MilliesMum

Well done Clare!!! Its always exciting when you do something new with the babies isn't it. Bewfore you know it you'll be galloping arround the couutryside!! We picked up Trigger yesterday. As expected Kai is head over heals in love with him. She obviously like the older, shorter man!! Minski is staying in the other half of the field from him which is exactly what I had expected. She doesn't see why should share her field with riff raff!! She always hates new horses until they settle in, then she is very attached to them. We have fun settling them in which resulted in me having a Kai size hoof print shaped bruise on my leg and knee, bless her. She wasnt being nasty, just excited. Anyway, Trigger is going to need a lot of work on him, he has been kept as a pet and has been spoilt so I've got my work cut out with this one, he doesn't lead properly, he was rearing full height trying to load him and is a get to catch!! Anyway here is a picture of the new man with his new girlfriend!!!

Ouch, that's got to hurt. Hope she isn't too sore. Minski seems fine thanks, but weather far to yeugh to think about riding. Went to see a small Shetland for loan as a companion for Minski when Kai is off at shows and rides. So Trigger the liitle black fur ball is comming on Saturday! Thank goodness we managed to get the horse box ramp fixed last week.

Fab news about Loki!!! Have you mananged to get a ride in on him? How did it go? Has he behaved himself? Minski has been back in work for a week now. Tried to bolt up the bridle path, then did a nice sideways canter followed by running backwards into a ditch and a tigger the tiger bouce back up the field. Next time out we met a terrier and ended up spinning round and running backwards across a field. Not bad for a 26yr old who has had the winter off!! Unfortunately she had a fall this morning, lost her footing on a grid and ended up flat on her belly the the middle of the road, front legs streched infront of her and back behind. I had to get off to get her up. She seems sound but wasn't overly keen when I got back up so will give a few days off and some extra bute and keep a close eye on her, poor old girl.

Poor Loki, he's not having much luck is he, bless him. At least he's home now so you can spoil him rotton. I use NFU, haven't had to claim off them, but moved to them as I heard a lot of comments about how good they are as an insurance company, so hopefully you shouldn't have any problems with them. The main thing is going to be the continued care he is going to need. With Minski I have lost count of the number of time I have claimed off the insurance and never had any problems so you should be OK. I had 2 good rides this morning. Had a lesson on Kai. Instructor said how impressed she was with us and that we both look at stage 3 standard which was nice. Also had a a jump on her she always struggles over cross poles but jumped lovely over a flat pole. I think she was better because it was a bit bigger. I also rode Minski, she has been off all winter so its the first time she has been ridden in ages. It was lovely to take the old girl out adn I think having the winter off has done her some good becuase she was totally sound and enjoyed getting out and abotu. We only went out for about 15minutes but we will build it up from there. And Kai didn't have a complete hissy fit when out. Just 2 whinnies and that was it!!!

Just wondering if any of your dogs have jobs like mine. Gizmo the Jack Russel is employed as a buildings inspector, he is responsible for all mole hills within a 5 mile radius of our home He takes his job very seriously and has to test the structural integrity of as many mole hills as he can each walk, it's a tough job Millie is hoping for a job shortly working in customs she is excellent at tracking down contraban with her specialist work in sausages and beef strips, but is happy to route out anything edible through several layers of cloathing

From Me, Minski and Kai. Hope everything goes well on the 1st.

I'm there on Saturday with Millie on the Pets as Therapy stand

Signed!

Minski was sulking because I wouldn't give her a polo until I had taken the photo!

