Our Gang - 2015

Lemme

Well-Known Member
May 22, 2008
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East Yorkshire
the first day of 2015 did not start to Plan - got down to the yard to feed up and found daughter had taken store keys home, Charlie is a routine freak so was not sure how not having his bucket - whilst I skipped out and filled his haybar was going to work out - I needn't have worried he was as good as gold altough kept coming to door after I finished looking for it - Acorn not bothered at all as long as hay was produced - the girls had to wait a couple of hours for theirs -they don't get hay - Tess was not impressed and showed it by shoing Nuts up the field as soon as she finished her late feed - totally ignoring me and not stopping for her morning scratch- her mardy face showed exactly what she felt! She had still not forgiven me tonight - hopefully she will be in a better mood tomorrow!

Warm today and the ice has all gone = fields are squeltchy again and have tied the yard otherwise everything this end is good.

Back to work tomorrow but at least I get a night off as daughter will do them before I get home, we need to get hay at the weekend and a suppliment order to place.
 
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12th already, its Cold, dry but bloody windy - we have had some rain but not too much to speak about and the wind has dried up the fields I am not a winter person and it don't get easier with Age!

We had the farrier on Sat am - Charlie has a little bruising on one foot - no surprise there as we had bad frosts on his rutty paddock for a few days - but last year he would have had to stay in or have had bruising on all 4 so in the great scheme of things his feet has greatly improved! Acorn and Tess are both fine . Nuts is sound but the trim has exposed further damage on her fronts following her injury, arthritis, abscess and stress last year - not unexpected but the soles are soft and one in particular I have to keep an eye on - we have given them access to half of the summer field which is better footing so hopefully better for her feet, although if we do get a lot of rain she will have to go back in the winter paddock - she's trotting around quite happily and is first at the fence for her bucket now and in herself back to business as usual ! She's taken to following me around again - secretly I believe in the hope extra food will appear but she's going to be disappointed as we need to keep her weight down to acceptable.

The boys are in again this morning as they are shooting in the adjacent fields to their paddock, with their paddocks being small and Charlie's struggling to last as it is then the last thing we need is charging around and completely trashing it- its blowing a gale over it in any case and there was no interest in coming out this morning from either of them- they will have go out tomorrow though so no doubt they will be in a foul mood tomorrow night when they come in.

We have had all sorts blowing in and around the yard over the past week so have had a couple of moody, off food - sloppy poo days from them but they seem okay now.

daughter and her hubby cleaned the girls field completely at the weekend , its nice to see a poo less field even if just for 1/2 an hour.
 
What can happen in a week, the Gang are all fine, we had shock snow last night not forecast so we are white over and frost this morning, due to things happening I am now looking after all 4 of them for the unforeseeable so I have had to learn to handle Charlie over a few days so I can keep turnout going for him - he has been a really good boy for me and we have so far an understanding, not sure hes not in shock at why me so it could all change (quite unexpected and having to try and cope with his unpredictable manner has always been a worry - but when the going gets tough as they say - I have had to "man" up) - the likelihood is showing is off the agenda for at least 4 months could be the whole season but we are where we are - I will have to spend what time I have come the better months on getting Emma going properly on Acorn. I was hoping to get some snowy pony pics before it disappears and get my January pics out of the way - we will see.
The girls where wormed at the weekend , the boys tonight.
 
Still no pics, been too busy - either Charlie has finally grown up or he has decided I play hard ball - either way hes been a little lamb for me on the handling side! All four where wormed - on weight in

Tess - 420kg
Nuts - 175kg
Charlie - 275kg
Acorn - 155kg

Due to snow having been down and a few frosty mornings Tess & Nuts have shared a flap of hay morning and night - although the temps came up a bit so I lowered the weight of Nuts rug as she went a little quite, this seems to have done the trick and she seems fine now, I should have done it a day earlier, think she may have been a little too warm.

Got another trailer load of hay at the weekend and have put some bales under cover at the field, may need it if the snow reaches us this week - touch and go - I am hoping it stays away.

Acorn started shedding a couple of days back - inline with increased daylight hours and being in on a night - the Shedder is now out!
another job I could do without on my already busy schedule but heres hoping the others hang on to theirs little longer.

I have a few days left to get Pics but not holding my breath
 
1st of Feb - I failed on the pics in January so will try this month.

Weather has been sh*t last couple of days - we did get some snow but didn't last long - but the wind got up and the rain so the fields are full of mud and lakes!

Boys stayed in yesterday due to weather- out today but nodoubt they will be black and wet when they come in - Charlies been a dream but Acorn is in a foul mood - on top of that he is shedding hair and quite p*ssed off at me shedding it - the others are still hanging onto theirs - the girls are locked in the winter paddock as the middle one I gave them access to is waterlogged - they have been getting some hay - not good for Tess as she is heaving (she has mild COPD) so shes on respirator boost to help but other thann that the girls are coping.

Due to the weather the girls field has not had a full muck out today- so wil be double net weekend less what I can see to get out in the dark during the week.

