Hunters Gap Equestrian

17/12/2023

11/11/2023

On the 11th hour
Of the 11th day
Of the 11th month

We remember

05/11/2023

This is why we love doing the retirements 🥰 golden oldies often get over looked but never here at the gap!

When you buy a horse, plan to take care of it in its old age.
Use it in such a way that the horse remains healthy in the long term.
When he grows old, see in him the one who was in his full strength, love him even more than in his youth.💙💙

Credit La Grand Refuge Spa

17/10/2023

Easy keeper horses...where does it come from?

(There is nothing easy about it)

Many Morgans, donkeys, Quarter Horses, Mustangs and others can be found with this label.

If we harken back to those and other breeds' ancestry, we find that they were genetically adapted to survive in harsher situations or in high work by having an exceptionally thrifty metabolism and traveling a lot.

This is why you can take a mustang off the range in Nevada and have it come to Virginia and become an air fluff with hoof issues. Horses who grew up in starvation situations can also flip over to fluff status later in life. Horses who in their early years were fed an exceptionally high starch/sugar diet can also be predisposed to falling into this category.

They most often have cresty necks and fat deposits on their bodies (especially near the tail head and over the eyes). These are the horses who drive their owners crazy trying to keep them slim enough because dry lots and 2 flakes of hay per day only seem to make them bigger and angrier.

For these horses it is especially important that they have a diet that is balancing adequate mineral needs with low carbohydrates and limited fat intake. This is Hard

Commercial feeds that are supposedly low NSC and marketed for Easy Keepers/EMS horses are often really not, either. The goal for these horses is to have an NSC value at 10% or less. Many of the feeds that are targeting these horse owners are actually 16% or above, which isn't ideal at all.

Add this frustration to soaking hay for 30+ minutes and keeping your horse off of grass much of the time while still getting exercise in, and it is enough to make a horse owner take up kick boxing just to have some way to let off steam.

We can empathize having gone through this struggle ourselves. People want to have an easy path to follow, and in these cases, there is not always a one size fits all, step by step approach.

The journey to health for your horse begins in the education of yourself and understanding what resources that you have available in your own area.

Some information that you can start with...

1. Carbohydrates are not these horses friend. That means a lot of the time grass is going to be off the table for your pal and you need to know what is in your hay. High protein should also be off the table. Watch your ration balancers because some of them can be very problematic also.

2. We cannot stress enough exercise, exercise, exercise. Your horse has got to move. Ride your horse, make a track system, get him a donkey that chases him in circles all day but doesn't beat him up (maybe that is a joke, maybe not)

3. You cannot make these horses think they are starving. Somehow you have to figure out how to feed them in an all day trickle. If you are soaking your hay make sure your horse does not get the soaking water. It contains all you just tried to remove from your horse's diet.

4. Copper, Zinc, Selenium, Vitamin E, plain salt and Magnesium are super important for these horses. You are probably going to need someone very knowledgeable to help you analyze where your horse is and what your horse needs.

5. In most cases bags of grain, no matter what is on the label, do not serve these horses well. You are probably going to have to go to more simple ingredient feeding. Some ration balancers can be a great help.

6. Have your hay and ground analyzed to see what you are dealing with. High iron sources can interfere with copper and zinc absorption which is very unhelpful. Clover is high iron and so are some weeds. Timothy Hay is more NSC than orchard grass. Hay grown in high iron soil is also high iron.

Here are some resources for you to start with.

https://www.ecirhorse.org/treatment-

https://www.facebook.com/124619504251477/posts/2330795680300504/

https://www.ecirhorse.org/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ddte_campaign

https://ceh.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/health-topics/equine-metabolic-syndrome

05/10/2023

04/10/2023

I was scared today.

I was scared to get on, scared to walk out the yard because I had a bad ride the day before. One bad ride, and it made me scared.

I didn’t know why. I’ve had 1000 bad rides. I’ve had 1000 falls. I’ve broken bones and bruised my pride on countless occasions, but today I was scared.

Why? Because confidence is fragile. It takes months and years to build and seconds to lose and yet we are so careless with it.

When we get on a horse, we wear a hat to protect our head. We wear body protectors, gloves, boots...

We pay so much attention to protecting ourselves physically, we forget that our minds are not invincible, and our confidence certainly is not.

Your bank of confidence needs regular deposits, not just from others... but from you. Self confidence is the most valuable currency in life.

When you go to get on, and you hesitate, you falter and you start to ask yourself “can I do this?”, chances are, your account is almost empty.

Every time you laugh and say “oh no, I’m no good” or “so and so is 10x better than me”, you make a withdrawal from that account, and before you know it, your account is empty and you’re scared to get on.

But every time you say “I’m really pleased with how that went” or “I think I rode that really well”, your balance increases.

We need to learn to give ourselves a break, pat ourselves on the back and allow ourselves to feel proud of where we are - after all, most of the time we’ve worked bloody hard to get there!

Recognising your strengths is just as important as recognising your weaknesses. Never allow yourself or anyone else to empty that account.

Confidence is valuable, don’t bankrupt yourself.

02/10/2023

🤣🤣 kite flying season is upon us!!

22/06/2023

Sorry for a delay in getting back to many of you! I should be up to date on all emails now but if not give me another poke!!

