After the kerfuffle we had the week before with trying to get Bob out to a show, I’m pleased to say we managed it for the next one, hurrah! He still pranced about a bit on the yard but was not as naughty and didn’t have zoomies up and down the yard this time!
The recent prolonged cold spell brought numerous challenges to those of us with horses and ponies. Suddenly, providing the basics of care was so much harder – the biggest of these probably being water supply. Horses need a lot of water per day and can get impaction colic if they don’t receive it.
As I write this blog, both Diva and I are on a mission to lose some weight and get fitter for the coming show season. I have started to lunge Diva daily, something she really enjoys and if I don’t put a lunge rein on her, she will trot and canter around quite happily with little or no encouragement from me.
What a difference a few days makes in the weather. I quite enjoyed the hard frosts as the horses came in relatively clean and it gave them (and me) a break from the sloshy mud, although after it defrosted it was a bit squishy for a time. I do have to say though the evenings being slightly lighter for longer is nice as is the dry weather – roll on spring!
Florence, Mabel’s daughter, is currently furthering her education whilst Michelle is busy with training her point-to-pointers. I would say Florence has gone to boot camp, but the photos and videos we receive show her clearly enjoying herself and being pampered.
I have a wonderful new addition to the family, another ex-racer from the same yard as Ben and he really has made quite the entrance to the family. On the night I was due to see him, I was staying with my work in Derby and he was in Lincoln.
Happy New Year Everyone! We hope you had a nice festive and New Year break. We got struck down (and I’m still currently sick) with the flu bug going around! However, being the stubborn madam that I am, I didn’t let that, or a sore back stop me too much over the break - although I did have to pull out of the show I had planned to attend with Bob (but we’ve rescheduled to another show in 2 weeks’ time instead).
Much to my happiness and my partners concern over my pelvis injury (it’s healing well), we managed to tick another goal off my list for 2022.
Traditionally, showing used to stop in the winter, usually around the time of the Horse of the Year Show in October, and would recommence in the spring around Easter time. Nowadays, showing goes on all year round with classes mostly taking place in indoor arenas.