Tag Archives: laminitis

The Grass is Always Greener

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Guess who turned up this morning, after going out into his field with his friends (he snuck back while I was finishing tidying their bedroom)?  Yes, I fed him and yes, I’ve realised I’ve made a rod for my own back but Lambie is a bit thin (that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it) and I luffs him.

After a very strong cup of coffee (my breakfast), I took the dogs out for their walk. I wanted to check the track’s electric fence, to make sure that when the ponies moved in, all systems would be go or at least zap!

Obviously, I had help.

And the ponies all came rushing over to see what I was doing just in case I had chocolate cake in my pocketses.

Despite having a bit of grass in their field, they all hanker to move onto the track.  I have absolutely no idea why.  There is not one blade of grass on it.

Where the ponies currently live has at least something to eat but apparently that’s not good enough anymore.  The grass is always greener, apparently, even if it doesn’t actually exist.

But I made the most of the nice weather and had a sit down spending some special time with Tiddles (‘scuse the many chins).

I am in two minds when to move the ponies over to their track. It is all ready and waiting.  We most certainly don’t want laminitis again and they have wintered well but there really is not one blade of grass there and I will only end up having to feed them very expensive hay, which seems ridiculous when they are ok where they are.  I dunno. I never know.  Answers on a postcard, please.

Wet plant in rain

Winter or Summer Track?

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A wet dreich day and I have galloping TMJ pain so I am feeling very sorry for myself.

Wet field

After trying to play flute duets badly, I gave up (my jaw and neck hurt too much) and dragged Mandy out to help me poo-pick the track instead.  Luckily, Mandy was up for helping me with this grotty job, which was very kind of her.  I kitted her up in my wet-weather-grot-jobs kit.

Mandy helping me poo pick

Recently, I have been wondering whether to move the Shetland ponies onto their winter track or is it too early? I don’t know.

The winter track is all fenced off and ready to go.  All I have to do is open the gate and strategically attach the zappy energiser.

winter track grass

But the winter track is full of grass, some of which is quite lush still.  What to do?  I need to avoid autumn-flush laminitis at all costs.

Long grass

So I showed Mandy my dilemma and she agreed that the winter track is looking a bit too good at the moment.  We talked it all through and the conclusion was while the weather is still in double figures (ie grass growing weather), the Shetland ponies should stay where they are on – their big spring/summer track along with their two haynets a day (split into four small ones).

Shetland ponies eating

I told the ponies of my latest decision.  It makes sense and it was good to talk things through with someone who could see my situation in its entirety (that would be Mandy, not the ponies who refuse to see any situation helpfully).

Newt eating

Now I am off to look for painkillers for my jaw.  I am not enjoying this one bit.  I would like to curl up on the sofa with a hot water bottle and have lovely things brought to me.  Instead, I’ve got to go back outside in the near-dark, put the hens and ducks in their respective bedrooms, let the sheep back in from their field and kiss them goodnight.