I did my 1 and 2 at college 10 years ago. But I'm hoping to do my 3 if I can find somewhere that train out of work hours. You can get books that specifically cover what you need to know for your stages. But the do you into more detail that you need. Is there someone there that can show you how to lunge? At stage 1 you only have to do very basic lunging and the horses should be well trained so it should be straight forward. I would borrow some bandages and just have a practice of all the bits your not up to scratch on. I have my riding instructor who is going to show me the practical bits I'm not that good on for the 3 like fitting double bridles. Though I would update with some more pictures of my 2 now I've actually remembered to take the camera with me. Minski Kai Doing her best impression of a donkey

Signed

[ Ah the joys of trotting without stirrups!!!! Arthur looks very cute. Kai loves having discussions in her lessons too! Kai does like to keep me on my toes. Can't wait till its light later and I can start riding through the week. Minski has been off for the winter as I can't manage riding both of them, so she'll not be impressed in a couple of months when she will be back being ridden. She's still getting plenty of exercise charging round the field like a loon. George looks like he's been having lots of fun! Ah the joys of mud, at least it will be good for his complexion, first mud baths next he'll be off for a facial.

I took Kai out for a hack this morning. She was a star during her lesson yesterday, which makes a change especially as it so so windy. So she decided she had better make up for this on her hack! She planted all 4 feet and wouldn't move, which is one of her old tricks she hasn't done in a while, once I got her going again, she came to a block of flats which had just had scafolding put up on them, she had a hissy fit at that. Then came to a bus, while she is tap dancing in the middle of the road. The driver had to turn the engine off for us to get past. Then she way some cyclists wearing flourescent gear in the distance and stood bolt upright across the road snorting. Refused to go past a trailer with junk on the back of it. She has been going past the same trailer for the past 2 years no problem, but today there was definatly a tiger hiding round the other side! I turned her for home and she started jumping up and down in the middle of the road and cantering on the spot. She then went up the wrong side of the road getting more and more stroppy, she managed to stop 2 more cars. We're really lucky the drivers are so good here, although I dont think many people would brave going past a bum the size of Kai's when its going sideways up the road!! We did make it home in once peace. Ah the joy of baby horses! Having said that she not being ridden anywhere near as much as she is used to with the dark nights and my change of hours at work and has only hacked out once this year and that was with other horses. Was really pleased with her though because she didn't try to rear. Whenever she gets stressed or doesn't want to do something she is very quick to rear so I was very proud of her for that. So maybe all the work is paying off.

Will have to think about that one She is walked 3 times a day with a toy she is constantly chasing and does obedience and agilty so I dont think its lack of exercise may be I could try a different feed. Thanks for the advice

Hi I have a 5 year old Australian Kelpi cross who is obsessed about digging, mainly when she is in the field with the horses. She was worn her teeth down to the gums in places, ripping up the grass and soil. The vet saw them 9 months ago when they were bad, but they are still getting worse, he says not to worry about it until they cause her problems. I was thinking maybe of muzzling her when she is in the field with the horses. Was wondering what people thought of the idea and if you have any other suggestions. Also the best type of muzzel to get and where from. Thanks!

Thanks! Its an appaloosa thing. They are supposed to have a sparse mane and tail, but Minski being Minski got a bit carried away with the sparce concept! Its called a rat tail! Minski in her younger days used to jump in and out of fields on her own, she jumped post and rail, barbed wire, 5 bar gate! She was once on a yard where the amres and geldings are in separate field Minski decided to jump a water through to get to the boys (she is a major tart, even at 25) and had a great time charging round the field with them.

It was the spots I wasn't sure about! I hope we are going to see more Minski pics Bopp This thread just gets better and better! Oh OK you twisted my arm, here are a couple more of the pair of horrors, Kai decided this morning I need to improve my fencing skills so she has kindly taking a few of the top rails off again, so we can have more pactice. We have already had to increase the heigh of some of the fencing cos she likes to visit next doors horses and we've given up on electric fencing beacuse she hops over it. If she can't be bothered she just walks through it. At least the main boundary fencing is a 7ft hedge, she is determined she will work out how to get over it.

Minski, muddy, never!! She could find mud in the desert. She is also an appaloosa, hence the long flowing tail and the funny colour, she was roan based with quite a few spots. Now she has decided that she is going to spend the winter as a bay!

Minski is 25 and still likes to do her river dance sideways up the road and tried to double barrel a bus she thought was going to get Kai! Nemo is lovley and so clean!

Can I add my 2? Minski Kai Minski is growing old disgracefully and a bad influence on Kai the 4 year old!