Sapphire Equine

13/02/2025

It is with great sadness that we announce that Kings Bounty Equine Practice will permanently close on March 28, 2025. Routine appointments will stop being scheduled from March 21, 2025.

This has been a very difficult decision to make, but due to a combination of circumstances and having explored all of the options available, we are sadly no longer able to continue providing equine services to our clients and patients.

We will of course be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Please do call us on 01420 520164 or send us an email at [email protected], if you would like to chat to our team.

04/02/2025

Session 3 was on pasture management. A lot of talk on soils, types of grass and PH balance.

I’ve highlighted a bit that really speaks strong to me. Especially catering full grass livery. The herd horses naturally loose weight before the spring period to help their bodies adjust and prepare for the spring grass gorge. It’s hard to adjust too but we seem to want to plump them up as mush as we can during the winter period and then panic when the spring grass gates are open to new paddocks. We still have some semi wild ponies around and it’s good to have a drive and see how they look each season. Here we try to cater the best we can to go back to just being a horses and natural way.

Horses wants verses what we want I’m sure as all relationships we can compromise on some points. Was a good topic to discuss…. Any thoughts? ……..
Individual paddocks a must in your yard - maybe we need to exercise them more? Keep them moving? Horses next door to them to see herds? Good compromise?
Small paddocks - hay one end water another? Make them move? Hay around the paddock to increase movement?
Track livery - making sure we cut down abit during the winter? Is that a good idea? Or open up to summer paradise?

All yards and how we keep our horses are different. We all have our own personal views. Just a good discussion on how we can cater to get the best out of our horses, us and pastures.

27/01/2025

Next session in play this evening.

Good conversation and questions to Harrow or not to Harrow. Horses on large paddocks and small plus the soli biology and N&K intake.

We have a few different paddocks systems here on livery. We have enough acarage and less horses to rest huge paddocks for over several months. Making it prime to Harrow, cut and leave. I found this works such well on the land here, for the horses and for the worm counts. Talks on harrowing in paddocks while grazing was good. Very very hot weather and then plenty of rain. Mainly to do on very large open paddock where no rotation is available. Helps sold biology and the hot weather kills any worm larve. Another good point is winter p**p piles. All good to then later use to Harrow paddocks after winter only to do on good worming programse. Piles are in line with N areas and avoid slurry.
Sheep and cattle very good for soil on resting paddocks after horses have been. I have tried with goats but they have become to friendly now and prefer the people lol. Don’t think I should own sheep and cattle as I don’t need anymore little ones not doing their intended jobs and becoming pets. However as they produce great fertiliser I have horses mainly natives and our Shetlands that would not benefit on the very lush grass.

One thing I can say is know your land,Know your soil. Work with it not against it

25/01/2025

Red sky at night

23/01/2025

Our farmer has the bestest of hay 😋

23/01/2025

20/01/2025

Here we go …… 4 part webinar session - tonight’s is on hedgerow management

Always enjoy learning, improving and putting in practice over our yard paddocks

13/01/2025

Yum yummy Christmas tree 🌲

02/01/2025

31/12/2024

Not forgetting my little liveries

Happy new year from me to my ickle furries. 2024 has seen a big growth in mini liveries and I love working with them. Mad you say?! But they have such characters. From woodchip areas to new track livery it is always fun seeing these little ones thrive.

Here’s to you little ones. Cheers

31/12/2024

Hope you have all had a magical Christmas and happy new year to all the wonderful horses I’ve worked with over 2024!

What an extremely hard, tiring but special year this has been for me personally. It’s good to have my furry four leg friends to talk too, vent and cuddle. Here’s to more horsey shenanigans in 2025

25/12/2024

Christmas dress, boots and haynets. Merry Christmas everyone 😃

24/12/2024

Go Patchy!

24/12/2024

Christmas yard walk out with ickle ones

24/12/2024

21/11/2024

Oh as helpful as ever boys 🤭

21/11/2024

Sun setting on a cold crisp evening. Horses munching on plentiful of hay. The most peaceful 😌

19/10/2024

Evening yard