Our Gang 2014..........

quick update, The bands adjusted down to her size perfectly and stayed in place fine overnight, this morning is the first morning since May that she was down at fence waiting for me along with Acorn - she is still laboured in her walk but straighter and definitely more alert and active, daughter commented on it this morning when she arrived, they are designed to stay on 24/7 in or out so I have left them on, it will be interesting to see how she is tonight - the swelling on the back hocks is almost gone, and she gives 3 feet willingly, still not too happy on the n/s fore but will keep going slowly with it, have increased the exercises on the back legs and started on the front leg she is happy on and just massaging the n/s for now, no bend or stretch. She looks for her rug going on at night so that extra warmth is obviously helping her.
Her eyes not as gunky this morning, cleaned and face mask on again.
To say she is 20 and this is the first time she has seen rugs, masks and boots she is a little trooper, she has not protested on any of them.
 
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Nuts is about the same this morning as she was yesterday, which is an improvement as normally even with the rug she would be stiffer in a morning, we still have some way to go, usually she loosens up during the day a little, so if she does and does not stiffen up again overnight then progress is being made. We started in May so we are 4 months in since we started with all this when she had the injury - I would like to think that the original injury is about sorted, the Arthritis is newly diagnosed and the front fore is affected taking all that extra strain, from the feel of her legs I feel confident the soft tissue, tendon and ligaments are repairing themselves, more movement will help with that but for now we are were we are and it cannot be rushed or forced, we have no heat or pulses and she is down to her target weight of 180kg,
she was 280kg when she arrived 2 years ago - so the weight loss in theory should help, although initially it has resulted in more problems for her, I expect the Arthritis has not been helped by her carrying all that excess. The hard bit now is going to find a balance of maintaining her weight - don't want her to loose any more but certainly don't want her to put any on - if we can get the mobility better then extra exercise will not only help her arthritis and over all wellbeing but will help with maintaining the weight level when she is ready to go into the Winter grazing with Tess, planned for mid November, when the boys will go up to the yard and Charlie is due for his remedial Trim program to start
in earnest, he is going to have them taken back sympathetically in 3/4 week intervals looking to have them back in shape for next show season - we have had to leave extra foot on to prevent additional bruising following his LGL episode after his last injury this has allowed us to continue his workload and build him back up, keeping his weight down - this mornings episode on the lunge was positive, just a slight weakness showing on the affected rein in Trot, walk is fine - he is getting straightline hill work during the week on a daily basis, We have the Farrier on Saturday so we will see how he is doing and see if the plan for the treatment is still the same.

Acorn is doing really well and full of energy - not getting as much work as I would like but Nuts is taking up a lot of my available time, I will pamper and exercise him at the weekend.

All 4 due for a trim Saturday.
 
Well all 4 had their Trim, no worries at all - farrier happy so I am happy - he is booked for 4 weeks again for the boys and a check on Nuts and then 4 weeks after that for all 4 of them - Charlie will start his remedial on the trim after that.

We have been sorting out the Electric fencing and repatriating fence posts ready for starting to section off in the winter field which will probably be next week - Tess won't be moving in for another month or two yet but like to be ready as you never know what the weather is going to throw.

Last Saturday we took the boys out on an in hand walk for a hour up the hills and Sunday Emma came, she had a hours hack out and Acorn behaved himself - some nice trotting work going out but he was less interested in anything other than a brisk walk coming back think he figured he had done enough - we took Charlie out with him - we had plenty of the traffic up the lanes and as usual Acorn didn't flinch, Emma just kept her leg on and kept him moving- we had 4 x 4 and horse trailer with a very noisy horse in the back of it and a car with a car on a trailer rattle by - Charlie is less keen but stood and watched as Acorn negotiated so we had no pulling back or silliness - hes getting there.

Tess is growing her winter rug in earnest now, the others have fluff - shes a bit itchy with it so is begging for a good scratch at every opportunity, she stands in your way and refuses to let you pass moving the area she wants itching in front of you - bless her she had a good 15 minutes this morning before I could persuade her I had to go.

