Now is as good a time as any for a change in the way that the horses and ponies are managed. With a much higher horse to acre ratio, they are all going to need supplemental feeding to get them through this prolonged winter and possible throughout the year. While the ponies are building up again they are having soaked barley rings (good source of protein) with supplementary vitamins and some fast fibre. The big horses are enjoying this too. I have one hundred bales of hay on order for when the present supply runs out, and am glad that I didn't cut my strings with the best hay man for miles. Blue and Nelly have already perked up, whilst Patsy and Jack will need a little more time. No time for anymore photos today as I was busy de-lousing and de-ticking them all - something else that couldn't be done at the Reserve owing to its SSSI status. I shall miss it though. I had totally committed myself to that place and had done everything I could to help conserve it.
