Thursday evening we had a lovely meal and I was feeling well, if inordinately tired. Some time during the night I awoke with a stomach lined with concrete and passed some considerable time in the environs of the bog, or curled up in a small ball next to the bog, or writhing around going "arrrghh" and "mmmph", followed inevitably by "weh!". I don't know why this only happened to me, but clearly I couldn't blame Sid's cooking if nobody else was affected. Unsurprisingly, next morning greeted me with stomach cramps and a giant, pounding headache. I can now say with some authority that getting up to feed round at 5:30am after such an event is (a) very unpleasant, and (b) more time-consuming than could reasonably be expected. Had to stay off work and nurse myself gently through the day doing very little, trying not to be blokeish. The headache was still there late afternoon and into the evening, so an early night was called for. Except that when I went to bed and looked out the bathroom window I saw a set of headlights rather incongruusly driving about in our neighbour John's fields, opposite. Had to call him and he went out there to investigate, while Sid piled outside with an implement of Japanese persuasion, just in case self defence might be required, while I followed him out with my, erm, torch. Headlights disappeared, John was ok so we then had to check the fields, Sid with his implement of Japanese persuasion and me with my, erm, torch.
Knickers bless her took pity on me and offered to feed round this morning, which meant an uninterrupted lie in til 8am. Bliss! 8am arrives; I wake thinking "fuck! Tessa's coming at half nine and the kitchen is rancid; better get my arse in gear". Kitchen cleaned, random loose chickens restored to their pen, Tessa arrives, we catch up. Q had a bit of tightness in his wither area and Sid had his neck fixed, I made a fish stock and some bacon butties. Sent Sid and Knickers shopping while I put up a new fence line and dug a wheelbarrow full of thistles out of the girls' winter paddock, before preparing for a lesson on T with Mandy. As the weather was nice, I'd made the fundamental error of taking the boys' rugs off so that they could enjoy the sun on their backs and, inevitably, they had rolled in the muddiest areas: T was a mud monster requiring less a robust grooming brush than a hammer and chisel. We got a decent warmup in; although he was quite distracted he settled and relaxed before Mandy arrived and we had what turned out to be a great lesson. A moment's excitement when Sid was trying to cover his car with a car cover, which set T off - he scuttled forward but only to the end of the rein and that was that. What a good lad. Have resolved to have a lesson every week now so very much looking forward to that.
Afterwards, removed the harrow from the girls' winter paddock, took the opportunity to harrow their current paddock, rearranged the temporary electric fence to section it off, called Sid and Knickers to come and witness, and let the girls out into their new pasture. Oh! the big trots and tails right up over their backs, what a beautiful sight. We don't often get to see them move but when they do they really go for it! Wow. It took about 5 seconds for Q to spot the new development and about the same for T. Poor Q was doing his Best Trot (TM) up and down the fence and the girls were alternatively trotting around larging it up, and stopping to graze, ignoring him utterly and in my view, quite ostentatiously. Left them to it, went to clean out their shelter and wrestle the muck heap into submission, feed round and retreat indoors to:
* build two fires
* chop a shedload of onions
* take a shower
* vacuum
* light loads of candles
just in time for Liz and Tim to arrive for dinner. We haven't seen them for ages and it was really good to catch up over an excellent bouillabaisse (Sid), bangers and bubble & squeak with red wine onion gravy and spinach (me and Knickers) and sticky toffee pudding (Knickers) plus lashings of wine and a roaring fire. Fab night, ate way too much and had a good giggle :)
A very busy, productive and enjoyable day.
Sunday 31 October 2010
Sunday 24 October 2010
Equine communion
It's been a mixed weekend what with one thing and another and I've either been too busy or too tired to do anything with the boys until today. This is a bummer, what with daylight hours now being at such a premium, but can't be helped and I've learned the hard way that things done when feeling "meh" are at best uninspired. They're out all day anyhoo so it's not like they're cooped up in a stable.
