If wishes were horses .....

Not every little boy or girl is lucky enough to have their very own pony, I know I dreamed of little else until it came true for me. How ingenious is this, to bring the make believe that bit closer to life? A range of horses' heads for children's bikes and scooters.

I just had to try one out for size and Zoe's 7th birthday seemed a perfect opportunity!

Zoe with horse power provided by Fudge

Fudge came flatpacked from http://www.handlebarheroes.co.uk and came galloping through the post to ensure he was there on the actual birthday. Top marks for friendly customer service! He was also very easy to put together - Zoe's mum astounded everyone with how quickly she was able to transform the flat version to 3-D. Simply fold, snap together and click on and you are done! The instructions are very clear but there's also a video demo on the Handlebarheroes website if you get really stuck. Attaching Fudge to the bike was also straightforward and I think he looks great on there!

Fudge is supposed to handle the wet weather well - this claim will be put to the test with a forthcoming Sky Ride Riverside Ramble coming up next weekend. According to the website, Fudge loves jumping in puddles (which is just as well really given our weather). He also likes exploring, collecting things (shiny rocks are his current favourite) and he has a sweet tooth. 

The heroes come in two sizes - and are suitable for both bikes and scooters - and in a range of heads. Fudge's friends include magical unicorns and medieval steeds. 

Suitable from age 3 plus. Perfectly priced at £9.99 for the heroes and £3.50 for the mini version.  A very reasonable £3.50 delivery too.

Thanks to the lovely Ela at Handlebar Heroes, Fudge was joined by Thunder for the Riverside Ramble Sky Ride in Glasgow at the end of September. The weather was terrible - adverse conditions signs on the motorway terrible - and a number of participants pulled out of the Sky Ride. However, our two riders on their trusty steeds powered through the rain, wind and mud. In true British weather style, the sun was out by the time the riders returned home, so the photo below is taken then, hence the squinting at the camer! Fudge, being nearer the ground than Thunder, was the dirtier of the two, but I am sure he will clean up nicely with a little grooming.  I admit to being surprised at how well they stood up to the awful conditions. Riders too! Fudge and Thunder were also both a big hit with the other participants doing the Sky Ride.

The Natural Way - Lotions and Potions

I had promised I’d review the bespoke skincare products I’ve been using – not on me, but on my horses! It sounds crazy – to pamper my horse and ponies in this way, but it really came about by accident. Put one person who has been searching for natural horse products in touch with a local skincare specialist who believes in using the finest quality and ethically sourced raw botanicals, oils and butters she can and these natural and organic horse products are the result. I have been really impressed with Jean Glen's approach to making a product that does what it says on the tin.

Hoof Therapy Balm

Hoof care is one of the most important aspects of quality horse management. The saying ‘No foot, no horse’ really is true.  There is no substitute for correct hoof trimming / shoeing and good nutrition to ensure good hoof growth.  The horse is a product of his environment although some horses genetically have better hoofs than others.  When I started testing our bespoke natural Hoof Therapy Balm, my horses were turned out during the day and stabled overnight.  This was essentially to allow their feet to ‘dry out’ as their field has been waterlogged and boggy due to the vast amount of rain we have had.  In the past, I have tended not to use too many hoof products because I worry about the chemicals used in them.  Our horses are continually facing chemical exposure with fertilisers and sprays, fly sprays, coat conditioners, wormers, vaccinations etc.  It is really scary when you actually take the time to read exactly what is in some of these products.  When I rehomed both the ponies, I was facing issues with their feet that I hadn’t had with Wolfie and I bought several different hoof oils/ greases to try out.  In my head I knew what I was looking for and trawled the Internet.  It is difficult as many sites don’t actually tell you exactly what is in the product and it is only when you have bought it and can read the label that you realise you wish you hadn’t bothered. Any dressings applied to the feet which contain chemicals will damage the horn and weaken the horse’s resistance to infection.  However, particularly here in the West of Scotland and with the way the weather has been, we cannot always provide the optimum environment for our horses to grow perfect feet. This results in the basic problems faced by many owners, including myself, such as horses developing laminitis, stone bruises, feet too hard and brittle feed too soft with quarter cracks, thrush, seedy toe and white line disease. 

