A day at the stables

[Maize411]

Beautiful little foal! :0)

 

[diamondlil]

The foal has been named Lola already, but the list of names from Jen are going to be used! Today was Lola's first turn out with her protective mum.
And I met my new kitten! I couldn't choose which one today, but the mother cat did let us see her babies, @ 8 hours old here.
Had a lovely hack out on Merlin, who was thoroughly spooked by a field of sheep and needed lots of reassurance that the bleaty monsters couldn't get us.

 

[patm1313]

Well good luck with the kitten, they can be quite a handful.

 

[Snake Dave]

Well good luck with the kitten, they can be quite a handful.

O rly?

Lovely pictures Janine, I love the foal and the kittens! (I love cats, as I'm sure you know)

Have fun with the riding! My Aunt has been riding for about 6 years now, and she only got her own horse about 3 months ago. We barely speak to her anymore because she's down there so often!

All the best

David

 

[diamondlil]

Well good luck with the kitten, they can be quite a handful.

Thanks Pat. I've raised kittens before, and we currently have 2 adult cats, so one more furry terrorist will be no sweat! The kittens' mother is a really sweet girl, although she's nominally a stable cat she's not at all wild and will fling herself at you for cuddles. She abandoned her former owner in the village to live at the stables, so they get first choice of kitten. I don't mind whether I get the blue tabby or one of the tabby and white ones. If I get a girl, she'll be called Bonita, if a boy, El Guapo!

 

[diamondlil]

Thanks Dave. This was my first proper hack out since my back injury. Merlin's terror of sheep combined with a spate of big lorries passing made for an 'interesting' section of the ride. Thanks to Kim's lessons I felt confident and competent enough to keep the poor boy under control and calm enough to deal with his frights. Learning just how scared a great big pony (relative to me) can be and how much they need to rely on their rider in difficult situations is part of the safety issues that Kim and my other friend have drilled into me from my early days when I was first relearning. After we'd passed the scary sheep I had a chance to work on my trotting, I'm still getting the rhythm wrong and getting bounced a bit on rising trot, but I'll get there! Kim's going to work me and Merlin on a lunge rein for my next lesson to help with the trot.

 

[diamondlil]

Instead of being sensible and going to sleep after my 4th nightshift, I got changed and was collected for another horsey weekend. I went with Kim to watch her schooling some horses for clients, but fell sound asleep in the truck at the first yard while she went out for a hack.
After that we went to see another horse she's helped the owner to back, Billy is still only 6 and has been raised using Parelli and is a very laid-back horse. I found lots of ladybirds bumbling about in the meadow.
Then I went to visit my other friend's ponies, Coconuts looks like she'll foal any day now, and Kim gave a schooling lesson for Joey who was not impressed at all and bucked a few times. Afterwards Joey settled down and enjoyed a good cuddle and grooming session.
We had a girly night in resulting in a horrendous hangover this morning, spent more time with Joey and Nuts before heading home. I didn't ride this weekend, but worked on groundwork and handling skills instead

 

[fu1bar3]

you are soooo lucky... joey's awsome. lol... he's got personality and looks.. I think im in love with him. lol.. I love how he is mostly white on one side and the other is mostly black.

 

[diamondlil]

you are soooo lucky... joey's awsome. lol... he's got personality and looks.. I think im in love with him. lol.. I love how he is mostly white on one side and the other is mostly black.

Oh, the first horse there is Billy, a french trotter cross something. Joey's mainly black with white moonboots, some slashes of white and he's got a mad eye wioth some blue in it! I'm not experienced enough to ride Joey yet, he's too inclined to buck, I've ridden him a couple of times before I got broken but can't risk it until I've got better control and he's better schooled. He is my secret favourite out of all the horses and ponies, the best ride I've had was a hack out and gallop on him and I'm hoping I'll be able to ride him again later this year.

 

[fu1bar3]

lol..now that you mention it, i looked back and i can deffinatly tell they are differant horses.

 

[diamondlil]

After a night with Coconuts not foaling, I got to meet the newest arrival at the stables. The sire is Gazaro Hiruda, andalusian. The dam is Quiver, dutch warmblood x thoroughbred. The colt is chestnut with a blaze and 1 white sock, and is a very bold little fellow!
Quiver turned out to be a very calm mum, not at all foal proud, and let us handle and inspect the colt without a qualm. I had a lesson in how to check the afterbirth and disposed of it in the woods. Quiver had her feet trimmed while the colt stayed calmly at her side

 

[diamondlil]

More foal piccies, he's not named yet.

 

[diamondlil]

Merlin had new shoes, and the others had hoof trims. Kim had me taking turns with her in catching and handling the horses for the farrier, who was very patient in explaining how he wanted me to hold them, even when I let Angel learn on him. He pointed out the characteristics of the different horses' feet for me, explained the corrective work he does, and how to help them balance on 3 legs, especially the pregnant mares. A great learning experience.

 

[diamondlil]

Kittens! One of the tabbies from the first litter was found dead, but these 2 girls, a blue tabby and a tabby and white, are mine! I'll be bringing them home in June, I've named them Bonita and Billie The second litter kittens are a black and white boy and girl

 

[diamondlil]

After the work, I got to play with Lola, the welsh x andalusian filly born on the 18th last month. She's turned out with her mum, Loulou, and is growing well. She was very interested in my camera

 

[Susielea]

Thanks for the new pics and the update on last night Looks like the weather has been good south of the River too, it's been very warm over here, but I'm a bit broken at the moment, so I can't get out in it

It's good to see the horses all enjoying the weather though and don't forget to keep us updated on Coconuts

Now off to bed with you, before you start seeing pixies in the garden or something

 

[diamondlil]

Bath and bed coming up! Am sunburnt across my shoulders, so I'll have to stem the hallucinations to find the aftersun cream!

 

[Maize411]

They all look fantastic! and you guys have such a nice ferrier to be so patient with the horses and teaching you what he does..It must have been a great experience..I wish I worked at a stable or at least lived near one...and I love Lola!! her eyes are soo beautiful

 

[fu1bar3]

Who is that silver horse.... i know i know... grey.. but looks silverish...wow..nice

 

[diamondlil]

Mike the farrier was incredibly patient. Some of the horses at the stables have had a few homes and have 'issues', so he is quite firm but also very calm around them. He likes to build up his relationship with them so was very patient with any nervousness. In one picture you can see last year's foal has her head on her dam's rump while he's trimming the dam's feet.
Obviously because there are 13 horses at the stables (don't think I've missed any out in my count), it's a major undertaking when he visits, even if Merlin is the only set of shoes at the moment. Having an extra helper (me!) made the process go smoother, for example the stallion currently turned out with a mare was held by Kim while I held the mare near to keep him calmer. (Rudi wont let her out of his sight and Barbie doesn't like being tied up), then I held the mare while her feet were trimmed while Kim was holding the stallion.
Without help there's a lot of moving horses around and temporary stabling which spooks and upsets everyone.