Stables in Stapleford Abbotts II

31st May 2015

Today I went back to help at the yard.

I mucked out the stable after being taught how to do so. I then groomed the horse and changed her water. Later on, I helped to put on her saddle and bridle for her to be ridden and throughout the day I gave (and was given) a lot of affection to/by the horse.

I also learnt about some of the medical consequences of weight gain in horses such as equine metabolic syndrome and laminitis and how these affect the horse's lifestyle.

Below is a picture of Melody (the horse I help with).

Old McDonald's Farm

16 May 2015

I helped out at an educational farm. I mucked out the goats and replaced their beddings. I also helped on two tours and during these I was required to go in the pig enclosures with the piglets and their mothers and into the meerkat enclosure as well.

I got to play with the baby rabbits and clear the eye of one of them. I got a tortoise out of it's enclosure too and let it walk around the area to entertain the children on the tour.

This farm was operated very differently to the farm in Hereford as this farm is for educational entertainment purposes.

Below is a picture of the piglets I got to help with.

Stables in Stapleford Abbotts I

10 May 2015

I helped out with my friend's horse at the stables on this day.

I got to make up hay nets for her and soak some to get rid of the starch. I also got to make up breakfast and dinner bowls for her and had to put a mixture of grass pellets, fibres, mint and watched her owner put Regu-Mate hormone into the food. I scrubbed and refilled her water bucket.

I also groomed the horse and sprayed her with fly spray then helped lead her out to the fields before laying down her bedding in the stable.

Hereford Farm

14-16 Feb 2014

I spend the weekend at a working sheep farm in Hereford. I was lucky enough to visit during lambing season and so I got to help out with the lambs on the farm.

I got to ride on the farm tractor over the fields to feed the older sheep and lambs and I also got to feed the newborn lambs whose mothers could not feed them.

I saw the device used to feed lambs using ewes that have already had their lambs, which kept them in place to allow the lambs to feed from them.

There was a vet called out to fix the prolapsed uterus of one of the ewes and I was allowed to watch the procedure as it was carried out.

I noticed that as this is a working farm, the way the sheep were handled was far different and harsher than in educational/entertainment farms, purely due to their purpose as livestock and not pets/show animals.

About Me

My name is Georgia, I am an A-level student and I hope to study veterinary medicine at university in the future.

On this blog I will detail the relevant work experience I have participated in as required for the course I wish to take at university.