I cleaned out the back of Wolfie’s stable today, here is a selection of hoof oils/ greases which I have purchased in the last couple of years.  Most of them have only been used a handful of times and some of them never at all.  I keep the horses at a small livery yard.  Most of the owners apply hoof oil.  However, I don’t know of one person at the yard that consistently buys the same product over and over again.  They tend to use something, finish it and then try something else. We all seemed to be on an endless search for an elusive product that is both natural and works. 

Wolfie is shod all round, he generally has good feet, although his feet have also been suffering from the wet conditions and the hoof walls have become softer.  Buttons is bare foot and suffered from laminitis last year, however his feet have improved greatly over the last 18 months to the point where he is comfortable walking over stony ground.  Honey is currently undergoing a long rehabilitation process with her feet.  She is also bare foot, but was rescued by the SSPCA with feet that were so badly overgrown and twisted that she couldn’t walk.  She is growing out laminitic lines and has separation of the white line which can allow dirt and grit to track up into her foot. This could cause an abscess and because of the still twisted shape of her feet, there are many areas on her soles where bacteria can become trapped.  All three are shod/trimmed every 6 weeks. 

Back to the Balm - Buttons and Wolfie had the Hoof Balm applied to the coronet band, hoof wall and sole (including the frog and heels) three times a week. With Honey, I need to clean her feet as well as I can daily and scrape out any trapped dirt and small stones from the holes at her white line. I knew I needed something which has anti fungal and anti bacterial properties but that wouldn’t compromise the new healthy growth on the soles of her feet.  These neglected little feet of hers still make me very sad, although we are making progress with them, but I wanted to apply something that I knew would not be too harsh, damage the new growth or weaken the already weak and sensitive structure of her feet.  Any treatment that destroys live tissue may contribute to any problems by creating dead tissue for pathogens to feed on.   I was advised to spray Baktokil into the holes, but I was wary about this. When I opened the bottle, I got some on my hand which stung like hell, so needless to say I have not put this anywhere near her feet.  I am attempting to grow out pretty severe white line problems without the use of a chemical application.  Honey has been having our bespoke Balm applied every second day.

The Balm is easy to apply and absorbs into the hoof/sole.  It penetrates the hoof capsule, and does not dry out the feet like some products do, which contain tar.  It looks natural and smells absolutely devine. As it contains tea tree oil, it has anti fungal and anti bacterial properties.  It is actually a balm and not a grease.  Many products which are petroleum based seal in or seal out moisture, applying oils to the point of where it causes sludge build up can trap bacteria into the hoof.  So far, in warm and fairly cold temperatures, the balm has maintained its consistency.  We are still trialling, but I do think the Balm will moisturise and help preserve a healthy foot.  I am happy to apply it (I actually enjoy applying it) and I feel confident that it is all natural ingredients which are penetrating the hoof capsule. Honey is actually walking better on hard ground better than she ever has! I will certainly be continuing to use the Balm longer term.

