Why do I ride?

I think this sums it up ...

Have you seen my last video 'Vets and Saddles' on my You Tube channel?  
Horse Life and Love.  Please check it out and SUBSCRIBE.

You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for updates on Chesney, Basil, Tommy and Daisy.

Until next time!   

Jo

The Simple Things

Whilst reading my most recent magazine from the British Horse Society I came across an article about the work their welfare officers do.  Surprisingly, to me at least, they still find that people DON'T check on their horses every day!  Although, I doubt very much that anyone reading this comes into that category I thought a reminder of the simple basics might be useful to pass on ...

Daily (or preferably twice daily) visits are essential to check at a minimum:

·         Water supply - is it available, clean, not frozen (in the winter) ?

·         Food availability - is there grass, if not is there hay (or an equivalent) ?

·         Check for wounds, swellings and any sign of lameness - treat it!

·         Check feet and pick them out to remove any stones.

·         Remove, check over and reposition rugs.

Don't forget

·         Weekly check for poisonous plants or any hazards in the field eg: cans, balloons, broken fence

·         Farrier visits for a trim by a qualified farrier (every 6-8 weeks)

·         Worm counts and worming if necessary (every 8-10 weeks)

·         Teeth checked and rasped by a vet or trained technician (at least annually)

·         Vaccinations - at a minimum for flu and tetanus (annually)

There are obviously a lot more things to be done ideally and especially if the horse is stabled but these are really the minimum that is needed to care for them when at grass.

Have you seen my last video 'Vets and Saddles' on my You Tube channel?  
Horse Life and Love.  Please check it out and SUBSCRIBE.

You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for updates on Chesney, Basil, Tommy and Daisy.

Until next time!   

Jo

Greatest Horses - Red Rum

Red Rum was a bay racehorse and a 3 times winner of the Grand National - which has never been repeated.  

Red Rum, also known as 'Rummie' was born in May 1965, bred by Martyn McEnery in Ireland.   His sire was Quorum and his dam Mared.  As a 2 year old his first race was at Aintree and it ended with him in a dead heat for first.  The same year he won at Warwick.  1968 he won at Doncaster.

Rummie was  sold on because of his mixed performances.  He was also suffering from pedal ostitis (a bone disease).

Red Rum was then bought at 7 yrs for Noel le Mare, he was sent to the trainer Donald McCain (known as 'Ginger').  Taking Red Rum into the sea on a regular basis improved his foot issues and kept him sound to race.    

In 1973 he won the Grand National at Aintree.  He came from 30 lengths behind.

1974 and he won the Grand National again and won the Scottish National but was 2nd in the Hennessy Gold  Cup at Newbury

1975 2nd in the Grand National

1976 2nd in the Grand National

1977 saw him win again!

In 1978 the night before the Grand National he was found to be lame, he didn't run, a hairline fracture was found and he was retired from racing.
Red Rum loved all the attention he got, he made many appearances in public and on the TV.  He led the parade at Aintree until his death.  He never fell in a race although a jockey did come off.

He died age 30 in 1995 and a statue in his honour can be found at Aintree.  He was buried there, facing the winning post!

Have you seen my latest video 'Vets & Saddles'   on my You Tube channel?   
Horse Life and Love.  Please check it out and SUBSCRIBE.

You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for updates on Chesney, Basil, Tommy and Daisy.

Until next time!   

Jo

February 2018 Review

So February hasn't been quite as successful as January, the weather has been worse and often the ground too frozen to do anything, or the wind too strong.  Although it is now light by the time I have finished the horses in the morning AND nearly until I have finished them in the evening I have not enjoyed this month.   Snow this week and temperatures low enough to freeze all the taps made things a bit tricky. However, we now have a new saddle, Basil's back seems A LOT better and we are so ready for spring.  

 
This is how February looked:

1st - Farrier, Basil had his back shoes back on in anticipation of being told I can start riding :)

2nd - pole exercises today

4th - lunged and very good

6th - lunged again today, cantered on wrong lead on right rein L  back to trot, go again

7th - pole exercises

9th - Physio today - Basil is still making great progress, I can start riding, just walk and only for 10 minutes to start with.  Increasing to half an hour over the next 6 weeks.

11th - lunged, windy and he was a bit silly today.  Found Chesney's broken tooth.

12th - vet to Chesney to check his tooth, apart from the fact that one side is missing it looks fine.  PPID blood test too - all good, new changes to his tablets needed.

TOO WINDY

15th - hunt meeting

TOO WINDY

18th - new saddle fitting, s

23rd - tried to lunge Basil but on the way to arena he had a 'moment' I lost him and ended up on my face in the mud !

ICY AND SNOW

Let's just hope March is better, some better weather would be good and I would love the field to start drying out.


What a handsome boy!

 

These 2 have been troublesome this month :(

ter this week I will be uploading my 'What's in my Grooming Kit vlog on my You Tube channel?   Horse Life and Love.  Please check it out and SUBSCRIBE.

You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for updates on Chesney, Basil, Tommy and Daisy.

Until next time!   

Jo