One thing I did yesterday was print out a set of self assesment sheets for each my horses and put them in a folder. I can then keep track of where each horse is at with its development and where it is up to in the patterns. I find that I when I have a short bit of time to go out and play, I get out there and don't know what to do with who!! I thought this might help me have some ideas to go out and play with when I only have short amounts of time. I tell lots of people who tell me they don't have enough time to play with their horses to do this, so I thought I should take my own advice!
I have also started a good winter feeding regime for the horses. It has been cold, and the grass is running out rapidly, so I wanted to get in to a good routine before any of the horses started going down hill.
Another thing I have done is started trimming my own hooves!!! I trimmed Roxy this week, my first victim, umm, I mean client! One thing I know about myself is that I am a chronic sufferer of analysis paralysis. I won't try anything until I have researched it thoroughly, believe I know everything I possibly can about the subject, then I might give it a go... so I have put off trimming feet for years, because I am sure I don't know enough about it, and that I am going to cripple my horses for life by doing one wrong trim.
But enough is enough. I just had to start somewhere. So I started with Roxy. Roxy has challenging feet at the best of times, having been chronically foundered as a young horse, so I figured I couldn't do too much more damage while learning... And to start with I really just wanted to get comfortable with my tools. Anyway, Roxy looks fine, and we both survived the experience with no blood from either of us, so I guess I have overcome the biggest hurdle, actually starting!
So now the fun really begins. A new aspect of my horsemanship journey. And I don't know where to go now!!!! There is so much information out there, of course, like everything, everyone who is teaching is convinced that their way is the best way. I guess I will just have to start somewhere and go with my own judgement.
