ceffylau

Cuddles, carrots and country walking

2011-11-11T16:10:00.001Z

I took Dee's rug off for a couple weeks because it went so mild but it's back on her again now. It is still pretty mild but goes suddenly cold some nights and has been very wet. She is looking really well.

As I travelled down the track to the yard today I could see that the horses were in the far fields near the motorway. They are not usually allowed in these fields as they are kept for hay, but at this time of year they let the herd into them. The grass there is still quite lush. I knew it was unlikely that Dee would want to come in from there. With so much good grass to eat she is not interested in any feed I bring her.

She was pleased to see me and happy to come over for treats and cuddles, but I was correct that she was not interested in following me back to the yard. That was fine by me. I checked that she and her rugs (under-rug and waterproof sheet) were all okay and left her to it. I'm quite happy not to be riding much at the moment. I always enjoy just visiting the horses and it is a pleasant walk in the countryside. I had to wade through two streams today and was pleased to discover that my wellington boots do not have any holes.

View from Briwnant

I still sometimes marvel at the recovery of my knees as I stride out with confidence across the uneven ground. There is still the occasional twinge but mostly both knees are fine now.

Back at the yard I found Red who had just come in from an hour's ride and was enjoying some hay. He was also happy to receive carrots and cuddles. An enjoyable visit to Briwnant and good exercise as well.

Rug time

2011-10-17T21:58:00.000+01:00

I decided to rug Dee today. The weather forecast was for colder and wet weather starting this evening. I don't know whether it is really a little early to start rugging, but I felt I left it a bit too late last year and didn't want to risk that mistake again. Horses expend such a lot of their energy just on keeping warm and dry in the winter, and Dee is a senior citizen.

It does not seem to be so very cold this evening, but it is blowing a gale outside and the rain is hammering down, so I do not regret my decision. It is nice to think of Dee tucked up in a waterproof rug and protected from the bite of the wind.

Riding in three seasons

2011-10-04T13:55:00.000+01:00

The last two weekends we have had to work and so have been unable to ride together. So yesterday 'ö-Dzin took a day off work and we went on a lovely ride together.

We decided to do the same ride as I had ridden with my friend TK a couple of weeks ago, as 'ö-Dzin had never been on the golf course bridleway. This time we were going to do this circular route in the opposite direction however.

The Ganol

We set out in glorious sunshine. The weather has been extraordinary in Wales for about a week – hotter than it has been at any time during the summer. It was really too hot for riding but it seemed silly to waste this little glimpse of what summer could have been. Unfortunately Red had already been out for an hour so he was a little reluctant. As it was so hot and Red had already done some work, we decided to make this a slow ride.

The horses had a long drink when we crossed the stream in the Wenallt. When we arrived at the Ganol quite a strong breeze had blown up. All around us leaves were falling and it felt much more autumnal. We had heard that the weather was due to break and had hoped that we would be lucky and it would hold out for the Monday. We did not canter the horses at all on this ride. We had a few trots. We were content to plod and simply enjoy being out together.

Ridgeway golf course

At the end of the lane leading to Ridgeway livery, where the horses used to live, there are two gates to negotiate. Red is not very good at gates. He doesn't seem to understand what he needs to do – either that or I fail to ask him properly. Dee is wonderfully intelligent with gates and so we usually ask her to take the lead and show Red what to do. It turned out that the gates were easier to deal with in this direction as it was just a matter of pushing them open. We succeeded in getting through them both without needing to dismount.

I love this photo of Dee

The track across the golf course was much more obvious in this direction. Red was a bit unsure of a golfer on a green near the track. There were two fluttering red flags and the golfer had a big bag lying on the green. Red became very alert. Then there was a large skip full of rubbish which he was not too keen on either and stepped sideways to give it a wide berth. Then as we rounded the edge of the house there were two red mattresses and Red started on seeing them – but that was it: the totality of Red's concern. He is such a steady lad. Dee is always calm and reassured when she is with him and will follow him past anything.

Are there any more treats?

Red was completely relaxed again by the time we reached the road at the end of the bridleway. Neither of them were bothered by facing the traffic. It seemed more sensible to continue on the footpath to Wenallt Road facing the traffic rather than having to cross the road twice. It is only a short distance.

Beginning the walk down Wenallt Road we could see cloud rolling in across the hills. The top of the transmitter tower was lost in mist. It became really cold and damp – winter seemed to have arrived! We crossed the fields for the last part of the ride to avoid the very narrow part of Wenallt Road and soon we were home. Dee and Red, Nor'dzin and 'ö-Dzin had all had a splendid time together.

Golf course bridleway

2011-09-19T21:38:00.000+01:00

The trail from Briwnant yard

We've had a few lovely rides recently. The weather is pretty changeable and we did get soaked on one ride, but then the sun came out and we were all dry again by the time we got back to the yard.

Last Thursday TK came over from Bristol again and we started on our mission to try out new rides. This time we were aiming to find the bridleway that crosses the Ridgeway golf course. I already knew how to access it from the Rhiwbina Hill side but did not know the way to it from Caerphilly Road – so that was the task of the ride.

I was also trying out Red with a saddlebag with water bottles for the first time and he was fine. It didn't bother him at all.

Across the stream from the Wenallt

We took the horses up the road to the end of Wenallt Road because we felt the trail that goes up there straight off the yard would be rather too muddy with all the rain we have had. Red was so funny. I was surprised at how well he was stepping out at the beginning of the ride, but when we got to the top I found out why. He expected to turn into the track back down to the yard. He was quite put out to be asked to carry on further.

Wenallt trail

Arriving at Caerphilly Road by The Travellers Rest we then walked the horses along the pavement by this busy road. Fortunately there were no buses or noisy motorbikes. In fact the entrance to the bridleway was clearly obvious. We did miss one of the trail markers and went a little off course (well actually on course – the golf course, oops!!) but eventually arrived at the gate by the stream that marks the end of the golf course. TK kindly dismounted and remounted to negotiate this gate and the second one near Ridgeway livery – Nell's place. We think the horses remembered it as they used to live there. Then it was back through the Ganol and a good canter, and home along the Wenallt trail.

Horse trail vandals

2011-09-13T22:50:00.001+01:00

I was interested to read on White Horse Pilgrim recently about his displeasure at endurance riders marking the bridleway, because similar markings have appeared on the Wenallt trail. I do not know whether this is from a fun ride or an endurance ride. It definitely was NOT from the Briwnant fun ride. The markers occur all along the horse trail so I am pretty sure they are related to horseriders.

These markers are sprayed on with bright orange fluorescent paint. They are ugly and deface the trail. This is horse trail vandalism. These marks will not wash away and may be there for years. They are not even necessary as the trail is pretty clearly marked anyway.

I hate this. If you are a local reader and know which organisation or group did this, please ask them to stop.

Jumping on the cross country

2011-09-06T09:00:00.000+01:00

Here are a few more photographs from the Briwnant fun ride on August bank holiday Monday. There are a lot of jumps on the cross country course and Red was a good lad and jumped a fair number of them without any fuss. He and his rider had a good time.

I rather wished I had taken Dee's saddle and bridle up with us. She would have enjoyed the cross country part of the ride. Never mind – the jumps will still be there and we can do them another time. Nicky who leads many of the rides at Briwnant and led the fun ride, often takes people over the cross country. She told me that sometimes Dee joins in and jumps some of the fences with them—without a rider or tack—just because she loves jumping.

The most wonderful Dee

2011-09-02T09:00:00.000+01:00

While the first part of the fun ride was taking place on August bank holiday, we were not needed as helpers at Briwnant. We took the opportunity to bring Dee in and groom her.

When we had first arrived the horses were all gathered by the lane. Inevitably with the excitement of the fun ride, the remaining horses of the Briwnant herd had gone up to the top field to watch the ride head out. They were all gathered under the trees, with Dee at the front.

Cleaning around Dee's eyes

She was happy to wander down to the yard with us and we gave her a small feed and groomed her. It struck me that day, that Dee's rehabilitation is complete. She is a perfectly content mare. When we first bought her she was head shy – she hated having her neck groomed and it was almost impossible to get near her head and face. She did not even like being stroked on her head and neck. Gradually this has improved. Now she looks soft and sleepy for any part of grooming and keeps still and quiet while I clean around her eyes.

When we liveried her at Wyndham she would yank away from you as you took her head collar off in the field and immediately move off to graze. I think this was an indication of the lack of grazing time at that yard. Now when we put her out in the field she likes to hang around with us for quite a while before calmly making her way back to the rest of the herd.

On the day of the fun ride Dee was exceptionally relaxed and affectionate. When we put her back in the field she stayed with us for ages enjoying being stroked and petted. She continually allowed me to stroke her face and neck without pulling away at all – so lovely to experience. She even submitted to having her nose kissed! My heart is full!

Briwnant fun ride

2011-08-30T13:33:00.001+01:00

Yesterday was the August bank holiday fun ride at Briwnant Riding Centre. We decided not to ride but to go along as helpers again. Red was tacked up and ready to go when we arrived and we enjoyed making a fuss of him and meeting his rider.

The man riding Red has not been riding for long, but rode him competently and with confidence. Red—as usual—was over-excited because it was a fun ride, which is why we don't usually join in. We prefer our quiet rides out together, just the two of us.

We brought Dee in to groom while the ride completed the hacking part of the fun ride and then waited for the horses to return. We then went out to the fields to act as marshals for the cross country part of the fun ride. These tyres were the first jumps on the cross country course and most of the horses did not like them. Red was acting very frisky and skirted them, barely jumping.

'ö-Dzin has a new fancy camera and succeeded in capturing some good action shots. If any readers of this blog were riding on this fun ride, ask Briwnant later in the week whether there is a picture of you among the set we are giving to Briwnant. 'ö-Dzin took a photograph of most of the cross country riders.

Riding Red

2011-08-17T23:25:00.000+01:00

I'm getting used to Red being the horse I ride. I'm starting to feel at home on him and not feeling so much that he is too big for me. Today I rode out with a friend from Bristol. We worked out that we have been trying to organise riding together for about 2 years, and today we finally achieved it.

The event was not without complications. The first one was me forgetting Dee's hoof boots. I had to go back home for them, leaving my friend to groom the horses. Eventually we were ready to set off. We had been going for about 5 minutes when I realised I had forgotten to put on my chaps. Never mind. I would manage.

We took the track straight out from the yard to the top of Wenallt hill. It was extremely muddy and I wondered whether this would be a problem for Dee in her hoof boots. It wasn't, though later in the ride the velcro straps kept coming undone because they had got so full of mud. This does not affect the function of the boots because the primary front fastening is so secure it is not a problem if the top straps unhook themselves.

The next complication was Red's saddle cloth. By the time we had climbed to the top of Wenallt Hill this lovely new padded saddle cloth had worked its way right under Red's saddle. I had to get off and reset the pad and saddle. I found a suitable log to remount.

We then rode down the top part of the Wenallt horse trail, across the stream, up to Rhiwbina Hill and into the Ganol. Then through the Ganol into Fforest Fawr. We had a good canter up the hill. At the car park I had to dismount again so that I could sort out the saddle pad. It had moved so much it was practically out the back of the saddle. I will have to either abandon this pad for Red or sew on velcro fastenings to keep it in place.

Then it was back through the Ganol and a good canter, and home through the bottom part of the Wenallt trail. Dee and Red behaved beautifully and we had such a good time that my friend is going to try and come and ride again next week. We thought we might explore a trail I have not ridden before. It was lovely to feel so relaxed and to be able to take our time. Sometimes at the weekend the time is so precious that 'ö-Dzin and I feel that we cannot give the whole of one of the days to riding, so it feels a little pressurised fitting it in.

I feel I have had a summer now that I have ridden out for a day in lovely weather.

Hay everywhere and no rain

2011-07-23T23:04:00.000+01:00

It has been quite rainy in Wales of late – not so surprising really for Wales and yet it somehow always seems to be a cause of upset. “It is summer. The sun should be shining!” we cry. But the weather is not considerate of our preferences – and so it rains despite the name of the month.

I love the way the rain rolls off a horse's coat and they do not seem to mind it too much on a mild day.

About the only drawback of which I am aware of liverying at Briwnant Riding Centre is the scarcity of stables. The number of horses seriously outnumbers the number of stables. This does not bother Red at all as he hates being in the stable. He was a naughty and difficult horse when we liveried at Wyndham because he spent so much time in the stable, especially in the winter. Dee does not mind the stable and is quite partial to a cosy night in, but she never makes a fuss about going back out to the field, whatever the weather. They are, when all is said and done, horses – animals that live on pasture.

As there was no available stable on our last rainy visit to Briwnant we tied Dee up in the hay barn to groom her. She seemed quite happy with this arrangement and enjoyed a happy half hour munching.

Cheeky hi-viz jacket

2011-07-15T15:09:00.003+01:00

I bought this great hi-viz jacket from JMP Saddlery in Llanishen, Cardiff. From a distance it looks like a police jacket and the word 'polite' could be mistaken for 'police' – which means that perhaps a motorist will be more likely to slow down when they see you. The jacket is police approved. It is more comfortable than my old one and doesn't ride up when I am riding. It also has two useful zip pockets.

I often shop at Julie's – JMP Saddlery. I think we are really lucky in North Cardiff to have a shop like this so close to a number of livery yards, a riding centre, and the Wenallt horse trail. As well as selling a good range of quality goods, they also offer a clean-and-repair service for rugs which I use every year. I personally think it important to support small family businesses like this, and I would highly recommend them for a friendly and personal service.

Hugs in Fforest Fawr

2011-07-09T21:38:00.001+01:00

Last week we went on a hack which we haven't done for a long time. Having prepared the horses at the top field we started the Wenallt trail at the top. Then we rode over to the Ganol via the steep path. At the end of the 'gallop' (which we cantered not galloped!), Red was a little reluctant to turn right and head for Fforest Fawr. He knows the trails well now because he hacks out regularly for Briwnant. Once I'd asked firmly he carried on okay though.

After a couple more good canters we arrived at the car park at Fforest Fawr and decided to let the horses graze for a while. They were both happy to do this and Red submitted to being hugged.

Then it was back through the Ganol and into the Wenallt. After crossing the stream we decided to go back to the top field via the steep part of the trail. To go the other way would have taken us past the track to Briwnant and we felt the horses might not be too keen on carrying on up the hill past there.

Roadside preparation

2011-07-07T23:38:00.002+01:00

We had a bit of a messy start to our ride on Saturday. First of all we walked across the bottom fields to catch Dee, having seen that Red was already in, only to discover that the horses had been moved to the top fields. Then we were told that the girls were getting Dee in for us, but we couldn't see her anywhere. At last we discovered that the girls had kindly tried to bring Dee in for us, but she had refused to cooperate and they'd had to give it up.

Dee has quite strong opinions about who should and should not be asking anything of her and can refuse to be led in. She occasionally does this even with 'ö-Dzin and I—if she is on new grass for example—but we have not had this happen for a long time. As two attempts had already been made to bring her down to the yard however, we decided not to risk her running away from us, but to take our tack up and get her ready up at the top field. So we tacked up Red and 'ö-Dzin rode him up to the top fields while I drove up there.

I don't really like dealing with the horses by the roadside. It always feels a little bit risky – horses can be quite unpredictable. Fortunately there is a bit of verge by the gate so they are quite well off the road itself, and there is very little traffic.

Dee came to call immediately – in fact she cantered down the field to me and was happy to have her head collar put on. 'ö-Dzin and Red arrived at about the same time. We set up haynets for them and got Dee tacked up. They both behaved well and we were soon ready to go.

Coming to call

2011-07-05T23:05:00.001+01:00

We had visitors from the USA staying with us recently and I took them up to Briwnant to visit the horses. Sergio took this great little video of Red coming to call.

Horse swap

2011-07-01T21:14:00.000+01:00

Red: That was a fun hack.

Wow! Where did June go? The horses are well and enjoying the warmer weather. It took Dee a little while to pick up after the winter, but she is fully fit now. The last time we rode out we decided to swap horses. Red can be a little stubborn and refuse to canter for 'ö-Dzin, which can be a bit frustrating for us both. I am a more experienced rider and know more how to deal with Red's stubbornness, so we thought we'd give swapping horses a try. It worked a treat and we had a few good canters on the Wenallt trail. Dee happily cantered for 'ö-Dzin following behind Red and we all had a lovely ride.

Red: No more treats?

Briwnant fun ride

2011-05-16T23:15:00.000+01:00

The Gorgeous Red

As promised, here are a few photographs from the Briwnant fun ride on May 2nd. I have been away on retreat (post about that on my Ngakma Nor'dzin blog tomorrow!) so I have not been able to post them earlier. 'ö-Dzin took the photos and found it a difficult task. There are many pictures of 'horse's rear end after jumping' or 'horse approaching jump' but few that really caught the desired moment. The delay of a digital camera can make timing almost impossible.

The experienced riders took it in turns to jump.

'ö-Dzin and I decided not to ride in the event this time. Dee was not fit enough, we hadn't ridden much over the last few months, and Red can get a little over-excited. We decided to help out as stewards (a slightly grand name for standing around in fields checking people are okay and putting fences back up when needed).

For the first hour we stayed with the experienced riders' group enjoying the cross country course in the Briwnant fields. We mostly helped put fences back up. It was lovely to see Red enjoying himself in the capable hands of Jodi. It looked as though he was calm and well-behaved - in fact the whole event was pretty calm and well organised.

Showing the horses this scary pink and white jump
before asking them to jump it.

Then the experienced group headed off for the trail part of their ride (over Caerphilly way I think) and the novices arrived at Briwnant having completed the Wenallt trail. Some of them rode into the fields to try a few of the smaller cross country jumps.

Although these events are called 'fun rides' there always seem to be a few youngsters for whom they become something of an ordeal. At the beginning of the ride I tried to reassure one nervous little girl by leading her around the arena a few times to give her a chance to settle into the saddle and relax. When the novice group were trying the jumps I stayed with a couple of riders who had stayed behind the main group to try jumping without the excitement of the larger group. They did not really need any help but I felt it was better that they had someone with them just in case. After this I returned to the rest of the novice group and found a young girl crying because her pony kept running away with her. I started to lead her back to the yard and then another helper took her the rest of the way. After a bit more jumping everyone began to head back to the yard for refreshments.

Adam showing he is becoming a confident
and able rider.

Bathing

2011-05-02T23:24:00.000+01:00

When we visited Dee at the beginning of last week I was a bit worried about her. She was looking a good weight but her summer coat was not coming through very well. She had a few bald and scabby patches and generally looked a bit of a mess. We gave her a thorough groom and I rubbed some herbal balm into the bare patches. Sarian suggested we give her a bath.

On Thursday I bought some tea tree oil soap and we went up to Briwnant on Friday to give her a bath. The difference in Dee in just a few days was remarkable. She no longer had bare patches. Although her coat is still a not-very-pretty mixture of coarse winter coat and finer summer coat she is clearly feeling well. Walking up to the yard from the field at liberty she was playful, trotting after 'ö-Dzin when he ran ahead to try to get a photo of her, and getting behind me and nudging if she thought I was being too slow. It was lovely to see her feeling energetic and strong again after the stamina-sapping winter.

I don't usually hold with horses being bathed – especially horses that live at pasture. I feel they need the natural oils in their skin. I do not use shampoo on my hair—haven't done so for many years—so why would I want to use such products on my horse. I did make an exception this time however, as she is clearly itchy and uncomfortable. So we gave her a bath and another thorough groom. As usual she behaved perfectly while we bathed her – she is always so to easy to handle to do anything like this. I didn't tie her up while we did it, but just left her head collar on in case I needed to grab her for control. The only thing that disturbed her was when the goats escaped – they have four at Briwnant. I don't think Dee had seen a goat before. She snorted and became quite agitated if they came near her.

When we took Dee back to the field she trotted away – again a sign that she is feeling good. She then—of course—had a good roll in the dirt!

Briwnant has been preparing for today's fun ride all week and putting horses over the cross country course, including Red. More about the fun ride and photos soon. Nicki told me that Dee has been jumping the jumps that are in her grazing pasture, just for the fun of it. That mare does love jumping!

One distant, one close

2011-04-06T23:10:00.000+01:00

I went up to Briwnant this afternoon with the intention of riding Red. The sun was bright and warm - a really delightful day. When I arrived Red had not long been turned out - and, for the first time this year, turned out into the fields that had been left for the new spring grass to grow. I wandered down to him and he was easy enough to catch, but uncharacteristically reluctant to walk up to the yard with me. He kept calling to the other three horses he had been with. A couple of times I had to really insist that he continued to walk with me.

When we reached the top gate, I gave him a treat and let him go. He accepted the treat, paused for a moment looking at me, and then headed back to the other horses at a gallop - bucking, cavorting and calling. It was a pleasure to see his exuberance.

Did I do the right thing? I don't know - but I reckon that a horse that is wound up, not wanting to leave the herd and not wanting to be with you is not a good proposition for a solo ride. He may have settled down and behaved perfectly or he could have been agitated and overly anxious to get home. I did not feel it worth the risk and decided to go with ensuring my safety and his comfort. I'd be interested to hear my readers' comments. Some may say that in letting him have his own way I have set a bad precedent, but I trust Red enough to know that he is usually happy to be with me and likes to go for a hack. Usually he comes to call and follows me up to the yard without any encouragement and even without being led - but not today.

I then went up to the top fields and found Dee. I groomed her thoroughly getting out a lot of the old winter coat. She is not her summer colour yet, but it is coming through. She is still looking a bit thin, but her coat is glossy and she seems happy enough. After I finished grooming her and took off her headcollar, in contrast to Red's behaviour, Dee did not want to leave me. She stayed with me for quite a while, letting me stroke her. This is not usual for Dee, especially as she seemed to be enjoying my stroking her around her face and neck and kept nuzzling me. This could be an indication that she is feeling under par so I must keep a close eye on her and ensure that she starts to put on weight now that the spring grass is coming in. It has been a long, hard winter.

The photo of Red is in fact from the end of May last year. The buttercups are not out yet this year.

Proud in the spring sunshine

2011-03-29T16:37:00.000+01:00

It has been delightfully sunny, warm and spring-like in Cardiff. The daffodils are in full bloom and the cherry and magnolia blossom is particularly beautiful this year. Both of the camellia bushes in my garden have the most perfect flowers - one a bright pink and the other a deeper reddish pink. The forecast however, was that the weather was due to change, with it becoming wet and colder, so I was determined to ride yesterday in the sunshine.

I have not ridden since the end of January, so there was a little nervousness in my stomach. A ride goes out from Briwnant at 11 am on a Monday, so I set out to join this group. Red was still out so I caught him, groomed him and tacked him up and managed to be just about ready for 11. Four of us were going out and I knew them all except for the ride leader who has not been at Briwnant that long.

