CURRENT NEWS FROM HIGH COUNTRY
EQUINE CHIROPRACTOR'S VISIT
Tommy Behrns our equine chiropractor, came for one of his visits in September. 21 horses were checked and only six didn't need treating. Several had two vertebra out, most had one bone out of place and poor Shimmer had a hip out as well.
BIG GLEN MOVES TO THE MARLBOROUGH RIDING FOR THE DISABLED
Big Glen moved to the local RDA this winter. He was just not doing on the hill and we were running out of ideas of what to try next. Rehoming him down south hadn't worked. The RDA absolutely love him, the perfect gentleman, lovely to handle. lovely to ride and very placid in the big arena. He has just completed his first term there and it looks as if it is really going to be a good home for him.
AERIAL TOP DRESSING WITH HERBICIDE TO KILL GORSE AND BROOM
It has taken us a wee while to get round to spraying with a helicopter, something like twenty years but it is a very costly enterprise. We have only been able to do it now because we have new next door neighbours and they had booked the helicopter and we tacked on to the same trip. Rod looks out the window and up the hill several times a day to seek out yellowing and dying scrub!
FORTH COMING TRIP BEING PLANNED
Kadey
Rosie
Della
We have been approached by an English doctor currently working out of Oz. She and two friends are planning to ride the length of the South Island and if it all pans out they will be taking three of our horses on the trip. The young lady arrives in NZ in January to get to know the horses and start their considerable training in a new enterprise far removed from beginner trekking based on their home turf. The big bonus about these three horses is that they already know each other, which they wouldn't if four strange horses were gathered together. All very exciting. At the tail end of the hopefully successful trip the horses will be trucked home again to put their hooves up and relax.
Post Trip
All three horses had a wonderful time, an experience of a lifetime and have come back as much improved equines. Young Rosie has now been sold to an enthusiastic 13 year old, Frances and it seems to be a match made in Heaven. Kadey is now on the list for good riding customers and Della is teaching young Madison to ride.
2019 News
A few bits of sad news. Mr Bowie, owned by young Emma, had a series of accidents which he was unable to survive and he was put to sleep in June. We've also recently lost Harry, big, goofy, clumsy Harry who was seen to slip coming down the hill. His resulting injuries were almost impossible to fix with any certainty and I'm afraid Harry has gone to the big Stable in The Sky.. The last friend to leave us is Troy, my lovely shaggy dog who went into heart failure a couple of months ago.
On the up side there is a new horse at High Country, a fifteen year old TB who was looking for a new home. He has settled in nicely and is currently friends with Big Bill, Melisa's Clydie, also new up here.
Tigger the cat has been very ill with pancreatitis, as Rod says " A second mortgage worth of treatment!" But he seems to have responded well to continuing medication and is back to making the mice's lives misery.
On the up side there is a new horse at High Country, a fifteen year old TB who was looking for a new home. He has settled in nicely and is currently friends with Big Bill, Melisa's Clydie, also new up here.
Tigger the cat has been very ill with pancreatitis, as Rod says " A second mortgage worth of treatment!" But he seems to have responded well to continuing medication and is back to making the mice's lives misery.