Conversations through the middle

Ring in the new

January 1, 2011

It’s 2011 – Happy New Year! This is one of the few occasions an exclamation mark is allowed. I think everybody is glad to see the start of a new year, with its promise of good things ahead and a delicious anticipation of the unknown. Especially true perhaps if the one you’ve just seen the back of wasn’t one to remember for any good reason.

For me, 2010 was a mixture, good and bad, but nothing too awful, though I’m left at the beginning of 2011 with much the same questions as at the beginning of 2010. This year though I am going to deal with them differently and so see a different outcome in the realms of work, family, love and finances.

My stars for 2011:

“This will be your year. Though you may feel you have been treading water for a while now, 2011 will bring forward movement and positive change. Just stay optimistic, look for new challenges and embrace them fearlessly. Make more time for family and friends, they are your support network and the rock that keeps you up when the stuff hits the fan. Enjoy your family more, laugh more with them and share special moments. Don’t let fear stop you advancing and do not be content with lack of energy, fight it and win, arriving at goals you thought previously were too difficult to reach with cheerfulness, positivity and a belief in yourself, your qualities and your abilities.”

Right, lets get to it then.

Happy – horsey – new year!

January 1, 2011

Who can believe it, it’s 2011 already and that means John is now 23 years young. As with people, I think age with horses has a lot to do with the mind – if you act like you’re old, tired and worn out then you will be old, tired and worn out; but if you act like a youngster then you will be a youngster – in outlook and deed. That’s certainly true of my boy, watching him canter up the field you would never believe he has seen as many summers as he has. Hacking out too, he can still throw a surprise or three at me, and while he casts a disdainful eye at his younger field companions spooking at a tractor, he can still outshine them in the nonsense stakes when he wishes.

And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

The snow has now gone and the horses are at last out, yet turning him out after a week stuck in the stable was a joy, no pulling, no barging, no being Mr Tall Horsey, he behaved with the utmost grace and decorum, let me lead him to the field with no spooking or shying. What a star.

I’m looking forward to getting back in the saddle, I can’t even remember when we last rode out, but… I always get nervous when I don’t ride and so not having ridden in a while means more nerves than normal. I know it’s no big deal, I face this every time, but still, I’m looking forward to getting that first ride out of the way so we can move on – weather permitting of course, I’m told we are in for snow again…

December 27, 2010

Another Christmas day over with but the luscious, comforting vibe lingers on. Here, the snow outside is a pain – it’s no longer snow but solid ice and lethal.

We have had Nana with us now for almost two weeks, she’s been poorly but is on the mend – to be honest it feels natural for her to be here with us but then I grew up with a grandparent in the house, my Granada, he was our third parent and always there.

She is such an independent stick though that I know she will be back off to her own home as soon as she’s able.

Too many chocolates and too much wine, and a diet to look forward to in the New Year (same for all of us I’m sure).

Dotty has had a good time I think, she is happy with what ‘Santa’ brought her, but she has taken to silent mode – teenage sullenness at nine years old can you believe – so it’s difficult to get much out of her.

Puppy Spice has had a great time too – there are doggy treats lying all over the room and he’s had so much turkey and gammon… he’s a happy chap. The cats – Socky and Rosie – have had their fair share but they still wish the yappy doggy would disappear I’m sure.

I do enjoy Christmas, being at home with the family and relaxing is something to be savoured and hardly ever happens throughout the rest of the year. I even bought a newspaper today – and I intend to read it. I’ve still a few days of leisure left before returning to the real world after all.

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Soooo bored…..

December 26, 2010

With all of the horses being in for the past week or so – since the snow the yard is a total ice rink – I’ve been thinking about ways to make the day more interesting as it must be soooo boring being stuck in a stable all day. For me as well, there’s the added worry of arthritis (John’s not mine) and swollen legs (again John’s not mine). He needs gentle exercise – but if we can’t ride out and he can’t go out into the field what are we supposed to do?

Given that I can’t stay with him all day, grooming him or telling him jokes, what’s the alternative?

We do have a ball, it’s an oval football. We did have one of those hexagonal ones, the unbreakable ones, but I loaned it to a friend last winter and her pony broke it. Our oval football keeps him interested for oh about 10 minutes, then he gets fed up and hoofs it into the wall with a look that says ‘just give me the treats it would be easier’.

So I decided to research the subject – what can you do to alleviate the boredom if your horse cannot go out into the field:

This first one didn’t take up too much time – from experience, all I have to do is scratch his ears and he’s happy – but you can’t do that for hours on end.

Footballs – hexagonal or oval-shaped, you just insert the treats in one end, the horse kicks it around the stable, then the treats fall out the other end to reward patient horse.

Mirrors – I haven’t used one of these but the idea is that the horse sees his reflection and thinks he has a friend with him, someone to talk to so he doesn’t get bored or stressed. Don’t know how John would react to a mirror, probably try to eat it or groom it.

Likits – these are horsey sweets and they do adore them. The first time I gave John a Likit a few years ago he didn’t know what to do with it. He soon got the hang of it though and loves them – though the size of his tummy means we don’t indulge too often. And he hasn’t got the hang of the name, Likit, he bites it and tries to eat it all in one, plastic holder included.

Hiding carrots in the stable – these days he misses carrots in his feed, so the chances of him finding carrots hidden in his stable are quite slim I think.

With any luck the snow will soon melt and life will get back to normal for John and his pals, until then, any suggestions for alleviating the boredom of being stuck in the stable would be greatly appreciated.