14th November, 2010 Of swings and roundabouts

This recession scares and depresses me, all the people who are losing their jobs and their houses, as their companies start to cut costs because of a real or perceived threat to the life of the company itself. The same has been reflected throughout the horse world with ordinary, old, injured, young or useless horses being sold, loaned or given away as a response to changing priorites and the real or perceived threat of a reduced income. However, I am starting to feel some optimism because just as people tend not to move house during a recession but to concentrate on doing up the house they have got, some horse owners are now determined to improve the horses they have got. I've got one of my busiest weeks ahead...

David and I have certainly had the money conversation. My horses are relatively low maintenance but my Forest ponies still get their feet done regularly, their annual boosters and a worming programme. It eats into and almost decimates the profit from my business. We have made a joint decision to ring fence the horses that we have got; they are going nowhere and they'll get everything they need. However I won't be able to feed the extra 11 Forest ponies that I fed throughout last winter and only Nelly's best friend Brandy will get special privileges. Of course, Mussels is still with me at cost but he keeps Chancer company so that I don't have to give the fatties feed all winter through. If David loses his job, however, the whole picture changes.....fingers crossed that they will always need to keep aircraft in the sky.

12th November, 2010 Catch me.....

Beau has recently decided that he doesn't want to be caught so it was time to teach Marilyn some of the artistry that can make catching a lot easier. In the top picture, Beau is marching off and Brandee, who is keen to disassociate herself from the chosen one, marches off even faster. The absolute art is to catch his very first offer to be caught so when Beau turns against the fenceline, Marilyn turns with him, passing the headcollar into her outside hand and, the instant he comes to a halt and looks at her, stops and turns away using more inviting language. She is then able to approach, putting her arm in and out as "touch and move away" until she gets close to him. Here she reaches out touch him before moving her hand away perhaps three times before putting the headcollar on. Beau seemed to appreciate this level of real communication and was caught on several more occasions within the same session.

11th November, 2010 Listen!

This December's Listening Post magazine is going to be the best ever with an interview with Martin Clunes as well as articles by Monty, Nicole Golding and me. There are great give aways including a substantial discount on registration with the National Equine Crime Database, Western Riding at the Mendip Stud and as they say, much much more. In order to get your copy you need to be a member of the Intelligent Horsemanship Association which costs just £20 per year and includes loads of benefits. You can join NOW by going on to http://www.intelligenthorsemanship.co.uk

All of this should fill you with glee, warmth and even Christmas cheer - for me though, fear and trepidation because as the new editor of the Listening Post, how on earth do I live up to that?!! I am keen to show that Intelligent Horsemanship is a strong broad organisation which lives in the real world with real horses and real people. I am hoping that the RAs will reveal some of their training secrets and the way that they have extended and evolved IH techniques for the future whilst retaining those important central concepts. I also want to know about people who have incorporated IH into their horsey businesses, be it livery, saddle fitting, veterinary or bodywork; how does the IH approach help them to help horses? At times likes this when it is pouring with rain, I thought we might be lifted by hearing about RAs and IH people who live in warmer climes - where are you Xanthe? - and in the summer, perhaps we'll go for the cooler ones. Kelly is keen that we should have some full head to heads on issues such as hot branding and the use of food in training. Watch out for fur and feathers!

If you have an IH minded article or something that you think will be of interest to IH readers, please send it to me direct at sarahweston.logg@virgin.net. I expect in time there will be a seperate editor's e-mail address for me. Don't worry if you don't feel like a natural writer I can do all the faffing with layout, grammar and spelling - that's my job. Write as you speak about horses, with great enthusiasm......well okay, perhaps not so much in this weather but perfect for sitting by the fire and jotting down your thoughts.

11th November, 2011 Counting my Blessings

On Monday I sank into a depression - too much pressure just for a little while and the prospect of David going away for another two weeks. Fortunately these days it passes quickly and I am surrounded by the most special people in the world. David is an amazing support and has got involved in horses when really he prefers two wheels. His infinite patience and lack of pre-conceptions makes him an excellent foal-man and teacher and means that he can cope with me too. I am a high maintenance wife! When he's away I feel as if my heart has been ripped out and at least half of my soul is with him wherever he is. Fortunately this time it is a hot country and he is going to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Saturday on Sunday. Look out for him in the crowd!

I am also blessed to have the two best girl friends I have ever had. Jenny (left) is better than she will ever know - efficient, earnest and very very competent. She's brilliant at inventing things - like woolly hoola-hoops for the ponies and a break away device for lead rein phobic ponies like Jack. She's up for anything and is as keen as me to work with the zzzzs and the farm that owns them. I value reliability and honesty. All talk, all action. She has been solidly revising for her MRPCH exams for the last 12 weeks only to find that the Stage II course has been postponed to March. She takes it on the chin and just gets on with it.

Julie has had a pretty grim year with another operation on her back which has hopefully worked this time. This has meant that she has been out of horsey action for most of the time and yet still come out and about with me. Four weeks after the last op she is down on Dartmoor with me, working with the ponies and the students and taking fantastic photos. She's a really peaceful person to be with. I love them both to bits.

