11th August, 2011 In which Chancer has a Brazilian

Dr Tim Brazil came to see Chancer this morning to carry out a gastroscopy. Life had been a bit complicated by the fact that thunderstorms were threatened last night and I didn't feel that was a good time to be keeping Chancer in a building with a metal structure. This meant he couldn't be starved properly for the requisite number of hours prior to the procedure. Nevertheless, I limited his intake by turning him into the pen. By this morning he was quite cross and hungry and doing some very interesting gymnastics. Bless his cotton socks because he then led quietly around to Fabia's where we had borrowed her stable and electric socket. He also stood like an angel while the horrid tube was poked up his nose and down into his stomach under very light sedation. The brilliant news is that his stomach is the pinkest, beautifullest, most perfect stomach in the whole wide world and I can at last relax that there is nothing other than more grass and protein needed to keep him right - he already looks a stack better than a couple of weeks ago; in fact he looks extremely well now. When you are told that over 90% of racehorses have gastric ulcers there is always a vague nagging feeling that your horse may have them even though he has been out of training and turned out for the last 4 years. It is only now that our vet has thought that it was worth a look given his loss of condition.

Tim Brazil (European Specialist in Equine Internal Medicine) is a thoroughly pleasant and calm chap. He answered all my questions and gave us a thorough tour of Chancer's insides while we had the opportunity. Hopefully he will send me pictures when he comes back from his holidays.

10th August, 2011 Farrier-day

Once again it was time for Anna to have her feet pared, something we tend to take for granted with our horses. She is getting easier to catch and, having had one sideways look at Matt, she let him get on with his job. Her feet are almost normal now and she should be a lot more comfortable.

9th August, 2011 Double Dutch

Woody, at the top, is learning how to accept long reins, starting off with a single line. In the absence of Jenny, Guilda enjoyed some long reining at trot before going out and about on the Forest and taking a look at some of the traffic on the main road through Burley. Both of these ponies are half Dutch New Forest pony.

8th August, 2011 School visit

Theoden is doing well at school with his Uncle Jim. He is working much more softly and starting to go nicely in trot, instead of bucking. After our session, we worked with a little black colt that was abandoned on Jim's land. Lindy did some headcollar work with him and I started work on his legs.

7th August, 2011 Lucy in the sky?

And finally yesterday, lovely Lucy, who accepted a surcingle and did some very quiet work on a single line in preparation for wearing two. I was so glad of my breast girth because it meant that I didn't have to overtighten or even tighten the girth. The instant I started to pull the girth up - and I am always very gentle - she told me that she was very worried about it being pulled too hard or too tight. When I asked her to walk with it on she bronced three times and then stood still and assessed the situation. Having realised that it wasn't uncomfortable, she settled to her work completely. She's one of the most beautiful horses I have ever worked with but my goodness is she athletic!

7th August, 2011 Look who I bumped into...

I was delighted to see Nelly's first foal Cello yesterday. Although I have kept up with his progress, I haven't seen him for two years. I know that he has a fabulous home with Stevie who loves him to pieces. Yesterday he was being long-reined along the road and he is in great shape. Hard not to yearn for him though.

7th August, 2011 When the cat's away...

With Jenny unavailable this weekend, I had to work with Beau on my own. I decided to work on the things to which he is most likely to say 'yes' and 'maybe'. He seems to love obstacles and it took his mind off the feed shed and the other ponies. He is becoming quite a fit young man now and needs his mind and body occupied. He also objects to having water poured on him especially his legs. It's important to train a horse to accept this before it has to be done in a hurry, in a worry or in an emergency - usually by force. It really helps to start this training when the horse is either hot or it is raining. This little watering can is ideal as an incremental step towards a hose pipe and the idea is to pour a little water on and then rub him to reward him for accepting it and to change the sensation. Beau was fine.