Harry horse & Charlie adventures! Horse chat & much more! Everyone welcome!

[Yorkshire Coop]

Why thank you @Wishing4Wings Thinking back after it all that’s when the what if’s start creeping just so lucky there for it.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

I’m now going to be flying a flag for actually riding today

Had no one to go with so thought I would just ride in the little arena. Had a plod round in there and he was being a good lad so I headed out round the little block. Not too bad at first to say we were on our own, just a bit of calling for other horses but a nice forward going walk. All going ok until we turned the corner to head home! Don’t know what was going off in his head but he totally lost the plot! Cantering sideways, huffing, puffing, throwing his head and generally being a total pain in the rear end Acting like a 3 year old not a nearly 23 year old. Then we encountered a tractor & large trailer plus a big sprayer in a field behind a hedge. Well that was it & he totally blew a gasket after that. Seriously thought I was coming off with all the flailing around he was doing! In the end managed to get him to trot so we trotted all the way home. On the last stretch home he wanted to walk but as he’d been a pain I made him carry on! Got back in one piece but he didn’t get a kiss & cuddle before I left the yard!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Flying another for today

Like a totally different horse today because he had his little pony girlfriend with him! Nice & steady round the village, all in all quite a nice ride. He’s back in my good books now

 

[rebrascora]

Hi Kim
Well done with all the flag flying and even more well done on catching the horse on the railway line. That had the potential to be really nasty. Do you know if it is alright and got over the colic.
I'm here to fly

for yesterday when I got on Arthur in the arena at the farm. Did some ground work/natural horsemanship first, then got in the saddle. He is very unbalanced and not at all forward going and he tripped and stumbled at lot and went down on his knees twice just because he wasn't paying attention. The first time was pretty bad and I thought we were both going to properly hit the deck, but thankfully I managed to stay in the saddle and he managed to right himself. The second time I was more prepared and caught him before he got right down.
Today I have 2 more

. Lauren and I have been out on Rebel and MeMe and then I did a little more on Arthur just before dark..... lets just say he has a long way to go!

Found my diet very hard over the weekend and could not get my head around what to cook and I ended up tucking into a bag of those Jacobs salt and vinegar crackers, which is the first seriously naughty thing I have had. Managed to pull myself together before I guzzled the whole bag but 2/3 were gone . At least it wasn't chocolate or sweets but sill pretty bad. Yesterday and today I have been much better with it and cooked a lovely salmon steak with green veg and sweet potato. Unfortunately when I checked my blood yesterday afternoon, my blood sugar was sky high, so not sure if that was the crackers from Sat night or some other reason, but I was feeling pretty discouraged as I have otherwise been really strict with myself. Learning how to manage it is going to be a long, slow process and it is taking up a lot of extra time reading up and working out recipes and cooking from scratch and reading labels on everything I buy.... Why do the ingredients always have to be in such tiny letters and usually green or red on white printing rather than black and white.... and the diabetes is affecting my eyesight so I can't make it out.... Arrgh!
On the positive side I am steadily losing weight and I am getting into clothes that I haven't been able to for several years and I treated myself to a new top and pair of burgundy jeans from Morrison's and Lidl respectively to give me a boost. I certainly feel a lot better about my body for losing the weight, if only I wasn't so shattered by simple little tasks like pulling my boots on!

As regards the Solo comb, I used to have one and it was OK. Eventually it got blunt and I didn't replace it. It was cheaper to buy a thinning comb... one of those ones with the razor blade in them, but then I went through a phase of hogging them so I didn't need anything and would struggle to put my hands on either item now but I have a Showmaster penknife which has a comb blade attachment on it that I used the last time. Have you used yours yet?.
My beasties are shedding their coats by the handful today so I may have left it too late to clip. Struggling to find the time for that at the moment, especially with 3 to do.

Must go and cook something for dinner. Think it is going to be chana saag as I have some spinach to use up and a tin of chick peas. Not cooked it before, so wish me luck! It ticks all the boxes for my diet which is why I'm trying it and I like Indian food.

Hope you are having a relaxing evening. XX

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

@rebrascora

Hi Barbara! Well done you for flying all those flags! I’m sure it will come with time for Arthur. He sure sure does sound like a bag of jelly at the moment though.

