Kirklee Farm

Kirklee Farm We are probably the smallest horse farm in Aiken, South Carolina.

For now.

🎉Not anymore!🎉 Now we have nearly eleven acres to build out into paddocks and a training pen. 🐎

I put a mat under everybody’s favorite hay net. We’ll see 1) if they’ll eat out of it and 2) if it reduces waste and mes...
02/18/2025

I put a mat under everybody’s favorite hay net. We’ll see 1) if they’ll eat out of it and 2) if it reduces waste and mess. 🤞

This reminds me of a time not long after we got Old Ben. Mando was sleeping under the chestnut trees and I went to sit w...
02/17/2025

This reminds me of a time not long after we got Old Ben. Mando was sleeping under the chestnut trees and I went to sit with him. Ben was in the run in chowing down on the hay nets and I guess he didn’t see me walk out. Well, he saw my shadow stand up! He came hustling out at a trot to defend his paddock mate. He was still in recovery and a trot was all he had the energy for then. When I stepped into the light he stopped and snorted at me then walked over to check for treats. Mando the big, strong fiery one always convinces the others to look after him… 🙄

I think they held a competition.Who do y’all think won? My money’s on Ben.
02/17/2025

I think they held a competition.

Who do y’all think won? My money’s on Ben.

Mother Nature makes the prettiest apologies. The first photo is at my trainer’s farm and the second one is 15 minutes la...
02/14/2025

Mother Nature makes the prettiest apologies. The first photo is at my trainer’s farm and the second one is 15 minutes later at ours.

Michele did a wonderful job with our Mando.
02/13/2025

Michele did a wonderful job with our Mando.

02/13/2025

I know we need the rain but this feels miserable.
🌧️

We’ve changed her feed. Not that she was getting much, just something to mix the salt, vitamin E and MSM in. The balance...
02/10/2025

We’ve changed her feed. Not that she was getting much, just something to mix the salt, vitamin E and MSM in. The balancer had nearly 30% protein and she gets plenty of that from the hay we feed. We’re putting out less alfalfa as well. So far Ben is holding his condition and she is too. Balancing an air fluff and a hard keeper is not easy. You’d almost think we enjoy learning the hard way.

Mando is getting more confident out of the paddock. He headed down the driveway at a steady, calm pace today. I guess he...
02/10/2025

Mando is getting more confident out of the paddock. He headed down the driveway at a steady, calm pace today. I guess he didn’t want Opal to show him up.

Our “workouts” are getting longer as the days do. We’re continuing to build trust and get stronger.
02/08/2025

Our “workouts” are getting longer as the days do. We’re continuing to build trust and get stronger.

I can look out of my kitchen window and see horses!
02/06/2025

I can look out of my kitchen window and see horses!

02/05/2025

An incredibly valuable reminder when it comes to bandaging your horse’s legs, courtesy of the horse doctors at Mid-Rivers Equine Centre.

“Even the slightest wrinkle, fold, or lump in the bandage can cause discomfort for your equine companion. Imagine wearing socks and shoes and the sock has a crease in it. It will be incredibly uncomfortable to walk on.

Improperly applied bandages can not only cause discomfort but also lead to skin irritation and even injury. Be aware of the entire bandage's placement and the padding beneath, ensuring zero wrinkles or bumps. Your horse's leg injury needs the utmost wrapping care and taking the time to ensure a smooth and comfortable bandage application is vital.

APPLYING A BANDAGE
So how exactly can you achieve a flawlessly wrapped bandage? First, start by laying the padding smoothly over the area you intend to wrap. Make sure it's evenly distributed and covers the entirety of your horse's leg. Then, carefully wrap the bandage around the leg, applying gentle pressure as you go. Check frequently for lumps or folds, smoothing them out as you continue wrapping.

