A Day In The Life Of A Very Cold Work Rider!

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Lets set the scene: a dash of layered snow, a cold, frosty night, some moonlight and some freezing fog.

I headed off to do my own horses before work (my lovely OH had put some deicer on my car for me!) And it was nice to see the ponies coats doing their jobs! All of the unrugged natives were white and frosty where there realy isnt ANY heat escaping out of their coats! Got to work to hear people moaning about how cold it was. "My car reads -7! This is not ok with me right now!" Said one. "Do we still have to ride the horses?" Said another naive newbie 😂😂😂 I just responded with "Theres no such thing as bad weather just inappropriate clothing!"

So we all bundled up in more layers than the Michelin Man and scrambled onto our first lot in the half dark. Ee by gum it was cold! But Pins soon warmed me up the wee toad! Heading onto the gallop he put his head between his knees, leapt into the air, turned 90degrees to the right before landing and then did it all over again! If that doesn't wake you up and get the adrenaline flowing nothing will! The girl next to me was squealing 'cos Pins set her one off 😂😂😂 all the horses are a little bit fresh just now as most had been on pre-race work which is now null and void as Musselburgh is off this weekend. Today was just a trot and lob day so nothing fast or strenuous.

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Second lot was Elmo who is a total Dude of a horse! But he isn't a fan of the frost so wasnt pulling half as hard as he can today - thankfully!

Wrapped up to the nines with my snood up over my ears, heat pads on my toes and between my 2 sets of gloves! I was toasty warm!
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Over at the other yard I had Big Bad Boris first, again just an easy lobbing day - or so you think! Big Bad Boris took full advantage of not being on baby sitting duties today and went a little faster than I like back down the gallop the last time! Not out of control, christ no! But not 100% under the thumb 😂😂😂

My next horse was one I have adopted to try to turn around. I love him to pieces, always have! But he is a horse with problems. He pretty much lives on ulcer treatment and massages but he is looking 100x better and is 1000x happier for having one person ride and look after him. Because he is/was such an easy ride he got every tom dick and harry on him but the last 2 weeks he has really changed for the better. We shall see if he runs any better for it. He has had my Seaver Girth Sleeve on for the last couple of days but it has either given me totally wonky data or none at all so I am going to have to speak to them about it.

Last lot was The Reprobate ... Sky ran a great race to be 2nd at Kelso last week and then spent the best part of a week on the water treadmill after as he had a bit of a sore back. Sky LOVES the treadmill! He is one horse that you really do notice a difference in when he has been on it. He is much more free in his movement and has more of a swing in his step. Sadly the water treadmill is af yard 1 and Sky is absolutely sceptic to ride over there so he rarely spends much time there for my sanity! But the last few days over at yard 2 he has been off his rocker! Sky likes to pull, hard! But he is taking the utter pee just now! Its good that he is feeling so well and so happy with himself! But I may have to resort to putting a grackle on him tomorrow... not a decision I take lightly because he really doesn't like them and I dont want to spoil his good mood but my arms and back need a break from his relentlessness lol! Roll on Feb 14th when the wee toad runs again!

All of the stables have automatic water drinkers which obviously fail when the temperature dips too low. But its ok, we have contingency plans. We always keep the taps going so thats not a bother and we fill up big 1000l cubes so we have a good, quick supply of water. But transporting it round the yard can take time. But as they say - Team work makes the dream work! If you get a long enough chain it takes no time at all!

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A few more wintery pics (and yes I have stolen some from the boss 'cos she is always nicking my pics too so its only fair 😂😂😂)
A little but frosty 2nd lot!
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I love reading your write ups, Sky sounds a right bulldozer when fit!😜😲
Pics great 😎

He is a stocky wee bugger so he is! And fair play to him - he is now 10yo, has been in training since he was a yearling, he has had no major injuries - ok he has his niggles but nothing we can't fix/keep on top of - and he still absolutely, 100% LOVES his job! But he would be equally happy being someones horse - you would just need to have a great sense of humour, be a little fearless and basically be just like him! A little bit psycho!

