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!
Once again I threw Arlo in at the deep end, affiliating him purely for the Arena UK second round show, and once again he pulled it out the bag. How lucky am I to have such a wonderful little horse? We haven’t really competed this year. I don’t really compete over the winter, and also my horsebox was away for repairs up until the beginning of June, so I had no transport even if I’d wanted to.
With the dry ground we don’t seem to be having much luck with shoes, as little madam managed to pull both her front shoes off within 12 hours the other day! We entered the arena with two shoes on for a schooling session and left it with one missing (took about an hour to find it). Then that afternoon, as I went to put some hoof ointment on, I looked down and had to double take, thinking I was looking at the wrong hoof. But, no, the other shoe was missing too.
After having a long wait and some lunch at the onsite café, it was time to get ready for the Joan Wolfe Overall Supreme Shetland Pony Championship. I got changed out of my usual showing outfit into black trousers and a maroon top with white spots, as you are expected to be a bit more “bling” in the evening.
We were all set to go for our next outing, and were super excited. That was until I heard the dreaded clunk of a loose shoe! I checked it over, praying it wasn’t too loose, but, nope, it was going to need a refit.