Misty

[rabbitsfizz]

Well, I had a job needed doing and master Misty was in the line of fire so he got hauled in in his winter jammies and put to work. To say he was surprised was putting it mildly but, basically, I draw the line at lugging 3 cwt of feed across a field when I have 22 horses sitting around, all of whom are more than happy making certain I soon need to order more!

On the way out he was an angel, on the way back he decided this was just a wee bit like real work and tried one of his old tricks (let's see how quickly we can accelerate and put the wind up the old woman)

Unfortunately for Master Misty he had 3 cwt of feed on board as well as me, so I relaxed told him "you think you can do it go for it" and he decided perhaps a nice gentle jog was the better option!

I fully intend getting through all that fur and continuing the work but to have done any more today would have made him uncomfortable as he was damp under the harness and he is not used to load pulling (although some load is going int he cart for the foreseeable future I am obviously not heavy enough to make him pay attention!) I did not wish to overface him and he had been very good so he got a feed and the ultimate reward- he was put back out to continue loafing around with the other boys.

He did not even fuss when Rabbit squeezed his way into the yard and started screeching sweet nothings in his astounded little ears (he is used to entires, of course, and this is nothing new, Rabbit has always been a little slow on the uptake when it comes to geldings that are fully dressed)just sighed and waited me to prise the over amorous midget yak off him and push it back into it's field.

Too cold to clip in any way whatsoever- too much coat on the gelding to blanket him- suggestions???

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Enjoyed your tale. The end sort of sounded like a variation of the Fierce Bad Rabbit.

I've asked that question before about sweating with all the winter fur, and no one seemed to think it was going to hurt the horse. I never noticed mine having any ill effects from working in winter. They roll, fluff up the fur, and seem fine.

 

[shelterwood]

Yay! good for you for making someone actually work! My mare was hitched last weekend to give sled rides for a friend's 4 year old daughter, and she did great. Maybe a tad over-enthusiastic, which was solved by me sitting in the sled too instead of ground driving from behind, adding some weight, which slowed her down and made her work a bit. She was not sweaty at all, but in the past when she has been I agree with Marsha, it doesn't seem like a big deal to them, they do always roll and get on with business as usual. The only time it concerns me if it is late in the day and getting really cold and windy. Then i may try to towel off a bit to fluff fur. Maybe feed some extra hay. I suspect you're not working him into a drenched lather, so I wouldn't worry. Sounds like you had fun!!

Katie

 

[bluebird]

Well I don't know anything about the sweating issue but I got a great chuckle out of your story!

 

[rabbitsfizz]

No, you misunderstand me....he was not sweated at all, he was damp to start with just from being out in the field. It was a nasty, damp day, so he had not been soaked by rain or anything, but was a generally damp lump of small horse!!

He did not seem overly bothered. I'd have given £100 for a photo of the look on his face when he realised he could not run away with the cart- I should have started him in a stone boat!!

 

[hobbyhorse23]

He did not even fuss when Rabbit squeezed his way into the yard and started screeching sweet nothings in his astounded little ears (he is used to entires, of course, and this is nothing new, Rabbit has always been a little slow on the uptake when it comes to geldings that are fully dressed) just sighed and waited me to prise the over amorous midget yak off him and push it back into it's field.

:rofl

:rofl

*wipes tears off face*

Oh dear lord. I can just see it....

Too cold to clip in any way whatsoever- too much coat on the gelding to blanket him- suggestions??? ...No, you misunderstand me....he was not sweated at all, he was damp to start with just from being out in the field. It was a nasty, damp day, so he had not been soaked by rain or anything, but was a generally damp lump of small horse!!

Welcome to my life in the Great Northwet! I have a heck of a time conditioning because my boys spend at least six months out of the year doing drowned rat impressions and steadfastly refuse to stay in their nice, dry stalls. Why should they, after all? It's not like the rain actually gets through all that fur! It just soaks the top layer so I can't put a stitch of harness on them. Bah!

I bought rain sheets this year as someone finally produced one I actually liked the look of and they worked great for the first few days of light evening rains, but the first really drenching rain found the boys dry along the topline but sopping on the bottom halves where the rain had apparently saturated the fabric and then been held close to their bodies until the horses were also soaked. I was not happy! Haven't had them on the boys since and am blessing a streak of sunny days.

You've got Dinky Rugs in your area though, and I've heard good things about their waterproof blankets. Might try buying a sheet from them (preferably with neck cover, unlike mine!), throw it on him when he's dry and see if you can keep him that way.

Having heavy sheets on them did stamp out all that lovely "loft" to the fur so my boys felt cold rather than warm under the sheet as I was worried they might, but neither acted cold and they usually let me know pretty well if they're chilly. I've never seen them look so skinny in the winter! Regular little horses they were, with great wooly yak heads attached at the shoulders.

Leia

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Hiya, I notice you are not in Iceland

We have snow now, so he has done nothing for a bit, and is still damp- I thought, damp and freezing does not go together too well.

I told my friend that since the feed had worked so well, I would be instantly recognisable at shows as I would be the only person in the ring with three bags of beet pulp on the cart!!