Itch Ointment

I began using the Itch Ointment on the top of Wolfie’s tail.  Like many horses, he likes a good scratch and rubs his tail until it ends up looking like a toilet brush. The vet has always said that it’s probably a mild form of sweet itch, but he tends to do it in the winter as well.  He has a hugely thick tail and is very pink skinned.  I have tried various sweet itch remedies and other creams with no success.  I applied the Itch Ointment once a day for a week, to try it. After the third day, he stopped rubbing his tail and the hair on the top of his tail is growing back in now. I’ve been applying the Ointment twice a week now, it makes the hair on the top of Wolfie’s tail feel really nice and he seems to enjoy having it massaged in. Wolfie is very difficult when it comes to treating any sore areas or cuts as he hates any strong chemical smell or antiseptic smell including that of fly sprays and creams. Recently, and much to my despair, Wolfie developed mud fever on his back legs, for the first time.  I have been drying his legs off, gently brushing the mud off and massaging the itch Ointment into his legs.  It helped to soften the scabs, within a few days his legs were much less hot and inflamed, the scabs came off and there was new intact skin underneath.  I was really impressed, mud fever can be an absolute nightmare to clear up and I was imagining that was going to be him with it all through winter. Wolfie also stood rock still and let me massage the Ointment into him.  It certainly beats the age old remedy of washing the legs with something like Hibi Scrub and lathering Sudo Cream on.  I get quite bad dermatitis on my hands from touching hay etc and my hands were quite bad and very sore.  After a few days of applying the Ointment to Wolfie’s legs, my hands had started to heal.  I hadn’t been putting anything else on them, so it must have been the Itch Ointment.  It didn’t sting any parts of my hands so I know that it wouldn’t have irritated Wolfie. The Ointment is really good in the respect that when you apply it, it does absorb into the skin and does not end up matted in the coat meaning nothing will stick to it.  I have been using it as a sort of multi purpose cream and it is certainly doing everything I want it to.  It has anti bacterial properties, it soothes, moisturises and repairs the skin. It too also smells absolutely wonderful. I have been product testing the Hoof Therapy Balm and the Itch Ointment so have obviously using them over anything else. However, these are now the two items in my grooming kit that I will continue to be reaching for first. 

Summary 

Both the hoof therapy balm are nicely packaged in robust containers, they have survived the Buttons test (he knocks everything over).  In terms of cost, I think they probably work out a little more expensive than other brands available, however taking into consideration the amount I have spent on products that I have barely used, to me they are a much better investment. It is worth the extra to have the peace of mind that I am applying only natural ingredients onto them and also the added bonus of having a hand cream too! I will be continuing to use both and will be monitoring the effects of the Balm over the next few months to allow for more substantial amounts of growth in their feet and to see the effects. I really don’t have anything negative to say about either product and would recommend them to anyone who wanted to use natural products and give their horse a little pampering.  I also think they would make lovely gifts for any horse mad people in your life, practical as well as being a little bit special. I would certainly be delighted if I received these for Christmas. 

Do post or message if you’d like more details re ordering etc. and we will put you in touch with our skincare specialist, Jean.

A few weeks ago, I posted about Anorak's horse print bed linen (17 August) and how much I liked the quirky print. Joules have just launched their new Bed and Bath Collection and lo and behold, there's a horse print duvet set in there (much to be expected, it's a brand with equestrian beginnings).

First thoughts - it's different enough from the Anorak one to have me swithering between the two. I like the boldness of the stripes on the pillows and the separate horse cushions. The difference is in the detail of course - the Joules duvet cover is £35 more than Anorak's - at £100.

See what you think:

 

 

Obviously, the only way to really be able to tell the difference would be to try them out. I'm not sure about the ribbon reverse side on the Joules one. If the white cotton is anything like Laura Ashley's  it will be incredibly soft with an almost satin like feel .... BUT in a home where there's cats I've learned the cat hairs cling along with bits of fluff even after washing. And it is all very well saying keep the cats off the bed. They do like their comforts in this house.

"Oh! If people knew what a comfort to a horse a light hand is ..."

On Saturday night, I was lucky enough to be at Scone Palace near Perth to see the Peel Heritage’s open air theatre production of Black Beauty.  Directed by James Stone, this is Beauty’s first canter into theatre although the original novel by Anna Sewell was published in 1877!

For us, it was a beautiful evening and we settled our camping chairs in front of a small wooden stage set with the Palace as the backdrop.  We enjoyed a wonderful picnic and the sun was shining.  We walked through the grounds to the chapel, catching a glimpse of Perth racecourse through the trees and the show began. 

