We had another couple of busy weeks both with work and the horses – don’t know where the time has gone!
We managed to get two lessons in, one on each weekend for Bob. The first one was fantastic, we did some bounce fences (which yes I was worried he would revert back to his old ways and jump as a spread instead of a bounce – but luckily he didn’t!)
Now that Christmas and the New Year are behind us, along with the shortest day, it is time to start thinking ahead to sunny days and planning shows!
Upkeep of your horsebox is not only key to maintaining the safety of your vehicle but crucial to keeping your horses safe and sound. When it comes to horsebox maintenance, much of your focus should be on the floors and walls of your vehicle.
Owners need to check their horse’s health and wellbeing all year round, but winter can be an especially challenging time. From the cold unpredictable weather, to sparse fields and animals being more prone to illness, your horse will need more care and attention over the winter months.
A lot of animals can get frightened by fireworks. The loud bangs and flashing lights that come with a fireworks display can be stressful for pets, farm animals and wildlife. According to figures from the RSPCA, 62% of dogs, 55% of horses and 54% of cats show distress during fireworks.
Gastric ulcers are a very common problem for horses, but that doesn’t make them any less worrying or painful. Ulcers are very treatable, but the signs can be difficult to spot.
Christmas and the New Year fell nicely this year to create two long weekends of bank holidays. Obviously the horses still need looking after every day.
It’s almost that time of year when it really begins to feel festive! We finally got our tree and decorations up at home (and decorated the dogs much to their dismay) but due to the wet weather have abandoned the idea of the yard as the horses have been in for almost three weeks...
So far this winter we have been very fortunate with the dry weather. I was hoping that this dry spell would last until Christmas, but it was not to be.