Recent content by Nudibranch

Height wise I wouldn't rule out something smaller. I'm 5'10 and "downgraded" to a Dales from a 17.3hh WB. She takes up the leg just as well, and wears half his old tack. Reins are x full, Scoot boots size 9...you get the picture. Admittedly she's on the taller side for a Dales but still only...

Herdwicks! I also have some Suffolk mules that I put to my Herdy tup, and they reliably produce compact but spotty fleeced babies 😄

And she's just messaged me on the selling site, asking if I've had a think about her offer. Blocked.

Ah rare breed turkeys and chickens - don't get me started! For years I sold hatching eggs on Fleabay. Always great feedback, repeat customers, and was able to buy great quality eggs myself to add to bloodlines. Then maybe 4 years ago or so, it seemed to be overrun by scammers and chancers. So I...

At home. As a child I kept my 2 small ponies up the road. In my 20s I was the sole livery on a local yard. In my 30s we rented the field next door. Now I am lucky enough to have my own land and stables at home. I only have 1 horse and 1 pony on 10 acres so there would be room for liveries. But I...

This is actually about sheep but I'm sure some of it will apply equally to horse buyers. I breed pedigree sheep. Some I keep back, some are sold to other breeders, some go to a tiny family run Welsh abbatoir for meat boxes. Some also go as pets/lawnmowers/holiday lets as they're an attractive...

Just to say, my greedy thug of a Fell once smashed her way into a metal creep feeder and demolished an almost totally full 20kg sheep tub, pretty much pure molasses. She's borderline EMS so I was convinced there would be a huge laminitis episode. Nothing. Not a peep. Not even slight footiness...

Farrier thinks it's more recent than the abscess. Heels are still good, its hard to explain, just a more upright confo yet no visible heel changes. He thinks we'd have seen it before 2 years. Although it is a coincidence...

I have a horrible here we go again feeling (previous horse was pts aged 8 due to multiple issues)... 10yo Dales mare. Owned since 3 and backed and brought on myself. Diagnosed with PPID aged 9. Well controlled; only issues have been skin and coat quality, some puffiness above the eyes and low...

That made me feel a lot better! Normally my sheep/lamb sales cover all the animal costs and a bit more but definitely not this year. But as you say it comes and goes. Here's to better grass next year.

Not struggling yet but may do. I have hay, as much as I could get my hands on; enough for the horses and goats for a "normal" winter. However the summer drought hammered my grass so badly that even with the autumn regrowth it's been eaten down very quickly. It's so poor now that even the sheep...

I find we are always quoted ridiculous amounts...even NFU admitted theirs was ott. No idea why; perhaps smallholding/small farm insurance pays out a lot round here although I don't see why. It's quiet, rural Welsh hills. Anyway I have BHS gold for horse third party. The tractor isn't road legal...

Sabre although when I looked recently I couldn't find a comfort headpiece, only the traditional style with the noseband running underneath. In the end the only option that met my requirements - decent headpiece, flat noseband, nice leather and mix and match - was the Shires Velcociti. I was a...

Personally I would go the in hand option as that's how I start youngsters. The earlier comment about riding being the only way isn't true and is rather old fashioned. I work in hand and then long rein (only if you are confident) as some of mine go on to drive. Long reining in particular gives...

Fwiw I do like the Flexee. I've used the pre gullet and now adjustable gullet version but you do need a proper shim pad with them. And the recommended Nuumed one is no longer manufactured (I think). I find them comfortable, horse goes nicely, certainly don't feel perched. BUT customer service...