There is no wonder us Brits talk about the weather. After the recent sub-zero temperatures and snow, we have now been enjoying warm, sunny and – importantly for horse owners –dry weather. The days are getting longer too, which makes getting up early in the mornings easier now it is light. The mud is finally beginning to dry out, which certainly makes life more pleasant.
The fact that spring is in the air is impossible for me to miss as I live in a cottage on a sheep farm and I am currently surrounded by the deep throaty calls of the ewes and the shrill replies of their lambs. Diva is quite fascinated when we pass a field of sheep and lambs in it whilst on our walks.
I kept finding twigs in the corner of Mabel’s stable and when I looked up, a collared dove was boldly watching me with her beady eyes. I just wish she would use twigs without thorns as poor old Mabel could end up with them stuck in her if she lies down on one. As quick as I clear them up, another pile seems to materialise.
However, the thing to remember is that we are still only in early March. We seem to have this “false spring” each year now, prompting snowdrops and daffodils to bloom, yet only today, the news is heralding another cold snap on its way!
Also prompted by the sunny weather and the promise of shows actually being held, horses and ponies up and down the country are now being tidied up after a winter of being scruffy! Florence, who is staying with my sister, has been tied up in anticipation of getting out and about. She looks beautiful. Mabel is moulting like mad, but the Shetlands Diva and Jackson are clearly aware of the prospect of colder weather and are holding tight to their winter woollies.
I find this one of the toughest topics in the horse world, as everyone does something different. There are thousands of products on the market – all claiming they can cure everything – and nutritionists are often affiliated with a feed company, making any advice potentially biased.
I can say I’ve been able to tick something off my bucket list now: I managed to mount and ride a camel – a brilliant experience. I had great fun grooming my one, named Baxter, and I think the people running it were happy they had people that were used to dealing with big animals and weren’t afraid to get stuck in.
I thought in this first blog post I ought to tell you a little bit about my horses and me, and give you an insight into what you might see from us going forwards. Firstly, my name is Emma. I’m 29 years old and I’ve been riding for as long as I can even remember.
I am currently lightly backing my three-year-old American Quarter Horse before turning him away for the winter. In my previous post, I explained the setbacks this year, and frustratingly I had to start the process much later in the year than I’d anticipated. But things were going well, too well…