The day dawned cold but sunny; Q first, my pipe and slippers man, shade of my heart, apple of my eye. I had thought he might be a bit lively, what with the cold and such, but no, energy conservation cranked up to max. We spent most of the session revising a more honest contact on the right rein, combined with more activity. He has learnt the lesson well and I felt better able to maintain it than previously. Saved any lateral work for afterwards and the test was the half-pass right, where often he'll tilt his head at the poll, but didn't this time, so that was great. A lovely ride.
Next Mr T. I'm still at the stage where I often make excuses for not riding him, to my chagrin, and as a result of this we have regressed a bit so that the softness we'd achieved in our trot work had farked orf. I knew today was going to be a good day; he had that look of soft, liquid vlvet in his eyes and was so chilled throughout the grooming and preps, none the worse for the rocket fuel haylage I've just started feeding. We had a good, considered warm up during which he seemed to be very much enjoying the stretching and gymnasticising work, and we had that mental connection that I'm only rarely in a place to participate in but which is quite, quite magical when it happens and makes everything else seem incidental.
He was just as lovely under saddle; calm and soft and attentive, the best he has felt for me in a long long time. He was just there with whatever I asked in the lateral work; LY, SI, HP, and best of all very nice and soft in the trot, enabling us to work through a load of school shapes and pay no attention whatsoever to the mares next door, the shooting in the woods or the chainsawing that Sid was doing in the wood pile. I could have ridden him all afternoon, beautiful beautiful boy.
It's done wonders to restore the balance in my head, which has been skewed for quite a while as a result of a lot of unnecessary bollocks, and it's brought me back full circle to a renewed appreciation for our beloved herd and how utterly worthwhile it all is even when at the lowest point it all seems so hard and relentless. The real lesson in it all is to remember to be in the moment wherever possible and never, ever allow work to get out of its box.
The day dawned cold but sunny; Q first, my pipe and slippers man, shade of my heart, apple of my eye. I had thought he might be a bit lively, what with the cold and such, but no, energy conservation cranked up to max. We spent most of the session revising a more honest contact on the right rein, combined with more activity. He has learnt the lesson well and I felt better able to maintain it than previously. Saved any lateral work for afterwards and the test was the half-pass right, where often he'll tilt his head at the poll, but didn't this time, so that was great. A lovely ride.
Next Mr T. I'm still at the stage where I often make excuses for not riding him, to my chagrin, and as a result of this we have regressed a bit so that the softness we'd achieved in our trot work had farked orf. I knew today was going to be a good day; he had that look of soft, liquid vlvet in his eyes and was so chilled throughout the grooming and preps, none the worse for the rocket fuel haylage I've just started feeding. We had a good, considered warm up during which he seemed to be very much enjoying the stretching and gymnasticising work, and we had that mental connection that I'm only rarely in a place to participate in but which is quite, quite magical when it happens and makes everything else seem incidental.
He was just as lovely under saddle; calm and soft and attentive, the best he has felt for me in a long long time. He was just there with whatever I asked in the lateral work; LY, SI, HP, and best of all very nice and soft in the trot, enabling us to work through a load of school shapes and pay no attention whatsoever to the mares next door, the shooting in the woods or the chainsawing that Sid was doing in the wood pile. I could have ridden him all afternoon, beautiful beautiful boy.
It's done wonders to restore the balance in my head, which has been skewed for quite a while as a result of a lot of unnecessary bollocks, and it's brought me back full circle to a renewed appreciation for our beloved herd and how utterly worthwhile it all is even when at the lowest point it all seems so hard and relentless. The real lesson in it all is to remember to be in the moment wherever possible and never, ever allow work to get out of its box.
Friday 22 October 2010
Howay the girls II
Day off today (yay!) which began as usual at 5:30am feeding round then back to bed with a cup of tea and book, and a couple of hours' kip. Sid is away in Amsterdam on business; been really missing him but the one good thing is the lack of "cute snuffly noises" at night and a better than average sleeping pattern as a result.