We headed out for the Wenallt horse trail. I was surprised when the ride leader suggested a canter near the beginning of the trail because to my eye that part of the trail is downhill and we do not usually canter on group rides if there is even a slight downhill incline. I was behind the leader so I didn't see what happened but one lady came off. She hurt her leg and couldn't continue but felt sure she would be okay to walk back. One of the other riders let go of her horse and the mare decided to go home. Clearly the ride had to be abandoned.

As I was on my own horse of course, it was up to me what I did then. I could not help the lady who had come off and she was well attended with two other people to help her back to the yard, so I decided to carry on alone. This must be the first time I have ridden completely alone in nearly two years. I sang to Red to relax us both and he was a good lad. He tried to turn round a few times when he thought I might not be paying attention, but I was quite tuned in to Red's intention and was able to respond so immediately that it was never a serious issue. We had a few canters and trots and enjoyed ourselves.

When we reached the end of the Wenallt trail I decided to turn left instead of right to come back through the woodland and along the track that leads straight into Briwnant's yard. This route avoids the extremely narrow and steep stretch of Wenallt Road which I never like riding. If you meet a car someone has to turn round. As it is so close to home horses can object to turning round at this point and car drivers are not always considerate. Red was a little unsure about being asked to turn left out of the Wenallt trail, but soon settled down again.

Half way down the track we discovered a closed gate so I had to jump off, untie it and open it. I had resolved myself to walking the rest of the way leading Red, but then spotted a handy log and successfully lined Red up and jumped back on. He was most cooperative. He is a better schooled horse than he was 2 years ago and much easier to work with. That is down to Briwnant and their expert care.

I feel so happy and proud of myself and Red to have had such a successful solo ride. It bodes well for my riding this year.

After seeing to Red I drove up to the top fields and found Dee. I groomed her and gave her a feed. She is looking a bit moth eaten but otherwise pretty good. I think I'll start making sure I have her saddle with me when I go up to Briwnant from now on, and if she is down the bottom I can bring her in and ride her a little. There is a fun ride at the beginning of May. I will have to ride Dee a few times before then if there is any chance of her being up for it.

missing the horses

2011-02-28T18:13:00.000Z

My van is off the road so I'm not able to get up to see the horses at the moment. I'm really missing seeing them every day. Of course I could get up there if it was absolutely essential, but i am blessed with Paul and Sarian taking such good care of Red and Dee that they will manage without me for a few days. Hopefully we will be back on the road tomorrow.

I took these pictures last week on my new mobile – an HTC Wildfire. Very flash – and taking a bit of getting used to. I keep embarrassingly having to ask my sons how to do things on it. The first one of Red was to show the state of the front of his rug. He moved his head at the last minute so it is not a very good image. How does he manage to wreck his rugs? It was new this winter—at the same time as Dee's—and hers still looks pretty new. He is a vandal!

Dee's mane and forelock is looking longer and thicker than I have ever seen it. Perhaps it is the oil I've been adding to her feed this winter. Her mane also has all sorts of colours in it ranging from rusty brown to black. Really beautiful – but it doesn't really show up in the photograph unfortunately. I'll try and get a close-up – if I can work out how to do that on my mobile's camera!

Dusk photography

2011-02-15T22:52:00.001Z

At the weekend 'ö-Dzin always comes with me to see the horses and he takes photographs. These were taken when it was starting to get dark.

I like this picture of me – I think it really shows how much weight I have lost.

No point in losing it if it doesn't show, now is there!

And Dee doing her usual post-feed thing. I love the way the flash has highlighted her mouth. Her teeth look cleaner than usual.

Feeding

2011-02-11T17:54:00.000Z

Life has been a bit hectic over the last three weeks. My mother—who is 94—fell and broke her wrist. She was in hospital for a couple of weeks and now is in a 'transitional care' home for up to six weeks. They will then assess whether she can go home – whether she can realistically continue to live on her own.

The care home is lovely. She has a large room with an en suite bathroom. The meals are good. There is a pleasant garden. The staff are friendly and efficient. There is a lounge with the TV always on and a quiet lounge with no TV. There is a kitchenette where I can make mum and I a cup of tea when I visit.

Mum is determined to hate it, and is convinced that it is her evil daughter's fault that she is there – that I want to rob her of her freedom. Sigh. . .

Needless to say there has not been much time for anything other than visiting mum. The horses are in the top fields at the moment as there is still quite a lot of grass there for them. I have been going straight up there every day and feeding Dee by the fence, rather than trying to take her down to the yard.

Last night I got stuck in traffic coming back from the care home, which is right the other side of town from me. It was dark and wet by the time I arrived at Wenallt Road. Although all other roads had been clear up till then, there was thick fog on the Wenallt. I called Dee and a horse came over to me through the gloom. The horse looked the right sort of size, appeared to have a white star and two white socks and was wearing a Masta rug, though I could not discern the colour. So I fed it / her.
After finishing the feed this horse put its head in the air to do the flehmen response – so at that point I was confident that it was Dee that I had fed! She always does this several times after being fed even a treat. She was quite nervous being away from the herd in the dark and the fog and quickly headed back to its safety as soon as she had finished eating. I was also glad to get out of the rain and go home for my feed.

I still had to go a way up the hill until I could get off Wenallt Road though and the fog got so thick that I was crawling along desperately trying to find what was road and what was verge as there are no road markings on this single track lane. I haven't been in fog that thick for many years. It was a relief to finally arrive at the main road opposite 'The Traveller's Rest' – where the fog miraculously disappeared.

Today Dee was waiting for me by the same bit of fence where I have fed her for the last three days. Red was close by too so I went over and gave him a few treats and a bit of fuss while Dee ate her feed. He would have already had his dinner as part of his livery. There was another horse with them—Saffron perhaps—and Red was quite happy to share the treats with her. It is sweet to see that Dee and Red still stay close to one another, as all the rest of the herd were one field further down.

Visiting

2011-01-30T21:32:00.000Z

It's difficult finding time to ride at the moment. We did manage to hack out one weekend earlier this month. It poured with rain for the second half of the ride and we all got soaked – but it was still fun.

One of the reasons there is little time to ride is because I am visiting the hospital nearly every day. My mother—who is 94 years old—had a fall last Saturday and unfortunately broke her wrist. It seems that this is going to be the end of her independent living. She will be in hospital for another week and then in a care home for a few weeks where she will receive occupational and physio- therapy. The decision will then be made whether she goes home or into another care home. It is mostly likely to be a care home as this is the third fall where she has hurt herself enough to end up in hospital. It will be something of a relief for me if she goes into a care home as I worry every day that she will have another fall, but I do sympathise with her for her loss of independence. I am hoping that the company will compensate, because she has been lonely this winter not being able to get out at all.

Today we just managed a trip to Briwnant to visit Dee and Red. They are both so well and have amazingly shiny coats. I don't know whether there is something special about this winter – but I have never seen them look so shiny or feel so silky. Dee has lost a little fitness but is still a good weight.

I have been hearing amusing stories about Dee from the folks at Briwnant. She is an honorary member of the stables' herd because Red is on working livery and they did not want to separate Dee and Red. The working horses, old or ill horses, and warmbloods receive hard feed every day whereas those not working are just fed field hay. Apparently every now and then Dee decides she quite fancies a feed and tries to come in with those who come in every morning. Sometimes she pretends to be Red – they are not easy to tell apart at a glance as I have them in identical turn out rugs, especially if their hind feet are muddy and you cannot discern Red's one white foot and Dee's two white feet. Red is bigger than Dee, but only by a hand. Alternatively she will try to 'hide' among the big horses and sneak in with them – as if she were small enough to come in unnoticed! They usually indulge her and give her a little feed.

A few weeks ago she had practically a tree caught in her tail. The stable girls do not really know Dee as she is not generally handled by them, and were a little apprehensive of helping her out. Their main experience of her is seeing her bullying the other horses in the herd to assert her dominance. They were amazed and pleased therefore, to discover what a sweet girl she is to handle when they went out to free her tail of its attachment. I can understand that they are wary of her—she can seem intimidating in the field—but given the choice I would always prefer to be in the confines of a stable with Dee rather than Red. Dee is respectful, cooperative and sensible, whereas Red can be pushy and uncooperative.

Dee is certainly a mare with plenty of character!

What took you so long?

2010-12-29T19:36:00.000Z

The horses are spending most of the day in the hay fields at the moment. They come up for hay and feed morning and evening and then wend their way back down. The hay fields—as the name suggests—are usually left fallow for hay and the horses are not permitted to graze there. However the grass was still quite long there by the time the snow arrived and they are finding a lot of grazing by scraping away the snow.

On Monday we arrived at the stables early in the afternoon and the herd was still in the bottom fields. We plodded down through the snow as far a the stream which was one field away from the herd. We called to Dee hoping she would come to call. Red was out on a hack and not with the herd. At first there was no response and then gradually horses started to appear. At first they walked towards the stream, then they began to trot, and then—in groups of twos and threes—they cantered through the stream and galloped full pelt up the fields through the snow. Their enjoyment of racing through the snow was evident.

Dee glanced at us as she splashed through the stream, but galloped up the field with the rest of them. We then plodded back up the fields through the snow. Dee was waiting for us by the arena. The expression on her face seemed to say 'what took you so long?'

She is looking great. She was a little lame last week but it has quickly cleared up. I think she had just twisted a leg on the uneven ground. I'm really pleased with her new rug. It stays in place and she looks warm, dry and comfortable.

We have had an unusual amount of snow in Wales this month. It has stuck around for two weeks.

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and I wish you a healthy and happy 2011.

No riding

2010-11-05T21:47:00.000Z

Twice this week I have transported Dee's tack up to Briwnant but not succeeded in riding. On Wednesday I went out to the field to bring her in. Usually she just follows me up to the yard, but on Wednesday she was not interested. I said hello, gave her a treat and patted her neck, but when I turned away to walk back she did not follow me as expected. Now I know from previous experience with Dee that if she really does not want to come in and I try to lead her in using an ordinary head collar and lead rope it ends in trouble. It may have been that she would have walked up quietly with me – but I decided not to risk it. I was not feeling bright enough for an hour following Dee round the field to get the head collar off her after she'd dragged me around for a while. Although she would not follow me she stood looking after me for a long time – in fact I think I could see her still looking for me as I drove away.

This morning I went up again but she was too wet to put a saddle on. It has been raining for a couple of days. Ahh well – perhaps next week will be drier and Dee will feel more cooperative.

I had a nice message from Moira in response to my post about the fun ride. Moira owned Dee when she was a sprightly five year old. She said:

"I laughed out loud to read about Dee jumping that stream. I have a very similar tale to tell from years ago. We were out on a hack with a friend of mine and her horse, Chester, and were trying to find a stream crossing. We knew the way vaguely, just hadn’t done that particular ride for quite a while. My friend and Chester found what they thought was the crossing (it wasn’t the right place as it turned out) and Chester scrambled down the bank, across the stream and back up the bank on the other side. As this was happening, I could feel Dee gathering herself up for the most almighty jump. And, like you, I had absolutely no choice but to go with her. She flew right across and landed just to the left of a big tree, allowing just enough room for my leg. I always believed that she would never take a jump without being certain of her doing it safely and that if I stayed with her, I’d be okay. It sounds as if that’s still very much the case."

She is correct. I trust Dee completely when it comes to jumping. She is totally reliable and sensible. I love that mare!

Fun Ride

2010-10-12T11:24:00.000+01:00

Sunday 10th was the day of the fun ride at Briwnant Riding Centre. We approached the arrival of this event with a mixture of trepidation and excitement. At the last Briwnant fun ride we were able to attend I rode Red because Dee was lame. Red got seriously over-excited with the result that I came off him over a jump that I didn't want to take but couldn't stop him. This time I was to be riding Dee and 'ö-Dzin riding Red. We had decided to join the quieter, shorter ride with the option of 'ö-Dzin missing out the cross country part of the ride at the end if he wished, as this was where Red was likely to get over-excited.

photo by Alfie

There was a good turn out for the ride. Most of the centre's horse were used, plus a few of the livery horse owners were there, and a few people brought their horses in from other places. The weather was perfect being sunny and clear.

This was Dee's first trail ride in four hoof boots rather than just two at the back. I'd ridden her in the arena in all four boots, but had not had an opportunity to hack out in them. I wondered how they would cope with the deep sticky mud on the first track. As it turned out Dee's hoof boots stayed on with no problems throughout the ride and she was clearly comfortable and relaxed in them. I cannot overstress my satisfaction with these Cavallo hoof boots – they are brilliant and available from many UK stockists now.

Our group set off along the muddy track that leads up to the Wenallt trail. Approaching the Wenallt in this direction meant that the beginning of the ride was slow with a lot of steep downward hills. I generally prefer to ride it in this anti-clockwise direction as it means that you can have canters on the flat at the bottom of the trail, rather than all the canters being up the hills. Dee doesn't have the stamina for uphill canters any more and we tend to get left behind.

Arriving at the bottom part of the trail, the ride became quite lively with a lot of short, fast canters. It was most enjoyable. We then headed back to Briwnant for the cross country ride across their fields. I expected 'ö-Dzin to finish here, but he bravely decided to take Red out into the fields. He felt that Red—having insisted on being in second place in the ride on the trail—had not had the opportunity for a good, go-for-it canter with all the stopping and starting, and wanted to let him go. Wow! I was so proud of him.

There were about 14 jumps scattered around the six or seven fields of the cross country ride. I jumped about half of them on Dee. She loves to jump and showed no hesitation at any of them. I just did the smaller jumps. I made a point of taking the jump that had unseated me on Red on the previous fun ride to lay that ghost. The photo show us taking off over the third log jump and we did about another three slightly larger jumps after this.

photo by Helen Westlake

The biggest jump of the day for me was one I did not intend to do – isn't always like that?! The approach to one field is via a little stream. The stream is only a couple of feet (60cm) wide and shallow, but there is a bank about two feet (60cm) above it set back from the stream on the approach. There is room to go down the side of the bank, plod through the stream and up the other side. Twice I asked Dee to do this, but to her the logical approach was to jump it. I had to submit to her reasoning and let her go for it. It was a huge leap from a standstill to clear it, but we got across without mishap. I went back there yesterday when I went to check on Dee to have a look at how big a jump it was and I reckon it is a 6 - 8 foot (180 - 240cm) spread going from high ground to low – a real cross country water jump. I feel quite proud to have done it.

photo by Helen Westlake

'ö-Dzin rode Red through the first two or three fields, avoiding the jumps, and enjoyed a flat out pace back to the yard. We both had a fantastic day. It was great to ride with so many other people and to do something a bit more exciting and challenging for a change.

I'm a two horse gal!

2010-09-22T22:30:00.000+01:00

I rode both Dee and Red today. Woohoo!

I brought Dee in and saddled her up to ride in the manège, but then noticed Alfie leading a horse in there. I was a bit disappointed because it is always a bit worrying taking Dee into the arena with another horse and I cannot take her out on her own at the moment. I have decided to leave her barefoot as the Cavallo simple boots are so successful, but do not have boots for her front hooves yet. I also just didn't feel like trying to hack alone with her today.

Then I realised that the horse in the manège for a lesson was Red. Dee usually behaves well with Red and Alfie was happy for me to go in there too. So I schooled Dee for half an hour. I took great care to keep her out of Red's way and not be a hindrance to the lesson and that all went very well. Dee has not forgotten any of her schooling. We practised up and down transitions, turning on the forehand, leg yielding and shoulder in. It was good to be working with her and she was relaxed and responsive.

At the end of the lesson, I then took Red over and Alfie tied Dee up for me. I schooled Red a little for about 10 minutes. He is so strong and less cooperative than Dee. I am still aware that he is too much horse for me – but it was nice to ride him a little anyway.

Confidence

2010-08-14T18:13:00.001+01:00

At last we managed to ride today. Hooray! It has been about five weeks.

Dee came charging down the field to greet us and seemed very full of beans. She shooed all the other horses away, including Red unfortunately, who then got confused about whether we wanted him as well.

Eventually we were ready and set off. It was an interesting ride in many ways, not least because we are so out of practice. Just as we set out I dropped a glove. I dismounted, picked it up and used the grass bank to stand on to remount. Dee swung her quarters out, wanting to eat the grass on the bank and I had to do a quick and nimble manoevre to get on - but did so successfully, which was pleasing.

As Dee seemed to be in an assertive mood–when is she not!—I suggested 'ö-Dzin go ahead on Red, but he was reluctant to go ahead of Dee and she had other ideas. We could have insisted, but as she seemed to want to lead we let her. She led off at a bold pace. She continued in the lead the whole length of the track... and down the road... and into Wenallt woods... along the whole length of the Wenallt horse trail... back down the road... and along the track home to Briwnant. This was amazing. It is the first time she has ever done that since I have owned her.

So what was different about today?
Dee has been growing in confidence and is now one of the lead mares of the herd.
She is happy, secure and relaxed at Briwnant.
She is more comfortable on the trail now that we use hoof boots on her hind hooves.
I have lost 11lb in weight which I think enables me to sit more deeply in the saddle.
I have been practising a lot of sKu-mNyé (Tibetan yoga) recently and may be a bit fitter.
I seemed very able to feel how Dee was doing today—perhaps because I am thinner and fitter—and every time I sensed her becoming hesitant I pushed with my seat and talked to her or made noises until her ears flicked back to me and she remembered I was there.
I carried a whip, which I do not usually do when I ride Dee.

I do not know which factor, or combination of factors made a difference, but it is a wonderful difference. Dee stayed as the lead horse at walk, trot and canter. Occasionally she was clearly nervous, but mostly she was relaxed. This is fantastic. Perhaps I will finally have my happy hacker that I have always wanted and we shall just be able to head out together whenever we want without having to wait until there is someone else with whom we can ride. Perhaps this is jumping the gun – but I feel optimistic.

I love this picture of Dee yawning!

Red is licking my hand in this photograph – can you see his big tongue under my hand?

My new book Relaxing into Meditation was launched yesterday. It's available from Aro Books worldwide if anyone is interested...

Red jumping

2010-08-05T23:49:00.000+01:00

We have been able to watch Red jumping with Alfie at last, and here is the promised video. It was a really hot day when this was recorded and I don't think Red was as keen as usual.

July was really crazy for me with a trip to the US, followed by teaching Up North in Whitley Bay, and then last week I was teaching at Surya Eco Yoga Camp in Cornwall. All events were most successful and enjoyable. Unfortunately this has meant that riding has been impossible and I have even only seen the horses a few times. It is wonderful knowing they are so content at Briwnant.

We went to Sunnybank Equestrian Centre one evening when the Briwnant folk took four horses for show jumping. Red was there with Alfie. We do not know how much jumping Red has actually done, or whether he has any experience in a show arena. It is quite a lot for horses to cope with if they have not done it before. The arena is large and well lit; the jumps are quite fancy with colourful fills; the tannoy is loud; and there are people wandering up and down on two sides of the arena.

Alfie entered Red into the 2ft 9in class. There were two other classes: 2ft 3in and 2ft 6in. Although we know that Red can easily jump 2ft 9in, I think it would have been a good idea to have entered him in the first round as well. It would have given him some experience of the arena and Red would not have been hanging around such a long time for his class. He got quite upset when Saffron went into the arena to jump. He didn't like being separated from her. Funny he should like a horse called Saffron, when it was another mare with this name that used to be a nightmare to ride at Pontcanna and yet they would give me her week after week.

Hopefully they will be taking Red over to Sunnybank again soon and we'll go and watch again. He should do better the second time. Alfie did manage to get him around the course but he was eliminated with 12 faults. He did not refuse anything though – just ploughed through a couple of them!

Hoof boots

2010-05-31T23:31:00.002+01:00

Hmm... not too sure whether I want to leave this lovely field of grazing to go to Nor'dzin...

Oh, well... alright then.

Dee came happily to have her headcollar put on after only a few moments of hesitation. Red also did not come to call as readily as usual, but was pretty obliging. Who can blame them for not wanting to leave their pasture after the winter we have just been through. Yet despite the hard winter they are both fit and really well. I cannot get over how athletic Dee is looking at age 20. She moves with great suppleness and energy.

We took them on the longest hack we have ventured in quite a while and were out for 2 hours. Today was also the first time we have taken Dee out for a proper ride in her hoofboots. She has been feeling some discomfort from the stony tracks in her unshod back hooves – always seeking the soft ground and being reluctant to move faster than a walk on some parts of the trail. She got used to the boots quickly and soon realised that she was more comfortable. It was amusing to watch her going for the softer bank, realising she didn't need to, and then strolling across the stones. She was definitely more relaxed and much more willing to sustain the higher gaits. We had a few nice canters today. It was also a relief to not be teetering on the banks of the trail which I used to worry were not always too safe.

Today's ride certainly put the Cavallo Simple boots through their paces. We took the route across the stream in the Wenallt and then up the really steep track to Ridgeway Lane, near where we used to livery them. Then we rode into Ganol Wood and back across Rhiwbina Hill into the Wenallt, taking a left after the stream so that we ended up at the top of the hill to ride back through Briwnant fields. 'ö-Dzin nobly dismounted and remounted twice in order to negotiate the gates. He took the next picture from Red as we rode these fields.

The boots are really... well... simple... to put on and the pastern wraps reassuring that they will not rub. One pastern wrap had worked its way down into the boot on this ride, but Dee had no sign of any rubbing or sensitivity to wearing the boots. It was a delight to experience her feeling more relaxed on the trails. I know how I feel when my feet hurt, so it is not surprising she was a bit tense and reluctant to go forward sometimes. I'm really pleased with the boots and would recommend them. They seem quite wide but Dee did not seem to feel insecure in them and the length is a good fit. They also stayed on without moving out of the correct fit, and showed no sign of working loose despite scrambling up hills and sploshing through the stream twice.

Red - the wonder horse

2010-05-22T21:47:00.001+01:00

It's been a long time since I posted – and quite an eventful time. Dee suddenly started to lose condition at the end of the winter. This clashed coincidentally with our vehicle being off the road for five weeks. I therefore made an arrangement with Briwnant for them to feed Dee every day for me and she quickly was back to looking better. It is difficult to get Briwnant without transport – expensive by taxi or a long uphill walk from the nearest bus stop, so this delayed our getting back in the saddle.

I lunged Dee when I could and managed two or three rides over that time. She now looks fantastic – fit, shiny coat and athletic. The herd have been in the top fields for the last few weeks. They have to go right to the top for the best grass, but back down to the bottom for water, so she has had her strengthening exercise just by living at grass. When I eventually was able to take her round the Wenallt horse trail, she seemed as fit as at the end of last summer.

We've had several nice rides over the last couple of weeks, and my elder son, Daniel, came out with me last Wednesday. This was good because it gave me the opportunity to ride Red for a change.

