December
It's hard to believe it's nearly Christmas, where have the past few months gone?
Like everyone else, we had the rain and now MUD, thank goodness nothing like Yorksire, but bad enough with water seeping out of the cliff face behind the house and buildings, then flooding, when the water seeped in under the walls. I awoke one morning to find the arena looking more like a swimming pool, and water swamping the feed area and pens in the barn, and one of the sheds.
It's hard to believe it's nearly Christmas, where have the past few months gone?
Like everyone else, we had the rain and now MUD, thank goodness nothing like Yorksire, but bad enough with water seeping out of the cliff face behind the house and buildings, then flooding, when the water seeped in under the walls. I awoke one morning to find the arena looking more like a swimming pool, and water swamping the feed area and pens in the barn, and one of the sheds.
The ponies were not happy in all that mud
There's good news and bad news when it comes to the ponies, and some not so good news about me.
Me first
I have a tack room full of unused saddlery now the ponies are not being shown or ridden, so at the end of October I decided to go to the horse sales held at Hereford Market on the Monday, to see what sort of prices my tack might fetch. Over the weekend I had been getting rather tired when doing the ponies, and my shoulders were aching, then I had pain in my arm but could not remember hurting it, so I booked an emergancy doctors appointment. As soon as the doctor saw me, she called an ambulance and I found my self on the way to Hereford Hospital! . We went right passed the horse sale at the market, but couldn't stop!! Anyway a few days in hospital and another stent fitted and I was back home. At least this time it wasn't as bad as my first heart attack, but along with my back problems, it has slowed me down and made think about the future.
Let's start with the not so good news.
I've had to make a very hard decision and I had June and Susie put down a couple of weeks ago. Both have had on going health problems for the past year or so, and their medications didn't seem to be keeping their symptoms at bay any longer. Some time ago, June was tested positive with E.M.S. so was very prone to bouts of laminitis, and had to be on a strict diet, which she found very hard when all the lovely green grass was around. She and Susie were very good field friends but June was boss, and when it was time to come in, she would always get to the gate first and tell Susie in no uncertain terms, she was being caught first and to stand back or else! Poor Susie, she was a lovely natured pony but I always felt she was a 'bale short of a trailer load'!! so not the brightest pony and would often get cornered, so I had to be very careful at the gate.
However, Susie soon realised that the times when June was suffering with sore feet, she could be the boss and took over. The dejected look on June's face and sadness in her eyes, when Susie saw her off and the way she hobbled across the rough yard in front of the house, was getting more frequent and I didn't want her on bute all the time.
June was such an easy going pony, always trying to be helpful in the stable and like her dad, Laddie, would get very upset if she got something wrong. Sadly, she never made it big time in the show ring, as on our way to a show, when she was five, a problem with the horsebox caused her to fall and injure her back leg, which was never quite the same again. This didn't stop her being a lovely, happy hacker and we enjoyed many hours riding up in the forest behind our farm.
June 2nd in-hand June Agatha Rainbow June with her injured leg
There's good news and bad news when it comes to the ponies, and some not so good news about me.
Me first
I have a tack room full of unused saddlery now the ponies are not being shown or ridden, so at the end of October I decided to go to the horse sales held at Hereford Market on the Monday, to see what sort of prices my tack might fetch. Over the weekend I had been getting rather tired when doing the ponies, and my shoulders were aching, then I had pain in my arm but could not remember hurting it, so I booked an emergancy doctors appointment. As soon as the doctor saw me, she called an ambulance and I found my self on the way to Hereford Hospital! . We went right passed the horse sale at the market, but couldn't stop!! Anyway a few days in hospital and another stent fitted and I was back home. At least this time it wasn't as bad as my first heart attack, but along with my back problems, it has slowed me down and made think about the future.
Let's start with the not so good news.
I've had to make a very hard decision and I had June and Susie put down a couple of weeks ago. Both have had on going health problems for the past year or so, and their medications didn't seem to be keeping their symptoms at bay any longer. Some time ago, June was tested positive with E.M.S. so was very prone to bouts of laminitis, and had to be on a strict diet, which she found very hard when all the lovely green grass was around. She and Susie were very good field friends but June was boss, and when it was time to come in, she would always get to the gate first and tell Susie in no uncertain terms, she was being caught first and to stand back or else! Poor Susie, she was a lovely natured pony but I always felt she was a 'bale short of a trailer load'!! so not the brightest pony and would often get cornered, so I had to be very careful at the gate.
