getting with the program

link in title..

now we need BD to do the same..

in the meantime, someone found Racinet on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bNpT5wajps

and Elen petushkova with Pepel .. not heard of them before, but well worth watching

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iukrYhnw8n0

an in season mare sharing with a gelding

is much more troublesome than one sharing with other mares...

went down mid morning, thinking, get her in, get her ready and go over to the arena..

not a good plan

firstly charlie went round the corner so molly coudlnt' see him, which didn't impress her, and even when he came back, she woudln't settle and wanted back out again.. then the wind started getting up such that things were blowing about .. it became not worth it!

then gaynor said she'd been very up a height and rude this morning, which she's not normally - i'd wondered why her breakfast hadn't been finished - and went off bucking and flying round the paddock...

so out she went again....a  mare in that mood just isn't worth the grief, as we'd both get wound up!


tcha.

 

tchah...

is what i think of today.

partner was meant to have riding lesson this morning.  had been texting RI to confirm and not heard back... just as we got in the car, received text, had i not received her text earlier in the week?  cancelled...strangles scare on her yard.  sometimes, texts don't get through.

so then partner wanted to do various things involving sorting out her stuff to go to dry cleaners, so did that, then friend rang and go for haylage please as there's so little grass left they need more ...

time we did that it started to rain...

what i SHOULD have done, once i knew partners lesson cancelled, was go do something with molly then.. but i didn't...because was wanted to stay at home and help with the sorting...

it was raining properly time i got lunch and got down there ... but warm! poo picking in the rain is fun (not) but found charlie's missing shoe... and the wind was picking up when i left ...

supposed to be not so bad tomorrow...


i reckon, we'll not get a lot done this winter!  have i said that before?

i finally remembered

to apply the mud fever prevention stuff... i think i hadn't done it as until yesterday the mud hadn't got deeper than the top of her feet! IV Horse mud fever prevention, excellent stuff, and then after applying i wipe my hands off down her neck and that prevents the mud sticking there as well...

we're hoping for good weather tomorrow to ride but i don't think i'm very optimistic about it..

windy ...

to replace the rain (but it's still raining over the pennines, so we still need to have some concerns on the flood situation and feel sorry for those in cumbria) 


I went down really early this morning, cos i'd got up early! and they were out whilst it was still dark ... mucked out and poo picked the field...apparently gaynor's dogs went a bit mad as i arrived, and she thought i was a bit mad being that early, but hey!


and my other thoguht about the wind .. it was so warm, it could have been the hot air blowing out of the FEI...


not at all convinced by that statement, and not at all sure what world horse welfare can do ....they rescue abused etc. horses and do a good job on that.. but deal with rollkur?  um.


http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/397/291879.html


and as for allowing bute in competition ...


http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/397/292010.html


words fail me...

but the FEI vice president is against that:



http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/397/291988.html


and quite right too!

we are on tenterhooks

because the river in this picture has burst its banks and when i left was up to the cattle grid...

a long way to go before we need panic and get the horses out, and the probabilities are that we won't have to .. but still, very scary!  The trees nearest the river are underwater..

it's all come down from the pennines; if it stops raining there and doesnt' rain here, we're fine.  if it carries on raining there, and then rains some more here, we might not be!

fingers crossed all.

FEI statement on rollkur

link in title...

Hope this is not just puff, and that we will in fact see this stopped at competitions, and that WHW are in fact involved

Anyway, so much for the news...

when I went down to the yard this morning, it was still blowing the remnant of last nights horrendous gales, so out she went into the field with Charlie...of course, time I got home (after poo picking as well as mucking out) the wind had dropped...isn't that the way!

i was right

when i looked at the mist this morning and thought, it's gonna rain... and it did.  it had been forecast, but i'm never wholly convinced by those...

rained all morning in torrents, bit of a break late afternoon and started again in time for us to bring them in.

the spray bottle I'm using for the spray for molly's feet has died. ... 

and in between, wrestling with a software problem that resulted in my having to zip the entire folder onto a usb stick and post to the company so they can have a look at it - they said, have you installed anything new?  answer, no i haven't..