When we first decided to put Red on working livery at Briwnant I had my concerns. I do not think Dee's experience of working livery was very good most of the time at Pontcanna, but Red is having a great time. As well as the lessons and treks he does for the riding school, he also gets schooled regularly and this has included some jumping. Now some time ago I commented on my blog that I thought Red was a good horse and could potentially be a very good horse with an experienced and more capable rider than me to bring him on. This is happening for him at Briwnant. They have a new tutor, Alfie, who is an experienced and excellent rider, and he has been putting Red through his paces. It turns out that Red is a bold and confident jumper and we are going to start competing him in a few weeks with Alfie riding him. He is such an extraordinary horse. 'ö-Dzin can ride him perfectly safely and he will be quiet and well behaved. They put beginners on him for lessons. Yet he can also be a powerful, forward-going and adventurous horse.

This afternoon we went back up to Briwnant to watch Red in his jumping practice. Unfortunately there was a mix up over the time and Red had already been jumped and fed by the time we arrived. So we watched Alfie jumping Saffron (below) and then Kalif. He is a brilliant rider. He told us they put the jumps up to the top notch when they are training Red. I can't wait to see that and will definitely post some photos when we have them.

The emptiness of change

2010-02-24T00:22:00.000Z

Life can change so fast sometimes that it reminds us to live in the moment and not become complacent. It is good to be reminded that everything changes in every moment – form arises and dissolves. Last Tuesday I had a great time with both horses working on ground exercises with them in the arena. It was so good to be with Red, working with him more closely than I have in a while. He is such a fascinating mixture of sweetness and belligerence, willingness and stubborness.

Then by Thursday I was too ill to drive to the yard. It hit me so fast, and I am still recovering. We went up together on Saturday, but I was too shaky to walk down the field for Dee. I wish I'd had my camera with me. It was such a wonderful thing to watch her walk up with 'ö-Dzin – not too close, but continually looking across and checking he was still there. Then she waited patiently for him at the gate and put her head in the head collar.

The weather is also so changeable – one day quite warm and then snow the following day. There is a magical quality of seeing the world through flakes of falling snow; the greyness of the sky with hints of rainbow colours; blazing red-gold sunsets; brave buds and sprouting plants.

And then there are the sadder changes – the emptiness of loss. Two of my blog friends have lost their horses in recent weeks: first Cilla of Front Shoes Only lost Lizzie last month, and now Linda at 7MSN has lost Lyle. I feel I know these people and have loved their horses even though I only know them through reading their blog. A little cold shiver runs down my back mirroring the wetness of my face as I read of their loss.

I'm blogging when I should be going to bed because I didn't enjoy being in bed last night, I didn't sleep much for coughing. But tonight is another night and so it will be different. There is no point in anticipating an unpleasant night – I might sleep deeply and well. Even if I do not sleep it is still a new night, a new experience and will not be the same as last night. I may feel refreshed and have my strength back in the morning. Whatever the night or the morning brings it will be a unique experience and there will be something to appreciate through my senses if I am open enough to embrace that.

And so... good night.

Fun and fine weather

2010-02-06T20:31:00.000Z

We have been having fun with the horses over the last few days. On Thursday we called Dee in from the 12 acre field. She probably started ambling over as usual, but then the whole herd decided to follow her, so she put on a turn of speed. The picture shows them heading round the corner at full pelt – Dee at the front closely followed by the rest of the herd (Red is in the red rug on the right). We climbed the ridge and let them head past us – we didn't fancy getting in their way! Dee stopped as soon as she reached us and the rest of the herd broke like a wave around her and settled down.

She's looking good – a good weight and with a nice shiny coat. There are a few places where her rug has rubbed a little – but nothing serious.

Today we called her and there she was waiting at the gate for us when we got to the bottom of the field.

She walked up on her own without a headcollar. 'ö-Dzin kept trying to jog ahead to get photographs and she thought this was a great game and started trotting by him every time he tried to get in front.

Today was the day to try out the new saddle. We've bought a Thorowgood Maxam. It came with a wide gullet, but we have changed this to a medium for Dee. Nicky checked it for me and said it looked a good fit on her. The Thorowgood website said to try the saddle at all paces to check that it didn't move or lift up at the back. So we did that. It gives her good wither clearance and fits really well. I decided to pop Dee over this little jump a few times as a final check. Dee so loves to jump and she really enjoyed this. The arena is waterlogged so there wasn't much room to get a good distance for a run up on the jump, so this one was a bit of a bunny hop.

On our way out we gave Red a few treats. He'd been out on a hack for the school. He decided it was too slow being given a treat one at a time, and decided to snaffle the rest straight out of the tub! Today the weather has been bright and sunny – and even quite warm. If it continues like this we may actually ride them both out next weekend.

Magical moments

2010-01-26T22:49:00.000Z

I have had a few wonderful visits with Dee over the last week. One day I was going out to the field to get Dee and Nicky asked me to bring Red in as well to see the farrier. I knew Red would follow us in, so I only took Dee's headcollar. I still do not feel too confident about leading both my horses at the same time – they are so much bigger than me and I am not always confident of my footing with my dodgy knees!

I arrived at the second field and called them both. Red defers to Dee, so she came to me first. Usually I would put on her headcollar and then struggle to hold her and deal with the gate while I ushered Red through. Because I inherited the notion of Dee being a difficult horse to manage when I bought her, I have always tended to feel I must make sure I have her fully under control. I think this can make me tense and her naughty. So this time I opened the gate and just let Dee wander through while I waited for Red. The worst that could happen was that she was in the wrong field and wouldn't be caught. When Red arrived I guided him through the gate and shut it. My intention had been to then go and put on Dee's headcollar and lead her up to the yard, but she had already set out. And so I had a lovely, relaxed walk up the field with Dee slightly ahead of me, occasionally stopping to look back and check we were still there, and Red walking right by my side – both happily going up to the yard of their own accord. Magic!

Each time since then I have been letting Dee walk up to the yard on her own. Today she was in what I call 'the wet field'. It can be quite awkward getting them in from this field as there is a stream running through it which has formed a couple of deep trenches in the meadow. If your horse comes to you by the car park, the only way to bring them in from there is to go all the way to the bottom of the field, across the stream and then back up – a steep and muddy walk. Dee was at the bottom of the field. She came to call, but stopped about 20 metres away, on the wrong side of one of the stream trenches. I knew she could get across it and didn't fancy going down there to struggle in the mud. She kept looking as I called, but didn't move and eventually turned her butt to me. 'Two can play that game,' I thought, and turned away from her and started to slowly walk back to the yard, still calling her. Suddenly she remembered how to cross the trench, did so, and trotted up the slope to me. Sensible mare – not to miss out on a feed for being stubborn.

I know she will not come to call so easily when the spring grass begins to grow – but I am enjoying it at the moment. It is still very cold, so no riding yet. I'm having fun looking for a saddle. There are a few I like on ebay, but cannot decide whether to go for those or pay the extra £100 - £150 to get a brand new one.

The fields at Briwnant are starting to look rather well cropped, but both horses are looking a good weight – as good as they did last winter when they lived at Wyndham. The livery care at Wyndham was excellent, and there the horses had hard feed twice a day. I'm pleased that they are doing just as well at Briwnant on grass livery with hard feed less often.

Healthy horses

2010-01-18T23:41:00.000Z

We had a lovely visit to Briwnant yesterday. Red was being used for a hack, so we met him half way down the field being led in. He accepted treats and cuddles. He looks really well and fit again. Dee was also pleased to see us and happy to come in.

I was interested to read Victoria's recent post on Teachings of the Horse. It made me think about how I approach Dee. Because of her history as a 'difficult' or 'challenging' horse, I think I can tend to approach her with this in mind. Having given myself permission not to ride for a while, I feel I have time to just enjoy being with her. If she decides she doesn't want to come in, does it actually matter? Well I guess it does from the perspective of having asked, one should follow through. But does there need to be a time element? Do I need to feel rushed?

With this in mind I asked Dee to accept her headcollar by holding it open and did not make any attempt to put it round her neck. At first she turned away a little, but she wanted to stay with me. After only a few minutes she gave me her head, placing her nose in the headcollar. We then had a pleasant stroll up the field on a looped leadrope that was practically companion walking.

I was keen to get her rug off and see how she looked. At around this same time two winters ago, after I had been away for a week and left her in the care of the livery owner, she was looking thin and scrawny. I knew she would be fine – the care at Briwnant is first class, and I was correct. She is a good weight and her coat has a lovely shine. She has a slight sore spot on her chest where her under-rug has rubbed, but her proper winter turnout rug has been repaired now so I shall be able to put that back on her tomorrow.

Another blog I follow is the Carolyn Resnick blog. Currently she is teaching her Uberstreichen exercises and I have been looking forward to trying them with Dee. We tried the first one yesterday, and considering it was so busy at Briwnant with a lot of distractions, we made a good start. I also hope to find time to work with Red with these exercises as well.

I think I mentioned in an earlier post that I am going to buy Dee a new saddle. There are several reasons for this:

I feel I want a saddle with a little more substance under me
I worry that the treeless saddle does not give Dee sufficient clearance at the wither. She has never become sore, but it is a concern.
The padded numnah necessary under a treeless saddle is quite inconvenient for washing. They take a long time to dry and only just fit in my washing machine. It would be nice to go back to a simple numnah that it is easy to change regularly.
The padded numnah must be accurately placed over the spine so that the padding is each side of the spine. As I am not very tall I cannot see how well it is placed until I mount, and then if it is wrong and not central so that the padding is over the spine on one side, I have to get off and re saddle her. This is a real nuisance.
The Torsion saddle I have uses a dressage girth, and I have never succeeded in learning how to tighten it when mounted. It is just too far down for me and too awkward.

This saddle that I am going to replace has never been my favourite. The previous Torsion that I had stolen from Wyndham was a beautiful saddle and is sorely missed. If I still had that one I would probably be sticking with it, but I cannot afford to buy another like it. Nicky is going to help me measure her up for a saddle and I'll let you know what I buy. No excuses for not riding then!

I'm still here!

2010-01-14T21:35:00.001Z

I'm feeling guilty that I have neglected my blog since November and completely failed to offer my readers Seasons Greetings. I hope you had a lovely Christmas and belated Happy New Year wishes to you all. I hope everything is going well for you.

It has been a busy time here in Wales and both horses have been ill. I was also ill at the beginning of December, then we had a trip to Nepal, then Christmas happened and new year, then the weather got really wintery... so all in all life has been happening, but not blogging.

Dee had a snotty nose in December and a chill. We kept her in for a few days and then brought her in just at night for a few more days and then she was fine. Red's illness was a little more serious as he has had strangles. He was confined to his stabe for about 6 weeks, and considering how much he hates being in the stable for a long time, he behaved very well. The strangles abscess on his throat was huge and produced a bucket-load of pus when it burst. The folk at Briwnant have been amazing and nursed him so well. I am eternally grateful for their expertise and care. In all I think it was five horses that had strangles, and they have all come through it with no long-term problems. Red is still convalescing, being given extra feed to build up his strength again, but is back out with the herd now. He has been declared fit by the vet. He definitely wants to be out in the field and not kept in. He looks fine and has only lost a little weight.

As Red is on full working livery at Briwnant he is groomed every day and fed as necessary, whereas Dee is just on grass livery. So Dee tends to get more attention because she needs it. Just after Christmas we went up to give Dee a feed and groom her, but as we led her in from the field Red followed us. He didn't want to miss out on the family gathering. If anything he is more affectionate since being ill and likes to come in as well for some TLC.

I have not been riding because the yard has been on quarantine and the fields were so wet, but I have decided I'm not going to ride until the weather gets warmer anyway. I find that I get clumsy and tense in the cold and feel that I am a bit of a liability in the saddle. I think I may not clip Dee next year and simply not ride for the coldest months of the year. We have had such a lot of snow, that I have not been able to get my car up the lane to Briwnant. I tried one day last week and nearly ended up in a hedge. I miss seeing the horses but know they are well cared for and that Paul would let me know immediately if there was any problem with them. If the snow continues till the weekend, we may try hiking over to see them.

The whole family went on the week's trip to Nepal which was wonderful. Our sons liked it there and had a good time. Straight after we returned home it was into Christmas preparations, and we had a lovely family Christmas.

A lot more snow arrived yesterday and more is forecast for Sunday. It has thawed quite a lot today though, so hopefully it will go away for long enough that we shall be able to get up and see the horses. We so rarely have snow in Cardiff that lasts for more than a day, that we are not really set up for coping with it. It has not snowed like this here for nearly 30 years. I think it is quite good to have a 'real' winter for a change though, and we are nice and snug in front of the wood stove. I hope you are all snug and warm too.

Shaken up

2009-11-16T22:17:00.000Z

I'm feeling a little shaken up this evening. I rode Dee this morning – this is becoming a regular Monday morning ride. This morning we had a lesson rather than going out for a hack. The lesson was great. I learned a lot and Sarian of Briwnant is a great teacher. I understood things that I think they had tried to teach me at Pontcanna but never clearly enough – or perhaps I was just being dense. Dee responded so well to the slightest aid it was a pleasure to experience what might be possible if I knew more about what I was doing. I had given up on lessons because of the frustrations of trying to progress when different teachers would contradict one another, but I might have a few at Briwnant.

Unfortunately Dee clicked into riding school mode and became a mare I haven't seen for a few years. When her ears went back, I got scared and let Dee get away with being aggressive. I sat the bucks as she kicked out at another horse – but only just, and it left me feeling quite shaken. The other riders kept well away from her after that and I don't blame them, but I feel sad and embarrassed that they had to. I think I feel shaken from two perspectives – the first is that I felt unsafe, and the second is that Dee hasn't behaved like that for such a long time and I find it upsetting that it happened. I thought we had moved past that. Sure she is a dominant mare in the field with the herd, but I have had no trouble with her with other horses on rides for years. It feels a bit like a failure.

It's made me think that I need to get a different saddle. Now that Dee is getting fitter and I am riding several times a week regularly, I need a saddle that has a bit more substance to it. I guess as Dee gets fitter her strong personality comes through more, and I need to know I am in control. I need to know that if Dee spooks or plays up that I have the best chance possible to sit it and be in charge. My treeless saddle is too close to riding in a bareback pad.

The rhythm beads have arrived and the new hoof boots. It was too wet and wild today to try the hoof boots, but I wore the rhythm beads around my neck while I groomed Dee so that she could get used to the sound they make.

I've posted a picture of the Briwnant duck pond today. Dee seems to be fascinated by the ducks, and always asks to stop and watch them for a while when I lead her past the duck pond. She steps up onto the bank so she can get a good view. She's such a sweet mare in so many ways.

Long and short rides

2009-11-04T00:06:00.000Z

I don't seem to find much time to blog at the moment. Fortunately I am finding time to continue riding Dee three times a week mostly and she is getting a lot fitter. Last Monday I hacked out with a couple of Briwnant friends riding Bella and Duke. I didn't think to ask how long a ride it would be. When we took the trail down across the stream from the Wenallt I knew we were going as far as the Ganol. When we carried on down through the Ganol, I guessed we were going to Fforest Fawr. This meant a two hour ride – longer than Dee and I had been for a while, but fine.

However when we got to the end of Fforest Fawr—where I expected us to head back to the Ganol—Gail took us along a trail that I did not know. Fforest Fawr is clearly well named (Fawr means big in Welsh) because we rode for another hour. It was a lovely ride and I did enjoy it, but I kept thinking that I was sure we were still in Fforest Fawr and it was an hour's ride back from there. All in all it was a three hour ride and getting gloomy by the time we arrived back at the Wenallt trail. To my amazement Gail wanted to turn left as we came up the hill from the stream and complete the rest of the Wenallt trail. This would mean a couple of very steep hills on the trail and finish with a long steep bit of road. Dee was tired and so was I, so I asked if we could go home along the first part of the Wenallt trail which is flatter and has less road work. They agreed and this was what we did.

I was pleased with Dee's level of fitness. It had not been a fast or hard ride—mostly walking with a good few trots and a couple of short canters—but still it was more than she had done for about 18 months. She was hot and sweaty, but not excessively tired. It was really dark by the time I decided she had cooled down enough to feed her.

It was after this ride that I decided I had to have her clipped because I was concerned about her catching a chill, and this was done this morning. I bathed her after my ride yesterday and kept her in Red's stable overnight, so that she would be clean, dry and ready for us this morning. She was an absolute angel and looks lovely. I feel a bit sorry that she now needs to be rugged to live out, but am happy that she will be more comfortable when we ride.

Yesterday we tried hacking out alone again. This time I decided to try the ride in the more challenging direction – beginning with the track. She was very slow going along the track, taking short, tense steps. A couple of times she stopped and I wondered if that was it, but then she carried on. Eventually we arrived at the little gate and went up into the fields through the bracken, where Dee adopting a more relaxed gait. She would not go up through the top field so I compromised and let her cut across it. We then went down and along a new track that Paul has recently cut through the bracken. She took this completely new path without hesitation. It is not finished yet, so we had to turn at the end. We then returned to the gate and back down the track – a complete hack alone again. Woohoo!!! I think I'm going to do this little hack once a week as I believe it will slowly build up her confidence about going out on her own. I think there are a couple of other little hacks on Briwnant land that we can try as well.

The first set of hoof boots I ordered for Dee were not satisfactory and I have sent for a different type. I'll report on those when they arrive. I've also ordered some 'rhythm beads'. These may be a weird new age fad or they may be an amazing native american idea – we shall see. It looks like a horse necklace and jingles. The theory is that a. the constant gentle sound stops a spooky horse being so sensitive to the noises they hear when they are out hacking, and b. that the sound of the beads being in rhythm with the natural movement of the horse has a soothing and claming effect. Interesting. I'll let you know how that turns out as well – something to try in the arena first I think!

Hoof care

2009-10-21T23:40:00.000+01:00

I'm feeling exhausted. Last week we had a retreat at our home, which was delightful but retreats are always tiring. It finished on Saturday and I have been out on a hack three times since then. I rode Dee and Red on Sunday. So it is not surprising that I am feeling so tired.

We are now into week four of the get-Dee-fit campaign, and there are signs of progress. She is not puffing so much up the hills and not sweating up so much. Also she has been a dream to catch the last couple of weeks, so she must be enjoying it. She is still struggling with the stony parts of the Wenallt trail, so today I have ordered her some hoof boots. I had to wait until today in order to get a hoof measurement straight after her having her feet trimmed by the farrier.

Dee had a lot of hoof attention today. After being shod at the front and trimmed at the back, I cleaned the cracks with hibi scrub, applied hoof hardener, and then filled the parts that needed filling with hoof putty once her feet were dry. Her hooves are gradually improving and the farrier is happy with them. He says that her hooves are good and strong and this should only be a temporary problem. His estimate of the timeframe to which her hoof problems relate, based on an average growth rate, does correlate with her move back from Cornwall. So I think all this was due to that unsettling time and will indeed be a temporary glitch. Her feet have always been healthy previously.

Tonight Dee is tucked up in Red's stable because it is worming time. I'm sure she will not mind this for a night or two – especially as it is pouring with rain at the moment.

Dee has now been sound for five or six weeks. I've been checking her back regularly as she is doing more work than she had done for quite a long time, and everything is fine. No swelling, no pain. I will never know for sure whether it was the Equissage massage equipment that brought on her lameness – it may have simply been coincidental. I returned the equipment anyway and did receive a full refund. So that is the end of that little saga.

On Monday I rode with Charlotte, one of the helpers at Briwnant. She tells me that the horse I pictured in my last post Bareback Riding, 9th October, is not Molly, but Deanna. Apologies to both mares! Also my Beloved mentioned that I have not credited him for photographs recently... Practically every photograph used on my blog was taken by my husband, 'ö-Dzin Tridral. He is becoming quite a skilled photographer and you can see a gallery of his work at Red Bubble and at Zazzle. Lluniau Naturiol means 'Natural Pictures' which refers to the fact that he does not edit his photographs in any way – they either work or they don't.

Red is seeing the equine dentist on Friday. It will be interesting to see how he feels about that. No more riding now until Saturday, so my body has a couple of days to rest.

Bareback riding

2009-10-09T00:28:00.001+01:00

I've had a few nice rides on Dee since my last posting, and 'ö-Dzin and I rode out together with Red and Dee on Sunday. It is ages since we rode out just the two of us on our horses, and it was great to be doing it again. Red wasn't too keen on taking the lead at the end of the lane and took a few minutes of persuasion, but after getting past that he was fine and we had a lovely ride.

'Napping' must be a British term I think. It means when a horse stops and refuses to go forward. When Dee naps she starts to back up if I try to urge her to walk on, and this can be quite dangerous. Sometimes she will back right to the edge of a ditch or bank. She used to rear but doesn't do that with me any more.

I showed up at Briwnant this morning expecting to ride out with Nicky, but unfortunately she couldn't make it today. All this week I've been painting the lounge in our home and I realised that I was physically really tired. So I took Dee into the arena to play games. We did some following me around, and circles stepping through with the hind leg, back up, and such like groundwork exercises. I then decided that it might be nice to jump on her back after all, but didn't really want to fuss with lots of tack. I just put on her bridle and got on her easily from the mounting block.

We did 20 minutes or so of patterns in the arena at walk and trot. At first I felt really insecure – it is the first time I have ridden bareback since June 2008. I know that because I blogged about it! I soon started to feel more relaxed and confident and began doing a little trotting. I was trying to engage in meditative riding – feeling the direction I wanted to move in from my navel, keeping myself centred, and trying to communicate through to Dee. She is more receptive to this on one rein than on the other. It is inspiring to ride with very little tack and simply endeavour to focus a connection through energy, intention and balance. One day I will attempt this with just a neck rope.

In 2008 I had discovered that dismounting was a problem for my damaged knee – it cannot cope with the impact of me jumping down. Usually I slide off the saddle so there is no real jump down. However in the arena I was able to dismount at the block so that there was no great distance for my descent, so that solved that problem.

I think Dee enjoyed being in the arena for a change. She is quite relaxed and happy in there. At Wyndham she was always tense and spooky in the arena, but at Briwnant she is chilled about everything.

Today's ride may not have contributed a great deal to the get-Dee-fit campaign, but it it was a good confidence boost with regard to my balance, and a good bonding experience for our relationship.

I think the inquisitive mare in the photograph is called Molly – one of Dee's Briwnant chums.

Momentous day

2009-09-30T22:48:00.000+01:00

Today has been quite a momentous day. Firstly I completed and submitted my tax return this morning – always a daunting task. It had taken pretty much all of yesterday and half of today to pull all the details together, but now it is done and off my mind.

My reward to myself was to go to Briwnant and ride Dee. I am trying to ride her more often and get her fit. Now that Red is ridden regularly as a Briwnant Trekking Centre working horse, I do not have to worry if we can only ride him occasionally because he stays fit through his work for the centre. Consequently I am concentrating more on Dee. I have had very little time to work with her since we brought her back from Cornwall and am determined to rectify this.