The story is told through stallion Black Beauty's eyes. The actor playing Beauty (Simeon John-Wake) was wearing a metal horse’s head-shaped cage over his own head and attached to his body by a harness. The metal head had Black Beauty’s recognisable star on it and his reins attached. The horse’s heads were designed by Hayley Neil. As Beauty began to tell his story, for the first 10 seconds, I wasn't sure I was really going to get this.  I adore the story of Black Beauty because of everything it stands for.  Having spent many years perfecting moving like a horse, when I was a child, I wasn't quite sure this was going to live up to my expectations.  However, within 30 seconds, I was hooked. I soon forgot that I was standing in the grounds of Scone Palace, and I was transported back in time with Beauty as his life began.

Anna Sewell wrote Black Beauty, not originally as a children's book but to highlight the plea of workhorses and to 'induce kindness, sympathy and an understanding treatment of horses'. The book was groundbreaking in its time and later on, copies were distributed free by welfare charities to horse owners, yards and studs all over the country. 

Peel Heritage’s production did not use many props - mainly the cages worn by the actors playing the horses, boards as a stage with the actors feet making the sound of the horses hoofs, a couple of straw bales, a stirrup iron and leather, an apple and a bucket containing a bran mash.  However, as we walked back to our chairs at the main stage and the play continued, I did not notice anything going on around and became completely absorbed in Beauty. Not even the shouting peacocks in the Palace grounds could distract me. 

As always, it would not be possible to fit every event of the book into the play, but the playwright managed to capture the complete essence and meaning of the story.  The physical and mental pain suffered by the horses, being passed from owner to owner and facing brutality and cruelness, the highlighting of the use of the bearing rein and the suffering it caused and when treated with fairness and kindness how a horse would lay down his life for his 'master'. 

Throughout the story, Beauty remains himself. He begins his story as a young colt full of the optimism of life.  He has no understanding of why anyone would wish to cause him pain. His stable mate, Ginger, on the other hand is wise to the world and she has became very bitter and angry towards people due to the treatment she has received over the years. Despite everything, Beauty continues to remain optimistic, he tries his best for every owner and even when he begins his life as a workhorse he is proud and happy to work for a good master. Eventually he becomes defeated, he experiences grief, physical pain and towards the end he switches off, as he almost feels nothing any more. I have encountered numbers of horses over the years, who have either became aggressive and angry as a result of mistreatment or the opposite end of the scale, the ones who become completely introverted and switched off to everything going on around them.   

There are a number of lighthearted comical moments in the play, some involving Ginger who is played by the actress Nicki Willetts as a hot headed red head with a very strong Liverpudlian accent. Plenty of villains too but for me, one of the most powerful scenes is where Beauty is pulling a London cab and the driver has to continually tighten the bearing rein to lift Beauty's head carriage. Beauty's description of the burning pain he is feeling as it travels from his legs to his shoulders to his back is heart breaking. It reached the point where I wanted to run from my seat and tear the bearing rein from him just to allow him to stretch his neck.  

The play did evoke many emotions and it also emphasised the relationship that can exist between a horse and owner, based on kindness and trust, and how forgiving horses can be.  

The story highlights the welfare issues, not only for horses but for all animals at the hands of humans. Unfortunately it is still something we see today, horses being forced into outlines, gadgets used to position their heads and necks, horses passed from owner to owner when they are no longer suited to one person's purpose. 

I would recommend this play to everyone, horse lover or not.  I hope that the many people who have seen the play as it travels the country have captured the true meaning of Black Beauty's story.  There’s still two venues to come - Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire on 24^th August and Harewood, North Yorkshire on 26^th August. 

Great to see another brand we love here at That Way Equined doing so well.

We've been fans of Laurie Robertson's bold yet simple animal prints since she launched her brand in 2008 and now ANORAK'S distinctive outdoors-to-indoors prints are popping up everywhere from John Lewis to Urban Outfitters via Heals.

