In The Wars

Poor Drum has been beaten up lots by his mean old TB gelding paddock mate Ned. He isnt so bad out in the paddock but when they are by the house, Ned can corner him easily and bite and kick the crap out of him. He has some old marks finally growing hair back on them. But has new marks on his bum, rump, sides, alongside his spine - two very deep ones just behind saddle, and yesterday, two new very deep ones under saddle, which ruled out a ride yesterday. He also got many multiple cuts from his throat, down his neck, across chest, one shoulder and one side from being repeatedly kicked. Theyre mostly healed now. Feel very sorry for poor Drum.

But. Shawn has quit his job and we are moving. Hopefully we will find new decent grazing with nice paddock mates. I will miss our current grazing though, amazing views, great grass, and not to mention, free.

Bad Behaviour, Bad Dreams, New Shoes

Drum spent the 4days over New Years at Mum's - I was working all day and he was getting new shoes on the Monday. I rode him on the Thurs night we arrived and he was great [very bad photo above]. By Saturday, even on a double dose of toxin binder, the rye grass had got to him and he was very naughty. He wouldnt stand by the mounting block and kept walking off. Then when I would get on, he'd walk off. So I would get off and we'd go back to the block to start again until he could stand. And then off down the paddock we went, sideways, jigging, jogging, ears up my nose and at the end a wee buck! I jumped off and got the lunge line and made him walk and trot both ways until he could do so without being a plonker. Then we finished with some quiet in hand work and dinner.

He got his new shoes on Monday morning and he was reasonably badly behaved. Wouldnt stand still, but the farrier said he was actually pretty good. He was then very naughty to get on the float to go home and the chains came off the divider so it was banging against him, so no wonder he didnt travel well. Poor guy. I wouldnt be surprised if he doesnt want to get back into a float again! Am planning on doing some quiet practice in the paddock with our grazers good, decent, big, roomy float. I dreamt that night that all of Drum's feet had gotten bruised and were so painful he couldnt stand at all and the grazer couldnt get hold of me and had to stay with Drum all night. I woke up and felt horrible and had to rush up to check Drum was ok - he was!

We went for a 5km walk yesterday, I just led him out and he worried about walking on the stones across driveways etc... until he realised his shoes stopped his feet from being sore! And he strutted his stuff and was very happy. We even jogged a wee bit, too hot to do much though, phew.

I bought my bike home so I could bike up to Drum in the evenings and hopefully lose some weight and get fit again. Hope I can keep to it.