I took Peechay to his new home this morning, accompanied by is mother. He has been weaned from her for a good couple of months but I thought it was better than travelling him alone. He has landed on his feet with my good friend and client Nicky, who owns Maverick that you will have seen before. Since her last pony was put down at the age of 32, I thought that she was a good bet for Peechay as a home for life. I am so fortunate to have been able to direct all three of the foals that I have bred to this kind of kind home. Needless to say, I don't make any profit (I doubt many do even when their ponies are sold commercially).
In the book, Green Grass of Wyoming, the third book in the My Friend Flicka trilogy, Mary O'Hara describes how the major topic for ranchers at their spring social events is green grass. "Have you got green grass yet?" I am beginning to know how they feel. For the first time ever, I have one horses and two ponies (including Peechay) that are a smidgen underweight and it worries me to death. Despite masses of hay and decent feeds, I haven't been able to make a significant difference over the last few weeks and we are all desperate for the green grass to come through. If your horse is massively overweight no-one seems to notice but when a rib shows the shame is unbelievable. Hopefully the grass at Nicky's and another wormer in a day or two will see Peechay right but for the others we need rain and warmth.
I'm not helped by the fact that I cannot use my second field. Last year the ditch was dug out in anticipation of some new fencing, revealing water dropwort which is highly poisonous to horses. Since then I have been let down by three fencers and delayed on the list of the current one. Once the winter started it would have wrecked the field anyway. I cannot wait until he turns up now on 18th April (hopefully!!). In the meantime I've got another 50 bales of hay coming and I am doling it out right left and centre.
Out on the Forest some of the New Forest ponies are dropping back dramatically, even those that I have supported as friends of Nelly. Given that many (not mine) are due to foal again this year, it could be areally hard year for them.