Probably could have stayed in bed for rather longer but was dragged into a state of consciousness by Pheel, on the blower to apologise for not having been round as arranged last night to remove a bad bale of haylage, on account of being pinned under a car after the jack collapsed. Luckily he'd dragged a spare tyre underneath as a secondary precaution and was thus saved from serious injury. With Pheel, you never really know what mad thing has happened that means he hasn't been able to keep a prearranged appointment and I was once more glad I wasn't at immediate pains to text him about the staple gun and the pole in the garden as a result of his not turning up.
What better way to spend a day off than wandering about the homestead, inspecting fencing, the rate of grass growth, poo picking and removing the boys' rugs so that they could run and roll in their furry splendour, enjoying late autumnal sun. Splendid. Did a bit of shopping and back sharpish for a 2pm appointment with Robin the farrier.
I'm so proud of our girls and in awe once more at the splendour that is the temperament of the Lusitano horse. Today was only their second appointment, which was a bit delayed as Robin had hurt his back. Xacra has quite a big crack in the right hind hoof and I was concerned about it, so in the absence of anything else I was trying to apply some linseed oil. Her response? Front feet: concern but ok, if I approached very very calmly and lowered myself slowly towards her feet, and as long as Knickers was at her head providing calmness and moral support (Knickers incidentally is showing great promise with a very calm reassuring way with the girls). Back feet however, less easy and I ended up lashing the brush to the end of a long whip and using that, as the last thing I need is my head being kicked off. So I was trying not to think of what she'd do with Robin and whether she'd kick his head clean off.
We did Alfama first, who was less anxious, though nervous still, and this time she had a full trim and rasp all the way round. Having never been rasped before it was obviously a strange sensation but she was exceptionally good and accepted it all without murmur. Xacra was more nervous; really quite nervous in fact but again she stood and took it without any problems - even the right hind. Robin was ace - very calm and reassuring. And oh! the sexy feet that emerged from the process - they look like proper feet now and I am glad :) Must take photos.
In other news we have dispensed with 42 eggs today, which is bloody good going if you ask me. 36 have gone to the local farm shop for resale and I gave six to Pheel, just because.
Meanwhile Knickers and I are enjoying an evening of cider and good grub. I have just discovered Kopparberg premium cider with strawberry and lime - Jesus.
And it's only Friday - yay!
Probably could have stayed in bed for rather longer but was dragged into a state of consciousness by Pheel, on the blower to apologise for not having been round as arranged last night to remove a bad bale of haylage, on account of being pinned under a car after the jack collapsed. Luckily he'd dragged a spare tyre underneath as a secondary precaution and was thus saved from serious injury. With Pheel, you never really know what mad thing has happened that means he hasn't been able to keep a prearranged appointment and I was once more glad I wasn't at immediate pains to text him about the staple gun and the pole in the garden as a result of his not turning up.
What better way to spend a day off than wandering about the homestead, inspecting fencing, the rate of grass growth, poo picking and removing the boys' rugs so that they could run and roll in their furry splendour, enjoying late autumnal sun. Splendid. Did a bit of shopping and back sharpish for a 2pm appointment with Robin the farrier.
I'm so proud of our girls and in awe once more at the splendour that is the temperament of the Lusitano horse. Today was only their second appointment, which was a bit delayed as Robin had hurt his back. Xacra has quite a big crack in the right hind hoof and I was concerned about it, so in the absence of anything else I was trying to apply some linseed oil. Her response? Front feet: concern but ok, if I approached very very calmly and lowered myself slowly towards her feet, and as long as Knickers was at her head providing calmness and moral support (Knickers incidentally is showing great promise with a very calm reassuring way with the girls). Back feet however, less easy and I ended up lashing the brush to the end of a long whip and using that, as the last thing I need is my head being kicked off. So I was trying not to think of what she'd do with Robin and whether she'd kick his head clean off.