As I walked down the first field to catch Dee I met Red walking up. He wanted me to put the head collar I was carrying on him and seemed quite confused when I did not. I think it is a real testament to how happy Red is with his life at Briwnant that he was walking up to the gate like this. Paul had been down to catch a few horses ready for an afternoon lesson in the arena and also a few others for a trail ride. Red was to be used for the trail ride. Paul had just said to Red that he was wanted too and to come in, and Red had walked up to the yard completely on his own with no headcollar or anyone coercing him just from this. What a good lad.

Dee was in the last field, as far away as possible from the yard! I'm getting fit simply from walking out to get her! It is uphill pretty much all the way back to the yard, so I sometimes find even this quite tiring even before grooming and riding. Soon we were ready to go and today was the day I'd decided to take Dee out for a ride on her own. Readers who have been following my blog for a while will know that Dee will not hack out on her own and naps badly. However there is an idiosyncrasy to this behaviour of which I have become aware: that she will ride through fields but not along a track or road on her own. When we were at Ridgeway, she would happily let me ride her around the fields on her own and even take the path across the field behind the stables, but she would not go down the lane.

One of the many advantages of Briwnant is that they have a lot of land, and there is a short ride I can take from the yard, up to the top fields and only finishing with a little bit of the track at the end. I hoped that because most of it was across fields, and that she would know she was on her way home once we arrived at the track, that she would not nap. It worked! We did the whole ride with no napping – the first time we have sucessful hacked out alone on a complete ride since I have owned her. I feel so proud of her and am absolutely thrilled. It is only a short ride but includes a steep hill, so it does make her work. I did not push my luck today and only asked her to walk the circuit, but I will add an extra field to it at the top as she gets used to it where we can have a trot or a canter.

Hopefully this is the beginning of a more satisfying riding experience for us both. I do wonder whether the napping has something to do with the stoney tracks, and am considering shoeing her on her back feet as well to see if this makes her more relaxed and confident about the tracks. On our Wenallt trail ride on Monday I was very aware of her hesitancy over the stoney parts of the track. My only concern about shoeing her on the back feet is whether I would be equipping her with weapons! Alternatively I could try hoof boots again – I don't think Dee would make the fuss Red made about having boots put on her feet.

Past and present

2009-09-28T00:28:00.000+01:00

Yesterday Dee was looking splendid and seems sound at last. We both rode her a little in the arena and she was fine and seemed to enjoy herself. I practised a few clover leaf patterns and transitions and she was responsive and relaxed. This is a great relief. The hoof that cracked is looking as good as it can until the new hoof grows through, and the hoof putty is staying in quite well now that they are in a drier pasture and the weather is also drier.

I'm a little embarrassed about her mane – or lack of it. I always feel that cobs should be left to let their manes grow as long as they grow, but Dee's had become so uneven I decided to trim it all to the same length. She'd had a bite or something half way down the top of her neck and had rubbed at it, so that she'd lost a chunk of mane there. It is growing back well but it looked a mess with a long bit, then a short bit and then another long bit. Now it looks odd rather than a mess... but it will grow again.

The second picture is somewhat historic. My mother produced a camera that she had not touched for years but still had a film in it, so we got it developed for her. This was one of two pictures on the film of Dee, me and my mother from 1995. We still had Dee at Pontcanna Riding Stables at this time, but were getting rather fed up of the limitations of riding there, so we decided to take her out for the day. This seemed reasonable at the time, but looking back it was a rather crazy idea and could have been disastrous.

We started very early on a Sunday morning so that the main road from the stables would be quiet. The first problem was that she wouldn't cross this road. We'd get half way across and then she wouldn't budge. The only alternative was an underpass. Having eventually convinced her that the white van in the supermarket car park was not a scary horse-eating monster, she surprisingly walked through the underpass as if she did it every day. In the picture we are visiting my mother in Gabalfa Avenue where I had ridden Dee down the wide grassy bank in the centre of the road. There were a few other scary moments during the expedition, but we got her back to her stable safely later that day.

It was an adventurous outing and perhaps we were foolish to attempt it, but it did convince us to move Dee from Pontcanna and this has been the best thing possible for Dee and for us. If she was still liveried at Pontcanna she would have continued to be isolated in a stable for most of the time and on her own in a field for a few hours a day, whereas she now runs free with a herd of mares and geldings in 93 acres of beautiful pasture. She would still have been spending most of her ridden time going round in circles in an arena, being agressive to the other horses and bored out of her mind, whereas now she finds occasional arena work interesting and most of her ridden work is out on the trail. It was worth a risky ride to arrive at this point.

We are hoping to ride the Wenallt trail with Dee and Red tomorrow if I feel okay. I have been very off balance and wobbly again today, so I hope it will be better tomorrow.

End of summer sunshine

2009-09-21T22:37:00.001+01:00

Well I still haven't ridden either of our horses since the fun ride, but I am feeling a lot better. We've just had a week's holiday in Dinbych-y-Pysgod (Tenby) in South Wales, and I really think I must have needed the holiday. My dizziness and lack of balance gradually subsided over the course of the holiday and now is simply a mild occasional inconvenience.

We had a lovely relaxing week in an especially nice apartment with a sea view and a little patio garden to sit out in and enjoy the sunshine – yes we did have sunshine, a whole week of it. An unexpected treat of staying in this apartment was that the route of the Tenby horse carriage rides passed right by our little garden. So I got to stroke the soft nose of a shire horse every day and offer him an apple, to compensate for not seeing Dee and Red for a week.

Red is fine as always and now a firm favourite with the herd leader, Falcon. Dee started to object to being in the convalescent field as soon as she started to feel better and began trying to kick through the fence, so they decided she was better off back with the main herd. She is no longer lame, but still quite stiff in her hind quarters. I think it is time to start exercising her a little now to try and loosen her up. The farrier has had a look at the hoof which had cracked so badly and has tidied it up. He is satisfied that it is coming along well. I'm cleaning it out whenever I visit and patching it up with hoof putty. This does not stay in from one visit to the next, but at least it gives the hoof a bit of support for a while and keeps it clean. It has been quite dry here for a while now, so there is not a lot of mud around to get it really wet and dirty.

Having had a couple of incidents with Dee messing me around while leading her in from the field, I have been using the training halter and a lunge line when I catch her. Simply using these is sufficient to ensure Dee's cooperation and we walk up together calmly and happily without me having to do anything else. She's a sensible mare and knows when to give up on mischief.

Postscript: if Cilla of Frontshoesonly still reads my blog, will you please send me an invitation to your blog because I can no longer access it.

Briwnant fun ride

2009-08-22T23:23:00.000+01:00

Today was the Briwnant fun ride. We arrived in good time to find Red in and groomed with Dee still out in the 12 acre field. I went over to catch her, but found her reluctant to be caught. I gently and quietly stayed with her until she permitted me to put on her headcollar. She was still slow to come in with me however, and clearly not entirely sound. Dee would not be going on the fun ride.

We decided in this case that I should go on the ride with Red. Once we were assembled at the yard, ready to go, Red and Dee began to call to one another. Although he was obviously excited, he seemed okay at first and walked out quietly enough through the first field. The first part of the ride was a sort of cross country through the Briwnant fields with a few small jumps along the route. The second part was to be around the Wenallt trail.

And so I discovered two things:
1. Red can jump... really jump...
2. when he is really excited he is too much horse for me.

We jumped the first three jumps—a single log, another single log and then a stack of three logs— without incident but I was already starting to realise that I was not really managing Red in this excited state. By the time we reached the next field I found myself riding a new Red that I had never experienced before. He pranced and bucked and was pretty wild. Apparently he looked quite magnificent performing a perfectly athletic, collected canter sideways as I tried to check him. I hoped he would settle down as we carried on and took the route that avoided jumps for the next couple of fields and stayed with the slower riders.

Then we came to the last jumps. Here the choice was: to the right and a very small jump; through the centre and no jump; or to the left and a slightly higher jump. It was still only 18ins – 2ft high. Nicky on the herd leader Falcon, was taking the left hand jump and I had no choice but to allow Red to follow because there was no way I was going to succeed in taking him either of the other ways. He took the jump too fast, too close to Falcon, and at an angle which meant he did a huge leap over this small jump. He jumped it like a show jumper and I didn't stand a chance. My treeless saddle isn't much more than a bareback pad which is great usually and how I like to ride, but I am not a good enough rider to take such a big jump and stay on, so Red and I parted company as he landed. Fortunately the ground is quite soft there and I fell quite well, so I have not hurt myself. I will probably find a few bruises tomorrow and I feel a bit stiff in my left shoulder. They tell me that Red was quite upset that I had come off.

I did not feel up to the rest of the ride as Red was so excited and I knew he was too much for me. I'm so glad that it was me on him and not 'ö-Dzin. I am not the fearless rider I used to be when I was younger, but I have ridden some pretty feisty horses in my time. 'ö-Dzin has no experience of such riding and may not have been able to hold Red even for as long as I had managed.

We walked Red in circles whilst the rest of the ride carried on to help calm him, and then led him back to the arena. I got back on at the arena and we walked him round a couple of times. Everyone was very kind to me. Red continued to call and be wound up until the rest of the ride returned and then he gradually settled down.

So there we are... not quite the 'fun' ride I had been looking forward to, but I think everyone else had a good ride.

Richard bareback riding

2009-08-18T20:26:00.000+01:00

Richard and I went up to Briwnant to ride this afternoon. I always tend to forget that the riding centre is closed on a Tuesday. Of course this does not prevent me from riding my horses, but it can mean the tack room is locked. The only piece of my tack that lives at Briwnant that I would need to use is Red's saddle, so we had settled ourselves to simply ride in the arena, with Richard riding Red bareback.

Dee was near the gate and happy to come straight in. Red was quite a long way down the field so I gave Richard a leg-up and he rode Red to the yard. I was proud of Richard because he had to really ride as Red was not being wholly cooperative.

Fortunately someone from Briwnant turned up with a tackroom key, so we were able to ride out fully equipped. We went the short ride up to the top field and back that I took Red last week. I felt it was far enough and challenging enough for Dee. She was certainly up for it however and when we started to trot up the last incline at the top field, she immediately went into a canter. It is great to see her sound and enjoying being out on a ride.

I'm hoping eventually to be able to do this ride on Dee on her own. She has always been happy to ride on her own across fields. It is the track from the yard that starts the napping. Perhaps I'll try the ride in the opposite direction so that we start in a field. I could mount Dee from the gate. It is exciting to think that there might be a little ride we can enjoy together. I'm hoping to take Dee out for another short ride this week before the fun ride on Saturday afternoon. I'm starting to feel confident that she will be fine for a two hour ride and even a few small jumps.

So sweet

2009-08-15T23:59:00.000+01:00

Following on from my intention to work with Dee a little more often, we visited Briwnant this afternoon and headed across the fields to catch her. We called her and she met us part of the way – closely followed by Red. Dee and Red are no longer always together in the field these days. Dee has established her own circle of friends in the herd, but nevertheless I think Red is usually aware of where Dee is.

I only had Dee's halter with me. She was happy to be caught – I think she trusts me again now and is confident that we are settled at Briwnant. We ambled back to the yard, taking our time, with Red following on behind. I then brought Dee in and fetched Red's headcollar for 'ö-Dzin to bring Red in.

After grooming them both we did a little groundwork in the arena with both of them—as Red did not want to be left out—just leading them at the walk. We performed serpentines, circling around cones, circles on the spot, halting and standing, and backing. The idea is to get her bending and stretching and using her body more than she will just grazing in the field. Red has not practised so much groundwork with me as Dee and he sometimes seemed a little confused by what we were doing, but Dee remembered it all very well. I watched her closely while circling on the spot and crossing one hind leg in front of the other as she stepped round, and it did not seem to be causing her any problem.

I hope to have a chance to work with Dee a couple more times this week so that hopefully she will be ready to take part in Briwnant's fun ride next Saturday. I'm really looking forward to this. However I don't want to push her too much. She is certainly no longer lame, but I cannot decide whether her hind leg is still rather stiff or whether I am imagining it. I shall ride her a little later in the week and see how we get on. There will be a few small jumps on the fun ride which Dee will love to jump – if she is fit enough.

When we turned them both back out to the field, Dee hung around at the gate a long time, not seeming to want to leave us. Red stayed there as well. He would not head back to the rest of the herd until Dee decided to. I get the strong feeling that Red has a great loyalty towards Dee and feels protective of her, even though he knows she can be grouchy and give him a hard time. Dee I feel takes Red's loyalty for granted, and yet relies on him and is more content with him there. He gives her confidence. They were so sweet today.

A short ride

2009-08-13T00:18:00.000+01:00

I spent an enjoyable afternoon with the horses today and achieved what I had hoped to achieve. Dee came in from the field with me nicely, enjoyed being groomed, and then we worked a little in the arena. I wanted to move her around a little but not ride her, to check how sound she is. She is no longer lame, but is a little stiff. I think I need to bring her in more often and work with her more to keep her supple.

It is hard for any of us to stay supple in the damp weather we are having. The weather is quite fickle at the moment – one day blazing sunshine and the next heavy rain. No one could say that the weather in Wales is boring!

They had got Red in for me, but I did not realise so at first, until someone told me that it was him noisily kicking the stable door. I don't know whether he had heard my voice and/or was aware that I had brought Dee up, because he does not usually make a fuss in the stable these days. He spends so little time in a stable now that he does not usually mind. I decided to turn Dee back out before I brought him down from the stable. She was an angel today.

I quickly tacked Red up and took him out for a short ride. I think it is good to take him out on his own occasionally. I did not have a lot of time, so I just rode along the lane, up through the bracken to the top field and then back along through the high fields. Although this is quite a short ride—only about 20 minutes—it is quite a good ride to help with fitness. It is a steep climb up to the top field and a gentle slope to trot up to the top; then there is a steep downward incline, followed by a gently downhill track back to the yard. I think he enjoyed doing something a little different to the usual ride to the Wenallt trail.

Retraction and embarrassment

2009-08-11T23:52:00.000+01:00

Having raved about the Equissage massage equipment, I have to confess that my feelings about it have changed since my last post. A lot of doubts and worries have crept in to the point that I have decided I wish to return the equipment and claim a refund. I'm hoping this will be straightforward.

My worries about the massage equipment began to steal upon me as I thought about the setup of the sale and since using the equipment on my own. I had been offered a free massage session – but this turned out to be a sales demonstration, and a pretty intensive one at that as she was with me for nearly four hours. This in itself leaves a bad taste with me and also makes me feel a little embarrassed – for being foolish enough to believe it was truly a free session. Unfortunately I did not take notice of the sales patter and the way I was being drawn in because I believed it to be a genuine, one-off free session. I was compromised to begin with because I was committed to being happy and grateful for my kindly offered free massage.

The second aspect that set alarm bells ringing is that the demonstrator suggested to me that I could recoup some of the cost of the equipment by massaging other people's horses. This seemed like a good idea at the time, but on reflection I think it is actually a rather crazy and even irresponsible thing to suggest. Who would want an unqualified person massaging their horse? Do I in fact want me—an unqualified person—massaging my own horses? Dee has gone lame and I just pray this is a coincidence and not the result of the massage I gave her. Even if it is a coincidence—which is likely—this has still frightened me and I will not risk it again. It is a very different experience doing a massage on one's own to doing it with a person beside you who you believe to be an expert. I now doubt that the massage device can never do harm and only be of benefit. If I were to massage someone else's horse and they developed a problem I would be liable.

Red does seem to be looser after the two massage sessions he has received and he does seem to enjoy it, but I still would not risk using the device on him again either because of Dee's lameness, unless I believed myself to have more knowledge and understanding of horse massage. I also felt some benefit but it is physically impossible for me to give myself the massage that the demonstrator gave me, so the device is useless to me for that. I would have to find someone who knows how to do the massage for me. In the hands of someone who knows what they are doing I'm sure the device can be of some benefit, but I do not think it so useful to me to be worth the money. I feel I would need to invest in training in horse massage to be sure I was doing good and certain I was doing no harm.

I'm hoping to spend time with the horses tomorrow, to check how Dee is, and possibly to ride Red.

Massage benefits

2009-07-30T00:15:00.000+01:00

One of the first things I do in the morning is a set of stretching exercises. I find this helps keep my back strong and my joints supple. I am usually a bit stiff in my joints first thing in the morning, so it is useful to try and ease this out straight away.

This morning I had a surprise. I went into the leg stretch posture – one leg extended and straight, the other bent tightly with the sole of my foot into my thigh, leaning over to reach for my toes. Usually on the right side I can grab my big toe fairly easily, while on the left side it is a bit more of a struggle but I usually make it in the end. This morning I stretched across in this posture and found that I could put both my hands right around my foot easily on each side. Moving to the neck stretches, I discovered that I could turn my neck round much farther than I could previously – or have been able to for quite a while. This improvement manifested throughout all my stretches.

I can only assume that this benefit is because of the Equissage massage I had yesterday as part of the demo. I am amazed. If Red has been feeling this much benefit today from his massage—which was much longer and deeper than mine—I should think he's been skipping round the field like a colt!

At the risk of sounding like an advertisement... if this continues with regular use of the Equissage massager, I will be most satisfied and feel that it was well worth the money.

Massage

2009-07-29T00:47:00.000+01:00

I never had my ride last Friday because I started to feel ill on Wednesday evening. Sigh... It has been a strange illness – never really developing but staying in my head so I feel a bit top-heavy and off balance. I think it is probably something like a sinus infection rather than a cold. I rested up for a few days, but it didn't really seem to help, so I'm just getting on with things as usual now and putting up with feeling a bit odd.

Today Red was booked for a massage. I was offered this free massage demonstration after entering—but not winning—a competition to win the massage equipment. It was difficult to decide which horse to give the free session, but decided on Red in the end. He tends to be rather stiff in his hind quarters and he works more than Dee.

The Equissage massage was quite impressive, and the 'before' and 'after' rides were noticeably different. Red was reluctant to stay out on the left rein during the 'before' ride and could not give me any flexion. On the 'after' ride he was staying out without being asked and giving me a good bend. In fact I felt quite disorientated having him staying out so well on the left rein because both he and Dee are usually hard work to achieve this. He really enjoyed the massage and was so snuggly and affectionate during it.

The demonstrator did one side of Red's body and I gave him the treatment the other side. Fortunately having trained as a reflexologist I understood the principles of the treatment and quickly picked up the technique. I particularly liked that the device has a rubber attachment for working on bony areas so that it was comfortable for him on his legs. To find out how it felt, I was also given a massage over my back and shoulders, and shown how the unit could be used on my knees. I think the version of the equipment that is put on like a saddle and left to run automatically would be the most convenient way to regularly massage a horse, but that was nearly twice the cost of the hand-held unit.

So... did you guess... yes I bought one of their hand-held massage devices – for a frightening amount of money. I haven't told 'ö-Dzin how much it cost! To try and offset the cost a little I am hoping to offer my services to massage other people's horses with it once I have a little more experience, so if you are a local reader and want an Equissage massage for your horse do get in touch.

I didn't manage to take any photographs today, so I thought you might like to see these caligraphies crafted by my teacher, Ngak'chang Rinpoche.

Attractive chaos

2009-07-22T15:21:00.002+01:00

For once chaos is manifesting in an attractive form rather than a form to which I am averse or indifferent. I rode Red this morning; my Mum has been moved to the Sroke Rehabilitation Unit; my elder son has moved into the house and work is nearly complete; and 42 copies of the book I have been helping prepare for publication arrived.

The book looks perfect – and is more than a month ahead of its deadline. It is called Moving Being and has been written by my Lama, Khandro Déchen. It is a manual of sKu-mNyé – a form of Tibetan yoga. To have a look at it go to the Aro Books worldwide marketplace.

Mum is off the general medicine ward and in a special unit for people recovering from strokes. She will receive a lot of physio- and occupational therapy in preparation for her going home. Her speech is much improved, but she is still having some problems with swallowing and her vision is not quite right. This move is good news however and it will be less boring and more stimulating for her.

Daniel is settling in well in the upstairs half of the house we have been renovating. The kitchen is now equipped and he is getting along fine with it. He is still rather surrounded by boxes, but I'm sure he will soon sort himself out.

I rode with a couple of Briwnant friends and Red was happy to be out with his mates, Thomas and Falcon. I would have to say that he was perfect today. He rode at the back, in the middle and at the front for parts of the ride and was happy wherever he was. He was forward going and responded well to leg aids. He only tried to stop and eat a couple of times and walked on promptly when asked. It was a gentle ride with a little trotting and just a few short canters, which suited me as I have not been able to ride for a couple of weeks. Red is such a good boy. He's looking the roundest I have seen him look since I first bought him—when he was a bit too round—and is like a comfortable armchair to ride. I believe horses need to have a bit of roundness about them by the end of the summer if they are going to live out at pasture through the winter, but I shall have to make sure he doesn't get any bigger. He was puffing a bit up some of the steep hills on the Wenallt trail – but then so would I be if I had to climb them.

On Friday I am going to join a hack where a riding school client will be riding Red, so this will be a nice opportunity to take Dee out – and to see how Red behaves while being worked.

It's now nearly time to go and visit Mum. I must enjoy the relaxation of life running a little smoothly and more easily at the moment, without trying to grasp at it, secure it and make it a reference point. It's important to embrace and enjoy aversion and indifference as well. There is always something to appreciate.

Pasture or stabling...?

2009-07-20T00:25:00.000+01:00

We spent a lovely morning with the horses today. We did not ride because the weather is so unsettled: one minute the sun is shining and the next there is torrential rain. Instead we just groomed them and hung out with them for a while. Dee is looking rather round – not so surprising with this perfect warm and wet grass-growing weather. Red was sleepy and relaxed – closing his eyes and letting his bottom lip droop as 'ö-Dzin brushed his tail and I stroked his face. Then Dee would indicate that it was her turn for a bit more TLC and I'd have to return to her stable to fuss her some more.

I still find it surprising how little mud they have on them even though they are out at pasture in all weather. At Wyndham they would get ridiculously muddy – it could take an hour to get it out of their coat, and Red would usually have thick clods of mud up to his knees. I think it was because of the routine at Wyndham that they were stabled for part of every day. They all knew would be fed when they were brought in, so they all used to congregate around that time, which meant that the area by the gates became like a quagmire and they would all hang around there for quite a while. At Briwnant they also get a feed if they are brought in, but this does not happen at the same time everyday or even everyday, so they do not hang around the gates in the same way, churning up the mud.

Different yards have different approaches and each have their benefits and drawbacks. Personally for my lifestyle, and for the irregularity of the work I ask of my horses, it is better that they can be at pasture. Dee has been living at pasture now for seven months—including her sojourn in Cornwall—and is noticeably fitter than she was when she lived at Wyndham. I believe this is because she can move all day as she grazes and have a gallop around two or more large fields a couple of times a day with the other horses, rather than being static for half the day or more in a stable. I simply have too complicated a life to be able to guarantee riding each of my horses several times a week, which is essential to keep them fit when they are stabled a lot, so the style of livery at Briwnant suits us all very well.

