6th January, 2016 Driving Like a Professional

This sad statistic is not even the final figure for 2015. Despite far more attention from the police, people still persist in speeding across the forest. Speeding is only one element of the problem; the other is people's seeming inability to observe the animals that are at the side of the road and anticipate the actions that they may take. You'd be forgiven for thinking that drivers only hit ponies that suddenly hurtle across the road from a distance out of the bushes, but it could just as easily be a pony that has just decided to saunter across or has been forced into the road by another pony threatening it. Ponies pay far more attention to the threat posed by a dominant pony than they do the truck approaching at 40 miles an hour.

The speed limit is a maximum not a target and at night people need to slow down especially when dazzled by headlights coming towards them. But people also need to keep a constant look out to the left and right of the road rather than driving with tunnel vision: in other words pay attention! Drive like Bodie and Doyle entering a room looking for a suspect (but not like they drive a car!)

6th January, 2016 No Meldrew

Considering how excited he has been, Victor did amazingly well at his first day at school today. A handful of new experiences for him which he took in his stride. First of all he accepted his headcollar really easily.

Then he was brushed from head to toe and I even washed his tail which was absolutely caked in mud. I often say that if less time was spent brushing horses and more time spent training them there would be less behavioural problems. Of course, it's critical to check a horse over for injuries and grooming is one way of paying attention to detail. In any event it is important to train a horse to accept being brushed all over for those high days and holidays when they do need to be clean!

All through this he was being held on his first lead rein as if tied up, with Tracey acting as an elasticated post, gently teaching him that if he felt pressure on his lead rein he needed to walk forward rather than pull back. He stood nicely for a good three-quarters of an hour, sometimes happily distracted by a mare coming up to the outside fence.

A little leading practice, this time on a proper lead rein. Up until now he has only gone a few strides to the left and right in circles inside a pen. It's amazing what a foundation that proves to be, establishing the principle that he should follow a slight pressure on the lead rein.

He's a friendly soul and loves a cuddle.

Foot handling practice. Holding the front ones up for the first time and you can see how well he has balanced himself.

Finally, a quiet walk around the yard and pound.

Exiled to the far field, my little chestnut friend with 63 chromosomes is working in the area that we call the 'air-lock'. This is a fenced off section around the gate which makes it easier for us to take vehicles in and out (when it's not too muddy!) when the horses are keen to come with us. Henrietta has the advantage of being small enough to get under the gate and so benefits from private dining.

6th January, 2016 The Victorians

Victor's breeder has been in touch with me and sent me his family album. Coed Coch all over his bloodlines.

His dam: Rhydyfelin Saffron

Sire: Tryfel Dynamite

Victor:, Algrey Senate as a foal

5th January, 2016 There Be Dragons Everywhere

All was serene at the fields early this morning with the three New Forest boys happily eating together. Little did they know that this little pocket rocket was due to arrive at midday.

You'd think that butter wouldn't melt in this mouth but Victor hasn't seen any other horses for a little while since his companion moved away. Coupled with his soaring testosterone levels,  this meant that he was keen to make friends.

Jack doesn't look like the happiest gooseberry there ever was and a worse fate was in store for him...

...since he has been appointed Chief Chaperone. It didn't get off to the best start when Victor peed on the hay.

Victor was far more interested in Nettles and showing off his moves...which included floating around the field.

He is still looking for a new home either as an entire or as a gelding. He is due to be castrated next Tuesday. He is now rising three and is by the stallion Tryfel Dynamite and out of Rhydyfelin Saffron who has some of the oldest Coed Coch bloodlines. Tim tells me that Victor has been accepting his head collar easily and consistently in the open field. I am going to be working on leading and foot handling. If you are interested in having this pony, please contact me. I will be doing everything I can to set him up for the future.

