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. 

Not the Last Post

I am pleased to report that Mulibwanji and his Mum were found by the Agisters recently and were gently loaded, with David's help, and brought over to Fritham. I would have helped but dammit, I fell and broke my shoulder just a few days before, luckily not damaging the site of my surgery but on the same side. I'll be out of action for 12 weeks.

All being well he will be going to his new home on Saturday. 

All of my own horses are very well and getting through the winter nicely. 

Once again I think we have come to the end of an era and I shall stop posting unless something more exciting happens. Thank you for reading and supporting check out tomorrow!

What a Nana!

I got myself very confused yesterday. I have been expecting the arrival of a dark bay colt, Mulibwanji, a pony who I took a headcollar off last year. He is due to be removed from the Forest because he is reaching the age of twenty-two months and is still entire. He is coming to me, possibly with his Mother, for a temporary stay before going off to his new home - all being well.

Arriving at the fields, I saw a young bay colt in my neighbour's field and thought "Oh heck, the pony - apparently without his mother - has been put in the wrong field." I made enquiries in every direction to try to find out what had happened, where his mother was, and considered how I would move him across through my fields without him encountering any of my horses, particularly my mares. Phoning the Verderers and then Mulibwanji's owner, it became apparent that it shouldn't be him. Was I going mad? 

The pony was quite anxious and clearly wild, should I let him out on the Forest? Eventually it became apparent that this doppelganger had in fact come though the electric fence from the far side, leaving behind his estwhile companions. 

I saw Mulibwanji by the roadside this morning. He has been missed on all of the Drifts. Hopefully his owner, with the help of Agisters, will be able to get him in very soon. 

Horse Groundhog Day

 

It was certainly more interesting when my Forest ponies were out on the Forest or up at the Reserve in Hook. Still, it is easier to be able to keep a daily check on them, assess their condition, and react when needed. Theoden is the only one that is showing a rib and so he has started on a winter feed with some supplements for his joints and his soles. Everyone else is eating grass and being passified with last year's hay until they too begin to drop some weight. I am particularly pleased with Jack whose body is reacting well to the Prascend. 

Meanwhile, our work continues with bonfires to clear the excess brambles before we can put up the new post and rail fence. 

We have a broken land drain, so the next bonfire site is sitting on a stream of water! 

Gold Medals

Prince has won two gold medals this week with his favourite person, Ruth. Not only is he allowing her to put his headcollar on in what I would consider to be a normal way, but last night he allowed a vet to inject him and take blood samples after what is hoped was only a mild bout of colic. Ruth admits that the clicker training descended into outright bribery but who cares in those circumstances. This is a pony that wouldn't let a stranger anywhere near him only a few months ago. Kudos to the vet too for understanding the meaning of the words semi-feral. 

Reassurance

 Every morning, my friend Nathalie checks that all of my horses are upright. It's so reassuring.