PS I have started a new blog about our adventures in Bertie, our new motorhome (well old actually). It is called Transport of Delight. I still occasionally muse that we should have bought a horse truck instead...

It never rains but it pours

2009-07-17T21:27:00.000+01:00

I had been expected life to be back to something more resembling normality this week as most of the work on the house is finished. However it never rains but it pours and my life has been thrown into more chaos again because sadly my mother has suffered a stroke.

She is doing well and fortunately it was only a mild stoke, but even so she will be in hospital for a while. I've been all at sixes and sevens this week and feeling so exhausted, but I am starting to sort myself out and am getting organised around the daily visits to the hospital.

It is such a relief that the horses are where they are and I know they are out in the pasture and well looked after. We are hoping to spend some time with them on Sunday – and maybe even ride!

Tomorrow we are moving our elder son into the house. I hope he will be very happy there – and I can start to sort my house out!

Trying to keep cool

2009-07-02T23:08:00.004+01:00

It is unusually hot here in Wales, and also very humid. Humidity was 65% today. This means that even the slightest exertion makes one sweat.

The horses are now down in the bottom pastures to allow the other fields to rest. We were not aware of this the first time we visited after their move and walked all the way across to the far field where we were used to them grazing – but no horses!

Eventually we found them all standing under the hawthorn trees. Our two are not in this first group because they are among the group on the other side of the shrubs. They seem to like the hawthorn – even though they can get some nasty scratches from it. It may be just that it is shady there, though we were wondering if the flies did not like this plant and so did not bother them so much when they stood there.

I went up to ride on Wednesday with my younger son, Richard. But by the time we had groomed them we were too sweaty and exhausted to ride. The horses were also already quite sweaty, just standing being groomed. It would have seemed unkind to put saddle pads and saddles on them and make them walk out in this humid heat. So we left them to it. We shall have to ride earlier or later in the day while this heat wave lasts – though it 11.30 pm as I write this and it is still too hot!

100th post!

2009-06-22T18:50:00.005+01:00

This is my 100th post. Ceffylau has been running since April 2008. Looking back, a lot has happened in our lives with the horses in that time. We have moved Red twice and Dee three times. Red has been on loan and is now on working livery. We have experimented with DIY livery, part livery, grass livery and various combinations of all types of livery in an attempt to keep and continue to have the pleasure of our horses. We are relieved that at last we seem to have found a place where we can afford to keep both Dee and Red, where they are happy and we are happy too. I have also recovered from a bad knee injury and seem to be pretty fit. I now walk across the uneven ground in the fields with confidence.

I apologise for the lack of posts over the last couple of weeks. Life is rather full at the moment and I am not succeeding in keeping up with everything. We inherited half a house a while ago, and in February we bought the other half from my brother-in-law. The house had been rather neglected over recent years and requires quite a lot of work to be done to it before anyone can move in. Having been working on the house a couple of days every week, I have decided that I wanted to move things along a little more quickly and so am now working up there four days a week until it is nearer finished. Our elder son, Daniel is going to live in the upstairs of the house, with a friend living downstairs. We are not making a complete split into two flats so that the house can easily be returned to a family home in the future, but we are ensuring that they have independent accommodation. Consequently we are turning the smallest bedroom upstairs into a little kitchen for Daniel, and are turning the scullery downstairs into a bathroom for our friend.

As well as all this time-consuming house renovation, I am involved in several publishing projects, so I am feeling a little thinly spread. I miss reading all my blog friends' posts and keeping in touch with you all. All these commitments also mean there is little time for riding, and I haven't in fact ridden either Dee or Red for two weeks. They are both well and fit however and I'm sure they don't mind me not riding, though they do seem pleased to see me when I go up to see them, which is most days. I have arranged to ride with some Briwnant friends on Wednesday, so I am looking forward to that.

I will try to post more often while the work on the house continues – even if it is just to put up some photographs.

Hwyl!

Contentment

2009-06-04T19:13:00.005+01:00

It is interesting that there is less to say when life is running a little more smoothly. Difficult times are newsworthy, whereas contentment does not make the news. Difficult times make us focus on their form and try to manipulate it; contentment has more space, more emptiness, so we cannot manipulate it so much. Dee and Red are content – so I find I do not have much to write in my blog. In this photograph they are grazing in the far field which is yellow with buttercups. It is an idyllic scene. They are so content that Dee is behaving like an angel – immediately accepting a head collar and following me on a loose lead rein from the field. Red is also a delight.

The weather this week has been extraordinarily hot and sunny. We are not used to it and I find it a little exhausting. Unfortunately—despite the fine weather—we are not finding much time for riding at the moment, but we did manage a couple of hours on Sunday. We took them to the Ganol as they have not been there for quite a while and we thought it would make a change for Red. Most of his rides with Briwnant are around the Wenallt trail. I don't want him to get bored and sour. I've noticed that Dee is fitter than she was before we moved her to Cornwall in December – she copes with hills much better. I surmise that living at pasture without work, even during the hard winter months, is preferable for keeping Dee fit than being cosseted but stabled half the day.

Red is an easy-going chap so he never gets into trouble. Dee is more assertive and so gets into some argy-bargy in this large herd that they are now a part of. She has become well integrated nevertheless, so perhaps it is still early days and will improve. I brought her in today for a bit of TLC because she has been kicked. It is nothing serious and probably due to her being pushy with another mare. Paul tells me that she has settled out at about fourth mare in the pecking order. Dee so loves being groomed and became very soft and sleepy while I brushed her.

Bank holiday ride

2009-05-26T18:26:00.004+01:00

It has been a bank holiday weekend here in Britain and we took a little trip up to Yorkshire to go down into a cave. The descent into Gaping Gill in a bosun's chair was an extraordinary experience and I am glad to have had the opportunity.

We came home on Sunday so that we would be able to ride on the bank holiday Monday. Dee seemed almost keen to be caught and came straight up to me and put her head out for the head collar. We have been looking forward to this ride because it is the first time we have been out to the Wenallt horse trail together since Dee came home. C. from Briwnant joined us on Thomas as well, so the three horse friends were together. Surprisingly Dee decided she was going to lead the expedition. Those who have been reading Ceffylau for a while will know that Dee naps and will not usually take the lead. Yesterday however she led all the way down Briwnant's track, down the road, and halfway along the first part of the Wenallt trail before the first hill. Then she just stopped – and that was it; she would go no farther. Red took over as lead horse and Dee happily carried on behind him. I was very pleased with her for leading this far, and I think it is an indication of how happy and relaxed she is at Briwnant.

We had a pleasant ride through Coed y Wenallt and then C. showed us how to get into Briwnant land at the top of the hill to avoid the long walk down Wenallt Road. This road is steep and narrow and not all car drivers are sensible or considerate when they meet horses. In places there is insufficient room for a car and a horse, so it is good to be able to get off the road. I often ride all the way back through the wood in order to avoid the road. The only disadvantage of entering Briwnant land at the top of the hill is that there are two gates to deal with. They are not suitable to open while mounted so this meant that one of us had to dismount and remount twice. It seemed logical for me to do this – Dee is the smallest of the three horses and she stands still better than Red. I haven't mounted a horse without a mounting block for a long time so this was quite a challenge for me. I struggled a little to get a few rungs up on each gate and then get a foot in the stirrup – but I succeeded and feel proud of myself for it.

There is a magnificent view from the top field across the Severn Estuary to England. The grass up there is long and lush and Dee sneaked a few mouthfuls while I was sorting out the gates. Rabbits scurried into the bracken as we approached the steep path down onto the track to the stables. It had been a delightful ride. It is so good to be able to ride together again.

After washing the horses down where they were sweaty and giving them a 'thank you feed', I led Dee first to the field. She was most reluctant to go back in the field ... until Red arrived ... and then she went straight through the gate. They do like to be together. They are fully integrated into the herd and often in the midst of things, but they still stay near each other. I feel that at last I have found a place where Dee and Red are happy, they are able to live at pasture, and where we can settle and keep the horses long term. Hurray!!

Life is good

2009-05-14T14:35:00.004+01:00

My heart has been feeling very full with regard to the horses this week. They are both now out with the main herd. It is magnificent to see a herd of 20 or more horses out together, none of them rugged, in varying colours and markings, just being horses. I am so grateful to have found this lovely place for them to live and to see Dee and Red looking so well and happy.

On Wednesday I rode with a couple of friends from Briwnant. I am having to get used to catching the horses again as this is something I rarely had to do while they were at Wyndham. I went into the field and called to Red. He came at a fast canter into the field I was in with the rest of the herd following him! It was quite an amazing sight. Once the herd had settled down, as always he let me halter him without fuss and plodded up the field with me. Unfortunately I could not ride for as long as my friends yesterday, so at the far end of the Wenallt I turned him and we came back on our own. He was unhappy about leaving the others, but he did not misbehave – he is such a good lad.

It felt so peaceful walking back through the woodland together. It was raining a little – a fine misty rain that barely penetrated the leaf cover, and I could feel the woodland's enjoyment of it. The bluebells are still out and the woodland smelt of wild garlic. I felt so privileged to be able to ride such a large and powerful animal and relax in the peaceful atmosphere of Coed y Wenallt. Every now and then Red would remember that he was on his own and neigh and become a little agitated, but after having his mane rubbed and a few quiet words he would settle down again. At one point we spotted two walkers with dogs ahead of us. Red slowed his pace and relaxed, happy to walk behind them. They did not hear us until we were quite close because they had their coat hoods up against the rain. I think Red would have preferred just to follow them to the end of the trail, but they stopped and stood aside to let us pass.

He always gets the most agitated when on his own for the short stretch of road between the end of Wenallt wood and the beginning of Briwnant track. He neighs and keeps breaking into a trot, but once we are on Briwnant's track he settles down again.

This morning I had Dee shod so that we shall be able to take her out on the trails which tend to be rather stony. At first she did not want to be caught. She was happy to have me near her but was not ready to have a halter put on. I just kept gently moving her on and talking to her, and in the end she stood and put her head out for the halter. She then walked through the field with me contentedly. She is looking particularly beautiful at the moment with dapples to her coat as she changes from her winter to her summer coat. She has a couple of marks on her from confrontations with other horses, and a patch of weatherbeat on her rump, but otherwise looks great.

After shoeing I gave her a little feed and returned her to the field. Red had clearly being looking out for her. He neighed to her and trotted over. They greeted each other, rubbing noses, and then wandered off to graze staying close together. They are always close by each other in the field – and Thomas, Red's friend, is usually nearby as well. Thomas stays near Dee when I take Red out even though she is not particularly friendly towards him. It is so lovely that Dee and Red can be together now and that they obviously like to be together – that they share a connection beyond the mere fact that they are owned by the same people.

Riding alone

2009-05-08T00:10:00.004+01:00

Dee and Red have been in for a couple of days while being wormed. Each yard seems to approach worming in a different way. Dee and Red are in stables opposite to each other, so they are quite happy. Dee whinnied when she saw me arriving yesterday. They were using Red in a lesson. He seemed a little perplexed as to why I was there, helping with his tack, but someone else was on his back. He seems to be fine about being ridden in lessons though.

Today I rode Red around the Wenallt horse trail. He was not keen on being out on his own and being parted from Dee. He neighed a lot and was quite agitated. On meeting another horse and rider near the beginning of the trail he put in a buck when I would not let him turn round to follow this horse. This is the first time he has ever done anything like this on a ride, which demonstrates that he was quite wound up today. When we eventually made our way down to the more level part of the trail he enthusiastically went into canter when asked – rather too fast a canter for the terrain and I had to steady him. I was glad to be wearing a helmet as there were a lot of low branches. We managed a second canter further along the trail, and again he put on quite a burst of speed. I’d love to take him somewhere one day where I could really just let him go as fast as he’d like to.

Towards the end of the trail we met a friend from Wyndham leading her daughter on their mare. It was nice to see them. I walked Red thereafter, whereas I might have suggested another canter, but didn’t want to risk exciting my friend’s mare while she was leading her by racing off ahead of them on the trail. Turning for home back up Wenallt Road, Red became extremely vocal and agitated again. I kept rubbing him along the top of his mane and telling him everything was okay, and remembering to keep my breathing deep and slow. He would settle for a bit and then start to get worked up again. He is a sensible chap though and—in my experience—can be relied upon to do what is asked of him, so this gives me the confidence to usually remain quite calm and relaxed even when he is wound up. If I need him to slow down, he will do so; he may make a fuss and neigh continually, but will not do anything silly.

Back at the yard I groomed Dee. She is looking beautifully dappled as her summer coat comes through. Her nice round shape and level of fitness is a credit to the care she received over the coldest months of the year at Gorgeous Grazing. Tomorrow Dee and Red’s period of stabling will be over and they are going to be introduced to the main herd. They laughed at me when I pulled a worried face about this, but I am always a little nervous of Dee meeting new horses because of her history. She has only had one altercation of note however in the two years or more since she was reintroduced to being part of a herd – so I really should stop worrying. I’ll let you know how it goes...

We shall ride them together again at the weekend. Dee still does not have front shoes so we are limited in how much we can do at the moment. I think it was my fault that she got a little freaked out last Sunday when I was catching her. I am going to endeavour to do better this weekend.

Challenges

2009-05-04T20:35:00.004+01:00

Dee is being quite challenging now that she is home. I think I have to re-establish my relationship with her to some degree – after all I did load her onto a lorry and abandon her for four months. I know she is happy to be back with me and Red, but it seems that we have to start over to some extent. It reminds me of when I first had her and the challenges we had to work through at that time.

I was interested in Victoria's post Dodging a Bullet. She says about Siete: "My lack of trust in her and in myself is like a high fence between us." I feel this too. Although I know that Dee and I have a close connection and deep affection for one another, I am nervous of her when she is loose in the field and can get anxious when catching her. At Briwnant it will be necessary to catch her every time I want to groom her or ride her, so I am going to have to build up my confidence again about doing this. She seems to be full of energy and she and Red are often racing around the field together when I go to check them. Sometimes when I'm in the field she'll decide to shoo off another horse and I worry that I will get in the way and get trampled. When catching her in the past she has sometimes not wanted to be haltered and pulled away from me; or she has let me halter her and then decided to take off, ripping the rope out of my hands. On Sunday she let me halter her and then, as we walking up the field, she suddenly became agitated, reared up and took off. She caught me on the shoulder with a front hoof – nothing serious fortunately, but it adds to my fearfulness. 'ö-Dzin brought her in after that and she was perfectly fine with him, so I do not know what it was all about. She continued to be fine while I groomed her and tacked her and behaved well on our short ride.

This was the first time she had been ridden in four months, and she is still barefoot, so we did not go far and avoided the track and the road. We rode where the ground was soft earth—even muddy and wet in some places—and not for too long. She was certainly up for it and rather lively. She seems to be fitter than she was when she left Wyndham which I think demonstrates well that horses keep their condition at grass rather better than when they are being stabled for a large part of the day. The trail we rode on Briwnant land included a steep hill and they were both keen to lope up it.

The bluebells are in bloom at the moment and the hillsides here about are a beautiful haze of blue blossom, which I hope you can see in the background of the photograph of Dee and Red chasing around after two ponies. It was wonderful riding through these blue haze hills, and the green of the new undergrowth is almost fluorescent it is so vivid.

Joining up

2009-05-01T16:44:00.003+01:00

Red and Dee have stayed close to each other ever since Dee was turned out into the field yesterday. I wanted to bring Dee in today to check on her foot and to do a little work with her. She had other ideas however – such as that carrying on grazing was preferable. She was happy to let me stroke her, but not get anywhere near putting on a head collar. In the end I led Red down to the gate and we tempted Dee over with a few pieces of carrot, and then she consented to having her headcollar put on. Red became quite upset when I led Dee out of the field and stayed at the gate calling to her.

I groomed Dee and checked her foot. It is fine now – healing quickly. I then put her new saddle on her back, to check its fit and to get her used to the idea of tack again. In the arena I drove her away until she was ready to join up with me, which was pretty fast. Red stood above us looking over the fence rail, making sure all was well. I felt this was enough for Dee for today, so I gave her a small ‘thank you feed’ and turned her back out with Red. They wandered off together keeping close to each other. I feel touched that they demonstrate being so glad to be together again. I—of course—am ecstatic to have them both at Briwnant.

Reunited

2009-04-30T13:59:00.007+01:00

Dee is safely home. The truck—the most monstrous horse truck I have ever seen—could not get up Wenallt Road, so I had to walk her about half a mile to the yard, including up a very steep hill. Those of you who regularly read this blog will know that Dee naps badly and can do this even when being led, so I was rather anxious about having to lead her such a long way to a new yard. As it turns out she behaved splendidly and we had no problems.

She had suffered a nasty cut on one foot. Judging by the amount of caked blood I would imagine it happened on loading. Also I was amazed that she had no boots or bandages on or even a tail bandage for such a long journey. Sorry Luck Transport, but I'm not too impressed. The driver was a nice chap and treated Dee gently and calmly however, and went to a lot of trouble to turn the truck around and reverse it up the steep lane so that Dee was stepping out onto a ramp going uphill rather than downhill. So that was good.

I kept Dee in Red's stable last night (they've put his picture on the door). This morning the cut on her foot was dried up and scabbed over and she is not lame, so we decided to turn her out. She was turned out into Red's field where there are a few other non-confrontative horses. Red immediately cantered over to her and got kicked at for his trouble. Thomas also got kicked at, but it was mostly for show and only lasted a few minutes. Red and Thomas have become good friends and are always together in the field. This morning however, Red wanted to be by Dee and so Thomas tried to be by her as well but kept being shooed away. I felt a bit sorry for Thomas. When I left, Dee and Red were grazing beside each other—looking like twins again—and Thomas was a little way away from them grazing with the other ponies (sorry it's a rather distant photo). All was peaceful. Hopefully as Dee gets used to Thomas he can be included in the gang as well.

Last night I gave Dee a thorough groom and got the lugs out of her mane. She looks beautiful. N. treated her foot and Dee stood calmly and let it happen. Then Dee and I just enjoyed being together for quite a long time – me stroking and talking to her and she resting her head contentedly on my shoulder. Life is good.

Coming home

2009-04-27T10:45:00.003+01:00

The weather was frightful when we visited Dee on our way home from Cornwall. A gale-force wind was blowing in from the sea lashing stinging, icy rain into our faces. So much for Cornwall being warmer than Cardiff. All the horses were at the bottom of the first field where the hedgerow afforded them some shelter. We called Dee, but realised it would be impossible for her to hear us over the wind. We trudged across the field, leaning into the wind and holding our coats tightly around us. As soon as we were within earshot, Dee looked up and trotted over.

She no longer has one shoe on and her feet look as though they have been trimmed – which was confirmed by K. of Gorgeous Grazing when we saw her later. We gave Dee a dozen carrots and told her again that she would be coming home to Cardiff soon. In the warm of K's cottage we informed her of our intention to move Dee back home, and of our good fortune in finding a place where we could have both horses. We discussed how to move her and K. suggested a horse transporting company that she uses regularly, and gave us her number. We feel this will be the best plan as we are inexperienced in transporting horses and it is a long journey for us to take on in a hired vehicle. It would also possibly cost more in the long run as well, by the time we have paid for diesel, vehicle hire and an overnight stay.

We meandered home along the north Devon coast road rather than heading across to the motorway. It made the journey take all day but was most enjoyable with beautiful countryside and spectacular sea views. The cats were very pleased to see us.

So often in our dealings with Dee extraordinary luck arises. We had thought it would take quite a while to organise transport for Dee, but the transporter K. recommended happens to be coming to Cardiff on Wednesday. Amazing! So Dee will be back home on Wednesday. I have warned them at Briwnant Riding Centre that she is a dominant mare and will be aggressive at first. She has lived with other horses now for over two years and has been fine, so I am confident that she will settle down again after her initial assertive display. At least she knows Red, and Red is fond of her despite her moodiness. I'm sure he will be glad to see her. I've bought her a saddle on ebay—if you remember we had one of our saddles stolen—and think I have the makings of a bridle with a hackamore among my things. She will be fine in this until I decide to afford another cross-under bridle.

So once more I will have my lovely mare in Cardiff, and once again we shall be able to ride out together at the weekend. I am so thankful and feel blessed. I'll post later in the week when she arrives to let my readers know how she is settling in.

Visiting Dee

2009-04-18T16:37:00.005+01:00

Today we visited Dee. The journey took us about four hours, and for the last part of it I was trying to prepare myself for the possibility of her ignoring me.

We arrived at the gate and I spotted her straight away. I called to her, she looked up, and immediately came over to us. She seemed really pleased to see us. We gave her some treats and just hung around with her for a while. She kept shooing off the horses who also wanted to come and say hello to us – the same bossy mare as always. She stayed with us for quite a long time, and then eventually wandered off back to the rest of the herd to graze.

Dee looks really well – a bit tatty of course at this time of year, as she is losing her winter coat. I was surprised at how round she is – she looks really well fed. I can see why they have to restrict how much pasture they have in the summer. At the moment she is in two large fields with six other horses. Dee has one shoe on, which intrigued me. Surely this cannot still be one from when we moved her in December? We are hoping to meet up with K. from Gorgeous Grazing when we visit Dee again on our way home, so I shall be able to ask her about this.

I've told Dee we are going to be bringing her home. As you can see from the photograph, I was just so happy to see her again.

Happy horse

2009-04-16T21:42:00.004+01:00

I had a lovely ride on Red this morning with a lady who has a horse on loan at Briwnant Riding Centre. We rode the circuit of the Wenallt Horse Trail.

We had a slight misunderstanding about setting out time, and Red was getting restless waiting, so I took him into the arena. There were cones set out in there so we did some weaving in and out of them. Red was very calm and relaxed and happy to be occupied in this way while we waited.

I can't explain why the atmosphere at Briwnant seems to be so much more relaxed, but Red is really content. Wyndham is an excellent livery yard—I would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone—but there was always a certain degreee of stress about the place for me, and perhaps also for Red. I know this is my hang-up and nothing to do with the yard. Perhaps it is the close proximity of the motorway to Wyndham. Perhaps it is something to do with Briwnant being a riding school rather than just a livery yard. Perhaps it is that they have more land so that the horses can live out at pasture all the time, and really just be natural horses. Perhaps it is that mares and geldings are not segregated at Briwnant. I don't know, but Red felt different on our ride today – more confident and comfortable. This could also of course be because he has been hacking out alone such a lot and was just enjoying some company.

We had to pass the field where Red used to graze with his Wyndham mates to get to the Wenallt Horse Trail. I expected him to call to them as he can often be quite vocal and gets attached to his friends, but he hardly glanced in their direction. As we came back down the lane I sensed a certain urgency in him to turn onto the track to Briwnant. It would seem it is home for him – less than a week after his arrival.