We did Alfama first, who was less anxious, though nervous still, and this time she had a full trim and rasp all the way round. Having never been rasped before it was obviously a strange sensation but she was exceptionally good and accepted it all without murmur. Xacra was more nervous; really quite nervous in fact but again she stood and took it without any problems - even the right hind. Robin was ace - very calm and reassuring. And oh! the sexy feet that emerged from the process - they look like proper feet now and I am glad :) Must take photos.
In other news we have dispensed with 42 eggs today, which is bloody good going if you ask me. 36 have gone to the local farm shop for resale and I gave six to Pheel, just because.
Meanwhile Knickers and I are enjoying an evening of cider and good grub. I have just discovered Kopparberg premium cider with strawberry and lime - Jesus.
And it's only Friday - yay!
Monday 18 October 2010
I blink and a month goes by
So the big project is finished and in on time as specified; the feedback not so much well done as "why did you do it yourself; why didn't you get someone else to do it". Perhaps because it's the only fucking way I could get it in on time as specified! This may well have been the straw that broke the camel's back. How I haven't murdered a fellow commuter of late I have no idea. How my family haven't divorced me, I have no idea. It's really unhealthy and when you start to feel the stress manifesting itself in phyiscal symptoms, something has to give, as I did almost immediately after I knew the project was in a fit state to go live.
But enough about work. Things at the homestead are well and that is the most important thing. We've had Rui with us for the past few days and enjoyed some excellent sessions with the boys. I suffer from lack of motivation when doing everything alone especially when knackered after a long day at work, so it's nice to have someone to work with, apart from anything else. A few lightbulb moments consolidated and given me work to take forward. Need to clip them as they are well into their winter woollies.
The girls are very well although I am a bit worried about a large crack in Xacra's hoof. O ferradore coming on Friday so we'll see what can be done. Meanwhile I've been applying linseed oil to her feet - gently I might add as she is unaccustomed and unsure about humanoids kneeling by her feet, but getting a little better each day. For her right hind it's worse, I suspect because she's more leery about her right side generally, so I've lashed the brush to a long whip and am using that during the interim. Not done nearly as much as I should about picking up their feet. Bad mommy. Knickers has been helpign me and is showing great promise as a calm and compassionate being around the horses. Go Knickers!
The big news is we now have six chickens and are awash with eggs. They are fab :)
But enough about work. Things at the homestead are well and that is the most important thing. We've had Rui with us for the past few days and enjoyed some excellent sessions with the boys. I suffer from lack of motivation when doing everything alone especially when knackered after a long day at work, so it's nice to have someone to work with, apart from anything else. A few lightbulb moments consolidated and given me work to take forward. Need to clip them as they are well into their winter woollies.
The girls are very well although I am a bit worried about a large crack in Xacra's hoof. O ferradore coming on Friday so we'll see what can be done. Meanwhile I've been applying linseed oil to her feet - gently I might add as she is unaccustomed and unsure about humanoids kneeling by her feet, but getting a little better each day. For her right hind it's worse, I suspect because she's more leery about her right side generally, so I've lashed the brush to a long whip and am using that during the interim. Not done nearly as much as I should about picking up their feet. Bad mommy. Knickers has been helpign me and is showing great promise as a calm and compassionate being around the horses. Go Knickers!
The big news is we now have six chickens and are awash with eggs. They are fab :)
Sunday 3 October 2010
Week from hell
This has been a tortuous week work-wise; we're all on our knees under the stain of it all and staggering about under the certain knowledge that it probably won't be good enough anyway. The physical signs of stress have been apparent for a few weeks now and that is a concern: not least for my fellow commuters. It's only my by now well-honed training in the art of forbearance that has kept the bodies from piling up around me; that and the realisation that, contrary to a great deal of evidence to the contrary, there aren't actually more irritating people around, it only feels like it. The last time I was so frequently boiling over with irritation, I was in my early 20s. Still, hopefully two of the biggest projects can be finished off next week, just in time for the next load of work to be piled on from a great height. I feel like Garfield in that cartoon when he's looking up and all you can see is his chops on the top of his head, presumably looking at the accompanying "WHY".
