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Mina
Feb 20, 2011 18:39:43 GMT 1
Post by janebaily on Feb 20, 2011 18:39:43 GMT 1
Hi Helen,
So nice to have you back, you really have had a rough time of it. When you get a long period of "downers" like that you begin to think that you are never going to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Mina sounds a lovely girl and you, her and Akis have a nice long summer to look forward to. I am so pleased you are doing so well with her.
Keep us posted, very best wishes, Jane x x
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Mina
Feb 20, 2011 20:01:26 GMT 1
Post by liz on Feb 20, 2011 20:01:26 GMT 1
How nice to see you back, Helen. I've been missing you and I'm so sorry to learn what a rotten start to the new year you and Akis have had. I've been a bit irregular attender myself, lately, due to happy family events. My nephew and his OH had a gorgeous baby boy recently and he is very special to me as he would have been my late twin sister's first grandchild. He is just wonderful, as are all my 6 other great nieces and nephew, of course.
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karen
Full Member
Posts: 133
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Mina
Feb 23, 2011 19:11:41 GMT 1
Post by karen on Feb 23, 2011 19:11:41 GMT 1
Dear Helen
So sorry to hear that you have had such a traumatic start to the new year. I found seeing a hypnotherapist really helpful (it was deciding to be a horse owner again that prompted me to go to try and address my lack of confidence), I hope it helps you too. Also I hope that Akis is fully recovered, what a nasty shock.
You and Mina are a lovely match and I hope you will have lots of photos at the summer party!
Ray has been on his bike only once since Christmas Day - so much for getting fit for Crispin! He won't be able to keep up with us now we are cantering, that's for sure!!
Best wishes Karen xxxx
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Mina
Feb 27, 2011 23:13:29 GMT 1
Post by nellie on Feb 27, 2011 23:13:29 GMT 1
Well, I survived my trip to Essex, many thanks to Karen who was with me in spirit under and over the Dartford Crossing . Ooh, scary bit of road . I couldn't believe that even at 7am there was so much traffic - going the other way the traffic was all backed up along the bridge which was actually quite eyecatching with the lights twinkling in the dawn light but quite mad too! And what an exciting weekend! Yesterday another lovely hack. I was running a bit late so didn't have as much time to lunge as usual but she was a very good girl despite lots of provocation. First we went out in the biggest group so far - 4 or us altogether - all of the horses on recuperation apart from Mina where it's me who's recovering! The idea was that it was a walking only hack, which we basically achieved but the other horses were quite keen... And then the weather: sudden gusts of high wind and rain. But apart from a little jiggy joggy at one point (but back to walk when asked), she was REALLY well behaved. And then today we had our first lesson . We did a bit of lungeing first, always a sound plan, and our instructress helped me to understand better when Mina is working nicely, not too slow, not too fast just nice and active. Then I got on board and we had a little walk around and she got me circling my arms - a la Avril and Karen . Mina was so funny because all the way through she had been looking at the teacher, summing her up, we had quite a giggle about it, and finally she concluded that Mina understands English ;D! What a clever pony ;D. How proud am I of her? Very ;D!
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Mina
May 28, 2011 8:57:50 GMT 1
Post by nellie on May 28, 2011 8:57:50 GMT 1
Well Mina was a very happy girl yesterday. We have no idea how she did it but she managed to get into the resting part of the field and had a very happy time in a field full of grass all to herself . No-one else followed and there didn't seem to be any obvious place she could have got in - no fence damage or anything! And it's not as if she is the slinky svelte kind of horse either to wriggle her way through the electric fencing . She certainly wasn't slinky or svelte by the time she was back in her proper field, more like sleepy and satisfied as she digested all her ill-gotten grub. With any other pony I would have been very worried about colic but she was still managing to graze a bit between snoozes and happily snaffled a carrot though this reassurance did not stop me waking up in the middle of the night worrying!
