{"id":11779,"date":"2025-03-31T08:58:06","date_gmt":"2025-03-31T08:58:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/horsesavvy.co.uk\/?p=11779"},"modified":"2025-05-05T15:50:21","modified_gmt":"2025-05-05T15:50:21","slug":"bella-stormy-april-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/horsesavvy.co.uk\/index.php\/2025\/03\/31\/bella-stormy-april-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Bella & Stormy – April 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tue 1st April<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Well April is here and we’ve got a few days of glorious sunshine and blue skies (nights colder and a breezy but nice).<\/p>\n

Today I thought I’d give S&B a change by taking them out on the track down the road again. It’s been a while since doing it last and normally, in Summer, it’s a real treat as there are always lovely munchies along the way for them (thistles, heather, long grass, knapweeds, raspberry leaves, dog rose leaves etc) but today there are few pickings to be had, just a very enjoyable walk with a ride on Stormy home, leading Bella \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

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I walked them both in-hand down the track then at the wooden bridge we turned, I mounted Stormy and I rode back. Totalled 28 mins and 2.2km.<\/p>\n

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< Ready to go in the field<\/p>\n

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Up the top of the field on the track ready to rock’n’roll ><\/p>\n

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Leading them both we found our stride nicely with Bella by my side (where she loves to be) and Stormy following on behind (using 22′ line to make sure I have enough rope for him to do this) \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

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At the bridge we walk over it, rest for a bit then turn around and I find a gate to mount Stormy from.<\/p>\n

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Stormy did a great job carrying me home, up all the big hills \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

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Bella did a fantastic job of just being led, she stayed either near my leg, by Storm’s back leg or behind him when the track was narrow.<\/p>\n

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At the end of the track, their field is on the left of us, I dismount and lead them both down the field hill to the shelter where a nice bucket of water and an apple were waiting for them \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

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Thurs 3rd<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Sunshine, light breeze, blue skies and Mark, Storm & Bella \ud83d\ude09 We didn’t do anything spectacular but it was just lovely to be out and about with Mark and S&B today \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

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Bella working well from my focus, weight, seat, legs \ud83d\ude09 Much more in harmony this year ;o)<\/p>\n

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Going around the field with no thought about where Mark and Stormy were which is good.<\/p>\n

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Mark and Stormy having fun in the sun<\/p>\n

Trotting about all over the field, they so enjoy each other’s company \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

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Nice and slow today \ud83d\ude09 no need for rushing about….<\/p>\n

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Sat 5th<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Gorgeous sunny Saturday…bit chilly but beautiful AND a day to ride S&B.<\/p>\n

We decide to bring them back to the house for a couple of days, just as a change for them before all the grass grows fast and furious.<\/p>\n

Here Mark is tacking up, I’ve done Bella and she knows it’s a ride out so is taking time to just chillax and rest \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

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< Bella and her perfect mounting block sidling \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

Mark takes Stormy for a drink before we set off ><\/p>\n

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Stormy bring Mark up the first part of the lower field hill….<\/p>\n

….and then cantered up the higher part of the field hill (the one we’ve been working on)….so proud of him, he did it perfectly \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

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Both of us rest just before the top of the field where we join the track.<\/p>\n

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Following Mark and Stormy along the track…normal thing, different day…but we thoroughly enjoy it and it’s also a nice way to hack out with a good destination, not too far for Mark and Stormy (Storm is 22 this year and Mark is still waiting for his 2nd knee operation) \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

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Bella and I had a really lovely ride but glad I kept my jacket on as it was a wee bit chilly.<\/p>\n

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The last bit before home<\/p>\n

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Bella today after I trimmed all the long hair from under her jawline, looking really smart now \ud83d\ude09
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Tues 8th<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Ride the horses back to their big field today. Glorious sunshine and blue skies with the hint of a nice breeze…perfect riding weather \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

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Just a really lovely ride with Mark, S&B <3<\/p>\n

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< Bella, back in the big field after a roll<\/p>\n

Big Stormy just can’t help himself….clean for a min then rolled on some dry mud to make himself dirty again \ud83d\ude09 It helps with getting his moulting coat out and clean his skin so we don’t mind at all really \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

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Thurs 10th<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Today I had a few things to do in the morning:<\/p>\n

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  1. Feed S&B<\/li>\n
  2. Put them individually in different round pens so I could get faecal samples for worm counts<\/li>\n
  3. Walk them about individually to get them off grazing for half an hour so I could do tape worm tests. This involves putting a tester in the side of their mouths so they lick it until it changes colour and they can’t eat, drink or be hard exercised half an hour beforehand. Easier said than done when we don’t have stables SO I walked Storm about for a bit and groomed him, which took up the half an hour, and then rode Bella bareback in a slow walk, which did her half an hour.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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    This is them in their individual round pens while I clean the field waiting for their samples \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

