Monday 25th March

Monday

First hack at 6.45am Monday with Mac good. Remi much broader, his girth barely reaches. And moulting madly. My circuit isjust under an hour in walk. Remi was happy to be hacking, and strode out. Slower in places and over stones. But generally good. He hid behind Mac a few times from scary things, but was generally good. Am thrilled he was happy both in his feet and his behaviour out hacking, long may it continue.

Turned Mac and Remi out together, and they both seemed fine. Added Dash (other horse). Dash immediately rolled, Mac rolled further up hill,then Remi rolled. They seem to have established a pecking order without too much scuffling. Remi is boss, then Dash, then Mac. Think the bigger horses are going to squash Mac a bit (which will be good for him – he is a monkey). But they just flick an ear or point a head in his direction and he remembers his place.

Weigh taped Remi 3pm Monday and with was the same as at Rockley 9am Sunday morning (553kg), which is fabulous. He is looking well. Comments that he looks like he has grown! Lou has kindly trimmed mane, legs, and beard and I curry combed lots of hair out and cut tail :-) He is also relaxed, and chilled. Which is great.

L, trimmer came to see Remi Monday evening. She watched him move, and took photos of his feet for me, suggested coming back in two months (unless we have problems before). http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/1817324193

He has a hole, an inch deep at the bottom of his heel / top of his frog on left hind. Can get tool in a good inch. Have syringed with warm salty water til water ran clean. Dried by stuffing with cotton wool and plugged with some kind of antibacterial clay fibre stuff (Redhorse). Not lame on this foot. (We know he has been a bit shorter left hind for ages, but not lame per say). Not very sore, and mainly filling with clay to try and avoid gunk getting in and getting infected. Unsure about this in relation to trying to understand the various other things going on with him. An artefact? Nic said it was at it's worst about a fortnight ago, and hasnt been bothering him since. The next day - I looked at all four frogs really carefully and found a similar concealed hole in the right frog :-(

So far okay with grass, but am being vigilant, and have managed to sub-rent a stable which give me great flexibility. Means if I think Remi goes footy from grass, I could pull him in for 48 hours, and see if improves.

He was being cussed about eating. He didn’t eat the Sunday morning breakfast on Sunday evening. Or the new breakfast I made him Monday(still no minerals in it, and identical to what he has at Rockley). Mondaynight he was eating determinedly the Rockley breakfast from my muck bucket(where I had thrown it away)! He does make me laugh.


I made him a Monday dinner with all my minerals in it, and he ate about 25% on yard, and about another 50% later in the field. This morning he ate 75% of a new feed with minerals in, in the field. So hopefully going in the right direction. It would seem minerals not the issue, he just isn’t that bothered about bucket feed. He is eating loads of haylage (when in) and lots of grass.