What's been occurring?

Well, the most important thing is Ruby is blooming! You can really tell she's in foal and not just f-a-t (shhhh. we don't use the f. word)

Zorya's staying with friends putting on a bit of condition. Not that she's been unwell exactly, just not as bright and perky, but she's picking up well with lots of tlc. I go over after work one day each week to bring her in, rug her up and give her her tea. She actually seems to be getting a bit friendly. I think she enjoys being an only horse. But the woman who is looking after her has a bit of trouble if she leaves her in the field a bit longer than Zorya thinks she should (rearing, galloping off in the dark, kicking etc). Fortunately she's a very experienced horsewoman and isn't phased by Zorya's strops!

And the newbie, Jack, has arrived. On loan for the time being. He's a big lad, bigger even than Ruby, but lighter weight. Bless him, he's rising 10, going on 5! If he had a thumb, he'd suck it. Life's just one big scary adventure but, day by day, he's getting better. The first two times he didn't want to go in the trailer but now he walks in (and, more importantly, stays in) like a little lamb! And the first time he didn't want to walk out. It's got a front ramp and he seemed to think it was safer to be in than out, but he backed into the rear bar and shot out forward! Silly boy. Now he walks in and out no sweat (fingers crossed). He doesn't like having his bridle on (bribery seems to be working its magic here) or his ears touched (more problematic). But Em's managed to clip him. And very smart he looks too. He's much more bouncy now than when she tried him out and he absolutely loves jumping. They're even managing to go over the fences together now. Given that they have done very little due to a nasty fall 10 days after she got him, and not being able to ride during the week cos it's dark when she gets home from school, I hope it's not too soon to say they are getting on very well together.

Photos show Jack on his first outing to a friend's school. The top one is after his work-out, the bottom one, before. He behaved extremely well, given that there were mares and foals in the next field and two of Em's friends were squealing and setting off their mobile phones at every available opportunity!

A bit of a catch-up

So what's been occurring since that day in the summer when we decided that Ruby was no longer in foal?

Well, part of the deal with the stallion is that if your mare isn't in foal, you have to provide a veterinary certificate and then you don't have to pay the bill.  Unfortunately the day the scan was to take place at the stud I was on holiday and Annie was at work so I had to take her over to our vet.

Let's just say emotions were running pretty high.  I'd done a reccy the previous evening to make sure I knew where to park as the vets is right in the middle of a local market town.  

Now Ruby's a big girl.  Over 17 hands and up to weight.  I was expecting them to have a scanning crate like the stud does (a wooden crate with a door either end slightly bigger than the horse - the door at the back being low enough for the vet to carry out a scan without the likelihood of being shot into the middle of next week by a stroppy mare).  But no, there was just a small (and I mean small) loose box, slightly longer than the horse!

The vet did an internal first and, after a bit of a misunderstanding, confirmed that she was still in foal.  Then he did a scan.  Unfortunately it was too big to fit on the screen all in one go but we could identify the umbilical cord and I thought I saw a pair of knees but it could have been anything really!  And yes, there were tears.  I knew I would weep, whether it was good news or bad.  

We've still got a long way to go.  She's not due til April.  Let's just keep everything crossed til then.

Not so good news

Here's the Doob looking exceptionally smart for the Tack and Turnout yesterday. The girls were taking part in a relay race with four team members going round a variety of obstacles - rustic fences, a gate, a pen and a 'baton' changeover- racing against another team on a mirror-image course. Although they got knocked out in the first round they all acquitted themselves well.

The not so good news is that, when we got to the event Ruby appeared to be in season. The question is whether to wait til her next scheduled scan in September to see whether she's still in foal or get her tested now.

The only up-side is that she usually gives no indication that she's in season at all and it might just be her hormones. She did seem a bit 'off', not her usual chirpy self, but I thought that was because she didn't like being plaited up. Let's keep everything crossed that she was just having an off day!

Anyone for dressage?

A couple of weeks ago we went down to Addington Manor Equestrian Centre in Buckinghamshire for some unaffiliated dressage. Unfortunately the video camera batteries were flat, which was a shame because Smem always thinks it looks much more laboured than it actually does! It would do her the world of good to be able to actually see what the judge does.

Zorya's got lovely paces and with a bit more practice and some lessons I'm sure they could become really accomplished.

I think a dressage saddle might help as Smem tends to ride quite short. Not quite as short as one of her friends who wants to become a jockey. The pics from holiday of Luti riding Ruby with ultra-short stirrups are hilarious. Talk about tom-tit on a rice pudding!

(for those of you unfamiliar with the expression it means something very little sitting on something very large!)

