Sid's diary
- Thread starter Jane&Ziggy
- Start date
Sid is a super star. To think you were unsure about him because of the way he moved in his advert. He must be very happy with his life to be so amenable.
I wish I had got my phone out last night.
Sid has been breaking and entering into the fine dining area in the centre of the field. Christine texted me at about 1530 to say she was out for an evening in London but had fed the horses and barricaded Sid into the track. At about 1700 one of my livery mates texted to say he'd just broken in.
I went over and found poles, cones and blocks all scattered, gate open and Sid happily munching. I got him out, strengthened the barricade and left. As I went up my drive I heard a clunk from the field and yes, guess what?
Back I went and reset the barricade. I also got the energiser out and added zap. Then I watched and waited. Sid gave me the side eye, then tossed his head and trotted up to the barricaded gate. He used his front feet to knock the pole away and knock over the hay-cones which were holding the pole up so he could kick them out of the way. He lifted the traffic cone with his teeth and set it down, right way up, a little way away (I really wish I'd filmed that). Then with a flick of his nose he had the gate open - ignoring the zap - and he was through.
Having observed his MO I retrieved him and tied the gate shut. He trotted back and tried again, but with the gate tied shut the zap got him and he backed off. Home I went, feeling satisfied.
Just settled down to watch Andor at 2030 and the phone rings. It's Uta, my next door livery mate. Guess what?
I fetched him and set things back up and he was through and back on the grass before I'd even got the energiser switched on. Little shit! This time he didn't want to be caught and I had to chase him around the field. That was enough for me, and I finally got out some more wire and another handle and doubled up the lines to the gate. And lo, this morning he was still in the right place. Honestly, he is a holy terror with fences.
An interesting thing though. When I was chasing him - if he has broken in there is no way I am going to let him graze quietly! - there was no chance of my catching him unless he let me, because I can't run as my leg is still not better. I was marching after him, swinging a lead rope from his headcollar. He started off going round clockwise, with me in his right eye, and he was doing dragon snorts, wild-eyed and very cross. His circuit got wider and wider and he was running. But up at the top of the hill he stopped, snorted and turned in the other direction. He looked at me out of his left eye. I said, "All right, then, Sid, enough now," and he turned his head to me and let me come up and halter him. He was like another horse. Did I read somewhere that horses have to learn on both sides individually? It was odd.
Sid has been breaking and entering into the fine dining area in the centre of the field. Christine texted me at about 1530 to say she was out for an evening in London but had fed the horses and barricaded Sid into the track. At about 1700 one of my livery mates texted to say he'd just broken in.
I went over and found poles, cones and blocks all scattered, gate open and Sid happily munching. I got him out, strengthened the barricade and left. As I went up my drive I heard a clunk from the field and yes, guess what?
Back I went and reset the barricade. I also got the energiser out and added zap. Then I watched and waited. Sid gave me the side eye, then tossed his head and trotted up to the barricaded gate. He used his front feet to knock the pole away and knock over the hay-cones which were holding the pole up so he could kick them out of the way. He lifted the traffic cone with his teeth and set it down, right way up, a little way away (I really wish I'd filmed that). Then with a flick of his nose he had the gate open - ignoring the zap - and he was through.
Having observed his MO I retrieved him and tied the gate shut. He trotted back and tried again, but with the gate tied shut the zap got him and he backed off. Home I went, feeling satisfied.
Just settled down to watch Andor at 2030 and the phone rings. It's Uta, my next door livery mate. Guess what?
I fetched him and set things back up and he was through and back on the grass before I'd even got the energiser switched on. Little shit! This time he didn't want to be caught and I had to chase him around the field. That was enough for me, and I finally got out some more wire and another handle and doubled up the lines to the gate. And lo, this morning he was still in the right place. Honestly, he is a holy terror with fences.
An interesting thing though. When I was chasing him - if he has broken in there is no way I am going to let him graze quietly! - there was no chance of my catching him unless he let me, because I can't run as my leg is still not better. I was marching after him, swinging a lead rope from his headcollar. He started off going round clockwise, with me in his right eye, and he was doing dragon snorts, wild-eyed and very cross. His circuit got wider and wider and he was running. But up at the top of the hill he stopped, snorted and turned in the other direction. He looked at me out of his left eye. I said, "All right, then, Sid, enough now," and he turned his head to me and let me come up and halter him. He was like another horse. Did I read somewhere that horses have to learn on both sides individually? It was odd.
Definitely pony brain not horse brain! When I described his antics to Christine the next day she said, "Oh, enrichment for him! Lucky Sid!"Oh I really wish you had filmed that too! How clever (and determined) is Sid?
She laughed on the other side of her face when he went straight through the line of fence we had just oh-so-carefully set up. Memo to self: remember to PUT SID IN THE SHELTER before doing any work on fencing. He always assumes it means grass for him and gets furious if grass does not appear...
Sid the Tit has been through the fence SO MANY TIMES recently. It is really cold at night, only 1 degree, and he just won't stop himself. Christine is getting fed up, and I don't blame her.
Steve has revived my heavy duty German energiser with a new battery and it is installed. The zap is mighty. Fingers crossed.