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    Then I rode Bella bareback. I used her saddle pad to keep my jod’s clean as she’s moulting a lot too.<\/p>\n

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    All samples were got and sent off to the laboratory who get back to me via email to say whether they need any wormer or if they’re clear of worms \ud83d\ude09
    \nWe do this a few times a year and it’s better to only worm them when they need it so as not to create resistance to the worm paste \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

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    Sat 12th<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    Today, another beautifully sunny, hot, dry, blue sky day, gets me up early to get out and ride Bella before it gets too hot \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

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    We had a lovely ride. A bit of walking around the roundpens in a clover leaf pattern. Bella worked very nicely with very little use of the reins, relying on my focus, balance, weight in the saddle and leg cues.<\/p>\n

    We then did good trot work through an obstacle course I\u00a0 put together using poles on the ground and jump wings to create narrow gaps to go through \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

    We also went around the field, down a hillock to get to the water trough as I new she was a bit thirsty, then up the big hill, down again, trotting the length of the arena which has a couple of poles for trot work. Then over a jump and into canter to end the session \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

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    After this I cleaned Storm’s heels and legs by taking off excess chestnuts and ergots (look them up if not sure what they are) and then trimmed his chin of long hair…doesn’t he look handsome in his neater ‘summer’ look \ud83d\ude42 He’s SO good when I do this, with blunt ended dog scissors, and stands totally still for me \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

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    Sun 20th<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    Well…it’s been a bit of a week here. Firstly Bella had a strange 48hr lameness in her back right leg. Not sure what it was from as could not find any heat or swelling in her leg. No pain in her foot re: an abscess or any fur missing from a bite or kick from Storm SO….I massaged her hip, rump and leg and put arnica gel on her joints just in case. THEN my back went out of whack so I had to take some time out with Mark giving me a lie in, and no dog walking, for a few days. Once my back is ‘out’ then I just have to rest, rest and rest some more so I’ve missed S&B with play and riding but also feeding etc ;(<\/p>\n

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    Today was a good day and it was lovely to have S&B walk and trot with me at liberty the whole length of the field to where Mark and I groom them.<\/p>\n

    I did a full groom with Bella (Mark worked on Stormy) and got the old winter hair, dust and debris off her coat and conditioned her coat and mane and tail \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

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    She was happy to see me and took me straight to the pedestal where she showed that she hadn’t forgotten how to get a treat \ud83d\ude09 lol<\/p>\n

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    We then did some connection exercises to make sure she was willing and able to be ridden. Stuff that asked her to change gait, find her balance and arc around an obstacle \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

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    Then we rode. The gentle sway of her hips really helped me to just relax into riding and allow the movement move my hips and back without me doing anything much….good therapy for sure.<\/p>\n

    And we went from a nice gentle walk into a nice gentle trot and it was great to feel the effortless of movement under me as she took me around the field \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

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    My best girl, in my best place <3<\/p>\n

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    Tues 22nd<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    My bad back is still not 100% but there’s nothing better than a wee bareback ride on Big Stormy to put a big smile on my face\u00a0 \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

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    AND…how DO you groom a big Polar Bear that’s loosing his Winter pyjama’s? Yup…by standing on a tall barrel \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

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    I’m SO pleased Stormy (and all our horses over the years) was taught to stand still at a mounting block and to know how to turn around while I’m standing still on it too so I can groom both sides \ud83d\ude42 \ud83d\ude42 Or even mount from either side too \ud83d\ude42 \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

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    Weds 30th<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    Enjoyed a nice ride on Stormy and then Bella today \ud83d\ude09 \ud83d\ude42 \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

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    See you in May \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

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    • Shelley – HorseSavvy.co.uk<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

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      Tue 1st April Well April is here and we’ve got a few days of glorious sunshine and blue skies (nights colder and a breezy but nice). Today I thought I’d give S&B a change by taking them out on the track down the road again. It’s been a while since doing it last and normally, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[393],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11779","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bella-stormy-2025"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/horsesavvy.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11779","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/horsesavvy.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/horsesavvy.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/horsesavvy.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/horsesavvy.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11779"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/horsesavvy.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11779\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11876,"href":"https:\/\/horsesavvy.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11779\/revisions\/11876"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/horsesavvy.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11779"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/horsesavvy.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11779"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/horsesavvy.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11779"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}