A change is as good as a rest

Ruby had a holiday in Scotland last week. Maybe not the best thing to do in the early stages of pregnancy, but apparently both she and Zorya really enjoyed themselves. On the way home they dropped her off at the stud ready for her scan on Monday.

She's still pregnant! Hurrah! Now she won't need a further scan til September.

I hope she'll still be able to take it easy and put her hooves up now and then. I have a sneaky feeling someone has decided to take her to camp! She can be grumpy enough at the best of times. Goodness knows what she'd going to be like when she's constantly hormonal.

Do horses get cravings?

(this picture shows Ruby's love of water. She just can't get enough of the stuff, she'll even dig for it!)

Back on the Road Again

Well the motorway anyhow. The truck's been poorly since Christmas and I eventually got it fixed a couple of weeks ago with the encouragement of other members of the Daihatsu Drivers Club and quite a bit of help from our local mechanic, Keith.

The first outing for Brucie (the truck) was a week last Sunday to a local show. After one fence down in the Novice Working Hunter, Smem took Zorya in the big class, did a lovely clear round and impressed the judge enough to give her first. She did go beautifully.

Today we braved the motorway to take Ruby for her second scan. The last time indicated she had two fertilised eggs so I had to be there for the scan just in case any 'decisions' had to be made because Annie couldn't get time off. Smem had an exam this afternoon so she helped me box up and then I had to go on my own (with Ruby of course). It's not far - about 30 miles and very easy to get to but still a bit worrying. I've only driven with a trailer about 8 times in my whole life so it's always a bit of an adventure. My main worry was how I was going to reverse the trailer back into its parking space when I got back!

When we got there the vet was stitching up one horse so I had a chat while he was doing that. Then got Ruby unloaded. The vet commented that every time he sees Ruby she's bigger than he expects. She's supposed to be 16.2 but we reckon she's about 17.1 at the moment but she always seems loads bigger because she holds her head so high. Especially when you're trying to put her bridle on. Although she is a BIG horse she's actually not wide so is a very comfortable ride.

Anyway, after a bit of poking around one big black spot showed up on screen and there was no sign of another one lurking anywhere. So it's back in 10 days time for another scan to make sure she's taken properly.

Until then, let's keep everything crossed!

It's Twins AGAIN!

A bit early to say whether one or both will take (she's going back for a scan on 21st) but it appears to be twins again. Fingers crossed they find just one healthy embryo firmly implanted.

Update on Ruby

Just a quick update on the Ruby front....

She was scanned on Monday and gave no sign of being in season. Had a second scan today and they're going to give her a go tomorrow.

Will be keeping everything crossed. I really don't want her to be injected to bring her into season this time. Not that I really think it caused the twin pregnancy last time but the less stress for her the better. And the less they're likely to get on her wrong side! And Zorya wants her home!

I like Rising Rainbow's idea of pinning a foal down when it's small. I'm pretty darned sure no-one did that with Ruby!

Off to Stud

We took Ruby off to Stud this morning. It's quite a nice drive, about 40 minutes up the motorway so not too much hastle. She's getting really good at going in the trailer - just walks in and stands while you fiddle around tying up, putting the ramp up etc and spends the journey looking out the window!

The vet will scan her tomorrow to see if she's coming into season. Unfortunately it's almost impossible to tell with her. Fingers crossed that she is and she can be covered straight away. Then we can bring her home again in a couple of days. Not sure whether she'll be AI'd this time. Still it shouldn't make any difference.

Everyone at the stud knows her even though they must deal with hundreds of mares! I'm not sure that's a good thing.

The Pen Again

http://www.teamchasing.co.uk/

One of the sequences in Pictures from the Meynell 2007 shows Team No 110 The Moorbridge Mayhems at the Pen. The pen in this case is madeup of white rails to form the pen and hurdles as the obstacles. It could be anything - hedges, post and rails so this isn't really the best example....

At the Fernie the pen was post and rails on three sides set against a farm building (a traditional cattle yard with an earth floor). The Warwickshire was an enclosure made up of post and rails between two hedges.

The Pen Explained

Zorya, Charlie, George and Fly pose for a photo, all looking fairly intelligent. (shame the same couldn't be said for the jockeys!)

Then everything went a bit pear-shaped! But this piccy does show how well the horses all look after a long long winter.

Anyway, the Pen explained.

The rules are a bit complicated but basically it is where there are two obstacles, one into and one out of an enclosure. So as not to incur penalties at least three members of the team (twelve hooves and three mounted riders) must be in the pen at any one time. ie to have jumped in but not yet jumped out. It can be a bit tricky if the team has some very quick and some not so quick horses. Especially if braking is a problem. Because the competition is timed on the first three competitors past the finish it makes it a bit less of a procession and more of a collaborative team effort.