Nuts is improving - we can get all 4 up now without too much bother - her back legs are more supple and she is stretching nicely on them - we are currently on 3 stretch each rear leg so it will be increasing to 5 as from tonight, walking a little more like she should rather than pottery - still stiff on the damp cold morning, but no more muscle tremors which is a good sign - I haven't put her little rug on just for the cold with her coat coming in she looks uncomfortable, it will have to go on tonight as we have rain forcast all night. Shes still got her little flymask on but her eyes are nearly clear now, noticed with the cold nights we have had less flies about, hopefully we will get it off soon, although she doesn't seem to mind it on at all and for once Acorn hasn't bothered trying to take it off her.

This weekend we need to get some more hay in and I need to arrange the winter feed and bedding delivery for next month, that will be Saturday job, I am hoping Emma will be here again on Sunday and get the little man some more exercise.
 
Bloody weather, it tipped it down quite heavily all night, after much deliberation the put a rug on Nuts just won - she wouldn't eat her Tea last night but was quite happy to eat her hay and her movement was much improved - I worried about her being over hot due to the temperatures not being that low especially for a Shetland who is now getting her coat - this morning a lesson learnt, she was lovely and dry on her back but she had sweated under the rug quite heavily, wouldn't eat her breakfast ( I have upped the turmeric so am going to try lowering it again tonight and see if that's it) but again left her eating her hay and her movement is still quite free, she has had her exercises and I have upped them to a couple of extra stretches on each leg this morning - She has had no bute now for 48 hours her movement has improved but we now have the won't eat hard feed, I worry about her dropping too much weight but can't leave ad lib hay in the field as Acorn is quite happily scoffing the lot given half the chance..... we are moving into month 5 of recovery following her field injury and when I look back she is at a similar stage to what Acorn was when he had the hamstring injury - she has the added Arthritis issue - DJD and spavin my Farrier says due to her confirmation issues over 20 years and the injury won't have helped - he reckons the Vets keep it simple with Arthritis as a coverall. I am going to mix her turmeric into a paste with the oil tonight and hide it in a carrot sandwich see if I can get it in that way - she will eat balancer nuts so I can give her those rather than the HH if needs be. I don't want her going backwards after we have come so far. she is weighing in at 180kg - she looks light now compared to the Hippo we used to have.

Acorn I suspect has been hovering up the leftovers and the extra turmeric seems to have given him an extra bounce and the inclination to
have a go at Charlie over the fence at every opportunity....... much to Charlies disgust!

Tess is fine, she looks very white this morning after the heavy rain - no doubt she will be black again tonight following numerous weathering rolls during the day in the muckiest patches she can find if I know her.
 
Nuts at the moment bless her, she hadn't eaten for 36 hours, not interested in her bucket feed at all and just nibbling at hay and not really bothered much other than lying down, not eating meant shes not had her meds - but strangely enough her mobility when walked was much better, I had put the rug on overnight in an attempt to keep the wet and damp off her arthritis, and she had sweated badly - suspect his made things worse, she has had runny eyes for a week but they are better now - I did manage last night to get a couple of handfuls of balancer down her in a hope to kick start her interest and she did nibble at her hay before lying down again.
This morning I gave her a double bucket of plain Happy Hoof with her mobility supplement sprinkled over it, not wetted as usually do, and she scoffed the lot:) I premixed some linseed oil & turmeric and Syringed that down her with a sliver or 2 of carrot to tempt, she was a little stiffer in walk, but put that down to the last 36 hours, I left her tucking into her hay - so I am hopeful crisis averted and at worst she had just had a virus that's gone through her.
If she hadn't eaten this morning I had already made my mind up to ring the Vet, I have to ring to pay the Vet Bill so if around I will have a quick word.
 
