Surprise Reveal :D

Drum roll please :) 

GET EXITED!

http://equestriancourses.webs.com/

I have started a FREE equestrian course website! WOOP WOOP! I only have level 1 courses published but there shall be more to come! All the public courses are suitable for ALL ages! I have many plans with this so please keep checking in to see updates etc xx 

RIGHT! Have a GREAT day! Adios xxxxxxxxxxxx :D

BIG SURPRISE!

Right, guys, I have started work on a brand new project which its staying secret (well unless you stalk me on horse and hound forums!) until the point of release! Now, I know I haven't been posting much but believe me, its worth it :D :D :D Please just try to bear with me over this all. Thanks, Adios

Ragwort

Right, we have never had ragwort before, but this year a few plants have cropped up (Thankfully only one in where the horses graze). Since we needed to deal with the infestation, we did some reading. Thought I might do some general rules on how to remove and dispose of ragwort.






Removal:

1. Always wear gloves.
2. If the plant has flowered wear a mask over your nose and mouth to stop pollen.
3. Ensure that the plant and all its roots come out, if not the plant will just regrow, after all it is a weed.
4. Wash your hands even after using gloves.
5. Try to cover up exposed skin.





Disposal:
(Burning is your best option but there are other options, these rules are for burning)

1.  Choose an area where the ragwort can not grow.
2. Make sure the area is away from people and animals.
3. Use hay/straw/dry grass to get the fire going. (Its difficult to burn alive ragwort)
4. Wear a mask and gloves while burning the weed as well. 
5. Make sure that the burning takes place away from water and food sources.






Righto, these are just the basics, obviously there are better sources on the net out there explaining everything in depth. Remember that ragwort is a seriously toxic weed, well all you equines I know know the seriousness of the weed. Just remember always keep an eye out and mask and gloves all the way. :) Adios x

Deosect?

So, a can of deosect spray I ordered, arrived.

It smells like paint stripper, it is rank! I didn't use gloves or mask so I hope I haven't harmed myself but if it can go on the pony without anything protecting him then its good enough for me. I haven't heard of anyone using this for flies but we were suggested it by the vet. Shannon got very bad hives so after a failed attempt of treating them with piriton we got the vet out, she got a antihistamine shot and we ordered new fly sheets for the two of them and this spray immediately. I'm hoping that this stuff works as the ponies are not coping with the flies in this heat.

I got the Deosect on special delivery as it was we were recommended by a vet to get so it was top priority. The fly rugs on the other hand I will not expect for another day or two. We got a full combo with head, so, I am pretty excited to get those on the two of them. FWI, Shannon's antihistimine jab worked reasonably well and the swelling went down but she is still quite lumpy. Both of them were not amused with my trying to soak them in this stinky liquid, I was determined to do everywhere and both of them will never let me near their ears again :S

I thought I would just tell you the story of the recent past couple of days, like I said in another post the fences are being done so I can't do much with the ponies but it should be back to normal by the end of the week :D Adios xx

Haul :) Again...

Windsor Equestrian Horses Continental Reins - £5.99

These reins were bought on a whim since I saw the cheap price. The overall quality of the reins is good, stitching is good and the overall finish is decent. However, these reins are very short, if you had these on a long necked pony you would struggle to make them stretch. I was very pleased with them when I got them, it was only until I got on Blue that I realised that I needed the reins to control the horse! I could do without the saddle but not without the reins :S but these reins have held up when I have needed them but I don't have complete confidence in them. For the price I am happy with them but I would rather find others at more expense if these broke.

Shires Mane Plaiting Bands (Black) - £1.25

These are good bands for a cheap price. I got them for a friend so I have not used them myself but they seem sturdy with good elasticity and size. There isn't much else I can say about it this other that they are what they are, nothing much to it :)

HKM Easy Care 100% cotton Horse Riding Gloves (Black) (Size Medium) - £4.00

Now, at four pounds I really wasn't expecting much as I had just spent a tenner on some awful black riding gloves that fell apart and had no grip after the first ride. I was pleasantly surprised when these arrived, they have good grip and a soft texture. The stitching is good and the velcro wrist strap is sufficient. They are really great riding gloves that are cool and great for general yard work. For everyday use, I am happy to be using these and I don't need to worry about getting them mucky.

