Christmas Day

WET, WET, WET:

Christmas Day, and as I'm doing the ponies this morning we all had to shelter under the eves of the stables because the rain poured down very hard,  followed by heavy hail stones,  and before we knew it, we were flooded.

 

 

The water quickly filled the ditches around the fields pouring over the road and flooding our garden, driveway and yard.  The torrent swiftly cascaded along the driveway and poured onto our field which filled to a lake very quickly.

 

Tom and Henry didn't seem to mind at all, aren't horses incredible?

 They had to paddle through the torrent of a fast moving temporary river that was the path through their field.

Watch to video, it's incredible how much water fell in such a short time.

The boys, didn't care it was Xmas day, they hated the treats I bought them and didn't care about that either, they just spat them out without so much as a sniff, there's plenty to eat around here, that's likely why, even grass.

The boys had their rugs on with neck covers, standing out in the rain, happy like no human would be getting wet.

Enjoying watching all the people running around, digging ditches and cuttings.

We hope you all have a Happy New Year. Happy riding.

Happy Horsey Holidays

HAPPY HOLIDAYS:

Here in Essex, we've been experiencing Christmas snowy weather already, so we're feeling quite festive.

 

Tom and Henry, and all here at WW wish you all a very Merry Xmas.

 

 

Celebrations

CHRISTMAS:

Now, though Tom & Henry appear completely oblivious to all the madness surrounding Xmas, they'd be the first to notice if there weren't extra treats as promised!

Here at WW there will be napping and galloping but the key to a good holiday is being under no pressure at all, well that's just how we roll here. 

With Doctor Who on on Christmas day, we have plenty of entertainment too.  Plus we'll be stuffed most of the time, brilliant!

 

While we are all rushing about making sure the shelves at Tesco are completely emptied, and we have enough vegetarian mince pies to feed the whole village, even though they only close for 2 days, the boys are rest assured we are well stocked up for horse feed, carrots, apples, hay and bedding.

 

The very last thing we want to think about is work, and let's face it Tom & Henry don't work for a living, prefering the fame of just being gorgeous to get them through life...it works too.

 I'd put up a tree, but Tom would just eat it!

don't you just love them?

 

init alright!

LIFE&HORSES:

...and while I'm sitting at work slaving over a hot Mac, Tom and Henry are swanning around their fields all relaxed and happy, munching grass and generally getting fat and muddy...

...doesn't seem fair does it?

Yet, here we are, close to Xmas, and I can't wait to be at home over the holidays, spending some quality unhurried time with the boys, the cats and John...

 











... (if he gets his alien gun textured that is...see Diabolical the Shooter - his blog and game).

Tom & Henry have Xmas stockings and horse treats of course, I love them so much.

..so roll-on Xmas, we can eat, nap and relax, all of us, we can't wait.  Colin has delivered an ample supply of logs for the fire and range, so we'll be snugly too.

Happy Holidays everyone, safe riding. 

the Best Medicine

HORSES:

Tom & Henry can beat any night out or new handbag hooves down without trying.

I am often asked why do I get up so early, in all weathers, and travel nearly 2 hours to work every day, the answer is simple, because I love to.

Just look into their faces, their dark brown huge eyes is all I need to know, life just would be dull without them.

The boys are currently in the yard throwing haylage everywhere and making a mess, I will of course go out and clear it up several times today, because I have to have a tidy and clean yard.  

But this is how I get to know my boys, by spending time around them, during their days. This time is when you learn a lot about your own horse.

 
Horses simplify everything, because their own life is simple survival, they don't over complicate things like we tend to do, they either like something or take off, simple as that.

...learning his moods and what makes him alert or the atmospheres that allow him rest and to relax, are his way of dealing.

...and consequently this has an effect on my own moods and how I deal with life's little dramas. Trying not to complicate things, and it helps too.

My work life is quite stressful, and a day of dealing with difficult people is simply fixed by spending time with the boys.  Any foul mood I am in, simply dissipates as I get close to home and disappears entirely once I get into the yard. 

 Tom & Henry are good medicine.

I'd like to think Tom & Henry get something from me too, thats' not just dinner, and as another year rolls to an end, we all wish you a Happy New Year from WW!

Tuesday's Tasters

TCJpart101 Shoes

LOST SHOES:

Trakehners, I don't have to tell you, are amazing: agile, athletic, clever, beautiful, stunning, graceful, persuasive....all those things and more....


....but what they also do that no other breed seems to be able to match in sheer cunning, is get their shoes off.

Thank goodness there's something you can do with the recovered shoes, see previous December Yuletide blogs.

Here, once Steve has pulled up in his van, Tom positions himself in the yard, exactly where Steve shoes him, without any encouragement or persuasion  (I haven't put him here), and waits.  Tom knows exactly what to do, he is a clever boy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Steve tells us that in all his many years as a farrier, shoeing everything from Shetlands to Shires, he has never known a pair who get their shoes off as Tom & Henry do!

