...mud fever, we've beaten it!

Tom & Henry...

During arguably the wettest autumn and winter in recorded history, is it any wonder horses up and down the UK have been struck with mud fever?  

Now if you're a regular to TCJ, you be aware of our own battles with it, but they have been corrective rather than preventative.

I can now share with you our well-trialled solution UDDER CREAM.

Yes people, that pink cream, buy the large tubs because you're gonna need them!  We have gone through about 6 tubs so far, and spring (dry weather) is still a long way off.

Tom & Henry are in at night, only because of their tootsies and the wet land.  This means, every morning before I turn them out, I smear their feet - fetlock to coronet band all-round with a liberal application of udder cream. 

For the hooves I have used a winter barrier, but not every day.

The udder cream is a protective barrier against all nasties, and every Sunday night I hose them from knees down to check, and so far - fingers crossed, touch wood, lucky pants - NO fever, mud or otherwise.

I recommend this strategy people, lots of large tubs of cream later and no vet visits - got to be worth a try.

Repeat Offender

Henry

...I love this horse, and Trakehners as you now know are clever and cunning.  They are sharp and light on their feet, they can tip toe and pirouette.  They spin, side step and do fancy Prix StGeorge dressage maneovers in their field.  So is it any surprise they are also very good at shifting shoes...however strongly they are attached!?

Farriers have scratched their chins in amazement at the level of cunning Trakehners will adopt to get a shoe off in fact.

...but Henry takes it to a new level.

He'd get the Gold medal for shoe-shifting if it were an Olympic sport.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm sure they don't lose them more often than is to be expected, its supremely muddy and wet everywhere, and galloping around - which isn't optional at WW -  is a risky strategy if you want all shoes kept on.

But Henry can twist them too, which is a task in itself!

Poor farrier Dean.

Henry is a repeat offender, and look at the twist in that shoe by Lemmy, even the cat can't understand it!

...spring is coming...

..the birds are singing, and the boys are happy x

The days are getting longer, and the grass is growing.  All change at WW.   I'm waiting for the land to dry out before I can keep Tom and Henry out 24/7, which is what they like. 

As you can see from the photos, my pasture is going to need a lot of work to get looking and growing beautifully again.

There's still lots of mud about for rolling fun, and the horses are enjoying every moment.  Tom is losing his winter coat now, and though I keep repeating a cautionary note to him and say it still might snow, he's having none of it!

Henry doesn't care either way, as you'd expect.

...log-in...

...the boredom-breaker issue...

With the weather unspeakable, the paddocks like a swamp and very little riding to be had, is it any wonder our horses might need some added amusement. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hay, of course plays a huge part of Tom & Henry's life, I make certain there's always enough fresh hay to last the whole day.  I don't weigh or measure it, just ad-lib.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Horses love to graze,  which means moving and eating.  so simply putting hay in a single place isn't good enough if your attempting a natural set-up.  Haynets - small holed and normal, hay racks, and 4 Haybars all play a part in my boys daytime feeding routine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More: added to these I have some Jimmy's Hanging balls situated under the eves of the stable.  Tom & Henry LOVE these.  We hung these up at Xmas, only replacing them recently, they last ages, and are a welcome addition to the 'graze' set up I have in the yard.  the boys can wander around the area and find all sort of things to do: eat, chew, lick, bite and play.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Logs:  we had trees down in the storm, so cut into pieces John has been leaving them in the yard for Tom & Henry to de-bark before they go in the splitter.

 

They LOVE them.  often spending 10 minutes at a time chewing the bark off, kicking them around the yard and playing with them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There's some grass too, and they really wander and graze all over the place, in and out of their fields and yard, to find something new or different to work on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I try to remember in the wild horses would move for many miles in one day, chewing on branches and lots of different grasses.  I am just trying to replicate this as much as I am able.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course, large green plastic bins are not part of this 'natural lifestyle'  but they amuse nonetheless!!!

 

 

 

...the Love Edition.....

Happy Valentines Day...
     from Tom & Henry x