Pet Portraits and Natural Horsecare

2010-06-09T04:40:00.000-07:00

NSF is obviously closer to camera but you can see wall of OSF behind as I did not have any clear pics

Same hoof - one year ago

2010-06-09T04:33:00.001-07:00

White line tight and better wall angle. She had no grass in the spring. Her heeks are also higher as it has taken this amount of time to be able to lower them safely. I used to be able to fit my fingers underneath the back of her hoof when it was on the ground !

2010-06-09T04:28:00.000-07:00

OSF hoof pics a year apart

2010-06-09T04:13:00.000-07:00

Today - 09.06.10

Showing stretched white line due to grass intake in the spring and syruppy linseed lozengers ! You can also see rings on both front hooves showing metabolic distress. The sole is shedding and I should have painted the purple stuff in after I had taken the pics ! The top part of hoof is growing at steeper angle which happened when put on mostley grass free track and micronised linseed fed instead of the 'sweeties'.

Spring has sprung

2010-03-22T13:39:00.000-07:00

Portia pony heading towards me at a rate of knots in the spring sunshine yesterday !

2010-01-06T03:40:00.000-08:00

2010-01-06T03:37:00.000-08:00

2010-01-06T03:33:00.000-08:00

2010-01-06T03:30:00.000-08:00

Todays snow pictures

2010-01-06T03:24:00.000-08:00

We had proper snow overnight. Here are ponies playing this morning in between haynets !!

Look how far little heads can reach under ...

2009-10-17T01:40:00.000-07:00

Electric fence is run off the mains and has quite a belt !! Little Man (black pony) can twist his head under and flatten his ear to reach the grass without a whisker touching the tape! Luckily he diesnt seem to be affected by the grass as much as Portia but to put him in the middle of the field would send Portia loopy-loo and would be a little unfair on her !

Paddock Paradise ...

2009-10-17T01:37:00.001-07:00

If I look at you lovingly - will you let me have some grass?

2009-10-17T01:32:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately with too much of this green, green grass and she would be hobbling around like a good-un. Sometimes they dont know whats bad for them. Picture child in sweet shop !!

Paddock Paradise - what do YOU want ??

2009-10-17T01:29:00.000-07:00

As 2 -3 year olds they used to be able to graze this !!

2009-10-17T01:26:00.000-07:00

Paddock Paradise ...

2009-10-17T01:10:00.001-07:00

Hard standing - the 150 year old milking parlour !

2009-10-17T01:06:00.000-07:00

Paddock Paradise picture fest ... !

2009-10-17T00:49:00.000-07:00

Keeping a good doer and grass sensitive ponio is not that easy. Most 'native' types are kept in during sping and summer or at the best, turned out on a postage stamp area of grass to control their weight and desire to 'stuff' !!

A man called Jaime Jackson, a barefoot trimmer from the USA devised a system of allowing a more natural lifestyle for all horses and it especially suits my guys. It is called Paddock Paradise and is becoming an increasingly popular and natural way of horsekeeping this side of the pond. It is a system of tracks around, in my case a small one and a half acre field. Fot the most part of the year, the ponies graze aound these sparse tracks supplemented with hay and minerals. They move all day around and around and this helps keep them healthy, both mentally and physically aswell as giving their bare feet all the stimulus they need. The have a long barn to stand in if they want but normally only come in here to get away from flies in the summer. Hay is placed around the track on the ground so they can graze as nature intended. Hey presto, a more natural lifestyle.

Enjoy the pictures I took this morning on this lovely autumnal day.

Incase you are wondering, the grass in the middle is eventually grazed down by strip grazing in the depths of winter when it looks more like standing hay! It is then rested and the process starts again. As you can see it still looks VERY green and its mid October!

Cat Portrait in oil pastel

2009-10-17T00:45:00.000-07:00

Snow - part II

2009-10-06T13:54:00.001-07:00

To get you all in the Winter mood !!

2009-10-06T13:48:00.000-07:00

Blog was looking a little un-touched. No news really to excite you guys but thought I would add some pics from earlier in the year when we had tons of SNOW !! Ponies had great fun, although it came up to their knees!! Enjoy ...

Chocolate Lab

2009-09-22T02:08:00.000-07:00

He's nearly finished ... and looking ever-so fluffy-wuffy. This is a portrait I am doing for a friend at the moment. I also have an arab on the go ! Orders will be coming in for Christmas soon so must crack on ! Who mentioned the 'Christmas' word in September ?

An introduction, wormer and cheap wellies

2009-09-20T23:48:00.000-07:00

Well, I think an introduction to the 'family' is in order!

You already know a bit about me and there is also an OH. Animal wise we have Bo, a black Lab who is a little mad. Ponies, Portia and Saracen (also known as Little Man as he is teeny). Portia is my 'metabolic' mare. She is Insulin Resistant and requires very careful management. Its a bit like the horsey form of diabetes, but we cope! Little Man is a sweet itch sufferer but this is kept in check with a good feed supplement. We also have 3 hens; Betty (noisey girl but lays lovely chocolate brown eggs), Alice a bossy white hen and very cheeky, and lastly Wilma a big grey hen who has a 'maddie' every morning when let out, running around with her wings a-flappin' !! Lastly, there are 2 white and brown ducks called Sally and Zola. They are runner ducks, so are named after famous runners Sally Gunnel and Zola Budd !

It was wormer time yesterday for the ponies. I try to keep chemical wormers to a minimum and use a herbal alternative and also regular egg counts via poo samples! It was the turn on the chemical tapewormer though but all seems OK today. Portia can become a bit footsore due to her condition with wormers but fingers crossed we are OK.

Now to the wellies !! Bought a bargain pair of wellies about 6 weeks ago for £10. BARGAIN !! I normally would go for someting around the £40 mark but thought what the heck, lets give 'em a go. Never again, they are trashed already. And have a nice split. You get what you pay for !!

Here we go then !

2009-09-20T07:10:00.000-07:00

Well, hi guys. This is my new blog. I am a pet portrait artist and owner of various animals all dear to my heart. I also work full time so have to fit alot in !

I hope you will follow me on my various missions in life and will enjoy seeing my pet portraits come to life at various stages.

I also have an interest in natural horse care, owning 2 ponies who live a natural life as is possible. I am also, what is known in the 'trade' as a hoof nerd, and trim my horses hooves to complement their natural lifestyle.

So jump on board and lets get going !! ...