Holiday Heads

HOLIDAY HEADS

Great excitement - Chris and I are going up north for a week on holiday.

We are taking the dogs and I am looking forward to seeing Imogen's reaction when she sees the sea for the first time, as she has never been to the beach before due to her arthritis. She will be kept on a lead.

I have no doubt that the weather will be atrocious as forecast, but the lure of sitting in someone Else's house, while the rain tips down outside, watching beef cattle through the window ..... What am I saying, I can do that at home!!!

Lots of packing to do tomorrow, but first I will be riding Bombay & Maud, and doing the usual Saturday stuff. M&D will be keeping and eye on Corrie, Ruth & Bazil for me and Dad will be feeding my hens.

I'm not ready, but I'm all set to go .....

Yahoo... I'm on holiday .... Bye for now x

Maud is a STAR again!

I learned last night that Maud was placed fourth in her 50cm Jumping class on Sunday! Absolutely fantastic - I have to say, she did rattle round the course at some speed, and perhaps that is the reason she knocked one fence down, but she was up against horses, so she would be nimbler on the corners. I'm still so proud of her.

In preparation for the blacksmith on Thursday, after brushing Bazil I managed to pick out his hooves! He nearly behaved himself, but he did eventually just slide down my legs and lay on the ground in a big heap. This is a party trick he does if you rub his tummy, and always seems surprised to be lying on the ground. Everything is a new experience I guess.

After a quick brush and rub down, Bazil's mum Ruth looked fantastic. She at least didn't go for a roll in the dust, unlike Bazil!

That is enough chat about blinking horses. Today it is mild but wet, so once again I have resorted to slapping on the artificial tan cream. I think this year I will be going through many bottles of this magic stuff.

Wardhouse Charity Show

Sunday at Wardhouse was the annual charity show. I entered Maud in the Tack & Turnout class, to be ridden by Rachael this time, as Stephanie rode her at the last show. I also entered Maud into the "Wobbly" Jumping class and the 50cm class, to be ridden by Pavla, who schools her twice a week for me.

To our delight, Rachael and Maud were placed second in the tack & Turnout class. Maud was atrocious in the wobbly jumping class - another learning curve for her, as she napped and wanted to join the other horses in the collecting area. But Pavla sorted her out and Maud did jump every fence, but she argued with Pavla at each fence. I think the fences were just too low for her. However, when it came to the second jumping class, Maud showed us all what she can do, as she raced round the course, jumping each fence with enthusiasm, but knocked one fence down. (I'll find out at some point this week if she was placed at all in this class) But at the end of the day, I was thrilled to bits with her performance and more importantly, her behaviour. Impeccable.

Stephanie and Rachael spent the rest of the afternoon riding Maud through the long grass at the other end of the show field, cantering and trotting about, just having a blissful time. Mum was with us and it reminded her of her days as a child, when you could just ride about with that freedom - Ah, happy days!

Although completely knackered at the end of the day, I think little Maud really enjoyed herself.

First check up from the Vet

Can you see Bazil's teeth? I can assure you that when he grabs hold of you it is extremely sore and you are left with a very smart bruise!

The Vet arrived yesterday to give Bazil his one month check up. The results are that his is in rude health as you can see, but he will require some corrective pairing of his front hooves as the vet thinks he is too upright, especially on the front offside hoof. Also at the moment, only one testicle has descended, so I've got keep a lookout for the other one to descend, otherwise I could end up with a rig.

In these pictures you can see Bazil's baby coat is coming out round the muzzle and eyes. I still don't really know what colour he'll end up, but I'm hoping a dark bay like his mother, or he could be a bright bay - I'll just have to wait and see...

Maud also had a visit from the vet re: her broken tooth. It turns out that she has lost more!! Don't worry, she is rather late in maturing as far as her teeth are concerned. These teeth should have fallen out about a year and a half ago and she should have her adult front teeth by now. The loss of these incisors don't seem to be affecting her ridden work, so all is well.