Tidied the yard this morning wheelbarrow full of iced snow where it had been cleared up to the wall sides - so looking tidy again.
ice expected again in the morning - I am def not a winter person!
 
2 weeks on, time is a premium so I sometimes get on to lurk but not time to add into my diary..

Well the boys had their feet trimmed on Monday night - both fine feet wise, however it's that time of year again, Acorn is in Moult and is on and off his bucket food, we had a couple of sweaty days in the week, he seems a bit off - he has a little muscle trauma on his o/s hind again and compensating for it with his front so is a bit stiff, having the previous diaries has been helpful because you can see the comparisons on previous years, last year was worst as he had the field injury which masked some of what is becoming an annual event in Feb/ march - he's out though so that's keeping him moving during the day, something we have learnt helps, nothing obvious in the feet so that's another box ticked, looks like its something we are going to have to work through management wise at this time of year! Arnica gel is going on both inner thighs on a night and I need to get the mag wrap up , these can go on during the day if needs be when dry and on over night on wet days. I will have to watch the damp as well and keep the muscles warm, found rugging was not the answer last year unless he was out in really torrential, hes up at the yard and has access to the Field Shelter this year, Charlie has his own new pad, so hopefully won't be needed. I can put a fleece on over night if it gets really cold always options.

Tess and Nuts are both fine, all 4 will be trimmed early March.

Weatherwise we keep dipping between frost and then dry days - although last couple of days have been dull and grey and we are expecting some rain today.

Still have plenty of standing water in the hill field in the dips, saves worrying about dragging water buckets up - they have their own natural supply.
 
Weather not been too bad, other than today which has been windy and wet. the boys are in today in an effort to save their paddocks a bit.

Acorn is back to normal and causing havoc - had no need to rug which is good, we had a warm spell and that combined with him out and the arnica and no bute seems to have done the job.

The others are fine - Nuts and Tess still hanging onto their hair , but both boys still in moult.

the winter field is getting trashed but fresh grass growing so keeping any eye on the girls, it will be lakeside tonight thanks to the rain today - no doubt the ducks will have moved in again.

Nothing much else to report - still no pics!
 
Seems an age since I have been able to get onto here to update - nearly a month!

so thought best update quickly, Charlie is up at the Field now, went on Sunday - Acorn was supposed to but due to being a prat in the field he has a hamstring injury - 2 days before he was due out - I could bloody well cry, I was so looking forward to having no stables to do - ah well - he managed longer than he usually does!

Nuts and Tess are fine

weather much improved but still hard work having all 4 to do morning and night on my own and fit work in during in the day - plus had a week off thanks to a bloody virus - no bed rest as stock still needs feeding and doing!

Still no pics.

not sure now long before I will get on again
 
What is it that happens with acorn each year? Sorry im sure you put it in previous diaries, just interested

every since his lammi he has suffered with muscle loss/tying up over winter when he comes in and has limited time out and no exrcise other than what he gets naturally in the field- this puts pressure on his fronts and then we are prone to bruising and abcesses - he managed 3 months this time before he started to show signs - I was managing but then 2 days before he was due to go out he pratted about in field and injured his weaker leg - he then displayed signs of abcess - nothing after tubing and poulticing so I have taken the plunge and chucked him out - hes happier as he has company and managing him in the field - hes stiff in a morning but lossening up during the day - fingers crossed he will slowly build his muscles up and come right again - its usually a couple of months though - less if I can start walking him out - just wish the weather would pick up a bit - as soon as I get help back again with them I can give him a bit extra time I am just restricted at the moment doing them all on my own and working full time.
 
better here now the bloody wind has died down!

Got up to the field on Tuesday night to be greeted by Nuts with no sign of the rug I had left on her in the morning - it had tipped it down all day 4 seasons in one, Sun Wind, hail rain and snow - although the high winds had almost dried her out - checked the paddocks and found the rug slumped in the middle - the tail string had snapped , the rug was inside out, the belly straps attached and still buckled and the breast straps clipped up as I had left them, can only imagine the sight of the wind taking the rug up and over her back, head down, her shimmying and stepping out of it - have heard of it before but first time in 50 years of being around horses I have actually seen a rug the wind has taken off! thankful it was Nuts, if it had been Charlie I doubt we would ever get a rug near him again, as it was I unclipped everything and rug back on - not an eyelid batted!
 
2 weeks on, the boys have had their feet done a week ago , no issues - Acorn in still on and off with his stiffness, the warmer weather helped last week during the day but with frost most mornings he was stiff - he is on 1/2 a schet of bute every other day, not unusual in this senario - hes only rugged now in wind and wet - hes better the rest of the time without. Nuts only has her rug on when wet and windy and shes still sound and good - we only have 1 bale of hay left and none left at supplier so looked for an alternative - Tess doesn't need any - the boys still need a bit - so I looked around and have got hold of a bale os silvermoor lite we are day 3 in - the boys are getting a small ammount morning and night and Nuts gets a small bit in a morning as she gos in with Acorn during the day - it last 5 days on opening - with what they are having it will last - may be a little left if so Tess will have a treat- no worries reagrding her cOPD with that - I have another bag on order - Hopefully in another week we will be able to get 5 for price of 4 , at moment can't get for it. Grass is starting to come but very slowy - both Charlie and Acorn are below their normal weight - but looking okay , Tess is under hers and Nuts isacceptable - although with a still thick coat it can be deceptive, but shes lookinliht enough.
.

