The birth of a foal is an exciting yet daunting time. Foals, like babies, require a lot of TLC, especially during the immediate post-birth period. They won’t be tucked up inside a cot; they’ll be up and about in a matter of hours, needing to feed and build strong bonds with their dams.
Well we have news on the horsebox – we have sourced an engine! Yipee! It has arrived at my garage and they are doing the necessary bits to get the old boy back on the road! I can’t lie – I will be so happy when I get it back (despite the £’s it is costing!) as I’m desperate to get us back out again.
Like pretty much everyone this autumn, Diva and her stablemates are seeing more than their fair share of mud. Good old Leicestershire clay means gateways and well-travelled areas can get poached and deep with mud. So far, I have slipped onto my bottom only once and that was before the gateway got very muddy at all.
The show opened its doors once again to horsey folk around the UK eager to grab a bargain and Equesure was prepared! After the success of last year's event, the team headed up by Rosie this year, packed up the van and was on the road to setup.
So the horsebox is still not very happy at the moment, it’s been assessed several times and lots of tests done to see if repairs can be made….but ultimately it is not good news the old boy needs a lot of work☹.
It is hard for me to believe that a full year has now passed since Andrew and Hannah Britland of Melland Shetlands delivered Diva to me.
Local horse and pony rug company, Ruggles, put a shout-out on Facebook recently for a horse that takes a 6’6” rug and has a bigger, broader frame. Mabel fitted the bill and so I contacted Ruggles, who do a range of rugs for heavy horses from size 6’9” to 7’6”.
It goes without saying that you want your horse to live a long and prosperous life – a balanced diet is the biggest contributing factor to this.
You’re right to think that your horse might need a few more provisions made in the winter, when the weather is cold, the field bare and illness more common.