New from Ireland

[BenandRosie]

Hello,

I have been lurking for a while, so I am coming in to introduce myself.  About ten years ago I spent a weekend in Devon with Heather and had some great lessons, on a wonderful schoolmaster lippizaner as well as on the equisimulator.  At the end, Heather said that I should stop having lessons from various different instructors and get my own horse and put what I had learned into practice.  Well, it took a while, and a move back to Ireland, but I finally bought a beautiful 3/4 bred mare called Mali who sadly died three years ago.  I now have a masterful, fabulous little cob called Ben, who is 14.3 and a small, supposedly Kerry Bog, pony called Rosie, who came to us free, chronically laminitic and is doing very well now.  I keep them both at home on a track system.

So here I am and looking forward to being on the forum here.  The teaching I received from Heather has stayed with me and overrides any other instruction I get.  It is great to have it as a base as so many instructors seem to contradict each other in their teaching (besides being far harsher to horses than I would be comfortable with).

Máire

[Lyndsey Lewis]

HI Maire! 

Welcome!

Love to see some pics??

Can you tell me what you mean by 'track system'.

Lyndsey

[abuela]

Hello Máire and welcome.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

PS - How is your name pronounced?   

[Wendy]

Hello Máire, welcome! 

[whisper's mum]

Welcome! 

[Louise C]

Greetings!!!!!!!!

[BenandRosie]

Thank you everyone for your welcome.  My name is pronounced Moira.  When I lived in England I used to spell it that way, as I was too often called "Mare".  Lyndsey, when I say "track system", I mean a paddock paradise style arrangement.  I have organised my paddock with a track running around the perimeter.  It has worked very well as the land is quite rocky.  Rosie, the pony, is laminitic and needs a very restricted diet, and Ben, my cob, needs a diet, period.  I write a blog: http://poniesathome.wordpress.com/ in which I describe the track system, if anyone is interested.

I will try to add photos.  If my attempt does not work I will have to wait for my tech support (husband) to be free to help.

[BenandRosie]

Here are Ben and Rosie (I hope)!

[Diane Smith]

Hello  and welcome 

Lovely horses 

[Lyndsey Lewis]

Lyndsey, when I say "track system", I mean a paddock paradise style arrangement.  I have organised my paddock with a track running around the perimeter.  It has worked very well as the land is quite rocky.  Rosie, the pony, is laminitic and needs a very restricted diet, and Ben, my cob, needs a diet, period.  I write a blog: http://poniesathome.wordpress.com/ in which I describe the track system, if anyone is interested.

Just checked out your  blog! Really fun and lovely pics. It's sooo beautiful where you live!

I also do the pasture paradise arrangement as I have a very small property and keep the center in pasture. It's right up there with sliced bread, barefoot gloves, small mesh haynets and sawdust for bedding! I love it!  Here is a video of how much running they can do  now in just an acre and a half pasture. It always makes me so happy watching them run around like this because I feel so guilty keeping them in such a small place...

Spring2011.wmv

[crdodgeon]

Hello and welcome! Lovely ponies 

[ChrissieW]

 

Lovely horses, just had a quick scan of your blog and love the way your write, in particular this bit :

I am convinced, and have been for years now, that once you get a horse past that sticky, leaving home stage, they love to ride out. Their lives are confined in domesticity and what other chance do they get to roam as their ancestors once did?

 

[Amanda1950]

Hello Máire 

Lovely ponies 

[BenandRosie]

Lyndsey, I love that video.  I would also love to see Ben running with such alacrity!  My paddock paradise is over one acre, although I use every inch, practically, of our two acres here.  Right now, they are on the track by day and in grass by night.  But I know people who have more space, yet confine their horses to very small paddocks within that space and strip graze them carefully.  Good for keeping weight off, but not allowing any decent movement.  As you can gather,  I am a keen advocate for the track system.

ChrissieW, thank you for your kind words about my blog!  I am glad you agree with me.  I have found that a horse seems to enter a "zone" out hacking, walking out with more than a lovely rhythm, as if endorphins are flowing which then flow up through me too and really is the most wonderful feeling.

Máire

[intouch]

Hi Máire, good to meet you on EE, what part of Ireland are you living in?