On Saturday we drive to Cornwall and will visit Dee on the way there and on the way back. I shall also broach the subject of moving Dee back to Cardiff with the people at Gorgeous Grazing. I'm still not sure how this is going to happen, but I am exploring various possibilities.

Exploring Briwnant

2009-04-12T14:15:00.010+01:00

This morning we took Red on an exploration of Briwnant Riding Centre's land. First we rode about half way along the track and then turned off it to head up the hill through the undergrowth to the top field that borders Wenallt Road. There is a gate to the road from the top field. This will be a really useful track to take when accessing the Wenallt trail, because it avoids a large section of the road. It is very beautiful up there with wild primroses in full bloom and many rabbits scurrying into the cover of the bracken. The bluebells are just beginning to blossom. The view is extraordinary: right across Cardiff, the Severn Estuary with both Severn Bridges, Penarth Head, Steep and Flat Holm in the estuary and beyond them the coast of England. It was a little hazy so it was not possible to make out the Devon and North Cornish coasts today, but still one could see for a distance of more than 30 miles.

Next we rode back down towards the stable yard and then turned left along a muddy track. We learned later that this used to be the access track to Briwnant and eventually comes out at Thornhill Road by a hotel. We rode to nearly as far as the hotel and turned back. Two of the Briwnant dogs accompanied us which I think helped Red feel more confident, but also made him a little lively – I think it reminded him of hunting. Apparently if we took the track to its end, there are other rides that can be accessed from there, so I look forward to exploring those one day.

Arriving back at the yard again we went through a gate into two of the fields that are being rested at the moment. Here I took Red down to the bottom of each field so that he could have a good fast canter back up the fields, which we enjoyed. I had not cantered him in the top field as he seemed quite nervous up there as it is so high and open.

This ride had taken us about an hour. It is great to be somewhere where we can ride for so long without touching a road. Red is relaxed and settled and obviously really likes it at Briwnant. And—I hardly dare put it in writing it seems so much too good to be true—we can bring Dee here. We can bring her back from Cornwall and put her here on grass livery. I'm not sure how we are going to organise this at the moment, but we are going to Cornwall to see Dee next week, so I can discuss it with the lady at Gorgeous Grazing then. I can't quite believe that things could work out quite this perfectly at the moment —I'm afraid of jinxing it—but how wonderful it would be to have both our horses to ride out on together again. Dee is still up for riding. We shall have to start gently as she hasn't been ridden for four months, but she always enjoyed hacking out.

Settled already!

2009-04-11T01:12:00.002+01:00

I telephoned Briwnant just as it was beginning to get dark this evening. I wanted to check that Red had been okay at the time he would have been used to coming in for a feed and being stabled for the night. P. at Briwnant told me that Red had shown no sign of wanting to come in. He was happy to be approached, but was not interested in leaving the field – he just wanted to carry on enjoying grazing.

Wow! Wonderful! He seems settled in already!

Move to Briwnant Riding Centre

2009-04-10T15:08:00.009+01:00

(Photo 1: 'This looks interesting ...')

This morning we moved Red to Briwnant Riding Centre. 'ö-Dzin rode him over and I drove there with a car-load of rugs, tack and horsey items. We put Red into a stable for half and hour and then turned him out into a field. He is out with a few young and quiet horses who will not challenge him to start with, in the pasture next to the main herd. He will be introduced to the main herd in about a week once he has had time to get to know them. They will not work him for his first week either.

Red wandered out into the field completely relaxed and content. He had not neighed at all and seemed perfectly happy – which is quite a contrast to when we moved him to Wyndham, where he was very vocal and unsettled even though he had Dee in the stable next to him. So this bodes well. After about five minutes one of the young horses in the field noticed the new arrival and trotted over to meet Red. They greeted each other in a friendly way (photo 2). This photograph also shows the magnificent views from Briwnant – right across the Severn Estuary to England. Soon the other horses came over to check Red out. One of the mares was a bit fiesty and kicked out at him, but she has no shoes on and Red just got out of her way. It is a large field with plenty of grass, so he just wanted to graze. By the time we left he seemed to have made friends with two horses and they were grazing near one another. I have a good feeling about this place.

Another happy occurrence is that we met a lady we knew from Ridgeway at Briwnant. She had been interested in buying Red at one time, or loaning him, but decided she was not ready. She rode Dee a couple of times. She now has her own horse, a lovely mare called Star. I was so happy to meet her again, and I think we may ride together. It seems there may be more opportunity to ride with people from Briwnant.

I am sad to leave Wyndham. We have been happy there and Sally has been very kind to us. However I feel confident that Briwnant will be a good move for us – certainly Red seems relaxed there already. I shall telephone later this evening—after the time he is used to coming in for a feed and to be stabled for the night—to see how he is. They will feed him in the evening until he is used to the Briwnant routine, and will bring him in and stable him if he is distressed – but I think this is unlikely. I think he will be quite content to stay out in such a large field with plenty of grass.

Birthday hike

2009-04-06T20:32:00.009+01:00

It is a family tradition that one day over the weekend closest to one of our birthdays, is set aside for a fun event chosen by the birthday boy or girl. Last weekend it was 'ö-Dzin's 50th birthday. As his treat on Saturday, 'ö-Dzin chose a walk to visit a waterfall called Sgwd yr Eira – Falls of Snow.

It is about an 1½ hours walk from the car park in Pontneddfechan, but we had a couple of false starts, so it took us more like 2 hours. The last part was a very steep descent down uneven and difficult steps. I found this really hard going on my knees, and our son Daniel—who is dyspraxic— also struggled. Foolishly I had forgotten to take any walking sticks with me.

The waterfall was magnificent. It is especially delightful because the footpath goes right behind the waterfall. It is aptly named because the water does have a snow-like appearance as it falls feely from the high rock.

Neither Daniel nor I fancied the walk back up the steep steps, but the only alternative was a much longer walk back taking another route. After much debate this is what we decided to do. It was certainly a much easier route, with gentler and more even steps and then a wide and easy track thereafter. Eventually we arrived at the road after passing by another of the waterfalls for which this area is renowned, Sgwd Clun Gwyn – White Meadow Fall.

It was our hope that we would find a path that cut across from the road to the southeast, as the road was a long way to return to the car park. Luckily we did find a pleasant path, however this tantalisingly took us to within view of the track by the river that we knew led to the car park, but did not seem to offer a means to get there. The path took us to the top of a bank above the river but then headed off in a different direction. We were reluctant to follow it further. By now we had been walking for over four hours and we were all tired. We decided to take a risk and scramble down the wooded bank rather than face a walk of uncertain duration on a path that was not even necessarily going in the right direction.

It took us about half an hour to scramble down the bank, moving from tree to tree for support, sliding on our bottoms sometimes, and zigzagging across on foot at others. The incline was almost vertical and about 100 feet down we estimated. This is fairly typical of our family expeditions – we always seem to end up having more of an adventure than we anticipated! We all arrived at the bottom of the bank safely. It took us a few moments to get our bearings and then we made our way to the bridge across the river so that we were once more on the path where we had started, and back at the car park in ten minutes. Phew! We'd been walking for about 5½ hours; we were footsore and tired; but we had also had a wonderful time. I was particularly proud of myself as this is the longest walk I have undertaken since my knee injury. There was a time when I thought I would not be able to do such a walk again this lifetime, so I am delighted that I survived it.

(Photographs: 1. Sgwd yr Eira; 2. Behind Sgwd yr Eira; 3. Richard and I resting on a compassionate tree.)

Unfortunately our exertions on Saturday meant that we were too tired to ride on Sunday, so we just visited Red and made a fuss of him. We are moving him to Briwnant on Friday morning. I am counting the days till I see Dee – less than two weeks now. She is reported as fit and well and has been without her rug for three weeks now, as it is milder in Cornwall. She and her herd friends have the run of two large fields at the moment, until the grass starts growing, when they will be restricted to one again. So Dee has plenty of space in which to roam.

Save our park!

2009-03-27T14:17:00.005Z

I do not usually use my blog to campaign, but I would like to make an exception today for the sake of Bute Park in Cardiff.

We are most fortunate to have an extensive and beautiful park running through the heart of Cardiff. It has areas of formal ornamental gardens, is home for rare and unusual trees and plants, supports a varied wildlife, has sports fields and wild areas. The park is well-used and loved by Cardiff residents and many events take place in Cooper's Field near Cardiff castle, such as fireworks extravaganzas and horticultural shows.

There are a number of interesting sculptures in the park, such as the amusing one featured in this photograph. 'ö-Dzin has taken many wonderful photographs of Bute park—on his journey through it on his bicycle comuting to work—and you can see some of these at his fickr pages. Our lovely park graces the banks of the river Taff, with a number of bridges of differing styles traversing it.

Pontcanna Riding Stables nestles within the park and it is possible to ride round part of it on horseback. When I rode regularly at this establishment, before and after buying Dee from them, I used to cycle to the Stables along the Taff trail which is accessible near to my home. It was a real pleasure to visit Bute Park so regularly and witness its varying guises as the seasons and the weather changed.

The park was given to Cardiff by the Marquis of Bute in 1947 for the enjoyment of its citizens. However naughty Cardiff council are now planning to put a road through the park and build on part of it. This would be disastrous for the future of the park and set an unfortunate precedent. Many ancient trees will be destroyed for this development, and large areas of grassland.

If you too love inner city parkland and feel that it is an essentiual facility for the health of city dwellers, please sign the petition to urge Cardiff Council to abandon their plans to destroy part of our park. It does not matter if you live outside the UK, or have never visited Cardiff, please sign the petition online if you value the undisturbed continuation of this historic and beautiful park. Thank you.

Giving notice

2009-03-26T14:48:00.005Z

Well the dastardly deed is done – I have given my notice at Wyndham Livery. I found this quite a hard thing to do—even though I know it has to be done—because Sally has been so kind to me, it is such a friendly and happy yard and I like being there. It was made doubly hard because Sally had already heard that I was looking at other yards and was a little hurt that she hadn't heard this from me first. I am sorry that I misjudged this. I felt it was better to wait until I knew whether I was moving Red or selling him – and it hadn't occurred to me that she would hear about it while I was still at the cogitating stage. She was nice about it though and we shall part on good terms.

I went up to Briwnant Riding Centre this morning to talk to them about moving Red there on working livery. They were most friendly and welcoming and I was there much long than expected. I shall be riding Red over for them to see on Tuesday. Unless there is something about him they really don't like—which is unlikely—it seems most probable that I shall move him there soon after. I liked the place and their approach to running the yard. I liked the way they were with the horses I saw them with this morning. The horses were friendly and looked healthy and happy. A lot of my queries were answered without my having to ask – such as how they managed the work for the horses to prevent them getting stale or bored, and how they expected beginners to behave when mounted so that the horses don't become hard mouthed and dead to leg aids.

They have a lot of land—about 93 acres—and the horses live out at pasture except when they are working. It is possible to ride through some of the fields to avoid roads altogether, or to access the higher part of the Wenallt horse trail. They have a menage and are setting up a cross country course. The views across Cardiff must be spectacular, but unfortunately today it was too misty to see very far into the distance. I will post photographs when I am up there on a better day for photography. The owners had read my blog and volunteered that it would be possible to hire one of their horses for 'ö-Dzin and I to hack out together once they were sure that we rode well enough to be entrusted with one of their horses. I really appreciated them saying this without my asking.

I still feel a bit churned up about having given my notice at Wyndham. It will be a big change and I shall miss Sally and everyone else at the yard, but at least I should now be able to afford to keep Red indefinitely – possibly into his 20s, by which time I will be in my 60s and probably we shall both be ready to retire.

When I called into Wyndham after my visit to Briwnant, I discovered that all the horses were being kept in today because of the weather. Red was sweet and pleased to see me. He let me groom the mud off his legs without any fuss or my having to tie him. I hope I am doing the best thing by him and that he will settle quickly in his new home. It took him a long time to settle at Wyndham. However he settled very quickly at Ridgeway which was also pasture livery, so perhaps he will settle quickly at Briwnant as well. Perhaps it is the amount of time they spend stabled at Wyndham that was the reason he took so long to settle. We shall see. I think it will be nice for him to be in a mixed herd of mares and geldings again. He was always fond of Dee even though she pushed him around.

Wild ponies

2009-03-22T23:08:00.007Z

Today in the UK was Mothering Sunday. My mother—who is 92 years old—has not been very well this winter, and consequently has not been getting out and about that much. So we decided to take her out for a drive today, finishing at a coffee bar for drinks and cake.

The weather continues to be delightful – sunny and bright and quite warm. I felt a little over-dressed in my winter clothing, but am loathe to get out my summer clothes in case I jinx it!

We set out after lunch. I didn't want to drive too far as Mum tires easily, so we headed north out of Cardiff towards Merthyr Tydfil, then east towards Abergavenny, and finally doubling back to Cardiff via Caerphilly. Heh – let's have the Welsh for those: Caerdydd, Merthyr Tudful, Y Fenni and Caerffili. This drive includes some striking landscape as it touches the edge of the Brecon mountain range. The loop back from Merthyr to Caerphilly crosses open moorland. I had never been along this narrow lane that crosses Gelligaer Common before, and it was wonderful with extensive views.

Driving slowly along the lane we were enjoying the golden gorse bushes, and delighting in the purple hue of the hillsides, and the valleys decorated with evergreens. We saw ahead of us animals that were larger than the sheep that are ever present on Welsh hills. At first we thought they were cows, but quickly realised that in fact it was a small herd of wild Welsh Mountain ponies. They were quite inquisitive when we stopped and would let us stroke their noses, but not get any closer than that. Several of them had rather dramatic manes. They all looked healthy and well fed, apart from one that looked older and thinner than the others. I think he may be the herd stallion.

It is good to know that we have these ponies living wild so near to Cardiff, and we shall certainly be visiting Gelligaer Common again before too long, to see if we are lucky enough to come across them again. If you would like to see the full set of the photographs of the Welsh Mountain ponies, please go to our flickr page (there are pictures of mum and I there too).

Working livery

2009-03-20T22:17:00.006Z

I am having to re-visit the idea of working livery. My livery costs have just gone up by £20 a month and my monthly income has just dropped by considerably more than that. The drop in income is hopefully only temporary, but nevertheless it has to be accommodated. Horse expenses are starting to feel too much to cope with again. In addition to this, Red is challenging me in the stable again now that I am not handling him everyday, which is tiresome. We are working it out, but I feel he might be better behaved if he were doing more and getting more exercise.

I've written to three livery yards to enquire about working livery. I've chosen these three for particular reasons. The first is a yard where close friends livery horses, the second I have ridden at a number of times and know the set-up, and the third is close to where we are now. I am not going to rush into a decision, but it seems that it will have to be working livery or sell Red.

The first yard has an extremely good reputation and is recognised as one of the top ten riding establishments in Britain. I know the place is trustworthy and Red would be well looked after. There are trails to ride, although they are not so conveniently accessed as the trails by where we are now. I would be able to ride with my friends which would be most enjoyable. My only reservation about this place is that most of his work would be schooling and I am not sure whether he is temperamentally suited for this.

The second place is a riding stables where 'ö-Dzin and I have ridden many times. The couple who run this yard are most pleasant and the horses all seem happy and well cared for. It is in a beautiful rural area, and the riding that is asked of them is hacking rather than schooling and includes beach riding. I think he would have a good life at this place. I also believe that they allow riders that they trust to hack out unaccompanied, so there may be the possibility of hiring a horse and riding together.

The third yard I do not know anything about but it is very close to where I am now so that it will be easy to check them out. If they want to have a look at Red I shall be able to ride him over there and have a look around. I have met groups from this yard on the Wenallt trail and the horses look well cared for. I believe they do some schooling, but he would get trail riding as well for variety. Perhaps it may be possible to hire a horse here to hack out together as well, or at least we could join a group ride. This place has the advantage of being nearly as close to home as I am now and so Red would still be able to ride on familiar routes. However this could also prove to be a disadvantage, as it may be unsettling for Red to be near Wyndham, but no longer living there. A complete change may be easier for him to adjust to.

Now I have to wait to hear from these places, so that we can take our explorations to the next stage. I'll keep you posted ...

Horse quiz

2009-03-17T22:32:00.006Z

I'm picking up on a quiz that is circulating in horse-blog-world. See also Grey Horse Matters and A Bay Horse. If you want to join in the quiz the questions are as follows:
1. How old were you when you first started riding?
2. First horse ridden:
3. First horse trotted on:
4. First horse cantered on:
5. First Horse fallen off of:
6. Most recent horse fallen off of
7. Most terrifying fall:
8. First horse jumped with:
9. First horse who ran away with you:
10. First horse that scared the crap out of you:
11. First horse shown :!)
12. First horse to win a class with:
13. Do you/have you taken lessons:
14. First horse you ever rode bareback:
15. First horse trail ridden with:
16. Current Barn name:
17. Do you ride English or western?:
18. First Horse to place at a show with:
19. Ever been to horse camp?:
20. Ever been to a riding clinic?
21. Ridden sidesaddle?
22. First horse leased:
23. Last Horse Leased:
24. Highest ribbon in a show:
25. Ever been to an 'A' rated show?:
26. Ever competed in pony games/relay races?:
27. Ever fallen off at a show
28. Do you ride Hunter/Jumpers?:
29. Have you ever barrel raced?
30. Ever done pole bending?:
31. Favorite gait:
32. Ever cantered bareback?:
33. Have you ever done dressage?:
34. Have you ever evented?:
35. Have you ever mucked a stall?:
36. Ever been bucked off?:
37. Ever been on a horse that reared
38. Horses or ponies.
39. Do you wear a helmet?:
40. What's the highest you've jumped:
41. Have you ever ridden at night?:
42. Do you watch horsey television shows?:
43. Have you ever been seriously hurt/injured from a fall?:
44. Most falls in one lesson:
45. Do you ride in an arena/ring?:
46. Have you ever been trampled by a horse?:
47. Have you ever been bitten?:
48. Ever had your foot stepped on by a horse?:
49: Favorite riding moment:
50. Most fun horse you've ridden:

So my answers:
1. How old were you when you first started riding? about 8 or 10 I think.
2. First horse ridden: Jason
3. First horse trotted on: Jason
4. First horse cantered on: Midnight (see 9)
5. First Horse fallen off of: Midnight (see 9)
6. Most recent horse fallen off of: Dee
7. Most terrifying fall: I've been pretty lucky in that although I've suffered a few injuries, I've never had a really frightening fall. I think the most frightening experience was coming off Midnight when he bolted, but this was because I was very young, it was the first time I had cantered and he was completely out of control. In my memory he was a huge horse, but in reality he probably was only about 15.2 – I was riding little ponies mostly at that time.
8. First horse jumped with: Whisky
9. First horse who ran away with you: Midnight (see 4, 5 & 7)
10. First horse that scared the crap out of you: Dee
11. First horse shown :!) Whisky – but I've never had the opportunity to do this sort of thing very much.
12. First horse to win a class with: never won anything because I never really entered anything.
13. Do you/have you taken lessons: starting having lessons when I got back into riding in my late 40s, but I don't have lessons now.
14. First horse you ever rode bareback: Jason.
15. First horse trail ridden with: Whisky.
16. Current Barn name: Wyndham Livery.
17. Do you ride English or western?: neither really as I ride treeless and bitless. I use Western reins.
18. First Horse to place at a show with: never happened.
19. Ever been to horse camp?: no.
20. Ever been to a riding clinic? no.
21. Ridden sidesaddle? no.
22. First horse leased: never done this.
23. Last Horse Leased: never done this.
24. Highest ribbon in a show: I've never had a ribbon or a rosette ... sob!
25. Ever been to an 'A' rated show?: don't know what that means.
26. Ever competed in pony games/relay races?: I think I did do a bit of this as a teenager.
27. Ever fallen off at a show: no.
28. Do you ride Hunter/Jumpers?: no.
29. Have you ever barrel raced? no.
30. Ever done pole bending?: no.
31. Favorite gait: canter.
32. Ever cantered bareback?: yes - and stayed on! At one time I used to ride bareback a lot – out on the trail and everywhere.
33. Have you ever done dressage?: a little but only for fun, not competition.
34. Have you ever evented?: no.
35. Have you ever mucked a stall?: I'm tempted to say no ... but the truth is of course yes.
36. Ever been bucked off?: no - I have found I have been able to sit bucks on all the horses I've experienced this with ... so far.
37. Ever been on a horse that reared: yes, Dee. She reared a lot when I first had her – when I was on her and also when I was lunging her. Horses are very large animals when they are rearing in front of you...
38. Horses or ponies. I have always felt that 14.2 - 15.2 was my ideal size range. Red still feels a bit big for me at 16hh.
39. Do you wear a helmet?: yes, but I didn't when I spent a week on a dude ranch in Montana.
40. What's the highest you've jumped: about 2½ - 3 ft I would guess.
41. Have you ever ridden at night?: yes – in an arena.
42. Do you watch horsey television shows?: occasional.
43. Have you ever been seriously hurt/injured from a fall?: yes, 2 years ago I seriously injured my right knee.
44. Most falls in one lesson: only once per lesson was quite enough.
45. Do you ride in an arena/ring?: I do occasionally but only if I have to.
46. Have you ever been trampled by a horse?: no.
47. Have you ever been bitten?: yes, a few times.
48. Ever had your foot stepped on by a horse?: yes, too many times.
49: Favorite riding moment: jumping a really big log in the practice field at Pontcanna. Dee loves to jump and gave me the confidence to try because I knew I could trust her. At least one person had come off already at the jump because it really looked huge as you approached it – it was not terribly high but quite broad. Several other people in the class had refused to try it. I said to Dee: 'Come on Lass, we can do this' and we sailed over it, impressing our instructor.
50. Most fun horse you've ridden: I think that would have to be Whisky, a 6 year old gelding who I had the pleasure of riding for a few years as a teenager. I used to go out for day-long rides throughout the summer and had a really nice relationship with him. He taught me a lot and I realise with hindsight how much he trusted me.

A funny horse

2009-03-10T15:00:00.006Z

This photograph was taken on Sunday. We just about managed to grab a half hour in the arena between the bursts of torrential rain. 'ö-Dzin rode Red first and he was really good and willing. Then our friend—who you can see in the picture—rode him, and Red was a little naughty. You could almost see him thinking, “Who is this? Why do I have to have this person on my back that I don’t know?’ He kept doing little bucks if she asked for anything more than a walk – and even the walk was reluctant. He’s a funny lad.

Last week I took him on another slightly adventurous ride. We went the road way to Rhiwbina Hill and then back through Coed y Wenallt. This is the first time that we have ridden this route on our own and he did get a little nervous, but behaved well despite this.