well exercised

me, that is, if not molly so much.

muck out etc; poo pick field; then joint effort removing the remains of some haylage, wewon't do that one again and now see why YM & YO don't like that!  

finally took molly out for longlining inthe field.  not for too long, probably no moare than about 15 minutes, ensuring i had control and direction. Charlie spent the time running about, or standing at the gate as if we'd suddenly reappear!  not sure he quite twigs that the mare walking round the field on longlines is his friend who hasn't gone far...

then after tea we went back into Durham with the new camera on different settings, think we've got much better pics.

so shattered again as well!  but a nice change from our normal weekend nights!

wind and rain

it was a howling gale this morning and forecast to last the day, but didn't... trouble was, time we got there this afternoon, my friend couldnt' ride as her youngest was ill (teething!) and then it rained...loads of daylight, but rain...pah.

i decided on the flexions again, as if i'd tried to set off i would have lost the light before i got back, time it stopped raining..

so stood molly on the hardstanding outside the stable.

she was very square... and we eventually got a down .. then a second ... but then she decided she liked that but didn't want to do any of the others.

but i was pleased to get the "down", anyway ...and she was standing still!

this evening, we went into durham, having learnt that there was a light show.. a few installation artists with various light effects here and there.. the best was the front of the cathedral, but neither camera has caught it all very well...partners new one woudl have done but it was only bought this afternoon and we're still getting to know it, so didn't turn out at all.. mine, dull and you dont get the full effect ... but here's one, and another of the cathedral from the other side of the river looking ghostly 

and this was in a shop window, very effective...

another "doh" moment...

so i'd started splitting her feed between tea and breakfast .. went down this morning and put breakfast in .. Doh!  can't work her. Doh!  revert to previous practice of no breakfast! (or breakfast after ... depending on the weather) - haynet whilst she has her massage will do! 
can't believe i did that.

poo picked the field instead...

roofer...

man was supposed to turn up this morning to sort out some missing tiles on our roof, so rather than take advantage of the reasonable weather this morning, i was home by 0730 so as to be sure to be ready as and when he arrived.

he didn't arrive.

pah.

went round to his boss's this pm ... i love seeing that man apologise! :-)

and scrubbed molly's feet out as the rain started, then on the way home remembered i'd left washing on the line! oops! 

and yes, jean, gaynor found her keys, in the dark! very impressed with that!

crutches in the dark...

are scary things, especially when accompanied by disembodied torches and voices...

happily, not mine or my friend's but a friend of hers who was helping her find her keys in the field .... coming back, i had molly tied up outside cleaning her feet and all we could see was light and hear voice and crutches on the lane - scary all round, molly got away (but didn't go far) and charlie was upset in his stable.. but he was in the bad books anyway, having lost gaynor whilst out for a ride and come galloping back to talk to molly. and thank the lord he did, as the alternative was EITHER the other side of the lane through to under the bridge, where he can't get through OR the cattle grid! 

He'd been a bad lad on the way back from his hack, the fault of molly who'd shouted for him, and in the course of trying to turn himself inside out slipped on some soft ground so gaynor lost her stirrup and came off; in course of that, she lost her house keys, so that's what they'd been trying to find.


I went down this morning with a view to doing something, but the drive down to the yard was accompanied by the windscreen wipers going, so turned them out - and guess what?  it stopped again!


must sort out the batteries for my head torch, for purposes of washing and spraying feet in the dark.  There is an outside light, but you end up in your own shadow anyway.


Happily, i already owned some milton, so mild solution made up in old milk bottle and decanted into already available and empty spray thingy.

in hand along the lane

only for 10 minutes, if that, but it was good, both reins, straight lines only (no room for circles) and a little bit of move sideways.  We haven't done this for a while, so didn't want to do too much; then tried for flexions on the hardstanding.  At least she stood still!  but i couldn't get her to stand square very well, but we did get a couple of "downs" at least.

That was after the vet had been to do her annual booster.  

