Kimbas_mum

The universal bit is great, I have used them on a couple of horses that have got a bit strong for a standard snaffle, the only thing to watch is that I'm not sure if they are allowed for dressage? might be something to check before shelling out the money for it.

I use a friend of mine who is also a pet sitter, mainly because I know for a fact that if they put Jasper in a kennel they wouldn't get anywhere near him again until I came back, Maddie would fret terribly and Kimba would probably guard the 2 of them. Jasper is a very stressy dog when away from me and would probably still resort to biting if he felt cornered. Plus my lot are best kept together and there aren't very many kennels that are happy to board 4 big dogs in 1 kennel. Before my friend started petsitting I had one of our vet nurses that stayed at my house, I guess I have just been very lucky to find fantastic dog sitters - plus my parents and/or sister will often drop round to my house to borrow something whilst I'm away, which gives them a chance to check the dogs all look ok for me.

Bloody hell Laura, that sounds paiful. Glad they have got him sorted now, hope he recovers well and is home again soon

Lot of positive, healing thoughts for Liam and big hugs for his partner and you. Hope he is feeling better really soon and it is nothing serious.

My lot certainly would - Maddie probs wouldn't make much noise but she would alert the others, Jasper doesn't do people in his house other than me so tends to bark like mad even if I have let them in, Roi is actually quite a good guard dog (so far) and Kimba is fantastic, he goes from low rumbling growl to all out angry bark/snarl/teeth out/hackles up if anyone starts with me or goes into his garden uninvited so I suspect anyone coming into the house would have rather a lot of holes in them, assuming they were stupid enough to come in having been warned off by him.

Me too, happy to give a hand with anything that you might need - I'm off all day Friday but not travelling down til later so can do some running around to collect anything like ink/whatever that might be available up here somewhere. Ping me if you want my mobile no. just in case.

Sorry you had such a bad time with Landywoods, I got my delivery from them this morning and it all seems fine, I'm still thinking of changing to DAF anyway cos the packaging etc with Landywoods is a bit of a pain and it will be handy to be able to get my muscle sticks/tripe sticks from the same place. I tend to order about £50 at a time anyway so I might be able to get them to deliver direct to me anyway, I'll give them a shout when I am cloer to needing my next delivery to see what they say

Let me know on that one Alex, what bad experiences have you had with Landywoods? If the drop off times are better with DAF I might switch over to them anyway.

Not sure about my lot, Kimba would defo stay with me, he always keeps an eye on me on walks and is always the first to come flying back along the path if they have all hared off ahead. Maddie would probs stay close unless it was raining or there was something worth chasing - then she would disappear over the horizon Jasper would stay close (ish) but would be doing his own thing - sniffing and foraging in hedges - if I was down for a while he would come and lie as close to me (or on top of me) as he could get Roi would land on me, lick my face, trample on my head and generally be a nuisance Something tells me that any rescuers might have a problem though cos there is no way Kimba and Jasper would let anyone they didn't know come near me without me to tell them that they are ok - they are very good at looking after their mum cos I walk them on my own all the time at all times of day (and night!!!) in not the nicest of areas.

Sorry (again!!!) - I took a load of photos last night so will do my upmost to get them downloaded over the next day or so so that I can put up a post about him

I feed my lot raw, again bought mostly from Landywoods, I have a large chest freezer that is used purely for them which costs about £60 to fill and lasts about 6 weeks (or at least it did, but now I have 1 more mouth to feed I am still working out the different timing!!!) My lot get a combination of fish once or twice a week, minced meat/bones every day they aren't having fish, sometimes with added minced veg, and marrow bones once or twice a week as an extra, I avoid feeding pasta/rice type foods cos one of mine has got a severe allergy to sttarchy foods so isn't a good idea to have it around incase he gets hold of it. I also add a supplement called SA37, more for my peace of mind than anything else as they all seemed fine on the diet before I started feeding it, I also add Grizzly Salmon Oil to their feed every day which really helps their coats to shine. Go for it, my lot have been so much happier and healthier since they have been on it, judge the amount on the dog, I vary how much they have each day depending on how their weight looks and how much exercise they are doing, it is not a precise science but even my vet (fiercly anti-raw feeding, has to admit that they are all very healthy and in great condition!!

How did you know that??? I will be doing a thread hopefully tonight in Doggie Chat - I'm just collecting some photos of the new addition or I will get lynched when I post!!!

Good luck Ange, with the support in here you can't fail. Despite being away all week last week, meeting an amazing bloke, and eating with him all week - going out for meals, getting take out etc, I am still under 10st, I am back on the diet this week and will be trying to eat sensibly until the weekend when he is coming over to see me again and it will all go out of the window again!!!

Thank you

I always believed there was a special person out there for everyone, and however long it took to find them it was worth waiting, and I think I just have Just met a guy where I never thought I would, we are both currently a little scared about how quickly we have got to feel so strongly about each other, but I know he thinks I'm special and I certainly think he is

Loads of positive thoughts for you, hope all goes well tomorrow

The collars I have had from you have been fantastic, the hounds are out in all weathers with them on and we have had no problems at all with them fraying/colour running or anything else - in fact they are still in amazingly good condition compared to other collars I have had. So much so that I was going to ask you to do a collar for my new boy, but I totally understand if this has made you decide to stop doing the collars. Well done for all the hard work you have put in, and the fabulous collars you have sent out.

Very exciting news - I took Apple to the regional dressage finals today, and we have qualified for the nationals at novice and elementary I was really pleased with him because he hasn't been out competing since the start of April and is normally horrid the first time out, and both tests were indoor - which is normally not the best with him. But he was a really good boy and didn't try too hard to be awkward, the judge was an affiliated judge and really liked him, the comment at the bottom of his novice test sheet was 'lovely, lovely pony, this one has real potential. Well Ridden'. So anyone that lives near Melton Mowbray and is free the first weekend of September, we will be at Vale View Equestrian Centre on the Sunday doing our Nationals, and I could really do with the support!!!

Any chance you might be able to do me one in green/black type colours for flyball - it could do with being at least 24" long - just let me know the price and how to go about paying/donating. Thanks

Talking of foal colours, what colour do we think a foal will end up if it is a funny dun colour with pale legs in it's foal coat, where it is coming off he looks very dark/black, but I don't know how that will work with the very pale legs (not distinct socks, just very pale legs). I'll try and get a photo of him later on - this is the foal I really like and might decide to buy off my yard owner when he is old enough to wean

Fantastic results, congratualtions to him And congratulations to the school - sounds like they are doing a fantastic job

Glad all went well, hope it disappears without a problem.

Sounds like everyone is doing reall well. I started on Lipotrim 4 weeks ago and am pleased to report that I am now only 3lbs from my target of 9st 7lb and have lost a total of 2st 6lb (not all on lipotrim, I had lost over a stone before I started that). I have not been this weight since I was about 14 and have been feeling better so much better about myself, I have even had lots of comments about how much slimmer I look from lots of different people.

My parents think I'm mad!!! I can't see any difference between having 3 or 4!!!

My lot vary a lot, Kimba my dobie loves cuddles, he leans right into you and willprod you rather hard with his nose if he thinks you have stopped too soon. Jasper (GSP) loves to lie on me and will stay there for hours, but doesn't like to be cuddled - too restrictive for him. Maddie (Saluki) is a complete princess and very much demands attention and fuss on her terms, but will glare at you like dirt if you deign to disturb her any other time for fuss, she doesn't really do cuddles though, she is too restrained for that!!! I haven't worked it out with Roi yet, only had him a week and he is still settling in with us all - but he certainly likes to lie as close to me as possible on the sofa!!!