watching a Parelli Clinic

Niagra Equissage

Abbey had an 'Equissage' today, for a very reasonable fee Fiona will spend time getting your horse used to it first massaging with a hand held unit then fitting and making sure the pad is at a 'speed' your horse can accept. Today Abbey had it on the lowest setting and was reasonably well behaved but very tense....its shown here on Fiona's own horse Merlyn, she loves it and will eat hay and fall asleeep with it on.

the blurb::"Equissage has been developed from a physiotherapeutic modality that has been used on humans for both injuries and mobility for over 50 years. Equissage uses Cycloid Vibration Therapy, a uniquely non aggressive technique that allows energy to penetrate gently but deeply into the body. Its proven benefits include increased circulation, improved venous and lymphatic drainage, improved respiration, released tension and improved joint mobility." the Equissge UK site has lots of information about the benefits.

Abbey does not have any specific problems needing treatment, a release of tension would be a good thing for her as sometimes she does get very anxious about things, she has some stiffness down her shoulders and back which will benefit a lot from the Equissage. She is booked for another session next week and will slowly have the 'speed' turned up as she gets more used to it and will get more benefit from it.

no flowers yet

in previous years there has been more to photograph at this time of year, perhaps last years constant rain has rotted things away, or the very cold temperatures are holding things back a while. hmmmm.....not to mention my guilty neglect of the garden last year. this helebore is holding very tightly to its buds, but not opening. I have two others who are looking decidedly neglected, have very poor stems and no flowers at all, will see how they fare this summer and remove them after next winter if they no longer perform.

I think these are 'snowflakes' Leucojum vernum, usually flowering a bit later than the snowdrops but there are no snowdrops to be seen....

and I think these are crocus, as usual I have not labled things so its more of a surprise!

the greenhouse temperature gauge, which I haven't checked for weeks, was showing a low of -10C and a high of 11C. so it must have been much colder outside, well I'll just have to get an outside thermometer too if I really need to know!

oh hai!

Abbey has a habit of turning her back on me when she sees me coming with the camera, she must have decided this was her good side...

I'm still trying to get used to this camera, a Canon S5 IS which I've had since last April, its not been out a lot this year, the constant rain meant it wasn't out often. it seems fine in the sun and bright light but I haven't really got the hang of fading light, I get a lot of out of focus shots or camera shake.....time to re-read the instructions for info!

lets have a good year!!

lots of hedgerows and trees have been taken out round the farmlands, nice to see these three old ones still here. the greenhouse temperature gauge shows a low of -8 C to a high of 6 C.

ice forms over the running water(its a burst mains pipe, making its own path down the lane)

very pretty

also very pretty!!

and Tansy, on 'her' futon. she's sharing with a stuffed dog....