Hannah is now 180 days in foal!

Day 180

The fetus has quadrupled its weight in just 30
days. Mane and tail hairs have appeared; it's
about the size of a Beagle.



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How the days are flying by now! Hannah is changing shape so quickly that I am shocked when I look at pictures from just weeks ago.

I have not been doing much work with her as she has felt sluggish and not interested. But when I went for a lesson on an ex-Grand Prix dressage horse, I was told that the mare I was riding had been schooled long and low up until six weeks before foaling. The instructor explained that the maintenance of supple muscles across the back was what helped her mare give birth so easily. She also added that perhaps Hannah was just being lazy by not wanting to do anything (hmmm??).

In my lessons on the dressage school mistress I have realised some serious faults in my riding style. I squeeze too much when I should be letting my leg hang loose by the horse’s side and using taps. Perhaps this is due to Hannah being slow off the leg, but then again she could be slow off the leg because of this!

I tried my new riding style out on Hannah when I took her in the school for a short session on Saturday and what a difference! She was sharp off the leg, responded every time I made contact and was so easy to ride! It just shows how you can get into habits over a period of time and then your horse fall into the trap too.



I really enjoyed our schooling session and what encouraged me is that Hannah absolutely loved being back in the school again. It is so nice to see a horse enjoying its work, it makes all the hard work and effort worth while.

Hannah has also got a new sister coming in October. After a lot of thinking and discussions with my Dad I have decided to loan a 17hh WBxTB chestnut five year old mare. She will have her own Blog soon, so watch this space!

170 days tomorrow

Hannah is really blooming at the moment. Her coat is shinier than it has ever been before and her temperament is just perfect! She is going to make a great mum.

I bought her a haybar in preparation for the foal being born as if I put haylage on the floor she just paws it around and then will not eat it. She was terrified of it for the first few days but now thinks it is absolutely brilliant. I have noticed that there is always haylage left in it, which there never was in her nets. She is obviously eating much more naturally now and not wolfing it down like she used to.

She has been doing a little more this week as I feel she has been getting quite lazy and enjoying being a broodmare far too much. I went for a lesson on an ex-Grand Prix horse on Thursday and the instructor said she schooled her mare until six weeks before she gave birth. She did lots of long and low work with her and transitions to help keep her back supple and her joints moving as they should do.

So as a result, Hannah has been going back in the school and doing just that! The first time I took her back in (she has been hacking out most days) she was so excited, which just shows how much she enjoys her work. We are only taking it very slowly as I don’t want to push her too much as I know she would love to be cantering round and round if I let her.

I have also made the decision to look for a horse to loan while Hannah is in foal and has the foal at foot. Initially I did want to buy a youngster to bring it on, but my Dad pointed out that I would be awful when it came to selling time and for once I have to agree with him. At least in a loan you know where the horse is going back to from the very beginning. I am looking forward to whatever work lies ahead.