Some competitions have a 'dressing' fence where the team members jump a fence all abreast. I haven't seen one in recent competitions and I don't know if they are still included in some.

For those of you with a nervous disposition...

Please Look Away Now!

Last weekend I was once more on Team Chasing duties as Annie was off on a jaunt to Suffolk. Fortunately the weather had been fairly good so there was no necessity to bath the horse before taking her. Just a good once over to get what little mud there was off.


This time the trip was to south Warwickshire, not an area that I visit a lot, but one shrouded in folklore and tales of witchcraft.

Not that there was much sign of such supernatural goings on last weekend. No, the scariness was down to both the up-hill-and-down-dale nature of the course, coupled with the size of the bloomin' fences! Zorya is not a bold horse. In fact she may at times be accused of being a little wussy. Not that you could tell from this picture. There were 24 fences on the course, the final two after a steep climb.


I didn't walk the course with the team, not because I get nervous but I wanted to keep Claire (one of the mums) company because she gets quite fearful. So it wasn't until the teams were about to start that I saw the last fence. I couldn't believe how big it was. Nearly 5 ft! I cheerfully pointed out that it was a brush and once a few teams had gone round it would have decreased in size with horses jumping through rather than over it. OK, I was just trying to make Claire feel better. Unfortunately by the time the rest of the team got to the monster brush fences, Hattie had already parted company from her horse, Fly, and was busy trying to catch her. When the rest of the team got to the brush fences they were just as big! They all managed to negotiate them safely and came out of the whole thing with a little bruised pride and some thorns picked up from those wicked brush fences!

Catching Up

After the interschools showjumping at Moreton Morrell, Smem's now decided that she wants to do more showjumping on Ruby. This is NOT going to happen as Ruby is due to go back to stud in April. Fingers crossed for a successful outcome this time.

The day wasn't an unqualified success but we went home happy. Zorya went clear in the first class then put Smem off in the next, although they did re-unite to finish the course. Ruby, on the other hand, decided it was all a bit of a lark and knocked the smallest fence down both times, but apart from that went clear. She has a huge jump and in a bigger class I'm sure she'd concentrate better. Given that she'd never done any showjumping before or competed indoors, she didn't do too badly.

The team pulled out of last weekend's team chase because of the snow, but this weekend nothing could stop them. It was a very early start because the clocks went forward last night and I had to pick Smem up at 7:30 so she could wash Zorya. She has the knack of getting absolutely filthy and is really difficult to get clean. Fortunately she doesn't object to being hosed down so by 8:30 we were all ready to go.

Cait got a new horse recently, a really sweet Gelderlander called Georgie. This was their first team chase. Here she is after their round with Zorya.

As usual Charlie took the lead. As I think I've said before, as an ex-racehorse, Charlie isn't the easiest horse in the world but he has really taken to team chasing. Second horse was Jet, another thoroughbred but only 15 hands, then Zorya (another thoroughbred) with Georgie bringing up the rear. The biggest problem was keeping a reasonable pace so that the team kept together. Apparently Smem spent most of the course shouting at the others to slow down!

About halfway round there was a section where they had to jump into and out of a pen, with the additional test that three of them had to be inside the pen at one time. A real test of control. They did it brilliantly.

The commentator commented on how well they took the final fence and they managed to finish in a reasonably compact group, with the hallmark whoop from each as they cleared it. I'm sure their time would have been five seconds slower if they didn't do this as it makes the horses put on an extra spurt to the finish!

Now we're waiting to see how they got on. Because some of the team members are juniors they have to compete in competitions that are decided on an optimum time rather than first past the post. They managed to come in 10 seconds under time so they should come somewhere. I'm not relishing the time when they start to compete in the big classes!

Ruby's been practicing...

for the inter-schools show jumping competition next week.

No, seriously, she has been practicing properly. These fences may look tiny but the second part of the double is 3ft. I know cos I took a tape measure and measured it. Getting over the fences won't be a problem - just negotiating the corners!

It's that time of year again......

Looks like the first Team Chase of the season will be on 16 March. At least we won't have to get up at the crack of dawn to get there.

Unfortunately I won't be able to go to the next one (on Easter Day!) because Ra and I are off to Cardiff that weekend to watch the Tigers in the EDF Energy Semi Finals. Strangely enough we missed the Heythrop last year for exactly the same reason! How inconsiderate having them on the same weekend!