Nuts is quite happy with current feeding of HH dry with her supplement sprinkled, I am still syringing the turmeric & Linseed mix with her alfa bute mixed in ( only downside is my fingernails are yellow, despite wearing the gloves!) - shes off the Pro Dynam now and seems happier for it, we found this with Acorn - I changed him onto Danilon but don't see the need for this with Nuts she looks to have turned a corner and the improvement each day is visible - shes walking much better and is more active, she gave me all 4 to pick out easily this morning and she is finding the stretches on the backs easy now - I have increased those to 5 each leg - weekend will up it again by 2. I purchased a job lot of Ginger & MSM gel off ebay and have been using this for a few days as well to massage into the joints - she seems to enjoy that being rubbed in! Don't think shes had this much pampering in her life before!

Acorn has decided he likes to lick out the container I mix the Turmeric in so he ends up with a yellow mouth as well!

Feeling really positive about Nuts at the moment, if she carries on she should be good to go for Winter duties.
 
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busy weekend, Nuts continues to improve, I decided to get some ointment from the vets for her eyes, they are much better but just not clearing up completely, what a farce - it is in syringe form, que me stood over, daughter on her knees, and 2 shetlands, one who is trying to stop us putting anything in her eyes and trying to get hold of the syringe (more I think because he thinks its food and somehow he is missing out!) - needless to say we have managed to get very little in the eyes over 3 days - my jacket however will not suffer from pink eye! - I am not sure there is much left in the syringe, but will keep trying (God loves a trier), what bit is going in seems to be clearing it though - I do wish they could find something better than these ointments when it comes to eyes, drops would be better , more of a chance of hitting the spot, the damn plunger is either too slow, or shoots it out so quick it goes everywhere but where it should.

On the Arthritis /mobility side, she is getting stronger and improving day by day and walking round the paddock is easier for her even on a damp foggy morning like today.

Acorn and Charlie had nice long walk outs over the weekend, Emm didn't get so so riding achieved.

We did get the Hay in and OH was away for the weekend so I managed to sort out Charlie & Acorns travelling and fly rugs, get them into the washing machine , on the line and dry in the lovely Sun we had yesterday - they are now folded and in the box ready to go away.

Did some clearing out in the storeroom down at the yard, really peed off as we have 2 large Rug Bags, pretty vermin proof, however one of them had not been zipped up properly and 2 of Tess's show fleeces ( 1 V expensive and really good condition), 1 stable rug and 1 turnout rug (albiet v old) ruined, the other bag however was fine - so have a 5ft6" Everest turnout, 5ft 6" 300g Weatherbeeta stable rug, 5' 6" stable/travelling sheet (all hardly worn) and a 4' tried on only IV horse turnout all going on ebay - the proceeds are going part towards a new Rug for her, she needs a 5ft 9 or 6ft depending on rug type now she is no longer clipped over winter for showing, don't need a large fill prob 100g - she might not even wear it but like to have one on standby in case.

I am going to have a good clear out of tack as well, part of a Market Harborough and a hardly used flash noseband found without even trying
A job for next weekend.

The winter bedding is on order and due to be delivered in 3 weeks.

YO is building a field shelter for Charlie in the paddock, so he and Acorn both have one, cost of wood only to us so that's good. like to pay for them so we can take them with us if we have to leave at all.

Have uncovered 3 sets of Wooden Jump stands, in need of some TLC and painting - so that's a job for daughters hubby and possibily another ebay sale.

Daughters OH spend a couple of hours on Sunday hosing off and cleaning the horse trailer, it now sparkles, it is parked under tree so was half blue/white and the other half Green, its all now as it should be.
 
Nuts is improving daily - last night I had to follow her around the paddock to apply her lotions and pick her feet out- her eyes are much better however I suspect I only have enough ointment left for tonight - she will be pleased as she is not keen on it going in.

Charlie was lunged this morning, a bit of a prat - he needs more schooling work now and re backing before winter.

Acorn and Tess are both well, all 4 now have coats coming in, we are at the stage 1 fluff .

It was pea soup this morning when I went out, has cleared now we are supposed to get a bright sunny day.
 
