Annette, thank you for the vote of confidence.
We have had 3 electric fence energisers stolen from our field at different times.
If Dan finds a fence on he raises his adrenalin and rushes it, pushing through with more force until the poles pop out of the ground or the tape breaks.
He is more respectful when this type of fence is used in a small area to give lambs at their first few times out at grass somewhere to run under to avoid the horses when they play and gallop, but it is not trying to fence him in then.
Wooden stakes are rubbed on by giant hairy horses and being riverside, we sometimes have floods, which completely loosened all the last lot of more than 1/2 a mile of fencing stakes in the bottom. Consequently. Steve would rather not provide the same amount of labour again for me.
I do understand the arena sized pasture, but I really feel that it is too limiting for a horse and again restricts access to varieties of browse.
I would only be happy with arena sized turnout providing this can be attached to the barn or field shelter and not an in or out with no choice solution.
I guess in my lifetime I have clocked up a good few thousand miles riding, these days I ride worse than a novice who has never had instruction.
I used to get my horses fully race fit and they were capable of hacking 30 miles a day with ease or galloping 3 miles or more across country and under rules.
Due to Dan needing more training to be safe on our busy roads to hack out, my arthritis and lowering hip, I cannot manage to walk as far or as often as I did with previous foals I raised, and having a human shepherd to accompany is a luxury which has to be paid for, even a friend cannot be expected to help without their petrol/diesel costs as a minimum being covered.
Well that is the current excuse list.
Yes, EXERCISE, even 10 minutes a day at liberty or lunging will help to raise the metabolic rates and help food conversion.
Today I removed the muzzles before lunch and allowed the boys time for free grazing and interaction.
I returned some 6 hours later with the intention of bringing them into the barn for the night.
Only Dan and Ben to have doors closed with Arthur free to come and go and give nuzzles over walls and gates.
When I arrived back to bring the boys in after several hours unmuzzled, I could only see Ben's hind legs stuck outside the barn door.
So with free choice to graze and stay out they were again inside their barn.
Arthur appeared in the barn doorway and left Ben waiting to enter.
Arthur has not been muzzled, but he is only 3 years old.
He heard my car and came to meet me at the gate.
110920103 by
susie_piepony, on Flickr
Daniel usually comes to the gate but he was busy maintaining his boss status in case there was any hay inside that he preferred not to share with Ben.
11092010 by
susie_piepony, on Flickr
Ben waited for me to point at Dan's stable, let him go in and close his gate on him, then I can open Ben's door and allow him in without Daniel intervening.
They happily wait for me to mix dinner and eating in their separated stables prevents sharing, when I need to ensure who has how much of mag.ox, turmeric, linseed etc.
110920103891-001 by
susie_piepony, on Flickr
And then Steve and I walked the perimeter hedges with both dogs, Simon and Jonathon, and thanked the girls for their contribution to equine diet regimes.
Cleo is watching Simon.
11092010 by
susie_piepony, on Flickr
Tomorrow I will turn out with muzzles, then remove them for an hour and bring them in for the night again, although no further removal time would be possible if I were on a scheduled work day.
So many questions......xx