Only one more to fly here for today

Both Harry & Lottie were well behaved but not so on some drivers! One of the main A roads outside of the village is closed completely for re surfacing and they are sneaking through the village which is not the diversion route! 7.5 ton limit & 30mph but the HGV drivers are just ignoring it completely. I had some very choice words for one that came flying round a blind corner at us way above the 30 limit!
As my friend is pregnant I’m being even more cautious and seeing more hazards than I usually would. Her last week for riding this week so come the weekend I’m going to have to find a new partner in crime.

The horse that I caught on the railway is ok I think but I haven’t seen it’s owner to ask her. It has been seen back in its field though so I’m assuming everything is ok. I do hope she has put some electric fence up though now as it broke out of post & rail! I recommended one strand of that good rope one around the top to give it a zap to keep it away.

Really it’s not that bad that you treated yourself to those crackers! Time time & more time is what it will take but it will settle down. Even your eyes will once you get straightened out on the tablets. Scott thought he was going blind and insisted on getting new glasses but once things had settled down his sight improved no end. Yes I totally get it on not knowing what to cook! Difficult here as Charlie looks like he could do with some meat on him but Scott needs some more off! Plus no one ever wants the same thing

Yes I’ve tackled Harry with the solo comb It did nip it off well but my line is not straight at all and I dare not take anymore off. Not quite got the knack of guessing how much I had back combed before nipping it off. But it does look better than it did and not half as much frizzyness going on. Light not good but you can see zooming in.

Hope you have had something nice for T tonight & are now relaxing xx Catch you soon Barbara xx

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Evil looking dogs! Like robots!

 

[rebrascora]

Hi Kim
Harry looks well with his mane thinned. I am also very impressed with the lovely straight clip line down his face! Coats are coming out by the handful from my lot now, so they will be not getting that second clip.
Sorry to hear that you are having to cope with inconsiderate/hazardous traffic using a rat run through the back lanes to avoid a diversion. Hopefully the main road will be back to full use soon and it will have subsided, but I know how annoying it is when people whiz along the back lanes like that with not a thought as to what may be around the corner.
I am flying another

for yesterday although we got absolutely soaked! I rode out with my sister and she chose to ride Rebel so I was on the western saddle on Rascal for the first time. Not sure how comfortable it is. My body has been complaining a bit today. You ride so much longer than I am used to and there is quite a lot of pressure on your ankles with those thick fenders instead of narrow stirrup leathers which twist without resistance. Thankfully we had a very sedate ride as Rebel was coughing quite badly again.... my last bale of haylage has been really dusty and smelly in places and it looks like there were some mole hills that got harvested into the bale. Thankfully I found some better stuff for him and he has not been so bad today. I was quite happy to take it steady though because I wasn't actually sure how I would manage Rascal's bucks in the western tack. I can normally get my bot well out of the saddle when I feel one coming but with the stirrups so long I was worried he would kink my back. Thankfully they were both pretty well behaved .... apart from trying to nip each other's bums or necks at every opportunity.... and we got home without incident. Hoping to get out tomorrow afternoon with Lauren if the weather doesn't close in. She is at Uni in the morning so will miss the best of the day unfortunately.
Pleased to report I've been doing better with my diet and am now down to a BMI of 24 today from 27 three weeks ago so I'm very happy with that and feel so much better for it, even if the diabetes symptoms are a pain. I'm sure the horses also appreciate my weight loss. I will be up to full dose of the Metformin (4 a day) tonight. Any idea how long it will take to feel less fatigued? Was it quite instant for Scott or did it take weeks to start feeling more normal. I'm so relieved that you mentioned about his sight returning to normal once he got the diabetes under control. That gives me hope. I have an appointment at the eye clinic next Tues and was a little concerned that I might lose my Driving Licence although I don't feel like my distance sight is affected too much. I don't use the car a lot so I could do without it at a push but really don't want to lose it even temporarily if I can help it.
Anyway, think that is all my news. Hope you have a great weekend and perhaps manage to squeeze one more ride in with your pregnant friend before she hangs up her boots. XX

 

[rebrascora]