Well hasn't the weather turned, coats are coming in thick and fast - even Charlie who normally has a thin winter coat, Nuts is much better, I uncovered a small hole at the toe on n/s fore Friday , previously she had a couple of sweaty days which I put down to her rug over night - suspect this was abcess related now, last night we have a large abcess hole, drained and she's walking around much better, I have left it open - doused it with iodine spray, repeated it this morning - she's had her rug on over the weekend thanks to the awful weather - no futher sweating and she seems quite happy keeping it on, hence her muscles are not getting cold so the stiffness is less of an issue, she' s happy enough in herself and plodding around the field more which the movement can only be good for her.

Acorn is full of it, he and Charlie went out for a long walk on Sunday thanks to a break in the weather. Tess is happy - we have just opened up a small patch of the winter field for her!

Nuts eyes are still a bit gunky but much improved, I started bathing them Saturday with Cold Camomile Tea - this seems to helping- and she stands nicely to have them bathed, the Net is off now, the flies have at last started to diminish.
 
Well what a week - and not all for the good - the wet weather has played havoc with feet - as I found out last night when farrier came - first Acorn was trimmed - hes had an abcess - he showed no signs which is not like him - but its drained and closed so nothig to do with it - Charlie was a prat but his feet are okay - Nuts on the otherhand - the abcess hole I discovered which I thought has drained was only the tip of a very large deep one which is still active not only that her sole is very soft so he would not pare it - that was bad enough - on checking the other front she has an abcess in that as well again soft sole but not as bad as the other one so she is now sporting a poultice on both fronts - no wonder she was uncomfortable - dry poultice due to the soft soles and iodine spray on before the poultice to try and prevent further issues - shes not walking too bad at allconsidering - just need to keep0 a close eye and ring James if I think theres a problem at al - hes booked for 4 weeks again - its been dry for 36 hours some rain due tonight - dry tommorrow but then back to the wet again - so we are fighting ground conditions - shes fine in herself and her eyes are a lot better - no mask needed just a gentle wipe am & pm for the tiny bit of gunk left. I should haveexpected it really - we always seem to gave the abcess experience following injury recovery - body clearing the system out maybe and all that extra stress they have had for nearly 5 months - but Acorn really suprised me he showed no sighs of discomfort bless him - hes running around fine causing mayhem - although he has a bit of a belly now hes not working thanks to the dark drawing in and his coat.

The boys are not due to go up to the yard until November once daughter is back off holiday - going to be interesting next week
poulticing in the semi-dark!

Charlies new field shelter is almost ready to go up at the yard they will both have their own shelter then - Acorns had to do without as Charlies had his for past 2 years - to be fair he hardly uses it whereas Charlie is a wuss and looks for shelter at the first drop of rain.
 
Well got through the weekend relatively unscathed - nothing gone wrong so that's all I can ask for right now.

Tess is in the Winter Field and loving it, forced on us as we needed to get Charlie out of his smaller paddock so hes moved into where she had been and hes in his element, as he has more area which has some rough grass then hes off the hay for now - hes not looking for it so fine by us.

Acorn is not impressed as he is in the larger paddock with nothing to speak of left , him and Nuts get a flap in a morning and night to share
the rain held off this morning thank goodness so I was able to get her poultices changed ( had to wait a bit f or the light to lift so I could see what I was doing better, she stands and eats her hay whilst I do them, not much in them - waiting game.

We are supposed to h ave heavy rain all day, its just started to spit a bit now so we have been lucky, don't want too much water in Nut's paddock.
 
what horrible bloody weather, at least today we are having a break from it, Dull but dry.....anything but rain thanks

Nuts had managed to pull a poultice off on her o/s front last night , nothing was coming out so I have left it off, the other one is draining slowly so have changed it again this morning, she is obviously feeling better as I am now having to restrict her from walking off when I do it!

Weigh taped both Acorn and Nuts this morning, Acorn is at his winter unworked weight of 155kg and Nuts is 170kg and seems to be maintaining it now, a far cry from the 280kg when she arrived 2 years ago!