Weight today:

Tess 375kg Nuts 175kg Charlie 260kg and Acorn 147kg

Field paddocks all poo picked today and local farmer been for a JCB bucket full from muck heap today - hhopefully he'll get a couple more in week - we can then oull whats left pulled together as a number of local gardeners will be coming for thei barrowfuls soon, ready for us creating another huge pile over summer.

Have started tidying the yard paddock up - need to clear field shelters out and put some field mats down in wear areas for nect winter
 
reweighed at the weekend, all wormed used StrongidP this time as a break from the Equest/Pramox program.

Tess and Nuts remain the same, Charlie is 255kg and Acorn 150kg.

All 4 had their feet done 2 weeks ago, all feet okay, however Acorn is still off , both front feet have bruised after trimming - suspect from the hard ground due to lack of rain and overnight frosts so he is back up at the yard so he can rest on a night , he's been out in the day with nappies on both fronts to protect them a bit for a short while, got these off now and he more comfortable on the fronts, of course this has meant he has been leaning back on his hinds so he is stiff and sore on those, I have left him in today and will walk him out tonight for 5 minutes to see if the rest helps, put him back on the bute last night and he was more comfortable this morning, have massaged last night and this morning with the Arnica gel and they are def more relaxed , he was not happy at being left in but he was aggravating it going out, but with the intolerance he has to lack of exercise I have to keep him moving, total box rest is not an option for more than a day or two at most.

Charlie is back into light work, fittening program for both him and my daughter following her lay off, so its light in hand walks out on the roads or lunging daily at the moment till she's told she can ride, then the plan is to re back him.

well 1/4 of the year almost gone and I have failed big time on my monthly photo's - will have to try harder!
 
May already - cold today and the wind still blows - the wind is driving me mad its done nothing but albeit for a couple of days last month since October! grass is not growing as it normally does so we re still sullimenting with haylage and godforbid I am picking up 10 bales of hay tommorrow - we are using the silvermoor lite at twice the price of hay - so will micx with the hay for the boys to help with cost - Tess is getting some haylage to help now - ribs clearly visable - she looks fit but need to make sure she does not lose anymore - not too worried at the moment as when the grass does start we have battle of the bulge - Charliehas completed week 1 of fittening and is looking good - hes been ot on the roads in hand everyday and daughter has reported that his behaviour with regards to heavy traffic has been impecable and the improvement in his mindset over winter is brilliant - obviously grown up at last! at least hope so - saddle back on tomorrow and he will be worked in full tack on the lunge and out on the road ready for rebacking - next week we are going to try long reining again - hopefully his maturity will make it more sucessful this time - we need to get him working way from us and less dependent on visual with us.

Nuts is still loosing her coat and looks scruffy at the mo - but living out with companion status means at her age minimum shedding help from us is applied - I did take some today but with rain due not too much.

Acorn is out in the top paddock today - he has improved this week but I kept him in for 3 days on bute with 2 x 10 minute walks and 15 mins in hand grazing - he then had 1 hour turnout and yesterday 5 hours - so increased today to 8 - bute reduced over last couple of days - and so far so good - still slight shortness on o/s hind but thats normal until that stifle support muscle builds up -
wil see how he gets on - all 4 have feet due next week so I will watch him for bruising the following week and as soon as off bute and sound he will go back up to the others.I am 5taking my camera today - so pics make come - then again with my6 suces rate this year being non existent not holding my breath!
 
well BH and its sunny and warm when the wind drops - so youngest dauhter came through for me to puppy sit - so we had a walk up to the field first and yes I managed pics!
so introducing Henry - 18wks first intro to NedsHenry.JPG Henri 1.JPG
 
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Well the weather has been up and down , they all had their feet trimmed at the weekend, Nuts is having remedial, the injury and subsequent onset of arthritis played havoc with her front feet and the farrier is now working to bring them back, luckily no lammi but they are in a poor and sorry state - the good news is her back feet are better than ever and no sign now of the uneven growing they used to have, shes sound and looking good, shedding like mad still, evidence can be found on the fencing, which the birds gather up on a daily basis. Tess is fine, still sporting a small tummy Mohican but almost finished shedding as has Charlie. they are all up in the hill field.

Acorn is still up at the yard in his small turnout paddock - in on a night, farrier can find no problems with his feet, still like bloody granite is the exact quote. although to be fair he didn't remove much sole to assist his recovery.
He is almost off bute now and much back to his normal self other than a slight stiffness in a morning on the leg which has the weak muscle, but we are getting there, week 12 , last year we were 5 months getting right - I am hopeful to have him off bute and sound within the next 7/10 days barring any setbacks, at which point he can go back up to the others and resume light work. I love my little man but he is emotionally draining!
 
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