The Not-So-Secret Diary of Diva the Shetland Pony - Floof!
18/04/2024Diva (Melland Queen of Scots) usually gets her summer coat quite early compared to other horses and ponies, but this year she has been holding onto hers for a lot longer.
As mentioned in a previous blog, the way the grass is growing this year is causing problems for people with good doers. This time last year Diva and Mabel were out 24/7 and I was getting to the stage of giving a little hay at night as the grass just wasn’t growing. This year I feel I can practically see it growing. Mabel is out all the time as, although she is a good doer – as most cobs are – she isn’t greedy and so quickly self-regulates her intake. Diva, however, is a different story. The first flush of grass growth after the winter caught me out and I have been fighting to keep her from getting too fat ever since!
I have made a small area at the top of the paddock and put Mabel and Diva in there for a few hours a day before bringing Diva back in and putting her on the horse walker and lunging her. Getting her heart rate increased even two or three times a week helps offset any health issues. It is quite funny to see just how accurate they are when I move the electric fence a little. They don’t miss a blade that is available!
The recent hot weather means the grass in the ‘bald’ area is slowing its growth and so I can begin to increase Diva’s turnout. Unfortunately, it has no shade until the evening so I have turned her out at night rather than in the day. During the day, Mabel has access to the whole field, which has two lovely mature trees for her to get under if she needs to. She does use them like a field shelter and stands under there when the flies are bad and if it is too hot or rainy.
I always make sure that there is a large block of rock salt in the field near the water trough and both Mabel and Diva do lick it regularly.
I am pleased that I haven’t got a show whilst the heatwave is forecast as I think I might just decide to stay at home instead!
