He’s so good following along loose, the only time I tried it with Hank he hung back to eat grass then came galloping past us to take himself home ?
Chunky Monkey gang
- Thread starter chunky monkey
- Start date
Yes he is but he had already stopped to nibble a gorse bush and an ash tree, so i did have to go back twice and tell him off. But along the track there hes been pretty good so far. Maybe because we are almost home. If he gets too far behind he will trot to catch up. Im just glad i can let him go as i do find it quite tiring leading as he is struggling with his stride to keep up. I sometimes feel like im dragging him which is not ideal. But its the only way i can give him the exercise without his rider.
So im alternating between leading one day and driving the next.
Ive also been trying to lead him on the left to practice since that thread the other day. But thats proving interesting. Chunky wants to hang back more instead of the side and Billys got a little upset with the lead going that side of his bum if he gets behind. Ive had a few little bucks and leg kicks. More desensitising needed that side for sure.
So im alternating between leading one day and driving the next.
Ive also been trying to lead him on the left to practice since that thread the other day. But thats proving interesting. Chunky wants to hang back more instead of the side and Billys got a little upset with the lead going that side of his bum if he gets behind. Ive had a few little bucks and leg kicks. More desensitising needed that side for sure.
I showed mr t your video - wow he was impressed and thinks you are super confident and that your horses are fabulous - which I agree with! I just can't imagine any of ours being that well behaved. What a lovely riding track too. I felt like I'd had a hack, specially with the spare horse lol could have been made for me!!! I really enjoyed watching that.
Oh i really think chunky would give you your confidence back. Hes exactly what you need. Hes had several first time riders on him over the years.
Once this virus is over i have promised a young lad whose never ridden a ride. He wont go far on chunky but i wouldnt risk him on billy till ive seen him sit on a horse. If he gripped on billy hed be off in a flash.
Once this virus is over i have promised a young lad whose never ridden a ride. He wont go far on chunky but i wouldnt risk him on billy till ive seen him sit on a horse. If he gripped on billy hed be off in a flash.
Gosh havent updated this since June, where does the time go.
My lambs all got weaned from mums last weekend, so it was a little noisy for a couple of days but all is quiet now. The ram lambs have joined to too big rams for a few months till they are ready for the freezer.
The ewe lambs are getting use to floss each night. She rounds them up to bring them to the food troughs for me so i can check them. When they are with there mums they tend to follow mums to learn the routine. But take mums away mums and they forget themselves and they get a bit of panic worry when they see the dog. So i use the dog to dog the lambs for a week or so. Eventually they will stop acting silly when they see her.
Ive still got two of last years calves running in with the rams as they werent settled and there halter training wasnt as successful as normal years, so i turned everything else back out on the hill and kept them on our fields together. This week they are starting to get it and im now able to get them to eat out my hand in the field without having to get them in. The one will have a fuss but the other is on a take it leave it bases so she definitely needs more work.
My lambs all got weaned from mums last weekend, so it was a little noisy for a couple of days but all is quiet now. The ram lambs have joined to too big rams for a few months till they are ready for the freezer.
The ewe lambs are getting use to floss each night. She rounds them up to bring them to the food troughs for me so i can check them. When they are with there mums they tend to follow mums to learn the routine. But take mums away mums and they forget themselves and they get a bit of panic worry when they see the dog. So i use the dog to dog the lambs for a week or so. Eventually they will stop acting silly when they see her.
Ive still got two of last years calves running in with the rams as they werent settled and there halter training wasnt as successful as normal years, so i turned everything else back out on the hill and kept them on our fields together. This week they are starting to get it and im now able to get them to eat out my hand in the field without having to get them in. The one will have a fuss but the other is on a take it leave it bases so she definitely needs more work.
Asked someone to come and help me in the field with billy as im having a few issues.
My riding lesson yesterday was as i expected, a bit of a disaster. I said i couldn't ride and i was right. Several of the things that have already been explained to me by others have gone out the window clearly. It was like one of those repeditive songs. I dont know how to make it sink in. Its the fundamental basics that i cant even grasp. Its no wonder im having lots of issues. The biggest problem is me, as i dont set the horse up to suceed, but i can easily manage to set him up to fail.
