Poorly Percy

I haven't updated Percy's blog for ages because he has been ill. He has had strangles, a horrible disease which causes great big abscess' in his throat. He has been very poorly but seems to be getting better. He still has two huge lumps to burst but hopefully there is nothing new. Obviously he couldn't go to his show as he was infectious, so all our lorry work ended up being a bit of a waste. Though to be fair it's good ground work for him, so I can never really look at it as a waste.

He is quite thin at the moment because he is fighting the disease. He doesn't look terrible as I am giving him plenty to eat, even though there is plenty of summer grass I want to make sure he has enough energy to fight his illness. He is also wearing a rug at night when it is wet, this is so his body doesn't have to work at keeping warm as well as fighting Strangles.

I will ask the vet to come and lance his last two abscesses in the next day or so, they are not quite ready. Hopefully this will make him feel a great deal better again. Then fingers crossed he wont develop anymore!

Percy on the lorry

Percy has been having loading lessons this week. Today he went on and off the lorry twice and had a trip round the car park on his own in the box. He was ever so good, I am very pleased with him.

We started off just walking him up the ramp and into the lorry, feeding him a bit and then leading him off. Today is day three and I am very pleased with his progress.

There are some pics of the boy on the lorry!

He has been entered in to a show on 5th July. I even bnought him a blanket the other day, so tat's the next lesson. I tortted him up and down today and he was an angel. Fingers crossed he stays this way!

New herd member

Percy has had a growth spurt in the last couple of months. The spring grass is definatly showing.

There is a new person in the field, a new forest pony by the name of Pipin, who is a two year old. It was a very calm introduction yesterday, all went well.

Percy has the farrier booked for 11th June. I have also entered him in a small show on Sat 5th July. I need to practise loading with him.

To the right is a pic of him taken yesterday, when he was showing off to Pipin.

PENNY IN FOAL

It's been a while since I updated the blog. Penny is in foal, she caught first time which is fantastic news. She will be due in March time next year.

Percy is approaching his fist birthday and growing fast. He has had a spurt in the last month or so, which probably coincides with the grass! He is really starting to grow into himself, looking slightly less gangly. He came in today and I pulled his mane. I have been doing it gradually but today I tidyed it up. it still isn't really short but I didn't want to push my luck. My friend Kirsty helped. It did involve twitching his muzzle with her hand, but he was very good about it.

I am ever so pleased with his attitude and temperament. I am constantly suprised by his maturity really. People keep remarking on how good he is, I just hope it continues! At a year old he leads well, will walk away from the other horses in the field and cross the road and go to the yard and vice versa. He does this without fuss and without the company of another horse. He also leads with other horses with no problem. He's easy to catch, in fact he comes to me! |He is very good to do, he has no problem with being dressed over and will pick up his feet. He is not yet perfect with the farrier but we are working on that.

I have probably fated myself by writing all of that but it's true and I'm not going to be daft about it. I just really hope that I'm saying the same this time next year!

I hope to take him to a show in July. I need to confirm that as it would be good to get him to at least one this year.

Anyway, that's it for now.

I miss Lady P

I'm missing Lady P more than I thought I would. It's quite odd not seeing her waiting for her breakfast. I emailed Charles at Langaller Stud and he was kind enough to reply, saying that Lady P had travelled well and settled in. He said that he was really pleased with her. More recently I had an email from him to say that she was covered by Catherstone Dazzler earlier in the week. Fingers crossed that she will be in foal first time.

It's such a relief knowing that she is in good hands. As soppy as it sounds, I was struggling to sleep when she first went! I was worried about her.

Percy had his mane pulled the other day. I've been doing it a bit at a time. He has been under whelmed by it so that is very good! Found out today that I am too late to enter him in the South of England show. what a muppet I am, I didn't realise that it would fill up this quickly. I'm quite gutted.

There are more photos and videos of them on my facebook page - Twig Fairweather

Lady P had gone to a new home

Penny has been sold to a stud in Devon, called Langaller Farm. They stand quite a few stallions there, including Prince of Darkness whom I used to look after! Penny will be going to Catherstone Dazzler this season, so that is a very exciting prospect. I hope to be able to keep track of her and her progeny over the years.

I am very sad that she is gone, I miss seeing her every morning and giving her her feed. She was such a wonderful mum to Percy and was such a joy to have around and look after. She was never any trouble and always so well mannered. I do hope she is well looked after in Devon, I'm sure she will be. I hope she will have a good life there, she truly deserves it.

Percy has been very good also. he is very well behaved, though blotted his copy book today when he dragged me into a flower bed! Not exceptable behaviour at all! He had been upset by a big van zooming up behind him and spraying water, so i will forgive him this once...

I hope to take him to a show or two, though I have no idea what I am doing. As far as turnout is concerned I have no qualms, I used to turnout for the Tattersalls sales at Newmarket, so I think I know a bit about that! But with regards to what I wear and do... I have sent my hacking jacket to the dry cleaners having dug it out of the loft, so that is a start. Next thing is to bit Percy and get him used to walking, trotting and standing. I'll see how I go with that.

Percy wormed 05/03

Percy was wormed yesterday. He is due to see the farrier on Monday as is Penny. Lady P may have found a new home, so she won't be with us for much longer :( Well as long as she is looked after and is happy then that's not so bad.

Percy has spent a weekend out at night, when I went home to Wales. It was a mild weather forecast so I thought he'd be better off out than coming in and out while I was away. He seemed to have coped with that ok and it has helped him settle in to the herd. There are now 5 of them, Penny is the boss, then Fox the old gent, Rio who is three and the two yearlings, Percy and Paris. It's quite a good little band.

Percy has been incredibly well behaved to lead to and fro the field. I am so impressed that he walks away from the other horses with no fuss, past spooky tractors, flapping plastic and the other day a fire! What a star, he takes after his mum.