Ponies, lessons, haylage . . .

Saturday

farrier for both

Mac

Normal shoes not eponas in front as needs better grip in mud. Hinds back on as wearing them wonky (hinds high inside wearing outside). Farrier said strong feet - coping barefoot, but the wonkiness is a problem so needs shoes back on. Now I know I could get boots, boot him to reduce wear, etc, and keep trying, but with the winter sporadic hacking, etc. I chose not to.

Remi

Eponas back on (I wanted normal shoes as better grip in mud - but he has bruising still coming out of right fore) and eponas will protect him. Normal behind as before. Said has grown lots of foot. Said is growing inside foot but not outside foot. Says has slightly over corrected this by trimming more so is more normal over course next 5 weeks. Was a bit - how does that fit with vet saying do bare minimum and leave alone, but equally can see farriers logic in the balancing he is doing. I dont have the brain power . . .

Had nice long sunny hack with new sharer N who seems very nice. Had too laugh, she sat very nicely on Remi - but didnt seem very in charge of him (Remi has slightly learnt that I let him go when his feet feel good and when he wants to go). He is very stoppable but does try his luck occasionally which is my fault really for teaching him this. I have had to say to both sharers - only let him canter WHEN you tell him. TELL him no. And he is then fine. My fault for hacking him alone lots and being a speed freak!

Back and N helped me move lots of pallets for hay delivery.

Made hay bags, tidied up stables, put up water bucket holders, manger holder, rug rack, plaque outside Mac's stable

Sunday

Good lessons

Me on Mac. Working on M61 - sitting trot - dont grip with legs Mac hates it. And the trot IS more forward than I think it is. Insist on right bend but dont hang on to rein, ask release, repeat. Need outside left to stop him falling. Soften my right shoulder - sink it to seatbone (both reins, makes big difference). Carry hands and imagine balancing drinks in them.

Funny bit - on circle preparing for canter HP in corner. Trainer says more jump, more canter, imagine you are building canter to go over big fence. Mac leapt in the air, shook his head between his knees and did a series of plunges with very expressive front leg flinging. Me shouting at him "MACKINGTOSH - BEHAVE" and he subsides. Horse lunging leaps too, and Jo stops warming Remi up. Jn stiches as she says she thinks he refused the fence. I pick canter back up and carry on. Not entirely sure what that was about - me driving too hard and asking for more. Something he saw? Joys of winter? He did a funny warming up - he tripped and used it as an excuse to speed off. He mostly worked really well and tried really hard, so bit out of the blue. He carried on, did another right canter half pass, three on the left and finished, quite happy.

We are still a long way off being credible at M61, however when is good, is really good. Just such a lot to remember and it comes up fast. However, it will be good for us, and give us new challenges.

J had her first lesson Remi. She is crooked opposite way to me - which is fab She and Remi are generally a good pari. They had fun, more lessons planned, all good. I came in at end and Remi was all inflated in a good way, and looking very pleased with himself. So fab

Monday
Remi had second (final) steriod injection. Who knew his skin and muscle was so tough and the needle was so thick. However we achieved it, and he was angelic. Mac got schooled.

Tuesday morning, I put extra liners on ponies and gave them an extra large breakfast. Then scrubbed out water trough in winter field. Day off for both horses.

Have 30 small haylage bales stacked on pallets at top new winter field. Have agreed to buy a small daily amount from yard big bale for stabling / travelling. So hopefully no more battling with wheelbarrowing hay through mud.

new small bale haylage is:

8.9% protein (compared to 5-7% old stuff)
5.7% sugar (compared to 7-8-9%)
dry matter 65% (compared to 60%)
DE 9.1 (compared to 8.3)

Made from meadow grass (not rye which other was based on)

So hopefully will be better value, easier to handle, Remi wont be a bit runny behind, and I wont need to supplement as much extra protein in their diet.

Fingers firmly crossed.Will see how new haylage goes, how long 30 bales last. Am thinking I need to get it analysed from a point of view of copper / zinc / selenium, but will see if can make it last long enough to be cost effective.