On Sunday, Maud is going to a charity show and is entered in the "Tack & Turnout" class and the "Wobbly" jumping class. Apparently she really enjoys jumping, in fact all work other than flat work! (she is required to work in flat work!) So I'll let you know how she gets on.

Kennels, Gardening and Plants

On Sunday I thought it was high time I started to dig out the foundations for the dog run that I'm having built. This is the site, as you can see I removed the turf a while back, but due to work or the weather, I have not really progressed. To my delight I found a few more plants in the old flower bed & so dug them out and realised that there was no way I was going to dig out by hand 1 foot by 13 x 13 feet for footings.

Yesterday, I hired a mini digger for the middle of July to do the heavy work for me and also to save my back! Just got to order the scalping, sand & cement, a mixer and a whacker plate and the job will be finished, ready for the kennel people to erect the kennels. Sound so easy!!

Chris phoned on Sunday night saying that the angels have looked down onto his garden and given him a new plant to cover the rotting concrete path. The picture of the green plant which has sort of lilac coloured blue pompoms on it has spread to about a yard wide (it is not wild scabious). However, I do think it was a bird dropping and not the angles that planted it there!

Up Date on Bazil

Here is a photo of Bazil, taken this morning.

He is now one month and 4 days old, and getting taller, braver and cheekier every day. My legs are covered in bruises where he has nipped me - rather sore at the time, but he has a laugh.

As you can see from the other picture, Ruthie is in good nick and feeding both herself and Bazil with no problems.

They are both due a visit from the vet and the blacksmith for their first monthly visit - just to double check everything is okay. Ruth requires her hooves to be paired and Corrie lost a hind shoe a few weeks back and if I can catch her, I'll get it replaced.

The Equine dentist has suggested that I get the vet out to check Maudie's broken tooth, as it may need to extracted, which will mean a trip to the vet hospital!! £££££!

St. Lillius Day

Today i am the guest blogger, Rachael McCabe. I am here for take your child to work day, instead of school ! It's great fun !

Well on Saturday 2nd of June, We all had a family outing to the St.Lilluis Day Parade and after that entered the dogs into a dog show!

I, took in Diesel the Dobermann (the kangaroo) and Stephanie took in Mrs. F. Dog (Fleur). We took them into the show - Best Junior Handeler and unfortunatly Stephaine and Fluer didnt get placed, but i think the judge was blind then. But, great news, Diesel (the kangarooo) won, he got 1st place! wow . (i must have handeled him well!) he walked correctly, stood well and he did as he was told, like a good wee man !

Sunday 3rd of June, i went out with Carol on a hack, i went on the Maud Machine - with the broken front tooth, and Carol went out on the Bombay Mix ! They both (Maud and Bombay) had a fantastic time galloping away with the wind in their mane with the sun beaming down on them ! .. I WISH !

No it poared with rain and we WALKED through bridge of weir ! .. but other than that , it was a good ol' hack ! .. and maud wanted to go round it AGAIN ! :O ..

After we had gone home and dried off, Carol, Chris and I went into largs and went to the Mud Hook restaurant for lunch ,, Very Nice Very nice !!

Then we were going to go to Kelburn park and see the graffitie but Chris didnt want to go because he couldnt see anything and it was pouring with rain. so instead we went and walked along the "beach" with the golden sand and the clear blue sea and again the sun beaming hot ! .. No wait , we arent in the bahammas ! (unfortuatly) But it was wet and my feet got soaked because the tide came in tpoo far and went over my shoes ! but we were trying to skim pebbles, but the most i got was 2 1/2, Chris go 2 and Carol just gave up and chucked a big rock in., (i think she was entered into the compition to see how big a spash you cou;ld make, not the pebble skimming one !) Any way ,, all in all it was a fabby day and days !

and now i'm here at work ,, Spike Media to be exact!

Have a fun time, fellow bloggers ! ;)

*i bet you never have as much fun as we do ! haa .. beat that !*