There is no puffiness or swelling to the back legs at all now and other than her usual wonky gait with the o/s due to confirmation then she's much more comfortable and definitely more mobile - she walks down to the hay and for her bucket again now and almost broke into trot the other morning on the lead.

Tess is looking cleaner thanks to the longer grazing , daughter is bit concerned about Charlie, to keep an eye on him , skid marks in field and abit puffy on fetlock on his hind, watched him walking, he looks to be tracking up so hopefully he has just tweaked it mucking about in the wet.
 
seems ages since I updated this - busy , busy!

Weather not too bad this week - Nuts is much better, we have poultice the other front now the n/s is drained and on the mend - daughter goes on holiday on Sunday for 2 weeks, leaving me with them all in the bloody dark! so thought it best to make sure the other is absolutely clear before she goes and I have some help - as she is feeling better she has decided she can keep walking and avoid if necessary! good to see but a pain.

the others are all fine thank goodness.

Field owner has decided to put the Bull in with the Cows in the field adjacent ours - I am assured its quiet , its not a strong stock fence so
I am hopeful they are right, hes in there for 6 weeks, in which time daughter is away for 2 of them during which time I have Halloween and bonfire night and all the other fireworks parties which started a couple of weeks ago, clocks go back at weekend so will be pitch black on a night when I go up, so far the ponies are fine, just hope no spooking for the Bull- he's bloody huge and a bit menacing to look at but seems calm, ponies more fascinated then bothered.
 
last day of October, daughter is now on Holiday so its busy doing them all on my own morning and night - especially with it being dark on a night but hey ho, it is what it is! had a couple of days of work so have been able to keep the poo picking up to date.

Charlie has been a good boy, we have reached an understanding, he is normally a pig to do feet other than daughter and farrier when he is okay - but after some meaningful discussions we now have them picked out with very little fuss every morning whilst he is eating his hay -
the fields are greasy with the wet weather - but otherwise holding up - I have reduced Tess's bucket feed as she was putting a little too much on in the winter field with her having to herself - looking better after just a few days reduction - she's none too happy at the reduction but needs must!

The winter bedding and feed delivery arrived yesterday, the field shelter in the top paddock for Charlie is now in place, just needs a roof!

Poultices are off for Nuts, she's moving much better, a little stiff after laid down but that's the arthritis so we are where we are, I am hopeful for winter for her now, we have rugs and she will move in with Tess in the winter paddock once the boys go up to the yard.
 
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sat inside watching the bl88dy rain - 2nd day of it - the fields have ponds and we are not far off flooding in parts - daughter still on hols so its hard work trying to keep on top of them all b4 and after work - managed to muck most of the fields out thismorning during a brief lull.

the wuss that is Charlie hates rain - so hes not been in the best of moods last couple of days especially when horrid nanna won't give him a rug like his Mum would - who is nice and warm and dry on an island off the dominicans., shes back on tuesday and has farrier in afternoon - shes going to get a cold baptism back to british weather.

only Nuts has her rug on and it doing the trick for her so far.

the rain has meant the field shelter for Charlie hasn,t finished -its roof is on but front to complete.

we got through Bonfire night and then a shoot with no problems - just a bit spooky night following the shoot but it was blowing a gale - they are fine now.

My birthday prezzie to myself arrived today- a pair of Dublin River Eskimo boots - got them in a promotion so did save a few quid. fit great but too good to go near our fields just yet - but with my wellies bearing a resemblence to culinders I may have to relent! or get another pair without the fleece just for the yard - maybe use christmas as an excuse to splash out again.now if ponies needed something they get it without question .
 
Sunny, cold and dry today, a breeze so the fields have drained a bit - still the ponds but not so slippy - had to put Nuts heavier rug on overnight as her other was wet - still not dried out fully - shes had it on today and shes moving extreemly well round the field, felt under it and shes a good temperature, no sweating and seems happier in herself, well enough to give Acorn a reminder that shes feeling more herself and to mind his manners! his face was a picture, he submitted - the girl is back(well almost)! 6 months since her injury and then her arthritis rearing up. been up and down but finally feel we are in a good place again.

