Consistent Complaints

 

Everyone I know who has got a horse is complaining about the weather. A lot of horses are standing in mud all the time and are permanently wet. My fields are poached and the one we used before Christmas has still not recovered. My six are coming in to the smallest paddock and barn every night and they are having 1 1/2 bales of hay at intervals. This is keeping them all at a nice weight, but will be reduced at the beginning of March to ensure that they don't get too fat when the grass starts to come through again. I haven't seen them for five weeks because of the danger of slipping or falling, and David's day is centred around poo-picking and taking care of them, as well as taking care of me. Luckily I can do a lot more myself now. 

I have been greatly cheered by a couple of photographs that have come through at the same time as book sales. I always love to see the ponies and foals that my book is intended for or has helped. 

This is Esme and Maisie - Maisie the foal was a surprise! They belong to a lady called Nic.

Meanwhile Catherine has three black ponies - one Dartmoor and two Fells: Titch, Rocky and Lenny. 

If you have a pony or foal that my book has helped, or news of a horse that I have helped in the past, please let me have an update. 

Happy Families

In a very pleasant turn up for the books, Mulibwanji's owner decided that it would be best if his mother went to his new home with him, and his new owner agreed to take her. His new owner is an animal nutritionist and so there is every hope that the lovely old mare can be brought back to strength after a couple of difficult winters out on the Forest with a foal at foot; she certainly seems to have taken to a domesticated life in the past two weeks when she has been given three good feeds a day. Everyone should be thrilled with this outcome. 

I have lost count of the number of ponies I have helped to ease into new homes over the years, but it fills my heart with joy that I have been able to do so.