Recent content by happybear

Thanks for your advice! One to think about, then, as my only ambition is to toddle 4 miles down the road to the local riding club!

I often wonder the same thing about my car, which is a new model BMW X3 and also a 2.0l engine. On paper it looks like it would tow one horse (can't remember weights off the top of my head) but I'm never convinced it would actually do a good job... anyone know?

I’m fascinated by kissing spines, after having experienced it in my last horse. I’d love to research it! We were referred to Matt Smith at Newmarket, too. I'm interested to see his opinions if you do talk to him; he's definitely an expert in the condition. He didn’t crack our...

Sorry you're having to make this decision OP. I had to make it for the first time earlier this year, and I chose the vet - we had been through a lot and I knew I wanted to be there with him, and I wouldn't have been able to do that if I'd chosen the bullet. I wrongly anticipated that being...

Thank you everyone. It's good to hear that other people have done it and found it a positive experience. A friend has kindly offered to come along if I go somewhere at the weekend just for some company, so I may bring her along for the first time as a bit of support on the sidelines. I think...

A while ago, I had to face up to the fact that my lovely boy was never going to come right and that it was time to call it a day. He has left a very big hole in my life and I am lost without him. Anyway, I've been managing to ride friends' horses, mostly hacking which has been great and a...

I had to PTS my boy about 6 weeks ago. I know it's still very early, raw days, but I am thoroughly lost. I'm doing other things, I'm seeing my friends more, I'm seeing my partner more, I'm better off... but the gaping hole that's left is soul-destroying. You don't realise quite how much of your...

Tough situation OP, I think a new horse/new yard combo makes a lot of people feel uneasy. I think it's interesting that as soon as you tacked her up she seemed agitated. Maybe over the next few days, just tack her up without any intention of riding and just go for a few in-hand wanders or lunge...

Not an injury as such, but I once slipped while bringing a horse in through a muddy gateway, face first in to the electric fence. Zapped right on my forehead! Ouch!

Agree - so many videos are cut not to show transitions, especially from trot to canter. Makes me suspicious too, although it wouldn't necessarily put me off going to see something if I liked it in all other ways.

Gosh - I've never heard of that happening and it sounds like that situation could have had a very different outcome if your horse had realised and panicked. Glad to hear you're both ok!

I hit a black cat in a residential area once. I was only going about 30, probably slightly less as I was going uphill, and this little black cat ran straight out from behind a parked car - I didn't even see it, but my sister screamed and I naturally slammed my breaks on. I just saw it jump up...

Crikey!

Yuck, poor you OP! Not in the field, but my OH was helping fill haynets one day, and he pulled some hay off the bale that was a bit dense and difficult to pull apart. He started really yanking it to get it to seperate, only to realise that the reason why it was so clumpy was because it was...

I might be wrong here so please don't just take my word for it, but I think that if you have had a towing licence for a certain number of years, your husband should be able to tow with you sitting in the passenger seat - if this was a more viable option than asking your friend? In fact, if he...