Monkey's first big adventure (more pics added)

Jessey

Jessey

Well-Known Member
Dec 20, 2004
28,396
18,038
113
43
Suffolk, UK
I thought I would do a mini diary of our first trip. I'm really hoping this will be a great introduction to a lot of things for him, one of those 'the making of him' type trips, but who knows.

We're off to one of my favorite overnight stops, only local but a beautiful campsite, with lovely owners, one of which also happens to be a horse trainer and the other also a rider and they offer horse holiday packages; https://widehamfarm.co.uk/
So its set up really nicely with post and rail paddocks etc. We are very lucky in that we can ride almost the entire 15 miles there off road, and the 1/2 mile that is on tarmac is on a private estate so very very little traffic.

And I have great companions for our first big jaunt, my friend L who is great to ride with, previous British team endurance rider (so very trail savvy) on her 6yo highland pony, and her husband C who is less experienced but learnt to ride with L (so learnt the right way!) and has a very reliable 14yo connie. So the Welsh, the Irish and the Scottish on an adventure! These are the mares Monkey met a couple of weeks ago.

We're booked from 5th - 7th May, plan is to ride over day 1, ride locally or possibly just go out in hand day 2 and then watch the coronation at a lovely local pub, then ride home on day 3.
 
  • Like
  • Love
Reactions: Huggy, diplomaticandtactful, carthorse and 2 others
Preparations are well underway, fittening work went well (apart from my 1 unscheduled flying lesson!), we've been doing 6/8 miles reasonably regularly and he's not struggling with that at all so I'm happy he's ready physically. Saddle fit was checked yesterday and he's had saddle bags on without bother.

My packing list is mostly written. I've ordered a syringe of Protexin as a precaution, just because it is no doubt going to be stressful for mr. anxious, it's his first longer ride, his first overnight away, his first night with new friends, and it will be the first time in a while we have ridden anywhere he doesn't know, can't hurt right!

I'm still debating if I should buy ready-made electrolytes (the forecast currently says 20c for that weekend!) or if I should just use the old endurance self-mixed version. And I need to get some oats from somewhere, I don't want a whole sack, just a ziplock full, just in case he runs out of steam because I don't want it to be a battle to get there.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Huggy and Kite_Rider
Sounds great fun.
I recall our first camp. I led her there carrying everything we needed and stayed five days.
That was on the face of it, too long, four would have been better.
But it was good fun.

I hope it goes well, we need lots of photos.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jessey
Looking forward to the updates. It sounds fab for a baby horse - and any other horse come to that, but I'm imagining Niko will be slightly (or massively) more grown up and confident about his job by the time he gets home.

I've never used the syringe electrolytes because Raf likes powdered in a bucket of water. I guess it depends how confident you are that he'll eat/drink normal ones. I've often wondered though - and you might know the answer - if you give them a syringed dose and they refuse to drink, are you risking making them further dehydrated?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jessey
Bodshi said:
I've never used the syringe electrolytes because Raf likes powdered in a bucket of water. I guess it depends how confident you are that he'll eat/drink normal ones. I've often wondered though - and you might know the answer - if you give them a syringed dose and they refuse to drink, are you risking making them further dehydrated?
Click to expand...
The syringe I got is pro and pre biotics. I use powdered electrolytes as I think anything really salty can be very harsh if not mixed with water or feed. Salt alone should elicit a thirst response, if they’re already dehydrated electrolytes can make them not thirsty and then they get more dehydrated, so it has to be given with caution, giving it in water is a good option as you know there’s enough fluid going in with it.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Bodshi
We’re actually not carrying a lot this time, I’d originally booked a glamping pod as they had an amazing deal of £110 for 2 people and 2 horses for 2 nights! Which meant I didn’t need camping gear, just food and clothes, less to carry for his first trip.

Then my original buddy dropped out and L stepped in and a couple of months on C was a bit green about it, so I offered to let L and C have the pod and I’m back to camping!

But as both L and C are coming they are bringing their 2 dogs, which means running back home to get them (they’ll drop a car to wideham in the morning before we ride over), so the plan is when they offload the horses (they have to trailer to me) then I’ll throw all my gear in and when they get the dogs they’ll come back with the horse trailer vehicle. A lot of logistics but they’re happy to get a weekend with ponies and dogs.

I don’t really want an electrolyte complete feed though, I like to be able to tailor how much I give based on how much they have sweated and I already feed mashes routinely so it doesn’t gain me anything.
 
Last edited:
Quandry for the day, I have plenty of hay, and it's good but not the stuff they love. Where we are staying the turnout pens won't have much, if any, grass so what I feed will be his staple for the weekend. I really want him to eat and drink well, as he can drop a girth hole in a day if he doesn't, he's just that sort. So I'm debating bringing haylage for him, which he loves, and will provide some extra fluids. But am I better sticking to the normal hay? I can get a couple of bales and start him on haylage this week so it's not such a shock for his system. I will take him out in hand as much as I can to graze, but it won't be the same as his normal 10 hours on grass!
 
The little things can be such a big pain! I have somehow managed to loose my D-ring savers; Screenshot 2023-05-02 103321.png
They're so simple but make it so much easier to fit my saddle bags to my saddle comfortably, they just hook on the stirrup bar with the string bit and the D sticks out to use, saves so much damage from heavy things on the saddle D's. I spent over 2 hours last night tearing out my shed looking, and another 45 minutes at home this morning, no clue what I have done with them 😢
 
  • Sad
Reactions: Kite_Rider and Huggy
Still no idea when the saddler is coming, though he messaged yesterday to say he hasn't forgotten 🤞

I seem to have TONS of gear packed, I have no idea how I used to manage to pack everything I needed on Jess! Well I do, I knew her well enough to know exactly what I needed so didn't have to pack for every eventuality!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Huggy
Jane&Ziggy said:
That Re-Covery Mash feed is smashing for hot horses, but probably too heavy to carry!
Click to expand...
I ended up with this after all, apparently it’s impossible to buy losalt locally, then I couldn’t get the liquid electrolyte I wanted locally and it was too late to order online.

Monkey ate a little last night, but he wasn’t desperately keen, so hoping it goes down better tomorrow 🤞
 
Saddle flocked, had full weight saddle bags on for the first time (on the lunge) though I had to add a breastplate to stop them bouncing at canter. He was sweet about it, just kept stopping saying he couldn’t cope with the bouncing but happy once secured. So we’re a go! 😁😁😁

I haven’t eaten today, can’t seem to face it! Not sure if it’s nerves or excitement 🤣😬😁😂
 
  • Wow
  • Like
  • Love
Reactions: Kite_Rider, Jane&Ziggy, Trewsers and 1 other person
newrider.com
Top Bottom
Back