Love these photos!! No idea how you sit acrobatics in those titchy racing saddles....

I would much rather have an exercise saddle that doesn't hold me in anywhere and have full use of my legs and seat than be in a gp/dressage/jumping saddle that puts me in a position. I have never had a saddle to make my legs stay in a certain place (show saddles and shetland saddles all my life!). It's just what you are used to I guess. Plus we rarely ride with our stirrups up round our ears! Ride long live long!

Here is Sky at Kelso the other day - black and white colours

At the hurdle on the first circuit:
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The same hurdle but it's the last this time and the horse in front had flattened it. Sky didn't know what to do bless him! Hurdles are supposed to be upright and jumpable in his world! So you can see why he over reached and took a chunk out of his heel!
ygtxTws.jpg
 
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Great read, what heat pads do you use and how long are they effective for?

I have these on my feet. They say 5 hours but so long as you keep them warm they stay warm for much longer. I put them on at 6.30am this morning, they are still on now and are still toasty warm!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Little-Hot...89&sr=8-3&keywords=little+hotties+toe+warmers

These are the ones that go between my gloves and again stay warm all day if you don't let them get cold.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Little-Hot...qid=1548962769&sr=8-1&keywords=little+hotties
 

Pc2003

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Amazing!
Do you go straight from stable to gallops? Do you have no ice patches at all? What happens if there is a icy puddle on the gallops? Our whole yard is sheet ice. Can’t imagine trying to get over it!
 
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Amazing!
Do you go straight from stable to gallops? Do you have no ice patches at all? What happens if there is a icy puddle on the gallops? Our whole yard is sheet ice. Can’t imagine trying to get over it!

At the first yard the horses are on the walker for 25-30mins before they are ridden and they go straight out onto the gallop. Bar a wee bit of tarmac that is gritted if necessary the rest you can access by grass fields. There are no icy puddles on the gallops themselves - they are well drained wood chip. We buy in bulk quantities of salt and grit so we can also grit the road to the gallops at yard 2. If it is really bad at yard 2 we have a sand circular gallop there as well as a sand/carpet school. So the horses will always get out and about. We do still turn them out in the field for 1/2 hour or so as well.
 

Cornish

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I love reading about your routine EKW and the amazing characters you work with - the photo of the gorgeous frosty whiskered fella is a bonus! It would be amazing if you could find time to do a weekly post.....:) :)
 

waggit

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Please EKW never ever stop posting your diaries. They are brilliant. I use to ride out for an owner in Wales on out of training racers and his hunters. So much fun but equally terrifying. Leant more about riding there in 6 months then 6 years of weekly riding lessons. Fear creates a wonderful vacuum between butt and saddle!
 

J&S

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You are a rider and horse/pony owner to be truly respected, and a pretty good writer and photographer to boot! Always a pleasure to see what you have been up to in your work and to meet the horses you care for and about.
 
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Im glad you lot my little blogs. I can understand why as it is a window into a world many people would never have thought to look through. It also shows that racing isnt all that bad these days! Yeah there are some things that people wont like but same in any walk of life, you cant keep everyone happy all of the time.

I couldnt do a weekly blog, it would be quite reptative as not a lot really changes to be honest! Though I may do a 50 Shades Of Grey version because lets face it - racing could provide endless hours of entertainment without a horse in sight! 😂😂😂
 

Surbie

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I love these diaries and the photos are just fantastic. One of the horses at our yard has the sheepskin sleeves on his bridle too - always makes me think of Elvis in the 70s...
 

Bernster

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I love the frosty whiskers! Can’t believe you manage to stay on with those gymnastics. Glad you’re keeping toasty. I got some hand warmers for Xmas but haven’t need3d them yet. Might pop them in my bag though for this weekend, dressage tomorrow so may be some standing around getting cold!
 
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Is that Pins in the last photo? There definitely needs to be more photos of him ;)

Great update as always

Nope that's not Pins, that's a young filly called Hinny ... We did NOT name her! Her owners did! Lol! Humphrey is behind her ... again we did NOT name him! I promise!
 
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