I have the good fortune to be surrounded by people I can really trust these days and whose work I really admire. Kate Boe (pictured above) is a McTimoney-Corley practitioner who not only does good bodywork but knows how to be round horses too. Fortunately for me, she also approves of the way I work and recently we have been working with her cob, Blue, overcoming a couple of confidence issues including large traffic.
E-mail 26.9.09: "Just a quick update- Today I hacked Blue out on the roads, with Mum on foot. We came across rattley trailers, groups of cyclists and motorbikes, she coped very well and even stood still in a layby whilst a trailer past us and got very excited chasing it away!!"
I have immense admiration also for Amanda Barton whose ridden sessions and confidence work has already made a huge difference to me and to other people I know. I really care about what she thinks of me and was chuffed (!) to receive this in an e-mail from her:
"I would wholeheartedly recommend you to help with ground work to any of my current or future clients. Without exception I think people are getting an enormous amount out of the work they do with you and I am seeing examples all the time of where they have a really clear idea of what they need to be doing and have the tools to make a difference and feel more confidence about the situation."
Vets and a farriers need to be judged on the work they do with your horse's physique and feet but their attitude and approach can make a massive difference to how your horse copes with what they do. Amy Reynolds (the vet) and Guy Reynolds (the farrier) who are incidentally married to one another, are both great around horses and do nothing to make things harder for the horse. I really feel I can talk to them too and explain why I do what I do.
What a team - now, if we could all get out to Africa..........
You may have spotted that I have changed farriers again. It is likely that Petra and Chancer will have to go back to wearing shoes at some stage when their work levels really increase. Both of them seem to really struggle with the gravel on the Forest and I am doubtful whether any amount of careful transitioning could make it any easier for them. It's hard enough for any horse in a country where we have a wide variation in climate and moisture levels. I hear too many stories of horses struggling for 18 months to two years and never really being right without shoes. Don't get me wrong, if barefoot suits your horse and his welfare is paramount, I envy you the ability to keep him that way.
You may have also spotted that Sheila hasn't gone into business with me after all. She has gone and fallen in love with (an admittedly lovely bloke) from Gloucestershire and I expect she'll want to go and live with him eventually with his farm and his cows. Sheila has now done all her case studies and will soon be able to ask to be a Recommended Associate.
