PolarSkye
Well-Known Member
I would say it's 90% good . . . it took Kali about three days to settle in his stable (he has taken way longer than that in the past), he has been remarkably calm and relaxed and not at all bargey on the yard (which he has a tendency to do when stressed) and has been an angel in the school . . .
I have now ridden him in the school, out onto the yard, down the lane (alone) and yesterday we had our first proper hack off the yard in company - and while he has been snorty and looky he's been very, very good. I've got a new instructor for Em and she sat on him yesterday and pronounced him "very clever" (well, we knew that) and with alot of potential . . . unfortunately he trotted up lame on the right rein so Em didn't have a lesson (although she has ridden him in the school).
Because he's had three months off, we have kept his workload light but consistent - a little long-lining, some schooling in walk and the hack out yesterday (also in walk). Once he is sound (I suspect he bruised a sole on our hack yesterday), I will start introducing some trot work and then we'll start using the gallops for fittening (they're hilly).
He went in with his two new fieldmates on Saturday . . . Jasper (a huuuuuuuge warmblood who was at a previous yard with us) and Bobby (a dinky little powerhouse TBx). Jasper is fine with him . . . having established he is herd boss, he's quite happy to sniff noses and licked Kal up the legs this morning (Kal's face was a picture). Bobby is taking a little longer to warm up - I suspect he's quite possessive of Jasper (they're like bookends) - and he's been charging right at Kal with his teeth out since Saturday - but today I caught Bobbs and Kal having a peaceful sniffy noses moment, so I think Bobbs is becoming satisfied that Kal knows his place.
Mucking out a straw bed, trudging up the hill to turn out/bring in, hauling heavy wheelbarrows and buckets about and getting up early is a bit of a shock to my system having had him on full livery for 6 months, but I actually haven't minded that much . . . I am, though, losing weight and very, very physically tired!
My fellow liveries are lovely . . . friendly, encouraging and (mostly) kind. YO and his wife are also delightful . . . YO makes a point of saying good morning, asking how the horses are doing and what we're up to and we all have a laugh. I can honestly say that it's the most chilled yard I've ever been on . . . and Kal has settled quicker here than anywhere else we've been.
Downsides? It truly is DIY . . . there is no assistance at all (unless you can persuade a friend to bring in/turn out for you) and we are responsible for the maintenance of our own fields . . . we buy the fertilizer and YO applies it for us, we poo pick, we rotate the grazing . . . YO does big things like move water troughs and maintain post and rail, it's up to us to do everything else. The only other downside is that the grazing isn't great . . . despite poo picking daily and rotating the field (we have a huge field that we divide in half and rotate that way b/w our three) we are still having to put hay out for our boys over the winter . . . but I can see the grass growing already and it won't be long before we don't have to do that any more.
All-in-all, a good move . . . and (most important) Kal seems to be happy (although I will be happier once he and J and Bobbs have sorted themselves out properly).
.
P
I have now ridden him in the school, out onto the yard, down the lane (alone) and yesterday we had our first proper hack off the yard in company - and while he has been snorty and looky he's been very, very good. I've got a new instructor for Em and she sat on him yesterday and pronounced him "very clever" (well, we knew that) and with alot of potential . . . unfortunately he trotted up lame on the right rein so Em didn't have a lesson (although she has ridden him in the school).
Because he's had three months off, we have kept his workload light but consistent - a little long-lining, some schooling in walk and the hack out yesterday (also in walk). Once he is sound (I suspect he bruised a sole on our hack yesterday), I will start introducing some trot work and then we'll start using the gallops for fittening (they're hilly).
He went in with his two new fieldmates on Saturday . . . Jasper (a huuuuuuuge warmblood who was at a previous yard with us) and Bobby (a dinky little powerhouse TBx). Jasper is fine with him . . . having established he is herd boss, he's quite happy to sniff noses and licked Kal up the legs this morning (Kal's face was a picture). Bobby is taking a little longer to warm up - I suspect he's quite possessive of Jasper (they're like bookends) - and he's been charging right at Kal with his teeth out since Saturday - but today I caught Bobbs and Kal having a peaceful sniffy noses moment, so I think Bobbs is becoming satisfied that Kal knows his place.
Mucking out a straw bed, trudging up the hill to turn out/bring in, hauling heavy wheelbarrows and buckets about and getting up early is a bit of a shock to my system having had him on full livery for 6 months, but I actually haven't minded that much . . . I am, though, losing weight and very, very physically tired!
My fellow liveries are lovely . . . friendly, encouraging and (mostly) kind. YO and his wife are also delightful . . . YO makes a point of saying good morning, asking how the horses are doing and what we're up to and we all have a laugh. I can honestly say that it's the most chilled yard I've ever been on . . . and Kal has settled quicker here than anywhere else we've been.
Downsides? It truly is DIY . . . there is no assistance at all (unless you can persuade a friend to bring in/turn out for you) and we are responsible for the maintenance of our own fields . . . we buy the fertilizer and YO applies it for us, we poo pick, we rotate the grazing . . . YO does big things like move water troughs and maintain post and rail, it's up to us to do everything else. The only other downside is that the grazing isn't great . . . despite poo picking daily and rotating the field (we have a huge field that we divide in half and rotate that way b/w our three) we are still having to put hay out for our boys over the winter . . . but I can see the grass growing already and it won't be long before we don't have to do that any more.
All-in-all, a good move . . . and (most important) Kal seems to be happy (although I will be happier once he and J and Bobbs have sorted themselves out properly).
.P