Any MNers with horses out there?

[Longlegs1972]

and how do you cope?

I'm getting really down cos I never get the time to spend with mine....

Hello again Rodeo.

I know exactly what you mean with that kind of slip/injury. My girlie shredded a new pair of boots doing the self same thing.

We've had another lesson. It seems to go very well for the first half hour, and then we're knackered! We both struggle to do justice to the instructor, due to being so totally unfit. I know it will improve, but for now it's bloody hard work.

I have an over active thyroid (recently discovered) which means that my heart rate is about 100 beats per minute when I'm not excercising and I can only assume it goes off the scale when I'm having a lesson as I end up a lump of gasping jelly at times! My GP has put me on Beta Blockers to slow my heart rate a few days ago so I'm hoping that helps. It's a bit embarrasing to have to walk after 5 minutes of trot just to get your breath back.

Pixel! Any news???

I have a new phone and have taken a few pics of girlie but don't have the foggiest as to how to download them on to the puter. Any suggestions gratefully received!!

hi
Can I join in We have a selection of old crocks and outgrown childrens ponys and ponys that I have bought for the kids that turned out to be nutters so I kept to ride instead, 5 altogether. Currently I ride a 14.2 cob that I bought for my son, who is now so busy with school stuff he doesnt have time to ride and a mad 13.2 Appaloosa that I bought as a childs pony 3 yrs ago. My real love is endurance riding, my old arab is 19 and retired and I am currently eyeing up a new arab mare, alongside putting the mad appaloosa in foal to a lovely grey arab stallion up the road. Both ideas would be utter madness but never mind I normally have several months grace before DH notices a new addition anyway!
I am a bit of a nervous nellie now too and havent jumped for years but am going to a "get back into jumping clinic" with the cob on Sunday-so if you never hear from me again, it all went belly up
Pixel-Im just the other side of Lewes,if you ever fancy a ride give me a shout.

madold - have the same thing -= much spookier now going loads better in terms of an outline etc - tonight spooked at large (and i mean large) stone that prevents cars going down lane - it's only been there for 2 years. Have an albion saddle too, was second hand took me ages to track down but i love it and feel i ride much better in it .
mummy williams - not quite certain what i spend, but insurance for mare and companion pone about £35/month, hay about £350/year, hard feed tricky i just buy it as and when as my nearest neighbours are also feed merchants - the alfalfa is about £8 bag, speedibeet (unmolassed sugar beet ) £7 and the spillers stuff the same. I think my biggest costs are now lessons ( since have discovered fab instructor and am getting heavily into stressage), competing and shoeing as mad nutter has to be sedated every time so total cost for that every 8 weeks is about £120+ although i make sure that innoculations, teeth rasping etc are done at the same time as shwoing visits to reduce call out charges.
Oh and supplements - the modern horse apparnetly cannot live without joint supplementation - one arm/month, in addition to vitamins etc. partial leg/month

Hi all - isn't it nice that the sun has appeared again? Not in time to save DD's proposed 'riding on the beach' trip with her instructor - it was cancelled due to the weather only for it to be glorious all day! I was that she was going, can't remember the last time i did that, but sad for her that it got cancelled. But she didn't do too badly - the alternative was a 2.5 hour hack to another village where one of the livery owners has a pool house, so when they got there they cooled off in the pool till someone brought along fish/chips, then tennis outside etc and then those that still had the energy rode home again too.
I got a vary tired girl home that night.

Madold - really good news about your saddle - there's nothing quite like a comfortable saddle that fits the horse well.
Am generally of you all riding atm - I just never get time to sort anything out. I think I am going to devise a mission statement about arranging regular riding and stick it up in the kitchen or somewhere so I get reminded often.

Loshad - the mention of a 'nutty' horse and alphalpha in the same breathe sets alarm bells off for me. Some horses find it hard to tolerate alphalpha - it has a very high calcium content, which if not balanced by enough magnesium elsewhere in the diet can interfere with various systems such as glucose processing, and how the nervous impulses are transmitted. If your 'nutty' horse is nervy/skittish and hard to keep weight on then you might consider either cutting out the alphalpha or adding a magnesium supplement to balance it out. (There are actually 'horse calmer' products out there that are magnesium based).
Could be irrelevant to you, but worth being aware of I think.

I think I had other stuff to say but now I have previewed this I can't see the other posts!

bamzooki
she gets added Mg. i buy pure MgOx and add that to her diet, much cheaper than nupafeed etc - she is just slightly "mad" - with or without the alfalfa - in the summer i often cut it out/right down but it definately suits her better than loads of concentrate.
always interested to contemplate better diets though so feel free to suggest other things - she's having spillers molasses free mix (was ok without it until workload upped quite a bit) unmolassed sugar beet, alfalfa lite ie not over molassed, a chondrition/glucosamine joint supplement, general vit/min supplement and the MgOx, plus a salt lick. works 6 days/week - hardest in dressage lessons (me too) but mix of hacking, schooling and competing at local level.