I have moved so many times in my life that I have never had strong and lasting friendships before and anyway I am a bit of anti-social bod. I have a great deal of empathy with my clients and their horses and like them all enormously - most of the become friends too and I am always gratified when they come back to me years after they had their first appointment perhaps with a new horse or a new training issue. I may have a weird sense of humour, pass on some difficult news or jiggle with their long held views, nevertheless I am always there for them and their horse and generous with my time.

I have an awkward and rather involved relationship with my Mum but she perseveres with me despite everything and we both love many of the same things, in particular the written word. She is the best proof reader in the world and there aren't many of those about!

Grandpa Pye is still completely with it and wishing his legs would work better and I look forward to visiting him soon. He wants to see David's pictures from the Himalayas and engage in manly talk about engines and motorbikes. He gets a hard copy of my blog for Christmas and likes to read it day by day.

Dear Dad and Grandpa Cooper, now long gone, are both looking down from the family cloud urging me to do the right thing by horses and to be happy.

I really musn't listen to REM in the mornings.

10th November, 2010 Z Course

Today Jenny and I ran the first Equine Awareness Course at Vale Farm with Kathryn, Jan and another Jenny. The sun shone on us and the animals were fabulous. Dot has his left front leg touched by hand for the first time, the zeedonks were worked with seperately for the first time and Buffy, the Quarter Horse filly started to be handled for the very first time. It was a great great day for all of us.

"I had the most amazing day playing with baby zebra, zeedonkeys and quarter horse foals, and I loved the mammoth donkeys so many special moments. Was sooo cold but couldn't stop smiling all day. Thank you to Kathryn and Jan for taking me with them and to Sarah and Jenny for sharing. Very WOW! and not forgetting orphan deer Freddy love him :o) xx"JB

For more information about Vale Farm and these Extraordinary Equines go to www.extraordinaryequines.co.uk

9th November, 2010 Casualty

Four ponies including three foals were killed on the New Forest roads last week.

People who regularly drive across the New Forest are being urged to be extra careful this winter.The New Forest National Park Authority and the Verderers want to remind people to be extra vigilant on their way home from work after the clocks go back this weekend.

Nigel Matthews, Head of Visitor and Recreation Services at the New Forest National Park Authority, said: ‘It can often take a while for people to adjust to the darker evenings. In 2009 there were more animal accident deaths in October and November compared to any other time of year.‘A lot of ponies wear reflective collars but many don’t, so drivers should look out for dark-coloured ponies which are often more difficult to see. It is important to drive at a sensible speed and to make sure you can stop if an animal steps onto the road at the last moment. Ponies have no road sense so it is up to the driver to be extra cautious.‘It’s not just the animals that are at risk in an accident. If the driver is speeding the results could be catastrophic for their passengers too.’

Sue Westwood, Clerk to the Verderers added: ‘Now is a timely reminder that we all need to be extra careful when driving in the New Forest, especially at the moment. There is a large glut of acorns this year so there are more ponies on the verges than usual trying to eat them. ‘Animal accidents are not only difficult for the people involved but also for the Agisters whose job it is to find the animal, which may have been suffering for hours. She continued: ‘Hit and runs are the most distressing of accidents – it’s vital that you report an accident straight away. Anyone who gives information leading to a prosecution can claim a reward of up to £1000.’

Driving tips:
§ Be ready to stop - ponies may step out even when they’ve seen you approaching§ Drive slowly, especially at night and when other cars are approaching with their headlights on
§ Give animals grazing by the side of the road a wide berth
§ Remember that deer easily jump the fences alongside roads like the A337, A31 and A35 and when there is one deer more will usually follow
§ The faster you are going, the greater the damage will be to the animal, your car and your passengers - start your journey early so you don’t have to hurry.

If you witness an accident:
Call 999 in an emergency or 0845 045 4545 in a non-emergency to report any road traffic accident involving a pony, cow, donkey, sheep, dog or deer. Call the Verderers’ Office on 023 8028 2052 (Monday-Friday 9am-5 pm) or the Forestry Commission on 023 8028 3141 (24 hours) to report sick commoning animals.

Be prepared:
Carry an animal accident hotline card, it tells you who to call and display an ‘I go slow for ponies’ car sticker. Visit www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/animal_accident_help for more information on how to get a card and sticker.

8th November, 2010 Buzz Word

Remind you of anyone? This is Buzz, a Quarter Horse (not an Eighth Horse like Theoden) that I was asked to assess for starting today. He is six years old so more than ready for some work and fascinated with things like the brolly and the hoops that I got out to see how brave and curious he is. Having more or less done what he likes up until now, the main areas of work are asking him to be present with humans and to accept direction from them. We took him out for a lovely walk and he didn't bat an eyelid at a tractor and trailer and wanted to touch a big white van that came past.

"Since your visit Buzz has been a lot more interested in what we have to do with him, and he really enjoyed your lesson. He really wants to work. Today we did some leading work in the dually with counted stops and asking him to turn a circle, back up and walk away from Herbie. He was a star. " AS 15.11.10