My riding lesson yesterday was as i expected, a bit of a disaster. I said i couldn't ride and i was right. Several of the things that have already been explained to me by others have gone out the window clearly. It was like one of those repeditive songs. I dont know how to make it sink in. Its the fundamental basics that i cant even grasp. Its no wonder im having lots of issues. The biggest problem is me, as i dont set the horse up to suceed, but i can easily manage to set him up to fail.
It’s so easy to slip into bad habits, and then you build muscle memory for the bad habits, stick with the lessons and you’ll get there ?
Two happy rams tonight. They were getting very frustrated and major scraps as they could smell the hormones of the girls on heat during the week. They were not even coming for there food every night. Wanted to put them with the girls a couple of weeks ago but weve had such gales and wet at weekends when im off i refuse to handle soggy sheep.
Had the day off work due to work being cancelled now we are back in lockdown. Made the most of the dry weather got the ewes in the barn and split them up to go to the two rams. Knew i couldnt manage to foot trim all 22 sheep so we did half plus the two rams. I was working on back feet, brother was doing front feet. Got the remaining ewes to do tomorrow whilst its still dry. But all jonahs lot are done and went across to the far field.
Unfortunately i did manage to sustain an injury courtesy of one fidgeting, kicking ewe. She was such a so and so, and kicked so hard my arm was thrown around and i managed to jab the point of the hoof clippers straight full on into my thumb. I put my finger straight on to compress it before the blood could spurt and brother went to grab some kitchen roll to wrap round. The wriggling so and so was just determined to not play ball and in the end i sat on her in the sheep turn crate with a throbbing thumb while my brother finished her feet.
We carried on foot trimming the last few but i was in plenty of pain with my thumb so found it difficult to do the perfect job. I was determined they were getting trimmed though before the rams went in.
Boys were certainly happy. 3 girls on heat and served within 30 minutes of seeing the ladies. At least there wont be anymore fights between them for a few months. By the time the boys go back together the hormones will minimal.
Had the day off work due to work being cancelled now we are back in lockdown. Made the most of the dry weather got the ewes in the barn and split them up to go to the two rams. Knew i couldnt manage to foot trim all 22 sheep so we did half plus the two rams. I was working on back feet, brother was doing front feet. Got the remaining ewes to do tomorrow whilst its still dry. But all jonahs lot are done and went across to the far field.
Unfortunately i did manage to sustain an injury courtesy of one fidgeting, kicking ewe. She was such a so and so, and kicked so hard my arm was thrown around and i managed to jab the point of the hoof clippers straight full on into my thumb. I put my finger straight on to compress it before the blood could spurt and brother went to grab some kitchen roll to wrap round. The wriggling so and so was just determined to not play ball and in the end i sat on her in the sheep turn crate with a throbbing thumb while my brother finished her feet.
We carried on foot trimming the last few but i was in plenty of pain with my thumb so found it difficult to do the perfect job. I was determined they were getting trimmed though before the rams went in.
Boys were certainly happy. 3 girls on heat and served within 30 minutes of seeing the ladies. At least there wont be anymore fights between them for a few months. By the time the boys go back together the hormones will minimal.
My poor thumb is throbbing still this morning and its still bleeding a bit. Have just run under the cold tap to try and take the swelling down some.
That sounds really horrid, lots of healing vibes. Fingers and thumbs hurt like hell and are underestimated in the pain scale of things. (I once broke my little finger and it was vile for 48 hours until my mother took me to the hospital on the Monday!)
I didnt name him, that was his pedigree name when we brought him. Cant remember his prefix just now.
My finger hurts so much all ive managed to do is my cat sitting and feed the dogs. Slept on the sofa all morning. Postponing the rest of the foot trimming. No way i can hold sheep feet with my thumb. State im in i can see me obtaining further injuries.