Hi all, got back from my camping holiday yesterday so have been catching up. I had a fabulous time despite the weather, luckily each time we went out riding it stayed dry until just after we got back so how's that for timing?! We got a bit changed around with horses as a couple of the ones we'd booked had coughs. I was asked to ride a nice little piebald cob but my sister saw the look of complete horror on my face when they said he was a bit lively and easily wound up and offered to swap. So there we were, my tall sister on the little pony and 5'2" short-legged me on a 16.2hh appaloosa! He was great though and I was glad to have him when I saw what the littl'un was getting up to in front of me. Sis didn't mind, she's used to lively ones. It was so beautiful in the woods. We had a bit of a hairy moment when a couple of chinook helicopters came right over us and we thought my mum's horse was going to bolt but the sight of a gorgeous stag standing only a few feet away with a doe at his feet more than made up for that. He just stood and watched us ride by and wasn't bothered even when we were talking. Oh I didn't want to come home!

Now we are back we will be continuing the search for the 'perfect pony'. I'm even more keen now!

Miggy, that's very kind of you to say I could ride one of your ponies. Have you got any that aren't mad? .

Pixel sounds great, miggy how did your jumping clinic go?
took rosie SJ yesterday, jumped 2 lovely clear rounds and was third (is no way ready to race against clock) so i was a very happy bod.

Hello everyone!

Just thought I would share my news.... I did my first canter today, it was brilliant. I don't know why I was so worried. I smiled all day at my achievement Can't wait for my lesson on Saturday.

Bumping thread too!

OOHH horses! Well hello there! I have a 6 yr old Pintaloosa who is in New Zealand. I am going back in 2 weeks (woo hoo!) and will get to see my boy again. We are going to be showjumping this upcoming season so wish me luck! (Season in NZ that is so October onwards)

hi there cana be cheeky and hijak thread with a question?

I live high up on a hill so is prob colder than average, but still very warm since end March when horse was turned out, with no rug.
He still has some winter coat left which will no brush out. it looks awful as where his summer coat is through is very shiney,(he is black) Any tips to get rid of it?
He is welsh cob by the way and has plenty fat to keep him warm
Thanks

Oh an mummy williams WELL DONE

Oh anD mummy williams WELL DONE

why is my post had &gt added to it?

lilymolly what kind of brush are you using? A soft rubber brush grabs the hair really well... might be worth a try?

Hi everyone,

I'm soooo sorry I didn't find this sooner!

I am potty about horses, used to ride as a kid, but haven't been able to afford lessons since having DS and buying a house (haven't got spave for one of my own either)

Is there anyone in the Swindon vicinity who would be willing to consider a share scheme?

Please let me know!!

Cheers,

lilymolly - how old is your cob?

lilymolly - another thought - when was he last wormed? Worm burden can cause them to hold their winter coat.

oh I ashamed to tell you he has not been wormed recently

Their is only him and a shetland and have no access to any other horses grazing, so I have always thought the risks where very low for worms, but thats a great thought and I will worm him tommorrow.

He is only 8 btw

lilymolly - I would think exactly as you in your situation - in theory the risk should be small. It was just something that I remembered.
So rather than spend a small fortune on wormers right now - why now get an egg count done to see what that says? It's far far cheaper, and saved me a packet when I had my horse in a similar situation, also helps reduce the risk of resistance too.

sorry - why not. And i am assuming you realise I am talking about a faecal egg count?

Morning
Everyone sounds well!
Bamzooki, no wonder you were your dd's ride sounds lovely! How old is she? And yes you must get back into riding - is your mission statement up yet?!
Pixel, your hols sound lovely too, so glad you all had a lovely time - did you take the kids too or was it a girls holiday? Happy pony hunting, won't be long now!
Madold, glad your lessons are going so well I find one to one lessons a bit much, I prefer to have a lesson with one or two others to take the pressure off (and the HR down!) How are the tablets doing?
Mummywilliams - well done Keep us updated with your progress! When is your next lesson?
Went out for a nice ride yesterday but didn't check the events diary and got caught up in a sports endurance pleasure ride . We were against the tide too Never mind! Oh and the lane we keep the horses on has collapsed (lots of old alabaster mines in the area) we only drove the horsebox along it yesterday! So I've got to make my way over to the stables cross country on the bike later!
Hello to the new posters - Miggy, Haribosmummy, Lillymolly (rubber curry comb/shedding blade/scouring pad?!)
On with the housework......

Hi Rodeo, lucky escape with your horsebox!

It wasn't a girls' holiday, although there were times we wished it was! Still someone had to look after the children while we rode and be ready with the bacon sandwiches when we got back, so the men had their uses . Unfortunately the children only got to ride once as the place was so booked up, we got the last slot! There is a nice little trail that goes through a pretty thatched village and into the woods in a circle. It takes 1/2 hr which is perfect for tots on the lead rein and dcs loved it. Dd looked a bit white-faced going out but was grinning by the time she came back and ds was bouncing up and down as soon as he got in the saddle. Luckily the pony didn't know that's his and Star's 'secret' signal to trot or we'd have been off up the road!

Back to the pony hunting but getting a bit disheartened by my lack of funds. I've seen lots of suitable looking ponies but out of our price range. My sister's friend started looking for her ideal horse at the same time as us and she found him at the weekend (helpful mum with cheque book ) but we have promised to look after him while she has an operation so no doubt she will let me have a ride or two .

Can i ask what is prob a really stupid question ?

I am trying to sort out a part loan of a pony for my dd, she is 3.6yo and is 3 &1/2 foot tall...would a pony of 12.2hh be too big for her to ride?

TIA

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