We have been having a change around and for more reasons than I can even begin to list we have removed ourselves from all of the voucher portals (virgin, buyagift, red letter days etc)

We have agreed to honour any vouchers already booked so don’t panic if you have gifted one or been bought one - book in with us as usual using your voucher - as long as it is redeemed this year.

Thanks 🐎 🌊

17/06/2023

For the rest of June only!

£120 per night!!!

Up to 6 people & 4 horses

Take advantage of this opportunity while it’s here!

Minimum stay of 2 nights

11/05/2023

Think we can all relate! 😅

Having had my 2 week trip to Barbados, last year, followed by my skiing holiday a couple of months ago, today saw my Spring Safari. All 3 of these holidays so far, have sadly arrived wrapped in black plastic. Horses; the never ending money pit! 🏝️ ⛷️ 🐅

06/05/2023

Our little yearling Hector feeling patriotic today!!

Have you heard the news?? Our coastal stretch and nature reserve in Theddlethorpe Lincolnshire will be the first in the ‘King’s Series of National Nature Reserves’.

Read more below :

https://www.visitlincolnshire.com/blog/new-kings-nature-reserve-in-lincolnshire-announced/

06/04/2023

Our glorious beach today!!! ❤️ who could resist that!!

20/03/2023

SPECIAL OFFER

Book 7 nights and only pay for 6!!!!

This means a full week holiday for up to 6 people and 4 horses for just £1200 ! (That’s only £200 per head for a WHOLE WEEK!!!)

Offer valid for any dates booked this year but must be booked and deposits paid throughout March and April for discount to be applied.

09/02/2023

Hey guys!! A few people trying to book horse holidays have been ringing the old phone line! This is long gone! Please call the land line on 01507 339 427 or pop a message on here and we can help you further!

04/02/2023

Why do I like horses? I think I must be mad.
My mother wasn't horsey - And neither was my dad.
But the madness hit me early - and it hit me like a curse.
And I've never gotten better. In fact I've gotten worse.
I hardly read a paper - but I know who's sold their horse.
And I wouldn't watch the news - Unless Mr. Ed was on, of course.
One eye's always on the heavens - but my washing waves in vain
As I rush to get the horses in - in case it's gonna rain.
I spend up every cent I've got - on horsey stuff for sure
I buy saddles, bridles, fancy boots - and then I buy some more.
I can't sew on a button - I don't even try
But I can back a truck and trailer - in the twinkling of an eye.
It's jeans and boots that I live in night and day
And that smell of sweaty horses just doesn't wash away.
I ache from long forgotten falls. My knees have got no skin.
My toes have gone a funny shape - from being stomped on again and again.
But late at night, when all is still - and I've gone to give them hay,
I touch their velvet softness and my worries float away.
They give a gentle nicker and they nuzzle through my hair
And I know it's where my heart is - more here than anywhere.
~ Author Unknown (if anyone knows I’m happy to credit-google gave me nothing).

04/01/2023

🐎 BIG NEWS!!! 🐎

We are finally RE - OPENING THE HORSE HOLIDAYS!!!!!

We have a slightly different system this time for our bookings, we will be offering block bookings of Friday - Monday or full weeks of Friday - Friday and for the time being we are reserving several midweek breaks for our Lincolnshire seahorse holiday makers.

Details will be as follows

Friday - Monday £600
🐎 This is to hold anything up to 6 people
🐎 We are happy to take up to 3 horses or ponies per booking (4 at an absolute squeeze if they can share) they will be staying in a paddock with a shelter and we can easily split this if horses don’t usually live together.
🐎You can see your paddock from your living area in the caravan!!!!
🐎 3 bedrooms - 1 double and 2 twins
🐎 WIFI, Sky and Netflix included
🐎 Small/medium dogs welcome - maximum of 3 and there is an additional charge of £10 per head per night.
🐎 Welcome pack upon arrival.
🐎 Exclusive and private with us only having the one holiday home to let
🐎 Your own lockable tack area
🐎 Full use of 20x40 Floodlit Menage with poles and jumps.

Full week breaks are same as above - £200 per night, advised to book in advance as they will be more limited.

Bookings best made via this page or on 01507 339 427

Based in Theddlethorpe Lincolnshire

04/01/2023

You’ve all kept asking and now we have listened 🤣 the horse holidays will be RETURNING this year!!!!!

More info to follow later today.

27/11/2022

NEWS FLASH!!!!

We have some VERY EXCITING NEWS!!!!!

Please see our new website www.Lincolnshireseahorses.co.uk for all of the information and we would really appreciate you popping over to our other page and giving it a “like” 😁 let us know what you think we are all very excited about this!!!

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088144423733

Welcome!Where did Lincolnshire seahorses come from?? Hi, my name is Kayley, I have worked with and had horses for as long as I can remember,...

30/05/2022

🐎🐎🐎 LIVERY!!! 🐎🐎🐎

Rare opportunity! Livery has become available at the gap!!! We have space big enough for someone with 2 -3 horses. Or 2 individual new liveries…

This is field livery only all our horses live out 24/7 - Shelter provided in the available paddock… part livery, assisted, or diy available we can be very flexible, hay and or haylage included within the price.

Retirement livery also available where all needs are catered for.

We are a small family run friendly and relaxed yard

20x40 floodlit Menage
Less than a mile from the beach
Private grazing
Home grown hay available
Owners live on site
24 hr CCTV

Adults and over 16’s only
No colts or stallions

Please message us here or call on
07791350161