Recent content by OwnedbyJoe

I have switched to an "old school" dentist who uses hand tools. His position is "do nothing if not needed" and in fact walked away from two of my 5 saying they didn't need any work done. They are checked once a year, with the baby every 6 months. He also advocates referral to a vet if he feels...

Differently for each horse. Joe is a sweety and a submissive horse to others in the paddock. He is handled very differently to my bossy mare. A quiet "ah" will remind Joe where he should be standing/moving whereas the mare gets bopped on the nose with a leadrope occasionally to keep her in the...

I'm 48, have 2 children aged 13 and 11 and a full time job (37 1/2 hour week, some trips away for a few days at a time). I started riding as a tiny tot and evented all through my teenage years. Gave it away while at uni and for the first 5 years of work life during which I moved to Oz, then my...

The way he insists, after his halter is off and before his bridle goes on, on a 20 second head hug. He wraps his neck around me as I stand in front of his shoulder, puts his head sideways onto my chest and just asks to be hugged. And for my other horse, it's the way he uses his upper lip to...

What...??! Sorry Alec, you are now officially on the "spouts rubbish" list! (Speaking as a vet with a special interest in behaviour and the daughter of a very prominent dog trainer). I'd suggest the only time not wanting to go for a walk is the sign of a stressed dog is when it is the WALK that...

Oh dear... My 2 Kelpies with their very strong drive to work sheep and my JRT with her very strong drive to hunt rats must suffer dreadfully then. Not sure anyone has told them they are suffering though as they seem quite content with a ball..

I use the hay pillows in our yards at night when we are away at rides. They work very well and I don't have to get up at midnight to refill nets (if they run out of hay they are not above rattling the yards all night to wake us up!). Over here in Oz a number of people I know use a wheelie bin...

We know that: 1. The placebo effect exists 2. The placebo effect still comes into effect even when people know they are being given a placebo! 3. The placebo effect sill comes into play in animal trials because we are in many cases reliant on the owner/carer's perception of improvement in...

My daughter started riding her 15hh mare when she was 10... Her 12.2 Welshie died very unexpectedly so the "future horse" got pressed into service earlier than planned. They have not looked back and she completed her first 50 mile endurance ride on her in August.

Polocrosse = a cross between lacrosse on horseback and polo. Only one horse ridden, no teams of ponies like in polo. The ball is passed between riders racquets, can be bounced on the ground, and goals are scored by throwing the ball between posts similar to a polo goal. It's brilliant fun to...

I'm awake now... I'm in Oz so I'll comment on the main differences I saw between here and my past lie in England, but I think Western Australia is quite different to other states in Oz as well! Turnout is very common. Very few horses would be stabled all the time,most are out at least all day...

Classic. Sounds a bit like me dealing with the non horsy OH: "Why can't I brush him with the yard broom with the handle taken off? It's bigger than those brushes" (I had no answer to that one) "Why do you have to get on from the left?" (Err... Something to do with swords I think)

My Arab X got his endurance logbook at 5 and was measured then as 15hh. He's now 15.2...

There is a (recently discovered) genetic link to pacing. Some horses with the gene will pace from birth. Others without it will trot, and have to be trained to pace. So it is entirely possible that the one you are looking at does not naturally pace, only trots. I have had several Standies: all...

Red lights in the float and also for a headlamp. Provides enough light for me to see what I'm doing, but doesn't blind the horses.