The first cross country of the year was a couple of weeks ago. It was touch and go whether it would go ahead because there had been a heavy frost the night before, but after an hour's delay, Zorya and Charlie were the first pair out on the course. The girls were given strict instructions to 'take it steady' (not in Charlie's vocabulary) but they did a lovely clear, the only sticky moment coming right at the end when, on clearing the final fence, Luti (Charlie's jockey) let out a huge WHOOP of joy and he shot off, nearly failing to spot the rope directing him to the finish. Fortunately both horse and rider spotted it at the last minute and everything was fine. A great performance by both.

On a more worrying note, later on in the competition the Air Ambulance was called to take a rider (a member of the King's Troop) off to hospital with a suspected neck injury. Hopefully said soldier is now fit and well and has been able to return to her unit! They are an incredibly brave (or slightly mad) bunch. The majority of them have never even been on a horse when they join up! They're the ones you see trooping the colour and pulling gun carriages and the like. Of course, being soldiers they also go on active service (don't worry, they swap their horses for tanks).

Leap day

I've just realised I've only made one post this month. How very lazy. This is mainly because

1. Nothing much has been happening (went to Salsa class for the first time on Tuesday - my hips may never be the same again)

and

2. A good post requires a good photograph and I don't currently have any.

Team chase season starts shortly. Also Smem is in her school show jumping team and will be riding both Zorya and Ruby (!) in the first competition of the season. Should be interesting.

I can see it might be a bit of a struggle to get Ruby back to stud anytime soon!

Mucking Out and Mucking About

Last weekend Annie, Smem and Dad went off to Exmoor. Fortunately the weather cleared up for them and a good time was had by all, although the horses Smem and Dad were riding BOTH ended up falling in a bog. I can happily report that everyone got out alive and relatively unscathed, except for the lovely malaca hunting whip that I gave Smem for Christmas 2006.

To tell the truth, I'm suprised she hadn't lost it before now! The shaft broke and it's beyond repair, but I expect we could get a new shaft fitted somewhere at considerable cost.

Anyway, I was tasked, along with the boy Thos, to look after Ruby and Zorya. Well, I fed and mucked out and put them out, then Thos brought them back in, and settled them for the night. Given that he's not very mobile due to an operation to mend his cruciate ligament (it was totally destroyed in a training ground accident in August), he managed quite well, although he did put Ruby's roller on back to front one night. However, his explanation for this was perfectly legitimate. He'd tried to put it on the right way but Ruby kept standing in his light so he turned it round and did it up the other side.

Now I know Rising Rainbow would not approve of this and he should have made her move over, but he doesn't have anything to do with the horses if he can possibly help it and it was all Annie could do to persuade him to fetch them in for her! Given Ruby's record of breaking Annie's ribs and hitting me in the face with a gate............

Anyway, on Sunday I decided that all this work deserved some pleasure so I took Ruby out on a hack. HA!

I should have realised I was in for a bumpy ride when she let me put her saddle on without trying to run away. Then we didn't have the usual 'I'm taller than you' game where she sticks her head up yay high and I tickle her chin until she brings it low enough for me to get her bridle on. And she stood like a little lamb while I clambered onto the mounting block (usually the cue to take one step - just out of reach) and even as I swung my leg and mounted!

She was a bit bouncy riding out of the yard. Well, it was windy and she hadn't been ridden for a week. We opened the gate no probs. She really is the most brilliant horse for opening gates. You have to lean down a long way to open the catch, but as soon as you've done that, she either pushes it open with her chest or nudges it with her nose. Likewise when pushing it to, she holds the gate shut while you put the catch on. This is something Annie has worked very hard on. I remeber when she was a baby, I was trying to open a narrow gate, leaned down to undo the catch and she took a step back. Loose girth. Me on floor!

Then out into the kale field. Well, I didn't know there was someone with a hide set up. O.M.G! I think there must have been a monster in it. Unfortunately I didn't have a whip so had to make do with a very growly voice and a slap from the reins. From then on she was terrified of everything. And I mean everything! And when a 17.2 hulk of horse digs her heels in, there's not a lot you can do. Eventually we managed to negotiate the kale field and got onto the green lane, although she really didn't want to go through the gateway (a gateway, I might add, that she walks through totally untroubled most days). then she settled down a bit.

Of course, once she had tired, she was an angel again. Didn't turn a hair to the cars whizzing past when we got to the main road. And they say animals don't have a sense of humour!

New Year New Pet

Why do people always put ferrets down their trousers? This is Ron (as in Ron Weasley). Fortunately he doesn't bite!

I saw some before christmas and regretted not getting one so when we went up to Nottingham last friday I couldn't resist. Gracie likes him too. Now everyone seems to want one!

Inspect the picture more closely if you think Jenn's totally mad getting so close to that many sharp teeth. Convincing, isn't he?