The Kissing Horses range, in a distinctive jade and cream, has developed over time and now also includes bedlinen in single, double and king size. The king size duvet comes in at £65 and 2 pillowcases at £14.

The only purchase I've made so far is the Kissing Horses satchel (currently out of stock on the Anorak website) which I love. Mine's lined in lemon - the most recent one is lined in brown - which is a quirky twist and contrasts with the blue horse design. If it's anything to go by, the products are well made and definitely eyecatching.

 

I currently have my eye on the oilcloth tablecover, in Kissing Horses of course, which comes in 3 sizes, priced from £55. 

 

 

 

Oh Haynets!

You name it, I have the haynet.  I have spent a great deal of time sourcing and trying various types of haynets which will do the job I require… to allow slow continuous feeding.  Wolfie, Buttons and Honey all require restricted amounts of hay. They are all stabled over night in winter and can be standing in anywhere from 4pm to 9am the following morning. For anyone that is able to do night checks and put haynets in last thing at night and first thing in the morning, I envy you. Like many people I can leave the yard at 6pm content in the knowledge that my horses are comfortable and have plenty of hay and water. However, if I return to the yard at 9pm, I can guarantee that they will have very little hay left, if any, meaning they will be standing for up to 12 hours in their stables without anything to eat. This to me is not acceptable and I’ve been trying haynet after haynet to get around this issue. In an ideal world, I would have the facilities to keep them outside all year round with ground feeders, areas of dry hard standing in all weathers and a good field shelter.  However until I win the lottery, I, like most people, keep my horses at livery, so we have to make the best of what we have. Personally I find it much easier to feed a horse up than to restrict feed intake. Managing a horse on a restricted forage diet takes time and effort and the easiest answer is often just to give them more hay as opposed to trying to slow them down.

I soak all of my hay in excess of 12 hours. Depending on their condition scores (which I do monthly) I feed them at 1.5-2% of their bodyweight, so extending feeding time is vital. Horses are not designed to stand without forage for long periods of time as it is unnatural and unhealthy for normal gut function and can increase the chances of the horse developing an ulcer. For horses and ponies who have had laminitis or are insulin resistant, being fasted for a prolonged period of time and then fed can cause an insulin surge beyond normal levels which could be harmful. Eating hay slowly and consistently helps steady and maintain normal glucose levels. There’s also the psychological effects of being enclosed in a stable for hours on end with nothing to eat, possibly causing or contributing to vices and stereotypical behaviour. 

So, I require nets which are strong, rot resistant due to being soaked, with holes small enough to reduce intake without making it completely impossible to get the hay. I want to keep them busy, working to get the hay but I don't want to stress them out or leave them completely frustrated. I use 3 nets in the stable for Wolfie overnight, to try and encourage him to move from net to net, I then have to have 3 nets soaking for the next night, which requires me to have a lot of nets!  This is also to save time so I am not transferring hay into different nets.  I want nets which are long lasting and good value for money.

Here's my honest reviews of 8 of the nets I’ve bought, tried and tested. They are a mix of nets suitable for horses and small ponies like my Shetlands.  Have you had similar issues trying to find the perfect haynet? Please feel free to post your comments. You might even have the name of a net I need to try next!

  

Shires Fine Mesh Haynet (30mm holes small or large. Retails around £6.95 plus postage)

I have tried various versions of the fine mesh small holed haynets, including Shires. The Shires is a good size, probably holding at least 3 leaves of hay and it is a lightweight net, with a metal tie ring and a good length rope. It is also easy to open and fill although I think it is generally best suited to feeding dry hay through. These fine mesh nets do not withstand being continually submerged in water and stretch very easily so your 30mm holes soon become 60mm plus holes. This means they are better for horses who are not overly zealous with their nets. With a little practice, horses become very adept at eating out of small holed nets, and the Shires is really is no problem for Wolfie. I tend to double-net and put a more robust net on top of this one.  Even for this price, I really would be expecting something a little tougher and am not convinced these nets are going to last the rest of the summer never mind making it through a harsh Scottish winter.