Meanwhile back at the ranch Knickers has been settling in and making herself very useful indeed as poo picking Queen and maker of horse dinners Extraordinaire.I've only managed perfunctory doings with the boys this week and didn't manage to do them at all yesterday, but we did get lots done (poo picking and reprising the rancid, sodden mess of the left side of the field shelter, which has suffered from all that rain. I spoke to Pheel about it, who had the marvellous idea that we use some of the giant pile of wood chips that he put in the picadeiro for us only last week. So my big task for the day was to clear out the straw and lay a deep covering of wood chips (9 barrows). I've yet to see what it looks like today but the great thing is that it's biodegradable, we have an inexhaustible supply, and can just keep adding to it. So this might be the answer to our problems. We didn't really want to put a permanent base down as that would mean not being able to move it around, and we bought a mobile one for just that reason.
Otherwise, we bought some solid poles to fence off areas of the girls' field, to give the reseeded area a chance to regrow, and it's now long very very green and lush. This is going to be very useful for pasture management. They do have quite a light footprint anyway, being small and unshod, although the area around the field shelter is best described as a quagmire. I'm really glad we opted to reseed with the more natural grasses, as although they take longer to establish they form a denser mat of roots and that helps the ground hugely. All the fields are looking quite decent given the amount of rain we've had and everyone being out 24/7, which is encouraging. I'm toying the the idea of cracking open the haylage but can't yet bring myself to wrestle with a large bale every day, trying to persuade it to part with bits of itself. Maybe there's a knack to it that I haven't yet discovered. I have armed myself with many hay nets, to help during the week.
Meanwhile, all the water butts are overflowing and we are wondering what we can do with all this water - thousands of litres of it. At worst we have a pump to drain it away into the ditch next to the road but it would be nice to reuse it. You can get some purifying tablets to use it as drinking water, which might be useful in the winter when the taps and pipes freeeze on the yard.
Today it's windy but at least not lashing down yet and I really must do something with the boys as the main priority. Off to shower and get on with it.
Meanwhile back at the ranch Knickers has been settling in and making herself very useful indeed as poo picking Queen and maker of horse dinners Extraordinaire.I've only managed perfunctory doings with the boys this week and didn't manage to do them at all yesterday, but we did get lots done (poo picking and reprising the rancid, sodden mess of the left side of the field shelter, which has suffered from all that rain. I spoke to Pheel about it, who had the marvellous idea that we use some of the giant pile of wood chips that he put in the picadeiro for us only last week. So my big task for the day was to clear out the straw and lay a deep covering of wood chips (9 barrows). I've yet to see what it looks like today but the great thing is that it's biodegradable, we have an inexhaustible supply, and can just keep adding to it. So this might be the answer to our problems. We didn't really want to put a permanent base down as that would mean not being able to move it around, and we bought a mobile one for just that reason.
Otherwise, we bought some solid poles to fence off areas of the girls' field, to give the reseeded area a chance to regrow, and it's now long very very green and lush. This is going to be very useful for pasture management. They do have quite a light footprint anyway, being small and unshod, although the area around the field shelter is best described as a quagmire. I'm really glad we opted to reseed with the more natural grasses, as although they take longer to establish they form a denser mat of roots and that helps the ground hugely. All the fields are looking quite decent given the amount of rain we've had and everyone being out 24/7, which is encouraging. I'm toying the the idea of cracking open the haylage but can't yet bring myself to wrestle with a large bale every day, trying to persuade it to part with bits of itself. Maybe there's a knack to it that I haven't yet discovered. I have armed myself with many hay nets, to help during the week.
Meanwhile, all the water butts are overflowing and we are wondering what we can do with all this water - thousands of litres of it. At worst we have a pump to drain it away into the ditch next to the road but it would be nice to reuse it. You can get some purifying tablets to use it as drinking water, which might be useful in the winter when the taps and pipes freeeze on the yard.
Today it's windy but at least not lashing down yet and I really must do something with the boys as the main priority. Off to shower and get on with it.
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