And she has thrush; so must dig out milton and make a solution to spray on, having scrubbed feet, every night....

coold

i know, it's colder in scotland..

too cold this morning, and freezing fog this evening! frozen tap this morning so i've taken the hose off tonight, save that freezing as well....

doh! again...

went to stables after going shopping ... did a lot of work .. friend came out .. molly almost ready ... plan to ride out together... friend's l/l arrived ... stayed a while ...then by the time that was all over it started raining and there wasn't really time to go anywhere whilst the light still held ....  :-(

yes I COULD have ridden myself .. but still not happy about trying to ride out on my own ....

but we have the answer to the arena booking system, at least..

doh ....

we didn't know we had to book the arena.... walked over there about 2.30 or so with a view to lunging .. lesson going on ... are supposed to book?  not sure, have emailed for guidance.

so walked back, being overtaken AGAIN on the bridge with a blind bend ahead - this time, something came round the blind bend, thankfully no one was going too fast but they're all total d****s there....

thought i'd try lunging on the field before we went back, but that was either flat out or eat .. not good

by the time we got back, COULD have lunged in the grazing field, BUT had run out of time as had promised to be home... 

still, as least she got some exercise and Charlie got more practice at being left on his own!

and they both ended up in very early as i had to go, and my friend wasn't going to be able to come out again as her OH was going out so no one left to childmind....they're a shade TOO young to be left for even 10 minutes...

but, wondering if may be possible to work in their grazing field even with the other one in? might try it and see what happens....

lost feeling in fingers

this morning whilst mucking out and poo picking paddock... too cold to do anything that might involve standing still whilst molly worked round me, LOL. time to find the winter gloves, i think!  winter is upon us...hopefully be able to get something done tomorrow!.

sorry caroline

but we had a lovely day here - your rain has just arrived here.  Hope you have a dry day tomorrow.


But i didn't do anything with Molly this morning as i got up a shade later than i should have - that, and she was MUCH keener to be out than otherwise...

the sun and the moon

this morning whilst i was mucking out: 

and then? lunging, i thought. but all molly wanted to do was whizz around, and since i was not an arena i thought better of that and did some little in hand up the lane.. i hadn't put the ordinary reins on, and just used my body and was actually relatively pleased with the result!.So that's something to improve on with a proper job if the weather is ok tomorrow...

completely off topic for my second post of the day

UK supreme court on TV

dry, unless you're into the subject matter, but it's actually an interesting and important case on executive power.

this morning

my thought was some in hand work up the lane and back.  but before that, of course, she has to have her massage pad on.

so puts that on and sets it away, muck out round her .. half way through - the heavens opened!

that was that idea knocked on the head.

did put bridle on thinking flexions instead, but she was too keen to go out in the field and play with charlie so wasn't going to pay me any mind. 

and, here's a blog to follow - current post, Rollkur 101


http://camera-obscura-billie.blogspot.com/2009/11/rollkur-101-what-you-need-to-know-to.html

clean molly

she hadn't rolled!  which was impressive .. it was the first thing charlie did this morning!

didn't do any work with her today.. think this is going to be a boring winter? ... and whether i do any this morning depends what time we get up and what the weather is like..

i know i said i have access to a nice arena.. getting there in the dark will be interesting, and i don't think i quite fancy it.

we'll see.  if all i do is a bit of groundwork every morning along the lane, that'll keep her ticking over!  or flexions in the stable, or something...

a recommendation for barefoot:

with thanks to trudi for pointing us at this page:

http://eurodressage.com/reports/shows/2009/09gdf/rep6.html

this quote in particular:

"The best way for a horse to go is barefoot! If your horses do not have
problematic hooves or do not change surface too much, Renirie professes
you should keep them barefoot. Rob, who said he became a farrier to
solve a hoof problem with one of his own horses, admitted that he keeps
his horses barefoot."

rain .. sheets of it...

went to morpeth this morning to watch pedro nevez clinic .. cold, wet ..came away earlier than i'd thought i would - enjoyed watching a garrocha lesson! ... 

we decided to get the horses in lunchtime as it was still teeming down and they were soaked...guess what?  it then stopped raining!  but a howling gale has got up.