This morning he was in a mood. I had to put a headcollar on him and tie him in the end, because he would not stand still to be groomed and tacked, and I was not keen on being bitten or trampled. I know he is a bit ticklish under his belly, but this morning he was being excessively silly about the mud being removed. We then rode the Coe y Wenallt circuit – through the wood and back down the road. He was less nervous about the far end of the ride this time. However we have had a lot of really strong winds here over the last week, and there was quite a lot of debris on the trail. This made him rather spooky.

He is a funny horse. I prefer to ride on quite a loose rein, but this is not always possible with Red because he is likely to suddenly head off the track into the undergrowth if I let my concentration lapse. The track is clearly visible, but he just seems to like to wander off it if he is given the chance. On one of 'ö-Dzin’s first rides on Red—before we were aware of this idiosyncracy—Red quietly walked into a hedge. It was quite tricky for them to extricate themselves from its prickliness, and the only way out was to back him. This seems like a strange thing for a horse to do. Does anyone else have a horse with this habit?

Unfamiliar ground

2009-02-25T21:29:00.005Z

Tuesday afternoon was strangely quiet and subdued. It was as if the world were holding its breath. Later it rained—gentle, fine rain—but remained windless and calm. I decided to ride Red the full circuit of the Coed y Wenallt horsetrail. Three quarters of this ride is through the woodland, with the last quarter being along a steep and narrow road. Red has traversed this full route only once before, with 'ö-Dzin riding him and with me on Dee, but in the direction of the road part first. On Tuesday we rode it finishing with the road part of the circuit.

We set out a little before 4 pm. The dullness of the day meant that it was already fairly gloomy in the wood, but we had a good hour of light left. Red was a little reluctant to begin with, and I had to gently encourage him, but he gradually became more interested in being out for a ride.

Red happily jumped over the log when we reached it. I did not ask him to canter up the hills this time as he still needs to get fitter and I wanted to canter the last part of the trail where it was not so steep. This all went well as this was familiar ground for Red. However he now expected to turn round and head for home through the woodland, as we had done many times. Red became unsettled when I asked him to carry on. He did as he was asked, but started neighing—which he hasn't done on a ride for a long time—and seemed a little tense.

I tried to reassure him by talking to him and stroking him. I also sang mantra to him which I often finds helps when things get tense, as it relaxes us both. We reached the road and started on the final part of the ride. One of the reasons for doing the ride in this direction was that the light was better on the road now that it was getting late in the afternoon.

It occurred to me that Red may have wondered whether I was taking him away from Wyndham, which I think he now thinks of very much as 'home'. It was late afternoon and a similar sort of day when we rode from Ridgeway livery to Wyndham. Might he have remembered this journey – and being on what seemed to him to be unfamiliar territory wondered whether this was what was happening.? We were also quite near Ridgeway at the end of the Wenallt – could he have sensed his previous yard or smelled the horses? I will never know, but feel that it is a sign of the trust that is growing between us that he continued without any arguement.

Going down the road, we had to turn around once and go back up the hill a little way to allow a car through, and duck into a track for a few moments later on for the same reason. Red behaved perfectly – I am so proud of him. At last we reached the part of the road that he recognised and soon we were home.

Well done Red.

February sunshine

2009-02-23T00:11:00.007Z

I've had a couple of really great rides on Red this week. It is such a relief to be riding. I don't really like lunging – and neither does Red, so I'm happy to have tack again so that we can go out into the wood together.

Suddenly the weather here is quite spring-like. It was so warm on Saturday morning that I didn't bother to take my coat. I don't know whether the photograph quite shows how delightful the day was.

Now that we only have one horse to ride, we take it in turns. I rode first on Saturday so that I could take Red on ahead and have a few canters – to give him the chance to really stretch and exercise. 'ö-Dzin came off him the week before because Red came down one of the steep stretches of hill too fast. As Red trotted round the corner at the bottom of the incline, Red and 'ö-Dzin parted company, with 'ö-Dzin ending up in a heap on the ground. He was okay—if a little bruised—but I'm sure he came off mainly because he still isn't terribly well.

So on Saturday I took Red on ahead to the far end of Coed y Wenallt where there are a few good stretches for cantering. I asked Red to lope up the hills, and he was puffing a bit, so we must ride out together more often so that he can get a bit fitter. We also did something together for the first time – we jumped two logs! I was proud of myself. It was the first time I have had the courage to take the opportunity. I know J took him over a log now and then, but I had never had enough confidence. We are getting along so well now, he is so much more willing and always ready to canter, that I decided to give it a go. He sailed over each log and seemed to thoroughly enjoy himself. I'm not about to suddenly take up show jumping, but it's good to feel that Red and I are working so well together. I always knew Dee loved to jump and would take any log in the wood, but it has taken me a long time to feel ready to try it with Red.

We then headed back to find out how far 'ö-Dzin had walked and to swap riders. 'ö-Dzin just walked Red home. I got really warm in the February sunshine walking back—especially trying to keep up with Red's 'going home' pace—and even had to take my jumper off. This is amazing for February, and I hope it continues. As before, Red stopped and waited for me to catch up a few times – so sweet.

His mud fever is now nearly cleared up. He has been reasonably well behaved about having his legs seen to, but I will not be sorry to lose this chore. Let's hope the unseasonable sunshine is a portent of a good summer. Then perhaps the fields will have a chance to dry out for the first time in over a year, so that the horses no longer have so much mud to contend with.

Arena game

2009-02-16T09:02:00.004Z

I've been working hard on websites and things over the last two weeks, and have not been finding time to blog. I'm pleased with the results of the work, however. I have a new Spacious Passion website that looks much more how I want it to look. The old site was powered by Joomla and I could never work out how to adjust the details of it, so I was never satisfied with it. The new site is powered by 'ö-Dzin's software to my design – it is great to have so much control.

Two weeks ago, Wyndham Livery was burgled and all the tack was stolen from the tack locker. This means I also haven't been able to ride, because I haven't had a full set of tack. Consequently I have been lunging Red rather than riding him. He's not been too impressed with this. It was a premeditated break in – they knew exactly what they needed to do to get at the tack, and sawed through metal gates and the door of the metal tack locker with an angle grinder. Needless to say, our insurance doesn't cover it.

We also played a game with him in the arena, based on an idea from Carolyn Resnick's blog. After lunging, we let him free. 'ö-Dzin stood at one side of the arena, and I stood the other side – both of us equipped with a bag of carrot treats. We called Red to us. When he came he got a piece of carrot – but only one piece. The other person then called him. If he wouldn't leave after his treat, we drove him away by waving a line. It took him a long time to get the idea, and even then didn't seem too sure. I don't think Red is very bright. We stopped on a success before he started to get either bored or frustrated.

We tried the game again the following day, however, and something had sunk in, because he got it right straight away. Unfortunately we were not able to carry on with him at liberty, because another horse was brought into the arena for lunging. This horse had been on box rest for a few days, so it went slightly beserk on the lunge line – galloping round and round with its tail up and snorting. Red got a little over excited, forgot to notice where I was, and almost trampled me. We decided to take him in.

Playing this arena game brought up a sharp yearning for Dee. She is such a quick and intelligent horse – she would have got the idea really quickly. I have been missing Dee a lot recently. I think when we first moved her to her retirement home in Cornwall, it was such a relief to be free of the anxiety and work of two horses that I did not feel the loss of her. Now that it is easier and less work, I've had time to let missing her arise. Hopefully, now the weather is warming up, we shall soon be able to reschedule our visit to see her. She will probably ignore me when we visit her, but at least I shall be able to see that she is well and happy.

Hosing legs

2009-01-28T21:52:00.008Z

I'm trying to get Red used to having his legs hosed down on the occasions that I bring him in from the field. This doesn't happen too often because I tend to go up and see him in the morning. When we have needed to hose down his legs, it is like having a large prancing pony on the end of the leadrope.

Red has mud fever – not too seriously fortunately, and it is getting better quickly. There is no heat in his legs or swelling, just scabs. To treat the mudfever I have to clean off the mud, treat his legs with a liquid solution, and then dry them. He likes me to hold his leg to rub it down with the towel.

Red has tended to not like having his legs fiddled with in any way, but he has gradually improved over the 18 months we have owned him. It is a pleasure to pick out his feet nowadays, and he is being good about having his legs looked after. Fortunately he has never been too bad to shoe. His unhappiness with having his feet messed with does not provoke any malicious response, he just becomes extremely restless – which can be rather unnerving when in a fairly small stable with such a big animal. When he is restless he doesn't seem to have any awareness of where I am in relation to him, so it can feel slightly dangerous.

I think Red has always had quite an easy life, with good owners who have treated him well – or even over-indulged him because he is such a pleasant chap. I believe this is why he took so long to settle with us – it was a big change and he wasn't used to life changing. Moving him to a different yard after six months did not help, or trying him barefoot and with hoofboots. Now however, he is content and generally a ‘perfect gentleman’, as he was described in the advertisement placed by his previous owners. I think he is settled enough to try and get him over this aversion to having his legs hosed.

On Wednesday he gave me a bit of a shock. I was working on one of his front legs and he bit my head! It really hurt. I made it clear that this wasn't on, but on reflection, I think he was actually being a bit of a comedian and trying to take my wooly hat off. I think he misjudged how much force was needed. Nevertheless I feel it was important to make it clear that it had hurt and that this was not acceptable behaviour.

Connection

2009-01-28T21:21:00.005Z

It is so wonderful to see our relationship with Red growing and deepening. On Saturday we went into Coed y Wenallt – me walking and 'ö-Dzin riding. Red definitely enjoys this arrangement.

On the way home Red walks rather fast. When we first had him he used to continually break into a trot, unbidden, on the way home. He no longer does this, and it was not difficult to break him of the habit, but instead he walks fast. Consequently when I am on foot, I find it difficult to keep up with him. There are a couple of places I can take a pedestrian shortcut on a footpath and catch up, but inevitably I still lose him towards the end of the trail. On Saturday however, without 'ö-Dzin having to ask, Red stopped two or three times and waited for me to catch up. I was so touched by this. As soon as I was ahead of him again he started off. He would walk beside me for a while again, and then it would be as if he just couldn't help himself – he had to walk faster, and would get ahead of me. I feel it shows great self restraint for him to wait for me – and hopefully the beginnings of a strong connection.

I rode Red out on my own this evening. He came to call in the field and was happy to come in with me. It was about an hour before sunset when we set off and the woodland was quite spooky in the gathering dusk. Red was a little edgy, but behaved well. He was responsive and we had a couple of short, but enjoyable canters. This time he walked home even faster than usual – so much so that it was quite a challenge to remain relaxed and deep in the saddle his body was moving so much, especially downhill. He was certainly keen to get home for his feed and a warm stable.

Sense and sensibility

2009-01-21T22:40:00.007Z

It's poured with rain all day today—absolutely torrentially—so I am happy that I was able to go for a long ride yesterday. It was the longest ride I'd been on for a couple of months and it was delightful.

Red and I set out after a rain shower, but we did not experience any more rain – in fact the sun even shone occasionally. We rode through the bottom part of the Coed y Wenallt trail, and then across the stream onto the bridlepath that links the wood with a road called Rhiwbina Hill. At the top of this bridlepath Red noticed a few horses in a field and neighed to them. I realised in that moment that he doesn't neigh all the time when I am out riding him on my own any more. I think he is feeling so content at Wyndham and happy that we have now forged a relationship, that he feels secure when we hack out alone.

We then rode on up Rhiwbina (pronounced Rh-oo-by-na with the Rh aspirated) Hill to the end of the lane that leads to Ridgeway, where we used to keep the horses. To my surprise, Red was quite keen to go down the lane. I had to encourage him to ride past it. Yesterday was not the day to go down there, but I will take him down there one day. I was interested that he remembered it so well and wanted to go there. Just past the lane is the entrance into The Ganol – my favourite woodland. This is just a little too far away from Wyndham for an everyday ride, so it was nice to have time to go there.

After a steep descent from the road, we were on the top track of The Ganol. This is a long, wide, straight track know by some riders as 'The Gallop'. The first part slopes gently down so we walked that. As we walked I said to Red that it would be good to have a canter for the rest of the track. As soon as we reached the dip I squeezed with my legs a little and he went straight into a canter. We kept going all along the rest of the straight part of the track, and even maintained the canter around the bend at the top and along the short stretch to the road. It was great. Red was like that throughout the ride – he seemed to understand what I wanted and responded. He was very relaxed, often walking with his head low, and I was able to ride him on a loose rein nearly the whole time.

We then made our way back at a fast walk (well we were going home...). On our return to Wyndham he was most reluctant to go out in the field. He is not like Dee, who would pull her head out of the halter in order to walk away from you immediately. He likes to hang around with me for a few minutes at the gate. Yesterday, however, he really didn't want to leave me. I think on reflection, that he was probably tired and would have preferred to have stayed in his stable munching haylage rather than having to slog up a muddy hill to get to a field with very little grass left to graze. It was only an hour or so until the horses would be brought in anyway. I wish I hadn't insisted he went out and had been more sensitive to his needs and wishes, as he had been so kindly sensitive to mine on the ride.

Sorry Red – I'll do better next time.

Winter ride

2009-01-16T20:18:00.006Z

I realised that I had not posted any pictures of the horses for quite a while, and so have decided to rectify this today. This photograph was taken on December 30th during one of our excursions into Coed y Wenallt. We have had a few nice outings with 'ö-Dzin and I taking it in turns to walk and ride. Red seems to enjoy having one of us walking with him and has been quite good at standing still for us to change riders. He is also happy to be taken ahead on his own for a canter.

Thanks to a ride out with J and her horse Sandy during the Christmas period, we have discovered a part of the wood that is ideal for a canter. We had not traveled that part of the trail in this direction before, having usually turned for home a little before there.

I have not been up to see Red today, but Sally tells me he seems to be better. The swelling has reduced, and has moved down the leg towards his knee. She has suggested we exercise him lightly tomorrow to see how he is, so we shall be going up there in the morning.

Lame

2009-01-15T22:00:00.008Z

I've been away on retreat for five days and returned home on Tuesday. This ancient oak grows in the grounds in front of the house we hire for our retreats. The photograph does not really capture the size and majesty of this tree. It was a wonderful retreat and I feel refreshed and inspired. As the weather has been so cold, we were not able to engage in Tibetan yoga on the lawn in the afternoons. I enjoy these yogic practices but do find them quite exhausting, and so am happy to be feeling less tired than usual on returning from a retreat.

Hence I was looking forward to riding yesterday when I went up to see Red and complete my chores. However it was rather foggy from about half way up Wenallt Hill, so I decided not to ride in the morning, but just groomed Red and turned him out. I arrived at Wyndham mid afternoon and was pleased to see that the fog had lifted out of the woodland so that I would be able to ride before it got too gloomy. To my surprise, as I drove down the track to the yard, I noticed Red and another horse in one of the fields that adjoin the track. This was not the field I'd put him into earlier on. Red and his chum had decided that the grass was greener in this field and forced their way through the fence. The centre of the field had tracks across it where both horses had galloped pell-mell in their excitement.

G had just gone out to catch the other gelding, so Red was ready to come in. Unfortunately, as he came to me I could see that he was moving awkwardly, and when we got onto the track he was clearly lame. We checked him over as best we could in the gathering gloom, but could not see anything seriously amiss. It is Red's only vice, pushing down fences to get to a field that looks more attractive. To be fair to him, there is more grass in the field next to theirs, because the geldings' field has been grazed bare. I acknowledge that this behaviour must be irritating and inconvenient for Sally—although she has not complained—but a horse is a grazing animal. If there is nothing to graze and the fence is not horse proof, it is actually fairly intelligent of him to try to get to a field where there is still some grass.

This time he has hurt himself however. The top of his left foreleg is swollen, although we have only been able to find a tiny cut. We have given him basic first aid treatment and will see how he is tomorrow. He was so cute when we were checking him over – he held his leg up like a puppy with a sore paw, and he had such a sorry-for-himself look on his face. I think he is a bit of a wuss.

Apart from having a bad leg, Red is looking rather splendid. I had him clipped last week, and I am finding time to groom him more regularly now that he has my full attention. His coat has a wonderful shine, especially where he has been clipped. Hopefully we shall be able to take some photographs of him looking smart on our next visit.

I've been tagged

2009-01-06T20:12:00.001Z

Before Christmas I was tagged by White Horse Pilgrim for a blog game – but then the busy Yuletide season began and I did not complete it, so here it is now. Thank you to White Horse Pilgrim for thinking of me.

The rules are:

Link to the person who tagged you.
Post the rules on your blog.
Write six random things about yourself.
Tag six people at the end of your post.
Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
Let the tagger know your entry is published.

1. I am a rather round person and have always been so. Twice in my life I have seriously attempted to get slim and each time I became ill – the second time ending up in hospital for five days. I have to really starve myself to be slim – in extremis. I am physically active, supple and mostly pretty healthy, so I have now accepted that it is better for me to be round. I did like how I looked for the brief period I weighed less than 9 stone (126lbs, 57kg) the last time, but on balance I think it's better to be healthy and fat, than ill and thin.

2. When I was 18 my parents sponsored my brother and I on a trip to the USA. We had a three month adventure exploring the country. We hitch-hiked up the east coast from Washington DC, across the northern states, down the west coast as far as LA, and then back through the central states. We met many kind and wonderful people and experienced some spectacularly varied landscapes.

3. 'ö-Dzin and I have just had our first guitar lesson. I had lessons in classical guitar for about 6 months 30 years ago, but have let it slip since then and never really learned any other style. We are now learning how to play chords and strum, with the idea that we shall be able to play and sing together.

4. It is interesting—having been tagged by him—how often my interests and those of White Horse Pilgrim are similar despite us disagreeing quite strongly in other areas. I also am not interested in equestrian competition and have only ever wanted to trail ride, and I also love fantasy writing, such as Garth Nix's Abhorsen trilogy, Tolkein, Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, CS Lewis, and other similar genres such as Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer. I used to love The Borrowers by Mary Norton as a child. Currently I am reading The Belgariad books by David Eddings. I also love films of this genre.

5. My primary work for my Buddhist Lineage is maintaining one of our websites, Aro Encyclopædia. I have no formal training in computing, but have picked up HTML and basic web design quite quickly and easily and really enjoy this work. It does help of course having a husband who is an expert in this field and has worked in the IT industry for over thirty years.

6. I love disaster movies. I know they are corny and the storylines are predictable, but usually such films feature people being kind to each other and prevailing despite the odds and I enjoy that. I even enjoy spotting those whose relationship is going to be saved by sharing the ordeal, and the one who is going to sacrifice themself for the greater good, etc. I like films to have a happy ending or at least a satisfying conclusion. One of my favourites is The Day After Tomorrow, and also Dante's Peak.

So here are 6 tags – I thought I would choose my family for 3 of them for fun:

My Beloved at Dolenni Diddorol,

Daniel at Hyper Star – perhaps it will encourage him to start using his blog more,

Richard at Kiml42,

Kira an artistic friend

A blog I enjoy – The Horseshoeing Housewife

& 7MSN whose photographs are so delightful

Frosty New Year

2009-01-06T14:36:00.007Z

It is very cold here in Cardiff. I know it is not cold like the weather in North America, but it is colder than we are used to. In recent years our winters have been quite mild, with only the occasional frosty morning, but this year frozen ponds and buckets of water stay frozen throughout the day.

The photographs were taken on New Year's Day. Unfortunately our camera does not have the capacity to capture the startling beauty of that morning. Just above the level of Wyndham's fields the whole of Wenallt hill and woodland was frosty white, and sparkling in the sunshine. Much as I often do not relish leaving my warm fire to see to Red, my efforts have been rewarded with the sharp directness of my experience of the elements in this winter season. The warmth of camaraderie at the yard over the Christmas and New Year season compensated for our coldness. I know I am alive having to be out in this weather and appreciate our woodstove even more when I return home chilled. I'm sure I am a more cheerful and appreciative person than I would be if I could just stay cosily at home, insulated from the reality of winter weather.

Reports of Dee tell me she is fine. I miss her quiet presence in the stable, where it always seemed she could sense when I needed her to step aside. I miss her sense of humour and her little habits. I definitely miss her common sense at gates – Red is not at all easy at gates and today managed to graze my knee as we entered the arena. Dee was already adept at managing gates when I first owned her, so I am not clear as to how to educate Red in this (any suggestions gratefully received). He knows that something needs to happen, but always seems to rush at it rather than standing, so that we end up in the wrong position.

Red has changed quite a bit over the last few weeks – or is it me that has changed now that he has my full attention? He is generally becoming more co-operative and relaxed in the stable, so that I can easily move him over when I need to. Picking his feet out is no longer something I dread and has become a pleasure. Yesterday I had him clipped and he was a perfect gentleman. I think we are finally developing a relationship.

Seasons Greetings

2008-12-24T22:13:00.003Z

Merry christmas to all and to all a good night!

The Christmas tree was created by my son Richard. I hope all my readers, your families, and your animals are well and happy, and wish you all the best for the New Year. Thank you for reading my blog this year, and thank you to those whose blogs I have also enjoyed reading.

Dee grazing

2008-12-21T16:16:00.004Z

These two videos show Dee at Wyndham the day before we moved her, and then the day after she arrived at Gorgeous Grazing. As you can see she is grazing quite happily in both videos. The only real difference is the noise of the motorway behind her in the Wyndham video, and the peace and quiet of the GG video.

I phoned Kim at GG today to hear how Dee was doing. She is now out with the herd. The first day Dee was turned out Kim was a little concerned because Dee was quite aggressive towards the inquisitive younger mares, kicking out at them. Fortunately no-one was injured and they have now learned that Dee doesn't like them to get too close. Kim says she is with the other horses in the field—not separate and isolated—so they have accepted her and she is feeling part of the group. Kim also says that she seems to have made friends with a mare called Blue. They are going to start a GG blog, so hopefully I shall be able to link to photographs of her soon.

Thank you for the supportive comments dear readers. And yes, Red does appear to be enjoying being the centre of our attention. I had a lovely ride in Coed y Wenallt on Friday. He was very well behaved. At first he seemed a little less confident than usual – but it has been a couple of months since he was hacked out on his own. He will soon get used to this I am sure, and his confidence in me will grow as well.

It is good for me that he has moved stable—as well as suiting Red—because I am not always noticing the absence of Dee in the stable next to him. The relief has kicked in a little more now, to displace the sadness somewhat: knowing I can now afford to keep them indefinitely, and feeling more rested physically after a weekend without stable chores. I do get a pang of anxiety now and then when the weather is wet or cold in the night and I think of Dee out in a field. I think it will be important for me to visit her next month to see that she is well and happy to ease my mind.