4th January, 2016 It's Okay, We KNOW Where You Live

What a relief to find my two Forest ponies this morning without having to send out a posse to look for them. It's been almost four weeks since I have caught sight of them anywhere. Bluesy is just about on the line weight-wise so I'm hoping they'll make their way home soon. Nelly is looking very well, okay fat, but has a patch on her face which I am hoping isn't ringworm. It's the only one.

The ponies will eat gorse and holly at this time of year. Not my idea of a splendid varied diet.

From this joyous meeting to the lows of idiot neighbours who insist on leaving their dog off the lead even though they know it has a propensity for chasing animals and cars. I'd just allowed the horses into the top paddock to come across for their hay when in charges this lurcher which then proceeded to chase them round and round for a while at a flat out gallop. Luckily none of them fell or crashed into the gates and fences in their panic.I actually like dogs but I did have a fleeting wish that one of them might just kick it pretty hard.

This is not the first run in I have had with this dog owner, who apparently likes horses and is good with them, but this is the most serious. On a previous occasion the dog was running rings around a herd of Shetland ponies out on the open forest and when I said that they should control their dog I was told that he was "only playing" and that I was a "stupid bitch". As that remark came from a dog owner I took it as a compliment. Then last year the same dog came bounding across the main road barking at us while we were riding out and I had to get off to make sure that the incident didn't escalate from there. On that occasion the owner was nowhere to be seen although he may have been hiding behind a tree.

Thank goodness none of the horses were injured today but the field, which is the one I preserve in the winter,  looks as if the hunt has been across it.

Once calm reigned, we managed to get out for a ride in the sunshine and showers. The whole Forest is pretty wet though nothing like other areas of the country. Bella was a star and so was Petra.  I was feeling benevolent and so let Pat ride Theoden. He was an angel with her which is good because she's a bit past seventy!

After a break to go for a run, I worked with Henrietta for a while. I wanted to see whether she would now allow me to touch her from the side if she was given much more space to move away if she wanted to. The answer was a resounding yes and I was also able to move to some new places such as the top of her tail and part way down her back leg. All that work with the feather duster first has made this a lot easier.

With holiday guest Lenny gone home, we obviously had room for another one. Jasper is my other neighbour Nathalie's New Forest pony, a Theoden look alike, who was turned out on the Forest for the first time in a long time this summer. He's done well until recently but she was worried that he had dropped off a little over Christmas and asked me to keep an eye out and to bring him in if I saw him. Bucket in hand I did just that this morning and he has settled down with Jack and Nettles while Henrietta has moved in with the big horses for three weeks. You'll see why tomorrow.

3rd January, 2016 Birthday Celebrations

So many ponies and horses to celebrate in this world.

This is Graham who belongs to Karen. I've never met him but she did read my book to him. He says:

" Sarah...here's me wearing my Mums hat. I ask to wear it now because I know it makes her laugh... without you , I would still be too scared to go near her...so thank you & be happy again soon' x

And here is darling Rumble that I have met and worked with just a couple of times. He was so utterly wild when I first met him.

and here are Nichola's ponies. Successfully moved to their new field following our loading course just a few weeks ago. It must be the only un-flooded field in England!

2nd January, 2016 Mulish Thoughts

One of the really great things about having a mule in my life has been making new friends across the world who also have mules and donkeys. Mules seem to provide endless fascination for a lot of people and in countries like Spain and North America they are held in very high regard for their cat-like ability over difficult terrain, as well as their eccentricities. One lady, Debs, in America, explained how she felt that mules and donkeys definitely learned from watching other mules, donkeys, and horses. I loved the picture she used to make her point!

There was a lot of agreement on this, and this lovely photograph from Chrisilyn entitled "Quality Control" which I had to share.

There will be a lot of repetition in Henrietta's life for the next few weeks as I maintain her willingness to be touched along her sides so be prepared for a bit of sameness.

The main improvement in this photograph is that she is standing a good couple of feet away from the panel and in the lower one that she is leaning in to my hand. I'm also much higher up her neck and my feet are much closer to her body.