Recent content by old hand

Check the balance of your saddle, make sure the centre of the seat is flat and that the stirrup leather hangs straight down. Even if the stirrup is only an inch or so forward or back it will make you hold yourself differently to try to counter balance it. I have one saddle that sits perfectly...

Might be worth hopping on her bareback, or get someone else to so you can watch what is happening. I had this with a horse and it was the saddle despite two saddlers saying it was fine. Muscle worker said it was not and showed me where the pressure points were. There was no muscle wastage at...

I think horses vary wildly in their reaction to pain. I have one with a large jack spavin and did not give bute as it would delay the fusion. he didn't really care about it but worked through it. Success with jack spavins is very low. The side effects of bute are more than just taking down the...

The Micklem will fit a draught or shire buy large horse and replace the browband with a larger one. They are very adjustable.

I had a horse with a professional for sale following building up a competition record with them. He failed the vet with two lame steps on flexion. I arranged x rays for the next day and he had a spavin forming. I collected him and set about working him sound, he then jumped for a season and a...

Just checked on E Bay where they sell their tack and they have several models of girth and stock 60" ones. Heritage Saddlery, that is, there is a link to E bay on their site.

Am following this with interest as I also have a humungous horse. If it is any help I had a really nice stud girth made by Heritage , my local saddle shop organised it, and it was the same price as their stock ones which was a surprise. I think they do other types of girth too. Mine is far...

My planning advisor who used to a Local Authority Planning Manager told me never to replace all the stables at once as I would need new planning permission, which although unlikely to be unsuccessful would be costly. She said to repair one or two at a time or do the walls and then the roof ...

I am sorry I didn't realise it was a horse. They run the showjumping under BS Rules so I would imagine it is not allowed for a 148 and under and allowed for a horse bigger than 148. Sounds daft but that is the BS Rule. We had a pony that jumped in a hackamore with special dispensation for...

Combination bits are not allowed in BS pony show jumping competitions so I doubt they are allowed for Pony Club, I would ask your District Commissioner, who will be able to check with Head Office if necessary.

Crikey I wish it was that cheap here, £40 for square and round bales. Large hay like haylage are better value as about 15 small bales in them, they are £40 too. Very few suppliers.

One thing that I find helpful in these situations is to paint both feet with water, make sure the stable door is shut so that the sun doesn't get on them and then see if one area dries quicker than any other. If no heat at all they will both dry exactly the same. Not scientific I know but it...

I had one that was gelded late and after one of his escapades ( he covered a mare over an electric fence four feet high) he was tested and was a gelding. He looked and acted like a stallion and we treated him as such. He even chased some workmen out of the field to protect his herd of geldings...

I had a horse with adhesions in his navicular ligament. Cortavet used him as a free trial and it worked. he was about to be put down as he was right up on his toe and in a lot of pain. Three days on Cortavet and he was supposed to be trotted up, he exploded ( that is how he did it in the first...

Our local planning authority will not let you erect a fence higher than 4 ft without planning permission, we are not in an AONB. Worth checking as enforcement can be expensive to defend.