Steve has revived my heavy duty German energiser with a new battery and it is installed. The zap is mighty. Fingers crossed.
Fifty hours later and he is still where he ought to be! The German Zap is ahead so far...
it appears to be catching, Buddy stays where he is meant to be during the day but escapes and free ranges at night. Harmony being a good girl stays put but clearly Sid has been in touch as last night saw her up the top of the field with Buddy...
Sid's looking in great shape but aargh, he has started to get a few scabs at the bottom of his mane. There have been a few warm evenings lately, that's when the little blighters tend to get him.
His ears have been a bit itchy too, so I have been using his eared fly mask and he has worn his hand-made, custom-fitted fly bonnet when we go out
His ears have been a bit itchy too, so I have been using his eared fly mask and he has worn his hand-made, custom-fitted fly bonnet when we go out
Sid seems to have found his second wind on the moulting front. Sheaves and sheaves of shorter fur coming out with every stroke of the brush.
I was eaten alive by midgies last night when the vet was here for Harmony, almost had to ask him to scratch my back as it was so bad. In the end I put a winter jacket on and when i came in had a shower and put everything i wore in the laundry, I am an excellent barometer for insects, always the first to be bittenSid's looking in great shape but aargh, he has started to get a few scabs at the bottom of his mane. There have been a few warm evenings lately, that's when the little blighters tend to get him.
His ears have been a bit itchy too, so I have been using his eared fly mask and he has worn his hand-made, custom-fitted fly bonnet when we go out
Saddler came yeseterday and took my saddle away!
Long story. It's a Chunky Monkey and she used to be a main dealer for them. Some time back she started to get concerned about the number of saddles she was seeing with flocking problems. She engaged with CM but the owner didn't want to know. It ended up in a legal row, with my saddler badmouthed all over the Internet but actually winning against CM in court.
She's making her own saddles now )which look very nice) but she examined Sid's saddle carefully and indeed, found lumps in the flocking and matching small tender spots on his back. I could feel both lumps and tender spots, too. She has sent my saddle to her own saddler to be stripped and reflocked, at her cost, which seems pretty professional to me.
Sid is very trim and she was delighted with his condition, but his current saddle is a little bit wide now. She expects me to have it back within 2 weeks and suggested I ride him with my LeMieux half pad for the 20 saddle hours she recommends for it to settle before she rechecks it. We may agree that when he is slim we should use the half pad, so that she doesn't have to adjust the saddle every six months.
I am glad I called her! I have the chiro booked soon, so she can have a look at the tender spots. In the meantime I shall ride on my bareback pad, but my sharer's a bit unsure about that so I shall try to walk out with her the first time she goes out on it.
Long story. It's a Chunky Monkey and she used to be a main dealer for them. Some time back she started to get concerned about the number of saddles she was seeing with flocking problems. She engaged with CM but the owner didn't want to know. It ended up in a legal row, with my saddler badmouthed all over the Internet but actually winning against CM in court.
She's making her own saddles now )which look very nice) but she examined Sid's saddle carefully and indeed, found lumps in the flocking and matching small tender spots on his back. I could feel both lumps and tender spots, too. She has sent my saddle to her own saddler to be stripped and reflocked, at her cost, which seems pretty professional to me.
Sid is very trim and she was delighted with his condition, but his current saddle is a little bit wide now. She expects me to have it back within 2 weeks and suggested I ride him with my LeMieux half pad for the 20 saddle hours she recommends for it to settle before she rechecks it. We may agree that when he is slim we should use the half pad, so that she doesn't have to adjust the saddle every six months.
I am glad I called her! I have the chiro booked soon, so she can have a look at the tender spots. In the meantime I shall ride on my bareback pad, but my sharer's a bit unsure about that so I shall try to walk out with her the first time she goes out on it.
@diplomaticandtactful yes it's hard, there is nothing for them to eat. We are getting through more hay than in the winter!
Yesterday also cleaned out the hay store as we only have 6 bales left. Christine helped, she is so young and strong! What a horrid job, the pallets were all full of old hay. Interestingly none of it was mouldy, just dusty, so that's good. I put a pile of the best bits in the shelter for Sid to wee on, he is finding it hard to wee anywhere in the field as it is all like cement.
That is what I do - sweep up in the cat barn where I store hay and straw and use it in the open fronted bit that they congregate in to wee.
ditto as we have 2 in fat club and 2 on a small field and Buddy ruling the world and having the whole summer field to himself
Sid saw the dentist yesterday, He has what the dentist calls a "typical cob mouth" with big gums and very short teeth, but he is fine, and the dentist's minor concerns about tooth decay had all gone away. He walked backwards the whole time his lower teeth were being floated, but then got bored with that and stood still for the remainder of the treatment. Sonne showed him up by standing perfectly still for the whole thing, not bad for a baby. The dentist said that the two of them were his easiest patients of the week.
In other news, lots of changes...
In other news, lots of changes...
Honestly DJ was the only one that was a good boy about this. Minnie and Smokey need to be drugged and horse dentistry is so physical and intimidating to be honest I would walk backwards and try to get out of it myself!
I would not blame anyone for being a little freaked out by it.
I would not blame anyone for being a little freaked out by it.
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