Recent content by planete

With you, been there, done that!

😀 I sympathise!

Bridleways are legally required to be kept open anyway surely? Other benefits deriving from trail hunting such as employment and supporting various trades also arise from clean boot hunting or drag hunting.

Same here, qualified equine podiatrist. About 45mn., discuss management, feed and exercise, scores body condition, checks gait before and after trim, makes recommendations on how to treat any developing foot problems like soft soles or gravel in white line then emails a report summing it all up.

I use a hip saver to give the Torsion the right twist for me. Without it my position would be (and feel) horrible.

I have been riding in a Torsion saddle for many years and my pony's back is always found free of tension or sore areas by the physios. I do not believe treeless saddles distribute the rider's weight either, all I expect them to do is cushion any potential pressure points from my bones or the...

Shires do cages that screw on to ordinary stirrups. I find them secure, comfortable and very lightweight.

My pony was seven when I got him and had never done anything more than give small children rides on a lead rein. He was narrow in front with no visible withers. After two years of in hand work, gentle schooling and hacking he now has a decent space between his front legs and a wither. He...

Yes. All my horses ended up stopping as soon as I said "and"! And one of them thought his name was "good boy" 😀

I went to check my Saga home insurance cover and there was no mention of third party cover for pets. I used the website chatbot and it confirmed that pets are covered as part of my home insurance. Worth a thorough check even if not explicitly mentioned.

Reading all this with interest. Many owners who are not professionals do not have the tools to cope with problem behaviours. Calling SY to solve a problem can be helpful but I wonder how the owner fares once they are alone again with the horse and their body language or attitude lets the horse...

Thanks all. It sounds as if it bears no relation to real lfe experiences then. When we got him he was very fearful of being handled roughly and I did wonder whether he was relieving stressful episodes in his previous life.

Probably a daft question. Our very quiet dog neutral greyhound growls a lot in his sleep, not occasionally but every day and night, more or less every time he is in a deep sleep. He is not a barker and he only growled at us ( can I trim your nails?) when apprehensive. This did not last long and...

Many years ago my arab started giving a small buck during canter transitions. I had broken him myself and he was a horse who had never bucked. The vet came, had a look, said there was nothing wrong and to 'work him through it'. I ignored him, got another vet, and my horse ended up having a...

How many horses have access to truly natural food though? When I had horses roaming over an uncultivated welsh hillside with trees and bushes they had an amazing variety of foodstufft to chose from and it was fascinating to watch them pick and chose what they ate. They did a lot of tree and...