IV Horse Miser Net (40mm holes.  Retails between £14.00 - £15.65 plus postage)

Based on trawlernet technology, the trawler net uses fixed knots, making it very strong.  It is UVA and ammonia resistant and designed to be used anywhere from the stable, to travelling, or in the field.  It is a large net which could hold 3-4 leaves of hay. It has a good long rope and plastic tie ring at the bottom, making it easy to tie up at a safe height. It is pricey for a haynet but I have been using 2 of these for soaking hay and feeding for the last 2 years and they are still very strong and they withstand pulling without fraying. To me these are ‘safe and dependable’ nets if that makes sense as I never worry about Wolfie getting anything caught on them. A solid, sensible net in the haynet world, expensive, but a good investment if you need a tough, robust net and want to maximise eating time.

 

Elim-A-Net (Made by Parell Products.  (Inner net design and retails at £10.00 and above plus postage)

 “More than your average haynet”.  The Elim-A-Net people say that the ‘inner net design’ creates a physical barrier which alters the shape and size of the holes compared to a standard haynet to prevent rapid forage consumption and over eating. I bought two of these nets last year when Wolfie was on box rest after his virus. When I discovered them I was so excited (yes I do get excited over haynets). The idea and concept of these nets is brilliant. It is designed to eliminate the need for double netting. However, the braiding of the nets is very poor and weak, the inner net stretches and breaks which actually distorts the holes to the extent that Wolfie can stick most of his head in. I have really only used these nets with dry hay as I didn’t feel confident that they would survive being submerged in water, and within a couple of days there were holes in them. The idea is great, but more work and thought has to be put in to the actual materials used.  The Elim-A-Net might be OK, if the horse is a delicate eater but not for one that gets torn into the net.  A big disappointment to me and in my opinion, really not worth the money.  You would be better buying 2 cheaper small holed nets and double netting.

 

Trickle Net (25mm holes and retails at around £30.00 plus postage)

A robust and practical haynet which can hold just over 4 leaves of hay.  It is made from 4mm braided polyethylene and is rot proof. This is a heavy duty practical net which is suitable for indoor and outdoor use.  It is suitable for all types of forage including hay, straw and haylage. The net is designed to promote the natural grazing rhythm and the holes are supposed to be the optimum size to reduce intake without restricting too much. It is a large net which is easy to fill. Sounds perfect … but then there’s the price.  The nets are hand made and apparently production costs are high due to the strong material and the labour involved in making them. Don’t worry, the thought of paying £30.00 for a haynet still makes me break out in a sweat. I bought it as nets with 25mm holes which withstand soaking and are not going to stretch are hard to come by.  Is it doing its job? Yes it is.  I’m not sure yet if it is good value for money though … I’ll let you know if remains in action over the next 5 years.  For that price I want my money’s worth!  It is possibly a good investment if you just feed using one haynet.  With this net there is a noticeable difference in the length of time the horse is eating. The 25mm holes definitely slow horses down but it may be best to feed alongside another net to begin with as it took Wolfie a couple of days to get used to this net and the effort required to eat from it. People have reported that it has reduced cribbing, box walking and door kicking in some horses that have remained busy and less bored using the trickle net. It would also reduce the time taken to double and triple net.  

Hardwearing mesh nets (40mm holes £7.50 plus postage from Martsnets on EBay)

Hardwearing net made from 3mm net twine, again the same as used in fisherman’s nets.  This is a huge net, probably fitting up to 7 leaves of hay (although there is a smaller one available). The holes are around 40mm and I was impressed with the long sturdy rope. These nets are available in an array of colours, so if you don't want your nets getting mixed up with other peoples at the yard, then these are for you. They are very eye catching and get lots of comments. Proving to be robust and hard wearing, I have bought a couple of these and use them as the top net when double netting as they are easy to fit another net inside. The seller is very helpful, dispatches quickly and will combine postage for multiple purchases. All in all, very good value.