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Mina
May 28, 2011 15:32:21 GMT 1
Post by angelac on May 28, 2011 15:32:21 GMT 1
Wot a naughty girl Its actually amazing how well these good doers can do on next to nothing. I havent put mine in the summer field yet as somehow they are staying tubby on the sparse winter one. Its something of a mystery. Glad she escaped none the worse,if a little larger
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Mina
May 31, 2011 21:48:35 GMT 1
Post by nellie on May 31, 2011 21:48:35 GMT 1
Mina was such a sweetie today. I've been a bit under the weather so Mina hasn't been out of her field recently (although always checked, twice daily) but today I led her up to the yard and she was such a good girl. She led quietly and sweetly past the latest repairs on farm machinery and the carpentry for the new improved duck run and stood like an angel while I brushed her off and then, when I brushed her forelock, she just tucked her face into my tummy, everso gently (important because that's the bit that's been causing all the trouble : and just rested there ;D. A sweet horse, AKA Mina, is so much better than any healing tonic!
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Mina
Jun 12, 2011 18:01:02 GMT 1
Post by lisandsaf on Jun 12, 2011 18:01:02 GMT 1
Sori to hear you havny been well,, hope your feeling better,, no better therapy than a soft nuzzle pressing up against you,, how lucky we are to share our lives with these gentle guys,,
Regards
Lisa and Saf
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Mina
Jun 20, 2011 21:57:40 GMT 1
Post by nellie on Jun 20, 2011 21:57:40 GMT 1
Naughty, clever Mina!
The girls currently have a biggish bit of field that has been grazed for a while plus a much smaller strip of a very green and grassy paddock. This strip has been grazed by them for about a week now and is at the point where they are having to graze a bit slower. But, the other side of the electric tape is the next strip of lovely, long green grass...
So, last night I got a phone call to say that Mina was on the wrong side of the tape. We dashed over and found the farmer just herding Mina and her side-kick back through. He then attached a re-charged battery, upped the voltage and we all returned home for the evening.
This morning I turned-up to find Mina and side-kick back on the wrong side of the fence. My heart sank as I wondered how I was to get them back through on my own with the whole herd also in the little paddock (last night the farmer had managed to close them into the larger, older field so no risk of them escaping into the green paddock when he took the fence down to get Mina back to where she should be). However, sweetie Mina saw me and immediately gently ambled over to me and through the gap I made in the fence and her side-kick followed -phew! She and her pal were somewhat sluggish and sleepy (very droopy bottom lips) and had very large tummies but no sign of colic (double phew!), Mina just seemed to be saying "Ooh, I've eaten a lot, ooh a very lot!"
Now here's the thing: when I went up to the farmyard I saw the farmer and he said that they got through about 4.30am. He was up and heard a squeal so he looked out of the window. Mina's little friend (who is at the bottom of the pack) was reaching under the electric tape to get to the grass the other side. Mina, obviously getting a little impatient, decided to give her some "encouragement" (aka a bite on the bum) to go a bit further and see if the electric was on whereupon the stooge went under the fence and into the next strip. Mina, having safely ascertained that the electric was not on, could then safely follow! How naughty but how clever!
A separate power source has now been added to that bit of the fence so I'm hoping they'll be where they should be tomorrow morning!
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Mina
Jun 20, 2011 22:36:23 GMT 1
Post by em on Jun 20, 2011 22:36:23 GMT 1
Oh Helen
That did make me laugh... what a clever girl... get someone else electricuted first!!! brilliant..... it must be hard though for our good doers because really all horses want to do is graze and groom and rest over and over!!!! slimming paddocks are never that interesting...
I can only equate it to someone locking me in a room with just celery to eat and for 20mins a day letting me loose on roasted veg pasta and choc to follow then back to celery for 23 and 1/2 hours! ;D
seee you soon x x
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ange
Full Member
Posts: 219
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Mina
Jun 22, 2011 14:13:00 GMT 1
Post by ange on Jun 22, 2011 14:13:00 GMT 1
When I first had Penny and kept her on grass livery, one of the ponies there used to go and listen to the transformer - if it wasn't ticking he was straight under, or through, the fence!!
Smarter than the average human!!! Cheers, Ange.