 

 

Their white feet are the culprits every time.  This could of course be a coincidence but the evidence to the contrary here at WW is convincing otherwise.

 

The shoes, once Steve has them on his anvil, are always twisted, and it's this he can't fathom.  Tom and Henry are only shod on the front, so they can't be overreaching to get them off, so how do they do it?  answer: they're Trakehners and very, very clever.

 

This is Tom having his shoe put back on.

 

 



...all very neat, Tom is immediately happier.

 

a Happy Holiday Gift

TOM & HENRY GIFTS:

After hours of spraying and re-spraying yesterday, the coloured shoes have come out brilliantly, I have left them overnight to completely dry, and only the few gloss black ones I did for myself remain tacky to the touch.

 

You might need to spot re-touch some areas, where the hook was for example, but once they are dry, rub them over gently with a soft cloth, take them indoors, rally some help and add the finishing touches.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lemmy was lounging in front of the blazing range and reluctantly offered his help until he realised ribbon was involved, then he couldn't wait to 'help'!

 

 

 

 

 

Anyone who shops on-line and has cats will have a substantial collection of posh ribbons about the house, collect some of these up and you can finish your gifts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have bowed mine at a top nail hole, but you can also span the ribbon from one hole to the opposite one and the shoe can be hung up.

Lemmy was helpful at the bow tying stage, and soon got to grips with all the different ribbons. I have used black ribbons here, because I want a chic look.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now I have to decide who gets what colour.

 

I'm tempted to keep them all because they are so lovely and personal too since they were once on Tom & more likely Henry, since he looses more shoes than Tom!...

 

...I wonder what colour Paul will choose?

 

Check out what Paul did with his horseshoe on Opulent Scrawls.

a Merry Xmas

...where did Coco get her idea for a logo from I wonder?...





BE CREATIVE:
...and how, with a little time and elbow grease, you can transform some old metal into wonderful Xmas presents:

If, like me, you have a bucket somewhere, full of old and recovered, pulled and rusting shoes, and though you'd never want them back on your horse, you just can't bear to part with them, look no further than a Xmas present solution.


NOTE: Steve has plundered this 'pot' a few times looking for a quick-fix so Henry can have shoes on both feet in an emergency, so having some available is a good idea, so? don't use all the 'best' shoes for this gift soloution.

The idea began when a friend Gorgeous Paul (yes, the same GP who designed the Tom&Henry tops for M&S, and author of Opulent Scrawls: 'how to live life gorgeously'), asked me for one of Tom & Henry's shoes...it got me thinking...because GP wouldn't want an old rusty shoe, with bent nails still in it and caked in Essex mud would he?  definitely not!

Then I asked myself, what could I do to the shoes to make them nice enough for GP to allow them in his abode?

Paint them. So here we go:

First, de-nail the old shoes with pliers, you can knock them from underneath and unless the shoes are very rusty, they should loosen and pop out easily, alternatively have your farrier do it. If, like this single shoe here, they are in there for good, just twist the nails off at the surface (they are quite soft), and grind them flat.

Then get a stiff wire brush and clean the loose surface of decay, mud and rust off, out of the grooves and nail holes, the better you do this job, the better the surface of the finished product will be, and for Paul, it'd have to be perfect.

Then, once they're clean, using a little wire, make a hook, thread it through a nail hole, and hang the shoes up, where they will eventually stay to dry.

Spray a fine coat as instructed on the can, of primer suitable for cars. 2 coats will be fine, allow plenty of time to dry between coats, do it in a well ventilated area, preferably outside. 

IMPORTANT SAFETY TIP FROM JOHN:
Wear a mask too, you dont want paint in your lungs, true story.
 

Once the base coat is dry, spray your chosen top colour onto the shoes, remember these gifts are likely to be kept indoors, so do a neat job.  

The sky is the limit since car spray comes in lots of colours, fluorescent and metallic too! Here Lemmy is 'helping' making sure I do a neat job.

I made a 'washing line' in my yard, and hung them there, outdoors, so very well ventilated. wear something old and gloves are a good idea too.

I used metallic colours for mine, since it's so 'on-trend' for this season: gold, silver and bronze.  Plus I did a neon orange one too for fun...looks great too!

 

Add a top coat of lacquer if necessary, 'bobs your uncle', recycle, reuse and redecorate, everyone will love them!








 




If you're feeling very creative you can even over-paint them with a design or someones name, or use a metallic pen if a paintbrush is too tricky, you can get them in any art shop. Thread a ribbon through a nail hole for hanging too.

Once dry, I will wrap them in tissue, and tie it off with a ribbon.

Tuesday's blog will have an update, and there'll be photos to show you how they turned out, I promise you a treat, and a guest appearance too.



Merry Holidays Everyone, safe riding.