It’s almost that time of year when it really begins to feel festive! We finally got our tree and decorations up at home (and decorated the dogs much to their dismay) but due to the wet weather have abandoned the idea of the yard as the horses have been in for almost three weeks...
So far this winter we have been very fortunate with the dry weather. I was hoping that this dry spell would last until Christmas, but it was not to be.
After touching on winter feeding and routines in the previous blog, it was a real coincidence that the yard owner had arranged for Baileys Horse Feed area manager, Sarah Rutter, to visit the stables. She arrived armed with a portable weighbridge and I couldn’t resist getting an accurate weight for both Diva and Julius.
As much as anything else, it’s a matter of safety. Every vehicle needs to be given the once over every once in a while to ensure it is road worthy and not going to break down – but a horsebox, with its precious cargo, needs special attention.
The weather has been a bit awful with the high winds and two days of snow. The horses had to stay in for a couple of day with the winds and rain (much to their displeasure) as I didn’t want them galloping about and slipping over (main culprit would be Bob).
Less saddle time and more jobs seems to be the theme around here since the clocks went back, and annoyingly the ground has been lovely and dry for riding, for the first Winter in 3 years, but we are determined to have jobs done while the weather is still just about on our side.
Do you ever find yourself looking at your horse’s hooves and wonder how ‘feet’ so small can support an animal so heavy and mobile? Some would say equine hooves are a miracle of Mother Nature. But they need plenty of care and attention to ensure they do the job that they are designed to do.
Seeing blood streaming from your beloved horse’s nose can be extremely upsetting for even the most experienced of owners. While in many cases it probably isn’t serious, how can you know whether it’s a simple issue requiring basic first aid?
Riding your horse at night is something even the keenest of equestrians may have never even considered. Whether the idea fills you with excitement or trepidation, there might be times when it’s necessary to ride your equine after dark.