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erika
New Member
Posts: 35
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Mina
Aug 7, 2011 9:42:48 GMT 1
Post by erika on Aug 7, 2011 9:42:48 GMT 1
Hi Nellie, I love hearing about Mina who is a spitting image of George in terms of shape. Obviously they share some of the same personality traits as well as escaping is one of his tricks. I also strip graze my horses and I have learnt, the hard way, that they only try to escape where the lush grass is. I now make sure that the charger is directly attached to this strip of fencing, especially the top rung as the white cob does lean on the fence to see if it is on. If the white cob is rugged up he has learnt that he can lean over the fence and not get a shock, so in winter I have to put up a parallel set of fencing about 9 inches behind to stop him doing this. I also use ultra tall 4ft posts because George just jumps over, he will clear 4ft as well but not often. If George escapes he knows that he has been naughty and all I have to do is call him, open the fence and he wanders back in looking very sheepish. Finally, the best solution is not to starve them too much. Difficult I know but my horses only really make a bid for freedom if they are really hungry. It is difficult, they are all piling on a few too many pounds at the moment so I am trying to put in more riding time to counteract this. Are you still having lessons on Mina? I was a real ground breaker for us when I had lessons on George. It really improved his going and our communication. Like Mina, he is very attentive in his lessons and works very hard. He also enjoys them which is very important and I have managed in the past to get some lovely canter and pole work out of him. Enjoy the cooler weather, I hope you are beginning to get much stronger. best wishes, Erika & George
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Mina
Sept 4, 2011 0:57:58 GMT 1
Post by nellie on Sept 4, 2011 0:57:58 GMT 1
Well, I am sorry for the protracted silence. The year so far had not been the best and, despite my new year resolution, I hadn't been as fit and well as I would have liked. However, the silver lining was that I had time to stand back and reflect on my life and agree with Akis that we need to make changes - drastic changes. We decided to sell our house, I would leave my job and we would move to be nearer my parents. It hasn't quite all come-off as planned but... we have accepted an offer on the house and yesterday I handed in my notice!!! Yeah ha ;D! However, we are not looking to move far just yet as I have accepted an 18 month contract which is based near where we currently live, so Chichester will have to wait a while. Funnily enough, my mother had said that they could cope for another couple of years but I never though I would be taking them up on the offer to stay away a bit longer! The bit that I was dreading was having to make a decision about Mina . Leaving my job meant that we would not be able to keep her . It took me a very long time to have the difficult conversation with Avril about whether there would be space for Mina to go back to her for re-sale . And I couldn't bring myself to post about my worries. But, with the job offer and the house sale going through (please may it all come to pass!), she stays with us ;D. She is an absolute dear. Just like George, she is a sensitive soul and quickly tunes into my mood, which, as I am sure you can appreciate given how the last year has gone, hasn't always been a good thing! However, I'm learning to relax more, to live in the moment, release my shoulder tension and just enjoy being with her (for anyone who has been on an Avril course, you will understand all of the above in the context of what Avril teaches ) - and the rewards are worth it as she really is a soppy mare who loves being the centre of attention. Between selling the house, doing a handover at work, setting up my own company and going off on an already-booked holiday, life is going to be frantic until October but hopefully in a good way... we'll see!
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Mina
Sept 4, 2011 1:01:07 GMT 1
Post by nellie on Sept 4, 2011 1:01:07 GMT 1
PS Sarah and Em, many thanks for your messages, I will reply at a more civilised hour! ;D
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Mina
Sept 4, 2011 10:15:19 GMT 1
Post by sarah on Sept 4, 2011 10:15:19 GMT 1
So lovely to see a post from you Helen, I have been worried about you.
Wow, what a year you have had, but sometimes taking stock is a good, although sometimes painful process. It sounds as though things are looking up for you, and if you can keep Mina, well that is just FANTASTIC news. ;D
Look after yourself, enjoy your holiday and spending time with Mina, and if you ever want a day out in the Forest, I would love to see you.
Best Wishes, Sarah. xx
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