Just checking in to wave a flag

for yesterday. Lauren and I took Rebel and MeMe out and did about 4 miles. They were both very keen but not too silly and we had an enjoyable ride. Rebel's breathing was much better and he was not in the mood for giving Lauren a collected canter like he did the other day.... it was full out gallop or nothing! Doubt there will be anymore riding for a few days now with this storm coming in. It is trying to sleet out there now.
I'm still losing weight at a rate of knots and although I had a great day yesterday and got lots done, I'm knackered today. I've lost over a stone in the last 4 weeks and whilst I feel better for it in many respects and my BMI is now into the normal range, I'm starting to wonder where/when it is going to end. Thankfully the sugar craving is much less severe now and I'm starting to get to grips with the diet a bit better. Family and friends have been wonderfully supportive although the array of cakes and donuts and fruit pies at Ian's is still a bit of a temptation. I did succumb to a tiny sliver of cherry pie the other night.... only 3/4 of an inch at the crust end though.

Hope you enjoy the rest of the weekend and stay safe and warm. XX

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

@rebrascora
Hi Barbara! Two flags! Glad they were both enjoyable rides for you with no incident!
I’m going to flying one for this morning

We had planned to be tacked up and on for 9 but an almighty shower came in so that put paid to that. Once it had passed though the sun came out but still very blustery. Blooming gusty in fact! But Becky was determined to go as it’s her last weekend. So quickly tacked up and off we set. Just got up the lane and it got pretty dark very quickly with another shower cloud Was too late by then so we had to carry on. It proper came down! Whilst both Harry & Lottie were very good in the wind neither wanted the rain on them and both wanted to turn round to put their bums to it. Managed to get to the end where it’s a little more sheltered and you could actually hear yourself think. It quickly past so we cracked on down the village with the wind behind us. Just turned the last corner home and it started again but this time with howling winds through the hedge that’s on the last stretch. All back in one piece but Harry was pleased to get his fleecy cooler on when we got back! Oh and no road closure today so no HGV’s through the village.

Thanks on his mane but it still needs a little tidying up as it’s bugging me. I’m just reluctant to keep taking more off because he may end up with non left.....
The line on his face was far more luck than judgment on my part!

Super impressed with how much weight you have lost. Still though a little sliver of cherry pie is not that bad when you are doing so well. It’s not like you ate the whole lot. Could Ian not hide his goodies? Not very fair there tempting you if they are in sight.

I asked Scott about when he first started on the tablets & he says he did feel a bit crappy at first but after about 3-4 weeks he did feel better. But he did change brand of Metformin. They always give you the cheapest brand first but he says if you are not improving go back and tell them. They might change the tablets. Scott is on these ~

He says your eyes may take a little longer to get better but they certainly should. If you can save your money and get glasses when your eyes are settled. Scott didn’t listen to the optician and got glasses that now no good to him!
Have you got an appointment for retinal screening yet?

Well I best get some T on for the gang here. Charlie has got his girlfriend here again. Still can’t get 2 words out of her! She came yesterday T time after college and I’m not joking, not a sentence. This about the fourth time she has stayed over so surely she must be used to us by now and I’ve been on my best behaviour! I’m just not sure what else to do

Catch you soon Barbara xx

 

[rebrascora]

Oh no Kim! It sounds like you got hit by similar rain showers to those that drenched us on Wednesday. I'm so impressed that you went out despite the weather though. I was the same as Harry.... couldn't wait to get home and get my warm, dry, fleecy dressing gown on once we had made the horses comfortable.
Really appreciate the info regarding Scott's experience with diabetes. That helps a lot! My appointment this Tues is at the retinal screening clinic. Not really sure what to expect other than that I won't be able to drive for 6hrs afterwards. I make do with Pound shop reading glasses, so I am not about to spend a fortune at the opticians at least until things settle down with my eyesight, but it is good to know that it may well resolve once my blood sugar stabilises.
You are right that they started me off with 28 branded Metformin (like those n your image) but I now have a big box of generic tablets. It is useful to know that there may be some difference in effectiveness. I spoke to the nurse yesterday and she said they may have to give me some other medication as well as the Metformin if my levels don't start to come down soon.
Sad to hear that Charlie's girlfriend has not opened up a bit with you yet. It will happen when she is ready no doubt. Some people take a lot longer than others to feel at ease. It is just a shame when you have interests in common, but hopefully she will overcome her shyness in time. X