Another tip to remember is to avoid wrapping too tightly, which can impede circulation and cause discomfort for your horse. Instead, aim for a snug but comfortable fit, ensuring the bandage won't slip or shift during exercise. Once you've finished wrapping, visually inspect the bandage for any irregularities before securing it in place.”

Our final piece of advice: If you have any questions or concerns about bandaging your horse’s leg, be sure to talk to your veterinarian!

A Saturday full of horses.
02/03/2025

A Saturday full of horses.

There’s some changes going on at Kirklee Farm. Changes to the paddock and within it as well.
01/27/2025

There’s some changes going on at Kirklee Farm. Changes to the paddock and within it as well.

01/25/2025

Though we wish our horse doctors could be there for our equine friends in any emergency, the reality is that our horses' primary veterinarian cannot be available 24/7 and still juggle the needs of their own personal lives, health and happiness.

The most significant pain point for many veterinarians is caring for their clients during regular business hours and then also being on call for emergencies after hours. For single-doctor or small practices, this traditionally has been the case most nights of the week.

However, private veterinary practices and veterinary schools have more recently focused on developing new models for emergency care which ease the strain on individual practitioners. This includes the growth of emergency cooperatives where two or more practices in a geographic area work together to share after-hours care, as well as more emergency-only practices and the use of tele-triage services to address client concerns after normal business hours.

As equine veterinarians reevaluate what after-hours care looks like for their practices, the support of their clients is critical to creating a balance that works for both parties. If your horse doctor talks with you about changes in how after-hours care is delivered, we hope you’ll welcome the adjustments. This evolution of emergency care must take place in order for equine veterinarians to avoid burnout and continue to be at their best to treat all of your equine friends.

If you look just above Opal’s rump you’ll see Mando still in his blankie. He wouldn’t let me have it this morning; I thi...
01/24/2025

If you look just above Opal’s rump you’ll see Mando still in his blankie. He wouldn’t let me have it this morning; I think he’s become attached. It’s going to warm up to comfortable temperatures today and hopefully he won’t overheat. Ben and Opal both gave big healthy shakes and will probably be exceedingly dirty from rolling when we get home this evening. 😁

Address

3159 Old Camp Long Road
Aiken, SC
29805

Website

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Videos

That Opal can turn on a dime.

Watching Ben take on the protective role is neat because usually the other two are very protective of him. It’s going to be interesting to see how these shifts in dynamics play out. Look at how strong and proud he is!

We got a robotic pool vacuum and Mando was fascinated with it.

We try to clean the paddock every week but get it at a minimum once a month. You’d think they’d be more acclimated to it by now.

Saturday everyone came out for some pole work. On these really short, cold days they’ve each just gotten maybe five minutes of work. And for Mando that’s been work with a target in the paddock. He’s just still too spooky for me to feel confident taking him out in the dark. But Saturday he got to come out and he and Opal even ventured to the front yard. Lol, they were all so happy about their adventures.

Fall zooms
Fall zooms

Ben and Opal: “Sir, no. It’s time for after breakfast snoozing. We don’t zoom this early in the morning.” Mando: “Wheeeeeee”

These two are friends again.

And then there were three! Mando is finally at New Kirklee.

Mando has been pretty depressed; being alone is taking a toll. During his last training session he didn’t participate in the least. There was no curiosity, looking around; he didn’t even try to steal mouthfuls of grass. Yesterday I took him out to hand graze with no expectations. Just something to enjoy. At first he was very wide eyed but then he started smiling (iykyk). But then a group of kids on their dirt bikes came roaring by and initially he reared and bolted. After a few bounces he looked at me and extended his snoot for a touch on my hand. His reaction was smaller on their return trip but I could hear them on the dirt roads behind us and cut our grazing time short. I was nervous myself and didn’t want it all to become too much for him. This was his reaction to getting just a few minutes of something he wanted and I think he was a little proud of himself for his reaction to the bikes. John said that he was back to his goofy antics at his nightcap time yesterday evening. I’m glad I decided to try it.

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