Settling in

2008-12-17T17:04:00.005Z

Dee is safely settled in her new home. I was so proud of how she behaved from beginning to end. As I put on her tail bandage in preparation for the journey, she seemed to know that this meant something was happening. She stopped eating her haylage and became lively and interested in what was going on. She loaded onto the truck with minimal fuss – only needing a little encouragement from a bucket of feed. Once on, she was calm and made no fuss about being so close to another horse. I was a little worried about Red. He became upset when I took Dee to the truck. He kept calling for her, but there wasn't anything I could do for him as I had to go with Dee. (They told me today that he was fine and soon settled down.)

The journey was easy and uneventful. We stopped to unload Jess's horses at her place first. Dee—understandably—became a little restless when the other two mares were unloaded, and she was still on the truck, but I stroked her and talked to her and she quickly settled down again.

Unfortunately it was dark by the time we arrived at Gorgeous Grazing. This was not ideal and the decision had to be made as to which would be more acceptable for her: being turned out into a field she didn't know in the dark, but next to other horses; or being put into a stable on a yard she didn't know where there were no other horses. I decided on the former. I felt she would be happier being able to graze and stretch her legs near other horses. We were able to get her travel boots off and her turnout rug on while she was still on the truck. I led her down the ramp, paused while Kim removed her tail bandage, and then led her straight into the field. It seems to have been a good decision as she showed no sign of distress and quickly began to graze – in fact I think she was so thrilled to find such thick, long grass that she felt right at home. We kept her head collar on in case she became distressed and we had to catch her quickly. We then left Dee for an hour or so, returning to the field later to check her. She was grazing contentedly, so I took off her head collar and said goodnight to her.

Kim at Gorgeous Grazing is giving her hard feed every morning at the moment, as this is what she is used to, but we think she will not need it on top of haylage twice a day while there is still quite a lot of grass. All the horses will be given hard feed as soon as they need it. The following morning I went to see how she was. She didn't really want me too close at first – probably in case I was going to put her on a truck for 5 hours again – but soon let me stroke her. It wasn't a very nice morning in Cornwall on Tuesday: cold, foggy and a little drizzly; but Dee was warm and dry under her rug. I visited her again in the afternoon, and yesterday morning before I had to catch my train home. When I'd left her on Tuesday morning, she'd looked up as I went as if to check where I was, but yesterday she didn't even raise her head as I left the field. Dee has never been a demonstrative mare, so it is difficult to tell whether she feels lost or confused, but it did not appear so.

And me? All through the journey down in the truck I kept feeling I couldn't believe it was happening; am I really going to leave my beloved mare in a field 200 miles away with people I don't really know? The three days in Cornwall had a strange dream-like quality. I feel certain she will be content and well looked after. The field she is going to be in is huge – 20 acres – and she will be with 6 other mares of various ages and sizes. There are a few geldings in the field next to them. All the horses looked well and extremely calm, and it is so quiet and peaceful there. I know all this, but it is like leaving my child at boarding school. I'm so going to miss seeing her every day and have to stop torturing myself with thoughts of "what if she misses me or needs me and I'm not there?" 'What if' musings are always a complete waste of time because they are about an imagined or projected future and not about the present moment. As Dee seems so settled already, she will be out with her new friends by the end of the week.

Tears are very near the surface with me at the moment – especially writing this – but Kim is happy for me to phone as often as I like to ask how Dee is. It was strange being at Wyndham today with only Red to tend to, but he seemed pleased to see me at least. He's been moved to a different stable on the other side of the yard which I think he likes much better – he is next to his chums and more in the middle of things. Our previous stables were the two right at the farthest end, so there people did not walk past and say hello to him so much.

The last ride

2008-12-14T16:35:00.004Z

Today we spent a long time at the stables. There was a lot of stuff to sort out in preparation for the new regime starting next week. Red will be on part livery, which means that I have to do everything for him for two days a week and the livery do everything for him for the other five. I will no longer need my feed bins as feed is included in the package, consequently I shall be giving up the little hut I have been using for storage. I am not sorry to lose the hut as it is becoming something of a liability. 'ö-Dzin put his foot through the floor last weekend and the roof is going to cave in any time soon. It already leaks quite badly. We've also brought Dee's tack home to vacate her space in the tack locker, and I've sold one of my storage cabinets as I will not need so much space. Red will also be moving to a new box, which I think he will quite like as he will be next door to one of his chums.

We went out for a ride through Coed-y-Wenallt in the glorious winter sunshine. It has been a lovely day – bright and sunny, and not too cold. We were happy that it was such a fine day for our last ride out together with both horses. Because the weather was so good, and both horses were happy and relaxed, we rode farther than we had intended. We decided to take our time today—even if it took all day—and simply spend as long as was necessary to enjoy our ride, complete our chores, and clear out the shed. It was nice to feel so relaxed and leisurely. The horses responded by being very slow and plodding to begin with, but did eventually liven up, especially when we met up with a few horses from Briwnant Trekking Centre and they wanted to tag along with them.

So tomorrow is the day of the big move. All preparations and arrangements are in place. My only concern is that Dee will play up on the truck, being so close to two horses. Hopefully a full net of haylage will keep her sweet. I shall be staying at a bed and breakfast for Monday and Tuesday and spending plenty of time with Dee on Tuesday to help her settle. I will try to blog as soon as possible on my return, with pictures of her new home. Please wish us luck for our journey.

The photograph was taken at the end of our last ride, on the track back up to the yard. 'ö-Dzin took it from Red's back, which is why the angle is a little odd.

Decisions

2008-12-09T22:12:00.008Z

The decision has been reached and arrangements made to implement it. I don't know whether it is the best decision or the right decision, but it will leave us still owning both horses and able to cope with their expense and their care. Dee is going to an equine retirement home where she can live out the rest of her days in peaceful and beautiful countryside; Red is staying at Wyndham but on part livery which will be a lot less time and work for me. Hopefully I can start enjoying riding again rather than using up all my time and energy simple managing the food and waste production line.

I am in danger of slipping into eternalism over the numerous convenient coincidences that have arisen around the decision to retire Dee to a place called Gorgeous Grazing in Cornwall. Eternalism is one of the four philosophical extremes that are denied by Buddhism. These four are eternalism, nihilism, monism and dualism. Eternalism maintains that all circumstances unfold according to an unchangeable plan or design, denying the emptiness of the possibility of change or chance. Nihilism maintains that all actions are empty of meaningful value. Monism distorts non-duality by asserting that ‘everything is one;’ in denial of apparent distinctions and compassionate connections. Dualism denies non-duality by declaring that emptiness and form are divided.

The young woman who has the two stables next to ours lives in Cornwall but is in Cardiff at university. She has her horses with her term time and takes them home for holidays. Her home in Cornwall is very close to Gorgeous Grazing. She is going home for Christmas on Monday and taking her two horses in her truck that holds three horses, and is happy to give us a ride. Extraordinary. To be eternalist about these coincidences would be to say: "It is meant to be." I'm just going to enjoy my good fortune and feel happy that I can also help a student by paying her diesel for the trip home.

What do I feel about all this? I'm relieved that things are decided. I am sad that I shall be losing my close daily contact with Dee. I am glad that I shall be able to ride more and work less. I am relieved that I shall have time to work on important projects again. I'm also pretty confused about what I feel and anxious about how things will be for Dee. I shall be staying in Cornwall with her for a few days to see that she is settling down well.

The photograph demonstrates quite how close to the motorway the horses are in this field. This is the mares' field at the moment and Dee doesn't like it very much. She gets quite upset if she has to be there on her own, whereas she was never concerned about being on her own for a while in the field she was in before. Over the past year they have been widening this stretch of the motorway. They have planted trees all along the edge, so it will be better when the trees mature.

And still pondering

2008-12-05T15:43:00.011Z

It is strange only having occasional access to a computer. I currently have a backlog of 106 blog pages to read from my regular list on Google Reader, so I hope all my blog friends out there are well – I'll get to read your pages eventually.

This has been a busy week. Our retreat ended on Monday after five delightful days in the company of our splendid students. Yesterday we had a multifuel stove installed in our lounge. It is wonderful and I am enjoying being warm with less effort and greater convenience. As you can see the cats approve. The hearth used to be higher in the previous arrangement, so at the moment the tiles surrounding the fireplace do not go right down to the floor – another little job for us …

Last night was our Christmas meal with Wyndham Livery. Seventeen of us celebrated the festive season at a local hotel, with good food, good wine, and musical entertainment. 'ö-Dzin was the only man who joined in and he thoroughly enjoyed the company of so many ladies. Sally—the yard proprietor—is unfortunately suffering from an injured leg at the moment, having been trampled at the weekend by a horse who decided to jump off the horsebox ramp taking her with him. She was in good spirits nevertheless and danced as enthusiastically and magnificently from her seat as any of us on the dance floor.

Of course I am still thinking and thinking and thinking about what to do with the horses. I have not heard from SB at Liege Manor, and consequently my thinking has been going off in different directions with the extra time to ponder this week. Victoria wisely commented that I should not make a hasty decision, and I also thank LJB for suggesting that a third option may suggest itself and make the situation more fluid. And indeed a third possiblity has arisen. This is to retire Dee to an inexpensive grass livery and to keep Red where he is at Wyndham.

I have been remembering how Dee never really felt like my horse while she was on working livery, and I feel the same would happen to Red if we moved him to Liege Manor. It took Red a long time to settle at Wyndham as it was his second move in six months. I feel that we are now discovering the 'real' Red – the Red who feels safe, content, relaxed and happy with his life. This Red is a fine fellow – friendly, communicative, easy to ride, cooperative (mostly!) and entertaining. Everyone at the yard who has to deal with him has said how much easier he is. Do I really want to unsettle him again and jeopardise this by moving him – and to a yard where he would be ridden by different people everyday and be parted from the environment he has come to rely upon? I feel any chance of continuing with my natural horsemanship work would be lost if he were on working livery, and I am sure they would want to put him back in a bitted bridle.

Red becomes attached to horses and people, once he is settled and relaxed. He is becoming attached to us, which is reflected in his changed and lovely attitude to us now. He is certainly attached to some of the geldings. The other morning after our ride 'ö-Dzin turned Red out. Arriving in the field much later than the other geldings because of our ride, Red stood and called. After a few moments eight geldings came charging down the field to Red at full pelt, and then they all wandered back up to the top field together – the gang were back in town! He so often reminds me of an adolescent: playful and energetic, but occasionally a bit belligerent, and not always fully in control of where his feet are. I want to keep this Red.

Dee does not form attachments. She does not like to be on her own in the fields near the motorway, but she does not care which other horse is with her, and has not really made friends with any of the mares. She seemed to quite like being with Ash at Ridgway, but has shown no sign of missing this mare, and does not acknowledge her when we meet out on a ride. I guess she does recognise me as her ally, but do not feel she misses me at times I have to be away from her. Her priorities are most definitely comfort and food and if these are provided she is content. I do not share Victoria's confidence that I will one day get her to hack out alone, and I am not sure that I have the time or conducive circumstances available to me to be able to put in the sort of consistent effort of working with her to achieve this. So my musing are generally taking me in the direction of feeling that if Dee was moved to somewhere where she was well looked after and had no demands made upon her, she would be content.

We can both ride Red, we cannot both ride Dee. Red will hack out alone, Dee will not. Red will take a while to settle if we move him again, Dee is likely to settle more quickly. Red is becoming attached to us and to Wyndham, Dee is just Dee wherever she is. Good grief it is hard to make such choices.

Cold, crisp riding weather

2008-12-01T19:40:00.008Z

My laptop has died and I am having to borrow 'ö-Dzin's, so my posts will probably be somewhat intermittent until I have a new computer.

We have just had a wonderful five day retreat with our students. We included in the retreat a couple of morning rides, as well as the daily chores of horse care. The weather has been bright and cold – perfect for walking and riding in Coed y Wenallt.

We have found it works best with the horses for us to ride out on them first, and then swap riders after a while once they are settled into being out and about. I watched Dee very carefully when one of our students mounted her and rode off. Dee was completely unperturbed. It did not bother her one iota that someone other than me was on her back – and someone who is not a very experienced rider. This has made me wonder whether I worry about her too much and whether regular exercise would actually be better for her than the infrequent riding she gets with me. As she is getting older—she's nineteen next year—I think it is important to keep her gently active. Perhaps the on/off style of exercise she experiences with me at Wyndham is not so good … or am I just trying to convince myself that working livery would be okay?

It is all academic at the moment anyway. SB of Liege Manor will be coming to look at Red sometime this week or the beginning of next week. If she feels he is suitable for Liege Manor then we shall move him there, and he will be on a month's trial to begin with. If they are happy with him and our connection with Liege Manor is established, then she may consider taking Dee as well at sometime in the future. I will look at that decision if that eventuality arises.

Still pondering

2008-11-26T21:56:00.002Z

Thank you very much to my blog friend at Nuzzling Muzzles for sending me this bunch of flowers. It has brightened up my day.

We are still agonising over how to resolve the conflict of wanting to own horses but not really having the time or resources. The lady from Liege Manor is coming to look at Red next week. If we are able to move Red there, this will solve part of our difficulties. I talked to the proprietor about the possibility of also moving Dee if she is happy with Red, and she said this may also be possible. I feel strange about even thinking about this as a possibility. I have always said that I would never put Dee through having to cope with lots of different people working with her again. To contemplate moving her to a working livery feels like a betrayal of the commitment I made to her when I bought her.

It is true to say that Liege Manor is a very different establishment to Pontcanna stables. Liege Manor has an excellent reputation for tuition and care. I believe the horses' work is more varied and more interesting, and if we did move Dee there, she definitely would not be spending up to eighteen hours a day in a stable. But still it feels like a betrayal. I can't think about it anymore today. There is nothing that can be done until the lady has seen Red and said whether she'll take him, so I'll stop trying to live in the confusion and worry of 'what might be' and live in the present – nothing is going to happen or needs to be decided until next week. So I can relax into the moment and enjoy the horses for the next few days.

I pass on the blog friend bouquet to David at Approaching Aro for his interesting articles about our Lineage;
to Cilla at Frontshoesonly where I so enjoy hearing about her journey with her mare Lizzie,
and to my oldest blogging friend whom I hope to meet one day – Victoria at Teachings of the Horse.

The inescapability of what is

2008-11-23T17:49:00.008Z

Today we hit our lowest ebb. Red was so muddy that it took us an hour to groom him to even a reasonable level of presentability. Apparently he and a few of his mates had enjoyed a romp around the yard after breaking a fence down. His headcollar and leadrope are nowhere to be found and I shall have to buy new ones tomorrow, having improvised with an old headcollar of Dee's and several lengths of baling twine this evening.

When we had finished our chores this morning we were both exhausted – far too tired to ride; and riding is the point of the whole exercise, isn't it? 'ö-Dzin commented that it is a bit like spending a period of time knitting every day, only to find that it has been unravelled overnight and you have to start again. I added to this, that you have to go and buy the wool again as well! If our total involvement with the horses is putting feed in one end and carting away dung from the other end, there is simply no point in continuing. We have reached the end of the road, we just cannot continue like this.

I'm sorry if this sounds a little pathetic. I know that stable hands muck out half a dozen stalls every day, or more. But if it is your job, I think it is different. I still have my job to do after visiting the horses, and 3 - 4 hours a day is too much. I've still not fully recovered from my cold and the thought this morning of having to get up at dawn tomorrow to do it all over again was somewhat grim. We've tried every possble scenario to make it feasible and whichever way we do it, having one of them on full livery is the only comfortable solution and this is too expensive for us.

So, what is the solution – to enable us to return to enjoying our horses and having a manageable amount of work? Firstly we have put Red back on full livery from tomorrow. We cannot afford this in the long term, but it is an immediate relief and a short term solution. I can easily manage the work of Dee's care without 'ö-Dzin having to be involved. Secondly we have made enquiries about the possibility of Red going to a riding stables on working livery. Dee would stay where she is on part livery. The working livery would be on the same yard where our teachers keep their horses, so if it worked out it would also mean that we could ride with our Lamas occasionally, which would be marvellous. This yard is a high quality establishment where the horses are kept in spacious stalls, with regular turnout and varied work. They work two hours a day, six days a week. It is very different from Pontcanna, where Dee used to be on working livery. There the basic level of livery was three hours work a day, and in the winter she could spend up to eighteen hours a day in her stable. Only very occasionally would a lesson involve riding outside, and even then it might simply be circling in an outdoor arena. Hacks around the park were a rare treat. I would sell Red rather than put him on that sort of working livery, but we are very loathe to lose him as he is such a good horse for us. Recently a trekking centre has opened near to Wyndham, so I may enquire there, but I know nothing about them and would have to be sure Red would be looked after properly.

It may seem strange to split the horses in this way and it would be an end to our pleasant hacks around Coed y Wennallt. However to our reasoning it seems a good solution. I would never put Dee back on working livery, and she is too old anyway now that she is nearly nineteen. Although Dee and Red have stables next to each other, they do not interact at any time other than when we are riding, so we know they will not actually miss each other at all. We would very much like to keep Red, and having finally faced the fact that we cannot keep two horses at Wyndham, he is the more logical horse to move. There is a possibility that the lady from the livery yard may come and have a look at Red tomorrow. I hope she likes him and feels she could accept him on her yard so that this plan succeeds.

Everything would be so simple if we had ten acres of land outside our back door. I'm sure then the work would be manageable and I could organise it around my own schedule and for my own convenience. But this is never going to happen, so we have to work with the situation as it is as cheerfully and pragmatically as possible and with the welfare of the horses uppermost in our minds.

Dawn patrol

2008-11-21T11:21:00.012Z

I'm back in the saddle – still rather sniffly but mostly better. Yesterday I rode Dee and this morning I rode Red. Dee is hard work in the arena. I think it is too reminiscent of her life at Pontcanna riding stables and she just switches off – I have to push her continually, which is no fun for either of us. It is such a shame she will not ride out to the Wenallt. I would happily never ask her to go in the arena again if she would hack out on her own. Red, however, was quite fun in the arena this morning. He was listening to me and energised. The first time I asked for canter he gave a little enthusiastic buck, which I found rather endearing.

One of the reasons I became so ill was because of the hard work at the stables – it is a bit of a pattern of mine: pushing myself too much physically and then getting ill. Ever since we moved back to Wyndham Livery in April we have been trying different ways of balancing the time/energy/money equation. First we tried Red on loan, but then that fell through; then we had Red on full livery and Dee on DIY – that was fine with regard to time and energy, but we couldn't afford it; then we tried me doing most of the work in the morning and 'ö-Dzin doing a little of the work in the evening – but this seemed to be exhausting for both of us and we both got ill. Since Wednesday— having put both horses on full livery for two days to give us a chance to recover—we have been trying the 'dawn patrol'.

It is a fine thing to arrive at the stables at dawn and be greeted by the snicker of your horses. We found we could complete our chores by 8.30 when 'ö-Dzin had to scoot off to work – it seemed the perfect solution. I could be home by 9 and have a full day to do everything else that is required. Our plan was that I wouldn't usually ride in the morning, but that we would ride a couple of times a week together in the arena in the evening, as the arena is lit. Unfortunately we hit a snag – neither horse could cope with being on their own for an hour or so before being joined by other horses. It is the policy at Wyndham that mares and geldings are turned out separately, so we couldn't just put them out together. The first time we left Dee out, but had to bring Red back in, but Dee was so clearly distressed by the prospect of being out there on her own for so long again on the second day, that we abandoned it. We have asked whether there is a field where we could put them out together in the morning, but Sally has said no because it would make pasture management too difficult. Our perfect plan is scuppered.

So although I am not having to work quite so hard and hence am not getting so exhausted, I haven't gained any time. The earliest that horses start to be turned out is about 9.30. It's generally after 10 before I can put both horses out, by which time there is usually some extra mucking out to do, and still the haynets to put up. I'm finding that I'm not able to finish at the stables until after 10.30 – so I am back to it taking 3½ - 4 hours. This is too huge a chunk out of my day – I simply cannot continue using this much time on the horses every day. I care a great deal for them both, but I do have a lot of other commitments that are being neglected because of this time factor, and there are many things I would like to be doing that there simply is not enough time to even start.

We are now at a loss as to where to go from here. We feel we have tried every possible approach.

Ill health

2008-11-14T19:11:00.004Z

Thank you Jayne for enquiring after me – most kind. Dee and Red are fine, but I am ill. I was out of touch for a week because of the electricity problems and then I started to feel ill on Tuesday. I had hoped to be well enough to teach a workshop tomorrow (Saturday 15th), but unfortunately I'm still on the increasing symptoms side of the hill rather than the downhill slope to returned health. I'm sure I will be fine soon and will be posting enthusiastically again. Best wishes to you all until then.

I hope you like this—slightly blurry—image of Dee snoozing.

Powerless

2008-11-03T17:31:00.006Z

I haven't been able to blog for a week because we have had a problem with our electricity. The engineer came last Wednesday to do a routine annual service on our water heater, and while checking its electrical connection, found a fault on the fusebox. He could not safely switch everything back on – having discovered the fault. So Wednesday afternoon and all day Thursday we had no electricity at all. Of course, by Sod's Law, Thursday was the coldest day of the winter as yet. Fortunately we have a log fire in our lounge and had an ample supply of candles. Also—having been keen on camping in the past—we have a little gas stove and several LED lanterns and wind-up torches. So we managed well enough.

By Thursday evening we had the cooker and one socket, so we were able to plug in a few things to make life a bit easier. By Friday we had, in addition, the shower, hot water (bliss!), and the kitchen sockets. By the end of Saturday we had all the sockets throughout the house, but still no lights. This wasn't too much of a problem as we could plug lights in, so we insisted our plumber/electrician had Sunday off to spend with his family. We felt rather sorry for him – he turned up to do a one hour job and it has turned into a long-winded emergency. He has been having to cancel other jobs to give us priority. Today (Monday) he has got the lights in the lounge, dining room, office and hallway working, so we have assured him we can manage with things as they are now for as long as necessary—we can wash in hot water and keep warm, use all our usual appliances, and work in good light in the lounge. We have enjoyed 'camping' in our home, and snuggling up in front of the fire in a candlelit room.

It has been fun to have my life circumstances thrust me into the opportunity of experiencing that fresh, new feeling of appreciation, for something that I generally take for granted. I know that every moment-by-moment experience could always be this fresh and new, this appreciated, and have that 'for-the-first-time' feeling of wonder – if I was able to live in the moment and experience the Nature of Mind . . . if I could keep my sense fields open and avoid conceptual judgment immediately clicking in. Unfortunately I still continually slip back into my limited comfort zone, where everything is familiar, and understood within the terms of my own definitions and reference points. I find it strange that I cling to this blandness and actively miss the electricity of what is.

We succeeded in snapping another picture of Dee doing the flehmen response. This picture is actually from a video. I hadn't realised, but she wobbles her bottom lip around at the same time. I think she looks so funny. We weren't able to ride this weekend because everything was a bit chaotic, but hope that things will be a bit more normal next weekend.