My finger hurts so much all ive managed to do is my cat sitting and feed the dogs. Slept on the sofa all morning. Postponing the rest of the foot trimming. No way i can hold sheep feet with my thumb. State im in i can see me obtaining further injuries.
Still battling my poorly sheep. Stupidly today i popped a rug on her and let her out to stretch her legs. Little minx decided to venture off to the bottom of the field to join the other ewes. Stupid ewe decided not to walk up with the others to the sheds this afternoon. So i walked down to the bottom of the field with head collar and floss. But she was so awkward and weak. She kept throwing herself on the floor. In the end i left her, had to walk home get the rtv and drive down to her. Tried lifting her in the cab. But she was to weak to help herself and i could not pick her up off the floor either. So back home to ask brother to come and help me lift her in, so we could take her to the sheds.
I will not be making the mistake of letting her out in the field for a leg stretch again. Even though i notice sheep was eating grass. Its far to cold for her to stay out when shes so ill. Shes clearly not well enough to get herself back to the yard.
Its really upset me this evening. Think this is the end of the road for her. Ive tried for a month to get her eating. The only thing ive got her eating is brambles. I have to go clip a bucket of bramble leaves twice a day. Which is very time consuming. Shes got another 7 weeks till lambing. Thats if shes even got anything live left in her. Really cant see how i can sustain this care. Not sure its fair on her now either. Shes clearly very weak. It was really difficult trying to manhandle her this evening, so its probably taken a lot out of her too.
I will not be making the mistake of letting her out in the field for a leg stretch again. Even though i notice sheep was eating grass. Its far to cold for her to stay out when shes so ill. Shes clearly not well enough to get herself back to the yard.
Its really upset me this evening. Think this is the end of the road for her. Ive tried for a month to get her eating. The only thing ive got her eating is brambles. I have to go clip a bucket of bramble leaves twice a day. Which is very time consuming. Shes got another 7 weeks till lambing. Thats if shes even got anything live left in her. Really cant see how i can sustain this care. Not sure its fair on her now either. Shes clearly very weak. It was really difficult trying to manhandle her this evening, so its probably taken a lot out of her too.
Ah no, that’s sad, poor sheep. But even with your best efforts I wouldn’t think bramble leaves would be enough to sustain her let alone help her recover 
perhaps interestingly, blackberry leaves are meant to help upset tummies, so perhaps that’s why she’s going for those.
perhaps interestingly, blackberry leaves are meant to help upset tummies, so perhaps that’s why she’s going for those.
Keep telling myself i should post more here. But i find myself posting on threads instead.
Im having a very off day today. Second migraine this week. 3 in the afternoon and only just got dressed.
Fed up with it being cold even though its been dry. For the last two days its been blowing a hooley and now its raining and rain forecast for the next week. Have loads of things to do at home but no incentive. Very limited work due to covid, which is nice on the one hand, but i think is part of the problem. Im stuck at home which is making me lazier day by day. Must snap out of it.
Frustrated as i need to move the sheep around, still not done. That should have been done 5 weeks ago. Poor lambs still stuck in the shed. Can we please have a dry, mild week, so i can get them out. Think i will feel a bit better then.
The cows water had refrozen overnight. Desperate for a drink as soon as the ice was broken.
Im having a very off day today. Second migraine this week. 3 in the afternoon and only just got dressed.
Fed up with it being cold even though its been dry. For the last two days its been blowing a hooley and now its raining and rain forecast for the next week. Have loads of things to do at home but no incentive. Very limited work due to covid, which is nice on the one hand, but i think is part of the problem. Im stuck at home which is making me lazier day by day. Must snap out of it.
Frustrated as i need to move the sheep around, still not done. That should have been done 5 weeks ago. Poor lambs still stuck in the shed. Can we please have a dry, mild week, so i can get them out. Think i will feel a bit better then.
The cows water had refrozen overnight. Desperate for a drink as soon as the ice was broken.
Nice beasts! I've probably asked this before (apologies if so).But do they live out all year round? All the coos up here go in at the end of November and don't come back out again until March.
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