The start of autumn and spring always bring about big changes in the horses routine. It’s a natural shift with it being the end of the season and also they move to their winter grazing. I quite like the feeling of prepping for winter and planning some easier months of training or months off entirely.
This year Qantas will be spending winter in Wales, because of his injury he just won’t cope on the slippy, sticky, slopy clay winter field at my livery. So he’ll be much better off on the sandy only slightly muddy fields of Wales. I could stable him over Winter but he just doesn’t like the stable at my livery, he stresses, he rears and he does tiny laps creating some kind of shavings velodrome. Plus I truly believe that he’ll be better off moving and using his shoulder. In my head we stopped doing bed rest for human patients long ago and yes it’s much easier to tell a human to take it easy but I avoid box rest if I can.
Tissy is going to give being barefoot a go over winter. She always has a few months off without shoes every year but normally that’s because I’m not riding her. This year I’m keeping her ticking over so she doesn’t loose too much muscle or fitness but as the fields like to steal horseshoes on a weekly basis over winter and she won’t be doing that much, coupled with the fact her feet are really good, I thought I’d give barefoot a go. So any tips are greatly appreciated. Kevin Bacons horse products have kindly sent me their Hoof formula to ensure her feet stay in tip top condition and I’m excited to try something different.
Beth Endurance 