Shires Stirrup Treads (Black) (4.5") - £1.99

I was a bit disappointed as these are too wide which then make it inverted. It works as a grip but it just isn't the right size. On the plus side it's super duper easy to clean, this is the main reason I got it, I used to have a white diamond grip which was so grubby and hard to clean. Does anyone have this problem with treads?

Shires All Round Fetlock Boots (Black)  (One Size) - £5.99

These fetlock boots are amazing! I was astounded to find them on a site at a clearance price of £5.99! If I were to buy them from shires they would have cost me £20. At that price I can't complain about anything but there are a few things that aren't problems, I would just like to point out. These boots don't have the shine that the pictures do when you order them, they have more of a matte finish as they are synthetic. They also only come in one size so ordering them is a risk but the straps are adjustable so the risk to get it wrong is a bit slimmer. I am super happy with them, they are just what you want for jumping, the open front keeps the pony aware of when they knock a pole and the tall supportive back supports the lower part of the cannon and the outer shell protects the fetlock from bumps. They are easy to clean and undo but with Blue's feather it can be hard to get them on so that all the hair is flat and smooth but with a bit of practice I have my technique. 

Righto, that is me :) Mixed views on all of these products but don't regret buying them as I do use them. Hope you have fun in this heat and sun. If you want the link to these items, email me on bluehoofprints@gmail.com and I will be sure to get back to you x Adios :)

Cleaning Haul

Ariat Polish (Black) - £3.09

This is a complete blast from the past as I used to use this when I had Melody at pony club but this is in my mind the best polish out there! It is great a rejuvenating old saddles and making smart ones even smarter! There is also a brown version but I think it's harder to find, but seriously, even if you are not competing, use this! The polish brings out a great shine but you do need to make sure that you buffer the leather, you don't want the polish coming off on to your jodhpurs!

Lincoln Lanolised Leather Soap - £3.98

This was a new buy for me and boy was I impressed! This stuff is great at cleaning and conditioning, throw away your Belvoir tack cleaner spray and Belvoir tack conditioner spray and get this! I can't believe I have been going through years of scrubbing away with Belvoir's stuff when I could have had this all along, it gets away all the dirt with adding a gorgeous shine in its place, seriously you could use this for low key events to make your tack polished! It puts a great shine on but not too glam so perfect for hunter tack and xc tack.

Carr & Day & Martin Tack Cleaning Sponge - £1.10

 This sponge is fairly small so you might want a larger cloth for the seat of your saddle but its a great wee sponge. Its a does-what-it-says-on-the-tin kinda thing, it just does the job, I wasn't over impressed and at awe with this product but neither was I disappointed. Stains easily but doesn't make any marks on leather, though I would say don't use for both brown and black tack :)

Lincoln Classic Horse Shampoo - £4.98

This is was quite disappointing considering I was so chuffed with my leather soap from Lincoln, again this was a new buy. Years ago we bought gallons of a shampoo (forgotten name) and never needed to buy any until now. This shampoo is watery and doesn't produce any foam with is the key to telling if a horse is clean. I will use this but I won't buy it again at that price, Its okay for a quick wash after a ride but defo doesn't cut it for a deep clean :(

Lincoln (Apparently) Dog Bone Sponge (Blue) - £0.88

This was disappointing as well, for one (in fairness not a problem with the product) it took 2 weeks to be delivered 2 WEEKS! Then it came with small blotches of colour on it, not a happy customer I was. It works as a sponge but you are better off getting a normal sponge from a drug store and avoid the wait and strange marks :S

More hauls due soon, I have had the vet out and the ponies moved to a new field so I didn't have enough time to make it all the same post. I was dissapointed with the delivery from ...............................
I am not going to tell you the name as although I am not happy with the company I don't want to be too mean x Anyhoo I shall try and do a post tomorrow too, maybe just have this entire week, post a day :D We will see xx Adios :)

Update (Sorry for lack of posts x)

Hey guys :) Look at what me and Blue jumped today! Just so amazing, eh?

HA, as if! This jump is actually up because we are having our fences done so the jumps need to be put out the way for a bit. The number one rule of jump maintenance is try and keep the poles off the ground, this prevents mold and the paint coming off, also ponies can't come and stand on them.

Sorry if the blog has been quite quiet, I have just been busy with visiting uni etc and with this heat and fencing going on I am not doing much horse stuff, just making sure that they are behaving, which obviously they aren't.

I will have a new haul post coming up soon xx Adios x