A chance encounter with my other halfs “Stuff” magazine led me to the tumblr site and the idea to have a permanent web record of the highs and lows with competition horse, Frankie my little pony, Phillie and new recruits to the gang Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Cilla to her friends and foal Herbie Rides Again all of whom live at our yard Lake View Stables near Oakley, BUCKS.
Although most of my waking hours, like most horsey folk are spent earning the money to (almost) afford them; my thoughts are split between them and the day to day worries and joys of my family, (one long suffering hubby, a beautiful grown up daughter; one practically perfect teenage son and the terrible terriers Mungo and Freddie).
Whether you chance upon this site or indeed are dragged there by my nagging e-mail or phone messages, I hope that you enjoy our journey as much as we are…
“God forbid that I should go to any heaven in which there are no horses.”
R. B Cunningham Graham letter to Theodore Roosevelt 1917
When the preferable is not available, the available is preferable.
Cilla has been at Toms since November 11th and - well - she really is a project horse..!!!
Firstly that cough needed sorting - more antibiotics and a diagnosis of RAO - we need to keep her out, exercised and on dustfree food and bedding. Then teeth - OMG - they hadnt been done for years and were painfully sharp. Then back and neck were examined by AJ and she was trotted up. Luckily we find that she is sound and straight with no pain or problems.
After plenty of rest and all this treatment, Tom cracked on but Cilla shook sweated and generally misbehaved and so after a couple of attempts on my behalf to ride her we consulted K our vet who agreed that a course of “regumate” may help.
Undeterred DJ joined the procession of experts and brought out a saddle which he fitted.
Keep smiling keep going :)
Jem “rescues” Adam from Manc - very exciting as we havent seen much of him all term…
Em and Sarah shop for a tree and have the mulled warming, the xmas wreath and mistletoe hung up …. so starts xmas 2011.
The weather remains mild and the horses stay in the field looking well. Even the winds are light, amazing for Lake View. However, a few days of rain reduced the field area around the shed to a mushed up mess. This will need reseeding and resting fairly shortly.
Mungo J and Freddie view the activity suspiciously, excursions to the loft often mean suitcases and a trip to Debbies for something called a holiday…
Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass its about learning how to dance in the rain.
Is there no end to the procedures that the little guy needs….
Herbie is gelded late in the afternoon just as he reached 6 mnths of age.
At the same time a microchip is inserted and the drawings are completed for his passport.
He has to stay in a stable overnight but unfortunately then haemorrhages and the vet is called again to sedate him and re clamp the area. This time he needs antibiotics and a further 4 days in the stable. Cilla hates this and develops a cough which indicates allergic emphysema and then she needs antibiotics!!
About 10 days after gelding we separate Cilla and Herbs in adjacent paddocks across an electric fence. He is fully healed and bouncing around.This works like a dream, Cilla is relieved and Herbie doeesnt panic. They occasionally call - but it is stress fee. Cilla loves to be with Frankie and the feeling is def mutual!! Having brought Herbs up with electric fencing, I would not hesitate to wean this way again - the trick is to geld as soon as the mare and foal are independent in the paddock and the foal is at least 6 m old, then keep them close but separated by a well charged fence triple strung and tensioned. The foal needs to be familiar with hay or haylage, halter trained and confident with a bucket feed and a quick groom. This makes handling him and keeping him healthy so much easier.
Frankie is a great distraction to a newly separated mum.
About a week later I decide to send Cilla for training and to complete weaning - with hindsight I should have left them for 4 to 6 weeks - so that she is actually dry of milk and settled. The move so soon after being put into separate paddocks does distress her and the cough returns….
