Little People

The ponies are continuing to do well.  They were moved onto their summer grazing on the 24th February and have been getting fed some soaked hay in the field to supplement the lack of grazing.  Honey was a little upset at the change in fields, she is confident in her routine, but any changes throw her a little, but she settled and she has been staying in her fenced off area.

They are really feeling the heat with the last week of unusually warm weather.  They are molting like crazy and every day it feels as though I brush a mountain of hair out of them but the next day their coats just seem to be as thick.  This is when I wish I could just unzip them from their hairy suits.

Honey is continuing to gain confidence and her little personality is really coming through.  Buttons and Honey are at opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of attitude and personality.  Buttons is an action man where Honey is more of a thinker.  For all she is quiet, she lets her presence be known and she won't be forgotten or missed out.  She actively comes to me now to seek out attention and she is enjoying being handled and brushed.  She still takes fright at anything unknown, but relaxes much more quickly.  The other day they were tied up outside an empty stable being brushed when Buttons pulled a rug down which was over the stable door, almost giving Honey a heart attack in the process!  She is great to catch in from the field.....as long as she knows you.  The yard owner tried to catch her last week, he's never caught them before and Honey was having none of it, I think mainly because it was change and she didn't really recognise him.

Honey is slowly filling out all over, even her head fits her headcollar better now.  In terms of weight she is still very ribby and I'm a little anxious about what I'll see when that big coat disappears.  She's being fed a lo cal feed balancer and just fibre.  I need her to fill out gradually as I don't think at the moment her feet will cope with her carrying a large amount of weight quickly.  I would like to see her putting on  a little more condition over her body.  It is happening, slowly.  Her hip bones and shoulder blades no longer stick out and her spine bone is no longer razor sharp.  I'll get a worm count done and she will be having her teeth done again.  I need to remember that this isn't going to happen over night.  However, her eyes are gleaming and she generally has a very contented look about her.  They are due to be trimmed in a week.  I'm quite deperate to get Honey's feet done, but I know I can't continually have large amounts taken off them, especially the soles at the moment, so she will wait the full 6 weeks.

Buttons is happy as always and full of mischief.  The difference Honey has made to him is wonderful.  He was quite upset in the stable most of the winter, but he's as happy as larry going into the stable now as he has company.  The two of them always have a soggy wet patch on one side of their wither where they have been mutual grooming.

I'm anxious heading into spring with the grass etc, but I am trying to do everything I can to manage their laminitis.

Pretty Girl