Prodney’s Blog: Behind the scenes in a day in the life of the Stables
Natalie loves to share the stories of our participants, the challenges, breakthroughs and happy endings. But I think it’s about time I shared what’s happening behind the scenes, because all those stories couldn’t happen without the army of volunteers and staff getting their hands well and truly dirty.
1. Poo picking in the field and on the streets of Teddington (well it’s only fair to our neighbours). This is AT LEAST as effective as a session in the gym, but a bit less glamorous.
2. Mucking out stables. The poo is the easy bit, wet straw is another matter. Most of the humans exude a pleasant whiff of horse pee most of the time.
3. Checking that all horses, whether in Teddington or at the field, have access to fresh water and the feed that’s right for each of them. (That’s another workout.)
4. Daily checks of all the horses in the herd. If anyone is injured, or feeling unwell, taking action quickly is important for a good outcome, so this is another essential routine task.
5. Walkers walking alongside vulnerable riders, and leading the horse. They may ‘only’ be walking, but it’s crucial for safety that they’re there.
6. Driving the horsebox to move horses between locations.
7. Holding horses for farrier and dental appointments.
8. Worming us all! Definitely not the glamorous end of horse welfare, but oh so important.
9. Physio sessions for the horses. We all work hard, and sorting out soft tissue niggles early on helps keep us happy and active.
10. Cleaning and maintaining the tack. With a herd of 25, that’s a lot of individual bridles, reins and saddles (because we all have our own, fitted to us.) This isn’t just about keeping it all shiny, it’s essential to keep it in good order and to make sure it’s comfortable to wear.
11. Giving all the ponies daily scratches, carrots and polo mints. (OK, technically not essential but I can claim these are good for our wellbeing – and our humans enjoy this too.)
12. And there’s never any escape from admin and paperwork, session bookings and rotas, all essential to keeping our operation running smoothly.
Just thinking about that little lot has made me tired. I’m off for a lie down.
All of these essential tasks bring with them related costs, from straw to saddle soap, from antiseptic spray to grooming brushes. It’s why we set up an Amazon Wishlist. Everything here is incredibly useful and helps support all the behind the scenes work. And there’s plenty of choice under £10 too.
Prodney is Chief Equine Officer (CEO) at Park Lane Stables, and achieved celebrity status following the TV coverage in 2021. And yes, he really is a bit of a star on YouTube and TikTok. Just search for Park Lane Stables and do follow us!