Pendlewitch

Here's Donny, I haven't managed to change his name so he's just Donny! He arrived this morning and we took him for a short drive late on, he was more than a bit naughty at first and stood up a couple of times. It's very important to stop this sort of thing straight off so he got batted on the bum with the rein end and told to damn well stand, which he did. Off up the road where he tried to go at his usual mad speed and was politely asked not to, he was a very good boy and came back to half the speed of light very easily. He is a town centre pony so our trees and road puddles took him a bit by surprise but he just keeked but went on fine. I'm having to use the language he is used to at the moment, namely gerron and owd up but I'll improve his vocabulary as time goes on. As he was more than a bit hot he had a shower and went to bed in a huge mound of fluffy shavings which he was just delighted with and promptly rolled and rolled, got up and started guzzling his haynet, very settled and happy! He's super, I'm really pleased with him.

He's called Donny, I'm not too thrilled about it, could I change it to Danny?

Well I've just bought the Norwegian Trotter! Oh my life, can that pony motor, he's only 13.1hh and flat out can do 30mph and he paces!!!!! I also bought his trap and harness so we are up and running straight off. These trotters are rock hard and thrive on work, he won't have any problems with our hills that's for sure! I not be driving like a maniac though, we will be a tad more sedate! Picking him up tomorrow, photographs to follow. Ooooo, I'm so excited! :elefant:

Nature's Giants was amazing, the lungs part was so informative. At least the poor horse has made some sort of contribution. I've been to see a driving pony tonight, just a bit too small and hasn't driven for a few years. I'd would have coped with the size as she was a chunky litle thing but the non driving is just a bit too much of a risk. Not the prettiest pony ever but well cute and cuddly! I have one to see tomorrow, a Norweigan Trotter, now what on earth is that? I'm going to Google it, could be interesting. This one comes with vehicle and harness if required and can be shown driven! Sadly the harness is a revolting shade of purple so I would not be interested in that! Watch this space!

Oh Clare what a shame it's all started again. Does he have a big tongue or fleshy lips? My Dobbin had and Sam's Obe does, so they both used very thin bits as bigger ones made it impossible for them to swallow so cue panic attacks and flinging heads, would be great if Loki's problem was that simple. Did his heart rate go down fairly quickly when you stopped riding him? Could it be some sort of panic attack? I do hope you get to the bottom of his problems soon! Gooster - I'm sure Blue would have picked up that you are not feeling well and reacted accordingly, once you are better he'll be back to normal I'm sure. My news is I've had to give up my plans for driving Banner, as her education progressed her behaviour suddenly worsened to the stage of several fairly serious bolts, fortunately in the arena where she could be circled, I can't risk this happening on the roads and coupled with her developing an odd few strides as the work increased I think it's better to stop now. Her daughter Lilli may have a go when she is older but her problem is that she is either autistic or brain damaged, her responses are a bit odd and she makes no connection with anyone. Neither of them have to do anything though, I'm quite happy with them being cute and even if Lilli is not cuddly Banner certainly is!

We lost Arran today, he is the horse that talked to me. Over the last week he had stopped making sense, it was just a meaningless jumble with the occasional 'tired' comment. Today he coliced again, his melanomas had virtually blocked his gut. His owner Liz made the brave decision to let him go, she adored him, she is devastated. We will all miss him, he was a character and a half! Sleep well beautiful Arran, no more pain now. Dobbin will meet you at the Bridge.

It's Degenerative Joint Disease, posh name for arthritis. She has it in both hocks too but has been treated with steroids and apart from a blip t'other day she seems ok behind!

WTG Milo, super pics! How are Loki and Bumble doing? Wanda's news is she has DJD in both front fetlocks and in one vertebrae in her neck. She will probably have steroids in the fetlocks, putting it in the neck is not an option as it ususally leaks out with some odd reactions! I may go for Tildren too, the vet said to ask the insurers because of Wanda's age but she is not on a veteran policy so if vet recommends I can't see a problem! She may have to go on bute but I'm not sure if that is permanently as yet. I still think her weaving, if it not actually caused the problem then it certainly hasn't helped. If stressed she can leave the ground with each foot as she sways manically from side to side. I'm going to buy her some turnout boots to keep her legs warm!

Oh Milo He is looking wonderful! Still no diagnosis on Wanda, she has has her hoof ring blocked today with only 40% improvement but that's about the most improvement on any of the blocks. Knee block did nothing so hoof x-ray tomorrow and see where we go from there. Another thought is her neck, she is hypermobile from one bit, probably from years of weaving so they may x-ray that as well. She is being very good apparently, but that's Wanda, if there is food she's happy!

