A round up of 2011

I know its the first day of 2012 and I meant to do this yesterday but I wanted to diarise a quick round up of 2011.

It was definitely a mixture of ups and downs.

Jan 2011 started snowy cold and unable to ride or in fact do anything with the horses.  Luckily we managed to use the tractor to make a path to the field and so they still got out for a few hours each day.

Enjoying some hay in the snow

April 2011 - Spring and the sun came up but the ground was so hard and rutted and we still couldnt ride but the horses looked like they had survived winter pretty well :

Mulligan and Sadie having a cuddle

May - we made the decision not to rent any more and move back to civilisation and we put the horses back into livery and bought a house.  The new yard is about 7 mins from where we live.  We decided to move the horses the week before we moved house and the weekend we moved house the girls went down with strangles so it was a bit manic having to see to them and clear out the farm.

Sadies story is elsewhere on the blog so I wont go into that.  Bottom line - we survived it and finally got some riding done in the Summer.  Sadie still seemed a bit under the weather and got breathless really quickly and I struggled with girthing issues as her skin kept breaking open.   But Mulls stepped into the gap and I did my first working hunter class, my first combined training and a few veteran classes on him.  We even went cross country a couple of times.

August 2011 - horses were all settled and content and we had the opportunity to buy Merlin, a beautiful 6 year old coloured gelding who would step into Muls shoes once he went back to his owner.



The day I first rode Merlin



Sadly it was not meant to be and he passed away late August - I had got so attached to him and still feel very sad by the whole thing but he is free from pain now and running free with all the other beautiful horses of the past.

Showing his inquisitive nature

October - then autumn came and luckily no snow and I managed to get Sadie out to a showing competition - not quite our thing but it was fun getting dressed up - she was really chilled in warm up and then a great big horse came up her backside in the show ring and overtook us and that was it - all went a bit hectic lol.

All dressed up

November - we dressed up and did our part for Childreen in Need - was much fun and I think our yard raised £250 which was really good - the kids did good.

Jordan on Dainty - Me on Sadie

December - at least not a repeat of the previous 2 years and no snow!  There is something very rewarding though in getting up early mucking out - turning out horses in all their rugs and preparing the stables and hay for the evening.  I know by Christmas we are exhausted but a week off from work helps a lot.

Mr Mulligan decided to end the year with a nice kick to his knee so has been on box rest for a few weeks now.  The vet came on Thursday and scraped off all old tissue and he has been allowed to go out in the school for a bit of turn out and a few rolls which he absolutely loves!

On one of the vet visits I spoke to the vet about Sadie - I have had ongoing issues with her 'mareness' and every year I try another supplement or therapy.  I have spent a fortune on lotions, potions and treatments.  I normally write summer off and then do a bit of indoor winter dressage but this winter she has been really mardy and extra sensitive so whilst vet was at the yard with her scanner we had her ovaries scanned.  Poor girl has one enlarged and is very sensitive.  I dont really understand it all but something about follicles on one are just starting and just ending on the other.  Even when vet touched them she was wincing.  She was very good though - anyway it shows that she is constantly in season and so we are putting her on Regumate which will control the hormones and make her more comfortable.  I really hope that this will help the poor girl as I can feel she is not happy in her work. 

Yesterday though I could feel she was having a slightly better day than usual so pushed her a little for a bit of work and she was up to a bit of a play around :

Lengthening



Collecting





So in all a mix of up and downs but I am hoping that 2012 will be a good year and we can move on and get some serious riding and competing done!  My one wish is please no vet bills other than the routine stuff.  I also hope that Gonda - my lovely vet of ten years has a speedy recovery after a very nasty car accident where a reckless driver swiped her off the road and she is still currently in hospital having numerous operations to her feet.  Get better soon Gonda! x