Hampshire Spirit

We're not Welsh! 

At the weekend I was reunited with Julie for a rare outing to work with three Welsh Ponies. I had heard good things about the Hampshire Spirit Horse Rescue Centre and I know that a lot of my friends support them in one way or another. This charity fills a niche (rather a gaping hole) in the charity sector where the bigger charities are forced to concentrate on horrendous welfare cases. This charity takes those too but also accepts horses where the owners have become to ill to look after them. Even so, there is a limit on how much space and time the hard-working team and their volunteers can do. 

It was obvious that Zoe had endless knowledge about how to bring round unhandled and semi-feral ponies but the Welsh ponies were testing her ability! By way of introduction we worked on slight changes to body-language which can make that vital difference. With field fencing, you always have to work with only the slightest pressure, and with consent, if your not to get into a mess. Fortunately, Cinders and Rhi, the youngest of the three Welsh ponies, were eager to engage even if they were shy.

By turning away in the "I am not worthy" pose, you can draw a pony towards you, especially if you remember to turn away in the direction that does not take your eyes along the pony's body. 

And by using the back of your hand, fingers together, and a deeper touch - touching the soul not the skin - you can help the pony to register that the touch is pleasant, not tickly - especially when they live within electric fencing.

For the first time she allowed someone to touch her along her back. 

Rhi was a different kettle of fish. Although she appeared to be feisty, rearing whenever she felt challenged, this soon stopped when we introduced a little bit of body language which simply put her off. Whilst Annalise's "No!" and a pointed finger were effective at keeping her away, slapping her coat was better at eliminating the behaviour altogether. 

"No!" coupled with a strong gesture, is a word that ponies might learn means "Stop what you are doing", but there is a delay while the pony translates it. Slapping your coat surprises the pony with an uncomfortable sound, and makes them want to put their hooves back in the ground immediately so that their tummies are not exposed. It has to be gauged carefully as an aggressive, rather than a worried pony, might see that as an open invitation. 

We also worked on the quality of touch. Whilst facial bones, seem to like a smooth one-finger stroke, most ponies don't like tickly, separate-fingered touch on their faces, or indeed the rest of their bodies. Again, by using the back of the hand, with a slightly deeper, fingers-together rub, I was able to touch Rhi's face in a way that was more acceptable to her. 

After repeating this work, Annalise took things forward by working with the rolled up soft scarf, a precursor, hopefully, to being able to drop it down her neck.

 

We finished with the feather-duster which Rhi allowed around her face...

...and on her shoulder. 

The great thing about both of these ponies is that they both 'give' you their head end, not because they have been forced to as in some methods of horsemanship, but through a little bit of trust. However, whilst Cinders is very open, Rhi is more closed, using her head to determine where you are allowed to go. The feather duster will allow us to get further along her body without being kicked.

There is no doubt that working in an open field, albeit small, is a challenge but Prince taught me that it is possible for ponies to come round in this way, although it could take far, far longer. Hopefully the tweaks we have made will help the team here to get over the barriers that were in their way. 

Bruno, a three year old Welsh pony, has regressed to being wild over the last few months and when approached by humans he tends to run in circles around them. He seemed to be an ideal candidate for clicker-training and I sent Julie off to see if she could make contact with his lost soul through his tummy. 

By starting this at a distance, introducing a quiet click and dropping a carrot baton on the floor, Julie was able to get his attention before his instinct to run was activated.

A bit nearer and rather intrigued...

And he seemed even more impressed when she got low to the ground. 

As we are hoping to return very soon, this seemed the ideal time to end our introduction, knowing that the team can continue with the work we were doing. 

Three ponies, all different, and needing three different but subtle approaches. 

All of these ponies will be available for re-homing once they have reached a point at which a new owner is happy and capable of continuing with this work. 

Sojourns and sabbaticals

For our trip to the Hook Reserve today, we had the trailer in tow. Pie's adventures at the reserve had come to a close and he was happy to pack his knapsack for the bus home.

A last minute conflab with the bus driver.

It's always a case of one in, all in, when organising anything, and David was able to trim the hooves of everyone except Patsy before we set off home.

Eight weeks' worth of growth

Pie loaded very happily for a big feed, and the promise of more to come, and the others wandered off afterwards without a backward glance. 

Heavenly Anniversary

Yesterday it was four years since I lost my Mum. I feel her presence just as much now as I did then, and she is urging me to enjoy my life and not to take any crap! With the warm sun, the only thing for it was to take the donkeys out for a walk. It was the first time they had volunteered since I started to feed hay at the beginning of the winter and perhaps signals that they don't need so much any more. Beautiful Rose came with us. 

While Marie and I sat on a large fallen tree trunk in the inclosure, we let the donkeys off their lead reins for a little while. 

Earlier we'd come across Nanny and Blue who were asking after Nelly and the others. 

And it was early enough for my neighbour, Mark's, bees to wake up and to begin to search for food. They're living with us temporarily until he finds somewhere better for them. 

Road trip

I visited the ponies at Hook today. I have made a firm decision to bring Pie home, for good, next Monday. He has dropped below my welfare line and now that it has turned really cold again I don't think he will have the opportunity to pick up before the summer. He won't mind retiring with the short-legged long-ears and I expect his Auntie Nathalie will be glad to have him as a lawnmower too. 

I'm now starting to monitor Patsy and Jack - Jack in particular. Unfortunately all of that ice, the impact of the cattle who stayed longer than expected, and the continuing cold weather, is testing them all. It's been an interesting first year and this blog provides a record of their condition throughout.

As mentioned before, Jack is deceptive because he has such a thick coat. Let's hope for a warm March and some early grass. Considering he hasn't been wild since he was six months old, and he has never 'owned' his own herd before, he has adapted brilliantly. 

 

Nelly and Blue are their normal glorious selves - like Patsy they turn 21 this year. 

We saw the roe deer behind The Hogget pub. They're not easily spooked and just watched us from the trees. 

'Exhausted' - lovely Julie, picking up ancient car parts. There was very little litter in the reserve today and even the A30 layby was not too bad. 

We met up with one of the Lookers and her gorgeous dog, Roko. 

I find Blue's undercoat fascinating - a sign of the colour to come. 

The Key to It All

 

I really wish that Henrietta would not insist on making appeals through the gate. She has plenty of food but she lives in hope. 

Sadie, a long lost friend of mine, brought her partner Jacqui to see the horses and made friends with my horses. 

Since You've Been Gone

Friends at Loisaba not only teach me Kiswahili by Whatsapp, they send me pictures and bits of news from Laikipia. Known by many as 'the one and only' -  researcher, Ambrose Letoluia, has captured this beautiful picture of the melanistic leopardess. I'm awaiting important news to see whether he will be studying at a British university soon.

and one of a 'normal' leopard. These were both taken at the Mpala Research Centre which is next door to Loisaba. 

In the meantime, the drought continues to take its toll on the wildlife and this young baby Eland was left orphaned and will now be brought up at Loisaba. She is called Boudicca and providing that she survives her first few months, she should rehabilitate well on the conservancy. 

Today she has been exploring the unfenced part of the garden, requiring Jo to be her babysitter!