Oooo, bargains Gooster! Well Wanda is still in horsepital! She had loads of nerve blocks, non of which improved the lameness. She is having more tomorrow, vet had to stop as Wanda was getting a bit racked off with it all and he was running out of time. I left her in a big stable with a huge amount of haylage, she was watching another horse having a swim and she seemed quite fascinated by it. I may have her home tomorrow or Thurday, depending how it goes. I was advised to bring her headcollar home as they have a habit of getting absorbed into the system. It felt really weird to walk across the carpark carrying an empty headcollar!

What a silly woman, poor little Bumble. It will be hard not have a real go at her I would think! Arrrrgh, Tuesday may not happen, we have really high winds round here and it's supposed to get worse before it gets better, there is no way I would go out with a trailer in these conditions. The round Britian cycle race has been stopped, it should have come through a village down the road mid morning but it's not safe. We have recycle bins flying through the air because the collectors can't be bothered to but the bricks back on the top. Banner has been very naughty, I asked a lady who has vast driving experience to do a couple of days training a week with Sam so Banner does not get left for days at a time due to my shifts. Banner pulled out every trick in the book, she just has to push the boundaries, she capriolded, leveded, bugger offed, freaked out and as each tactic was met with an ok you will circle then until you stop being silly she went for her best ever and I can't remember the name, it's the capriole but then at the height of the leap the double barrell! Apparently she was incredibly good at it but of course with a mini shet the back feet were at face height, eeek. What a naughty little pony! Eventually she realised she had someone who knew more that she did so she stopped being bonkers and got down to it, she pulled her tyre, had mock shafts on and not a murmur. She worked again yesterday with Sam and her OH and was a gem! I adore her, she is such fun but has a huge character for her tiny size!

Yay, well done! Vid asap please!

I just watched it, Artem's face was a scream, at least Anton didn't get her either Still don't know who half of them are!

Ead, I think you are right to hold back, it's easy to get carried away in the heat of the moment! I'm in a bit of the same situation, OH has advised me (he wouldn't dream of telling me ),to think very seriously about another horse, i.e the driving pony. It would bring me up to 4 and he thinks with working my incredibly silly pattern and the dogs it would be a step too far, for once I think he's right, and I'm still breaking Banner to drive. Wanda is broken, if it's her hocks again she is excluded on the insurance and she is lame on the near fore so vetty bill could be a bit horrendous! I do so want that pony though! Stamps feet in an elderly strop! Wanda goes to horsepital on Tuesday for a lameness workup!

I'm tentaively looking for an established driving pony, 14.2 max. I'm not bothered if it's a mare or a gelding,or if it's getting on a bit. I don't care about the colour or if it's seriously butt fugly, I just want a reasonably well behaved animal that knows it's job! So far I've been offered various ponies that do drive but haven't in years so their abilities can't be demonstrated, but the owner is sure it will be ok, just bung it in and have a go! These people have never seen a horse bolt with a vehicle I'm sure!! There are 15 month old babies who have been driving for 6 months and going well because the owner's five year old daughter broke it!! Stallions and more stallions, mares with foal at foot and in foal again to t'chap down the road's hefty cob, or if not in foal it can be sorted out, no problem. Then there are the really quiet genuine horses, never looks at anything, you can drive it through to town centre, that's because the poor animal is so poor it can hardly stand up never mind spook! There are loads of trotters and pacers out there at very little money but they tend to be a bit bonkers and I don't want a loony! I'm not going showing or any sort of competing, I just want one that I can drive round the local area and is able to do a bit more than my mini shet, we have too many hills for her to cope with. I've been round loads of websites and all the above problems crop up time after time, there are some class animals at the top of the range but 10k is a bit much for a trot about pony. Anyway after all the horrors of the websites and stopping myself collecting all the wrecks I think I've found a gem! He's an ID X Connemara and he's, wait for it, 13.1hh! He looks like a tank, his legs should be at least 2ft longer but for some reason he just went outwards instead of upwards, he's a ride and drive and a good jumper. Should be able to go see him this week, oh the excitement!

That has to be positive Clare, he does sound so much better! It has rained so much today the Shet's field is nearly under water and the mud in places is past their fetlocks which I suppose isn't really that deep on a big horse but is if you're a Shetland! They were hanging round the gate and looked so miserable I've brought them in and they were just so happy! I left them tucking into Shetland sized piles of haylage with back up nets for later!

My great niece is 24, she lives in Germany as OH is in the army, she has two children. Eldest is 5 ish and other near 18 months and she want to get a dog 'for the youngest'. She has never had pets as her mum was put off any animals by her mum who had far too many! GN works 5/6 hours a day, they go on holiday a lot, they come back to GB a lot, her OH could get posted abroad at any time. GN has been told in no uncertain terms that if she does get a dog it will not be welcome at her mum's house in GB. GN is talking of getting an'apartment' dog which she has been informed don't need much walking, are easy to house train, probably can be left for ages without trashing the house and I've no doubt will match the sofa. She sounds like she is talking about a toy! I really need to put her off this idea until the youngest is older and she is more realistic about the requirement of any dog, even the amazing apartment dog. Any suggestions or links to off putting articles would be most useful.

