I don't post much about Jack. On Sunday, Albi and Boo moved into a separate field to Jack, mainly because they are both porkers and Jack isn't a good-doer, so they are in the fatty paddock and Jack is in one with a bit more grass. First time they have been separated but I'm quite glad that their dietary requirements have been considered just because YM remembered and not because I asked.
Anyhoo, I brought the big fella in this afternoon for a bit of hair removal and decided that his mane was just TOO feral-looking so I've shortened it and levelled it up (backcombing and trimming the underhairs with scissors, I never pull but I'd never just hack at a mane either!!) So it is now a neater length and still looks "natural".
The other BIG thing is that Jack tied up! Shortly before they started living out 24/7 again, I'd been tying him up for short sessions. Jack has trained us over the years not to be tied. He was OK when we first had him, then panicked one day and broke the baler twine and has never really been any good since. A few weeks ago when I was turning him out one morning his leadrope got caught up in the (sturdy, thankfully!) bolt of his stable door and pulled tight, causing him to panic, however the rope held fast and he settled once he realised he couldn't escape. So far he hasn't tried to escape when tied but he is secured strongly so I have a knife on standby for emergencies.
He is off work at the moment as I hacked him out a few weeks ago and he felt a bit odd and then Dom rode him for the first time this year a couple of weeks ago and I noticed that his bum is uneven. Got the body-worker lady coming on Monday for both of them so as Jack has hardly done anything this year, we figured another couple of weeks of rest wouldn't hurt.....
Anyhoo, I brought the big fella in this afternoon for a bit of hair removal and decided that his mane was just TOO feral-looking so I've shortened it and levelled it up (backcombing and trimming the underhairs with scissors, I never pull but I'd never just hack at a mane either!!) So it is now a neater length and still looks "natural".
The other BIG thing is that Jack tied up! Shortly before they started living out 24/7 again, I'd been tying him up for short sessions. Jack has trained us over the years not to be tied. He was OK when we first had him, then panicked one day and broke the baler twine and has never really been any good since. A few weeks ago when I was turning him out one morning his leadrope got caught up in the (sturdy, thankfully!) bolt of his stable door and pulled tight, causing him to panic, however the rope held fast and he settled once he realised he couldn't escape. So far he hasn't tried to escape when tied but he is secured strongly so I have a knife on standby for emergencies.
He is off work at the moment as I hacked him out a few weeks ago and he felt a bit odd and then Dom rode him for the first time this year a couple of weeks ago and I noticed that his bum is uneven. Got the body-worker lady coming on Monday for both of them so as Jack has hardly done anything this year, we figured another couple of weeks of rest wouldn't hurt.....