The routine is working with her for now so we will stick with it unless she displays signs it needs tweaking.
Charlie and Tess are both fine.

I have managed to clear the fields again, daughter back on Tuesday so only 3 more on my owns to do - she will do tuesday night - a night off - wow!
 
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Best laid plans and all that!

daughter back Tuesday and dealt with farrier - all 4 had their Trims - Wednesday she was not well but thought it was the time zone thing! No she picked up some bug/virus and has been signed off till Monday is in bed! Brilliant thats 3 weeks doing all 4 on my own with the exception of Tueday night and Wed am.

Topping it all the bloody weather has resulted in the fields becoming an equine water park yet again - 4 miserable neds and one totally wet and fed up me!

Ah well -will just have to get on with it!

Good news - Charlies shelter at the yard is finished - I have managed to redo most of the fencing up there - just need to get the hay bar in and some grass mat on the floor before they go up end of month hopefully - we are trying to keep them out in summer fields if weather allow until after the shoot end of Novmber - theres one next week - just joping the fields dry abit - they are very slippy!
 
well here we are, finally managed to get time to do a quick update.

the boys are now up at the Yard, went up at the weekend , have some grass as their small winter turnouts have not been grazed all summer, Charlies is eaten down! Acorn has some left - both are coping due to being in overnight with hay , they had to stay in yesterday thanks to the shoot. we brought them up to the yard early as the fields were passed coping with the deluge we had. they are under water.

Nuts is in with Tess in the Winter field, and is running around like a 2 yr old, first day in she came down for her bucket, a walk into trot a canter and then a leap over the small stream that was in the field, keeping an eye on her , we have had some frosts but shes coped fine- have her rug on , Tess is being protective as the boys have gone, so shes on guard until we leave incase we take Nuts with us.

Daughter is much better so getting help again.
 
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where does time go - work is really busy and I sm shattered wnen I get in - sorting outothers wen problems all day means I do not feel like switching on mine when I get home - hence the lack of posts!

we have had some hard frost a couple of nights but all coping okay, boys had to stay in Thursday as the shoot was on - Charlie has wrecked his stable door - bottom hinge had come off amd we had to triple bolt him in and wedge door up overnight - it took me 10 minutes to open it Friday morninh bfore I could se to him. YO away for weekend and hes fixing it this week - so Charlie has moved into Acorn's - had to move the wave bar over and Acorn is in the little emergency stable - hes fine at the moment but will feel better once he is back in his own as he needs the space to move around more than he has in this one.

Tess & nuts are fine in the field - Nuts is doing really well.

Farrier ill should have been with us Saturday for the boys so having to rearrange,

Not liking the weather much but will have to get used to it -eally looking forward to more daylight roll on the 21st!
 
seems ages since I updated, nothing much changed this end, boys have had their feet done and Nuts continues to do well, have booked Charlie, Acorn and Nuts for their annual jabs next week and all due for worming next week as well. Charlie's door has been fixed so normal service resumed as far as the stables go . Tess is fine - other than a couple of mornings of frost and this damn wind weather has not been a problem so far, the fields have almost drained off ready for the next lot! Its quiet this time of year thanks to the lack of daylight for us to do anything, it only leaves the weekend and that seems to be spent doing all the jobs we can't see to do in the week - have a few days off during the Christmas/new year so hopefully will get a chance to do some walking out - Nuts will have to come down to the yard on Monday so hopefully she will be fine for that now - its 9 months since she last had a walk out on the roads, it means leaving Tess in the field on her own for an hour or two so no doubt she will trash the fence line pounding up and down, I will throw her some hay in which might save some of it.

hoping to get some pics to finish the year off, I failed with getting a pic of each of them per month, so next year I will try harder!
 
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