For a safe, genuine horse that does a bit of everything it's probably not that overboard. What would concern me is him wearing different saddles all the time, I would really want his back checked out! Wanda is very broken, her hock arthritis has flared up big style, she is rolling like a sailor and lame on both hinds. When turned in a circle she lands on the outside of the hoof and rotates her hip to achieve a flat contact with the floor. She is going for alcohol injections in both hocks, if it doesn't work there isn't much else that can be done for her treatment wise. She's now on bute as she looks awful and is in obvious pain. I think she has been arsing about in the field because she was just brilliant a couple of weeks ago but her hocks have always been an issue. I may end up with a large, hairy pet horsey on lots of bute! Please cross all fingers! Aw poor Bumble, whatever your decision you'll do the best for him as always and however much it hurts you. Listen to him, I'm sure he will tell you how he feels.

Loki is sounding better Clare which is good news. I hope all the other poorly ones get better soon. Wanda has joined the broken list, we also have on the yard one with a sprained check ligament and one with lymphangitis, I don't think she wanted to be left out! She is sore in her bum and on her back and a taddy lame on the left hind. Physio been today and vet tomorrow! Banner is doing brilliantly, she pulled a tyre today and was super, she managed to level out the entire arena, I'll be able to hire her out before long! YO Sam has had Kim on Redcell and today has found out to her horror that it contains beef and liver! Why would a product for horses contain meat extracts I just don't know, needless to say it's going back to the shop and she is looking for something more acceptable.

Gosh Clare that's awful, you did the right thing in reporting it. You could even take a shufti up there without Loki and if it's still happening carry on reporting it as they are setting up an illegal speedway track sort of thing. We had a similar problem on the beach, people were riding dirt bikes and quads on the marsh bit. They were churning up the land, weaving in and out of people, dogs and horses and the noise was horrendous. It took a few people to report it but it did get stopped in the end!

That's awful Clare, same thing was tried on with Wanda, I got her vet to kick ass big style and they coughed up. It's a cunning plan so they can exclude just about everything on renewal, insurers tried to exclude Dobbin's entire back end (large) after she slipped her stifle! Give 'em hell! Jeanne, that's a bit naughty of the instructor, I would let it go this time but if you are late mounted next time I'd mention it as you go in. You pay for the full time and if they are running late that's not your fault!

Yay!! Went to a dressage comp on Saturday,first outing in ages because of my hip problems. Wanda and Kim decided they loved each other so much they would be devastated if parted, cue Kim going in for the first test and shrieking 'Wanda, where are you', and to have Wanda shrieking back, 'I'm out here, come back Kim'. Needless to say Kim's first test, P10 bore no resemblance to the test sheet as she introduced halfpass over the boards and spooking at H followed by more spooking at H! Then she did an 8ft sideways for no apparent reason and a bucking fit! Sam came out snorting with laughter. Wanda did an ok if a tad lumbering test and ended up 4th which I don't think she deserved. Kim went in for P13 and as she had had some serious schooling between tests she did a much better test and ended up 4th. Wanda's P13 was a bit dire as she had tired herself out with all the shrieking and turned into a donkey! It was a fun sort of day and we all enjoyed it, my boots did not hurt which was a plus and after everyone saying I was mad to got after having had a steroid injection in the hip on Thursday (ouch)I had no problems at all. More yay!!!!

I got a horse grooming mitt in the end, it works really well and Cecil loves it. He grins at me and then closes his eyes and nods off!

It's always on his terms, I can't walk up to him and just ask, I have to wait for him to talk. Sometimes he makes asides as he passes, usually rude. He asked me what the vet had said and I had to tell him, he said to fix it but I can't, no-one can fix him! Sometimes I don't understand and he says I'm a stupid b***** and I'm not listening properly! I was closer to Dobbin than her skin and felt her moods like they were my own but she did not talk, maybe she didn't need to? What a lovely moment with Bumble and isn't it strange that some don't want to talk. YO Sam send pics of two of hers to the communicator and they just didn't want to know!

Opinons please! I'm a witch and always have been even before I knew I was anything, I don't brew things or tell fortunes I just know things, see auras, dead people and bring a lot of plants back to life from shriveled up brown wrecks! The area of horse communication is new to me and the one and only horse who has ever communicated with me at this level in 64 years continues to do so. He can be very rude and uses some fairly bad language at times, he can also be very funny, why he refers to my shetlands as worms I just don't know. Thing is, although he's a bit battered and an old 19 and has some serious problems there is something just so regal, so beautiful and so incredibly awesome about him that at times I just have to stand and look at him to try to understand who or what he is. Then today he floored me with the comment 'I wasn't always a horse you know'!!!!! Now what on earth, or possibly not on earth do I make of that.