Happy Girl on a Happy Pony

What a nice week for riding this has been.  I got on  my horse three times which hasn't happened for a LONG time!  Today a friend's daughter came over and rode Pony while I rode Golly.  The pony (and yes we just call her Pony) has not been ridden since early last fall but she is such a sweet little mount that I knew it would be fine.   I love to share my horses and see how happy they make people.

For the most part the pony's job is to just keep our horses company and she does a fine job at that.  Every once in awhile though someone comes out to play with her and I think she enjoys the occasional attention.   She has had heaves the entire time I have owned her but they are not bad at all during the winter months so its the best time to ride her.  In the summer she struggles to catch her breath with any exercise.    Luckily with daily treatments of albuterol they are kept at a reasonable level for her in the summer and in the winter you wouldn't know she had them at all.

So... a short post today... just want to share a picture of a happy girl on a happy pony.

A Short Post regarding Feed

I found the coolest thing this week and want to share!

I have two horses with dramatically different feed needs.  One is an older pony with heaves and the beginning signs of Cushings that is fed a huge amount of food in relation to her size.  The other is a 1300 pound draft cross who stays fat on air.  I've struggled on how to keep weight on the one and get nutrients in the other without making him puff up like a marshmellow in the microwave.

I mentioned this to the girl at the counter at Southern States and she handed me the number of their feed consultant. Turns out that Southern States has 150 employees trained in horse nutrition.   You can call them anytime and they will help you develop a good feeding program.  What a wonderful resource!

I gave her a call and about five minutes later got a call back.  After a 45 minute chat I found that the feeding program I was using was spot on.   So... I didn't get a new feeding system but I do feel much better that I am doing the right thing.   Worth every dollar of the free service!