 

IV Horse Mini Miser Net  (40mm holes and retails at around £12.25 plus postage)

A smaller version of the Miser net and again made with fixed knot North Sea netting which is used by Fishermen and is designed to be UV and rot resistant. These little square nets fit ½ to 1 leaf of hay, however, the ropes were a bit short and I re-roped both of mine. The holes are small enough that little feet cannot get stuck in them and I’ve found this to be a tough little net able to withstand the table manners of greedy little ponies. 

Wee Pony Haynet (25mm holes and retails at around £10.99 plus postage)

This is another net which uses trawlernet technology but this time made more with smaller ponies in mind. It is UV stabilised for rot resistance and can fit up to 1 leaf of hay. I sometimes actually use this net in my horse’s stable to give him varying degrees of difficulty in his nets. These are long narrow nets, almost like a sock, so they can be a little awkward to fill, but are great once they are tied up. Again, the holes are small enough to stop little pony feet becoming caught and they have withstood being soaked and Buttons using them as a scratching tool. Both my miniatures use these nets and it has really prolonged their feeding time and their determined lips and teeth.  It is quite a versatile little net which could be used for ponies or horses.  I would recommend these for any little ones watching their waist lines.

Teenie Weenie Haynet (20mm holes and retails at around £8.10 plus postage)

This net lives up to its name, it is teenie on the tiny scale. It is supposed to be made from tough trawler netting and designed to take up to 1 leaf of hay. I was lucky if I managed to squeeze half a leaf of hay into it, it was really awkward to fill and the rope was so short the net wouldn't close. Buttons was able to empty the hay out of the top without actually having to use the holes.  The rope was so short that once the net was tied up, Buttons would have needed a step ladder to reach it. My ponies live in a stable which is designed for miniatures, so all the tie rings are at a suitable height for them, the rope was just far too short. Buttons had this net for no longer than a couple of hours and he ripped a huge hole in the bottom of it. He is quite hard on his nets but this is a fragile little net and more for decoration than daily use. Alas, marks for cuteness in name and appearance are severely let down in terms of practical use and I would not recommend it.

  Size comparison between the mini miser and the teenie weenie net

In summary, if you require to soak hay and extend feeding time, then the Miser net is about the best value for money.  It's the Steady Eddie of haynets and is long lasting against the elements and determined teeth. As for the trickle net, well I'm still trying to get my head around the price tag! It is a sturdy robust net and with the 25mm holes it really does extend the time spent eating. It may be beneficial for someone with a horse on box rest who can't get back during the day to add a lunch net. The nets made from North Sea netting and the trawler technology definitely withstand endless soaking. I'm thinking I will try and source my own netting and have a go at making my own nets. I used to make nets out of baling twine when I was younger. I'll let you know how I get on. 

     

Remember when you are restricting forage to feed a good balancer and, as always, teeth should be checked regularly.

 

 

It seems, for the second year in a row, that horse print is very much 'on trend'.  I've already seen tops in a number of High Street shops such as Dorothy Perkins, M&S and even Hobbs. My current favourite though, is this girl's prom dress by Yumi, which seems exclusively available at John Lewis just now, at £36. Alas, too small for me, but it could be the perfect purchase for a forthcoming wedding for a pony mad 6-nearly-7 year old.

Super quick delivery from John Lewis! The dress is lovely. The ribbon bow belt is velcroed but is still too big and we'll need to adjust it in some way. The little lady it was bought for is of average height, but I am not quite convinced by the length of the age 7-8. By the October wedding, it could be a little on the short side if she grows any.  That aside, it is beautiful though and worn with flat black pumps will look lovely.