However, Susie soon realised that the times when June was suffering with sore feet, she could be the boss and took over. The dejected look on June's face and sadness in her eyes, when Susie saw her off and the way she hobbled across the rough yard in front of the house, was getting more frequent and I didn't want her on bute all the time.
June was such an easy going pony, always trying to be helpful in the stable and like her dad, Laddie, would get very upset if she got something wrong. Sadly, she never made it big time in the show ring, as on our way to a show, when she was five, a problem with the horsebox caused her to fall and injure her back leg, which was never quite the same again. This didn't stop her being a lovely, happy hacker and we enjoyed many hours riding up in the forest behind our farm.
June 2nd in-hand June Agatha Rainbow June with her injured leg
Susie has had breathing problems for the last year or so, keeping her on steamed hay and not stirring up the dust in the barn when she was around, was fine at first, but the hot dry Summer with the fields turning to dust, really caused her problems, especially when hanging around by the gate stamping at the flies. Of course, I kept them in during the hottest part of the day, turning them out at night , but just pulling at the grass would cause the dust to get up her nose. I tried steaming her head over a bucket of inhaler but she hated it and put up a real fight, even applying ointment on her nostrils was difficult. To see her gasping for breath and exhausting herself coughing, was very upsetting.
Susie, as I said was not the brightest, but very kind and gentle. She was a bit of an attention seeker, and was very good at banging the stable door, she didn't like being told off, so she thought that if she banged the wall of the stable instead of the door, I wouldn't know it was her, she always looked so amazed when I shouted at her, but I knew it was her, 1) she wasn't looking over her door and all the others were and being good, and 2) I could see through the bars of the wall, her head going up and down intime with the banging !! She was so good at banging she was damageing her hoof. For years I tried to stop her, I squirted her with water, tried shouting at her, nothing worked and then one day she was really having a go and I was not in the best of moods. I was making up feeds and she started, I picked up a handy Cattle Whacker (length of blue pipe) and crashed it down on the lid of the corn bin. She stopped dead, rushed to her door and glared at me, I repeated the bang and said “ I can bang louder than you” I did this every time she banged and very soon she lost all her self confidence at being the best door banger ever, and peace reigned.
It is several years now since I have ridden, unfortunately it became to painful to enjoy, and Susie was the last pony I rode and we had had a lovely ride up in the forest. Susie was a kindly pony and had many fans.
Susie enjoys a hack in the forest Giving pony rides
Susie, as I said was not the brightest, but very kind and gentle. She was a bit of an attention seeker, and was very good at banging the stable door, she didn't like being told off, so she thought that if she banged the wall of the stable instead of the door, I wouldn't know it was her, she always looked so amazed when I shouted at her, but I knew it was her, 1) she wasn't looking over her door and all the others were and being good, and 2) I could see through the bars of the wall, her head going up and down intime with the banging !! She was so good at banging she was damageing her hoof. For years I tried to stop her, I squirted her with water, tried shouting at her, nothing worked and then one day she was really having a go and I was not in the best of moods. I was making up feeds and she started, I picked up a handy Cattle Whacker (length of blue pipe) and crashed it down on the lid of the corn bin. She stopped dead, rushed to her door and glared at me, I repeated the bang and said “ I can bang louder than you” I did this every time she banged and very soon she lost all her self confidence at being the best door banger ever, and peace reigned.
It is several years now since I have ridden, unfortunately it became to painful to enjoy, and Susie was the last pony I rode and we had had a lovely ride up in the forest. Susie was a kindly pony and had many fans.
Susie enjoys a hack in the forest Giving pony rides
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June and Susie in the arena Off for a hack in the forest June 2legs enjoys a ride on June4legs!!
June and Susie in the arena Off for a hack in the forest June 2legs enjoys a ride on June4legs!!
They may be gone but they are certainly not forgotten
Now for the happier news
The two filly foals, Ruby and Pearl, have not been handled as much as I would have liked and when it came to the vet giving them their first Tetanus jab, they were, to say the least DIABOLICAL, I was quite ashamed of them, they broke their headcollars, several rope clips and I have to congratulate the vet for her perserverance and getting the job done.
So I made the decision to wean them and they have taken to it very well. I turned Rosie and Katy out in one of the furthest fields away from the yard. Rosie breathed a sigh of relief and got down to eating grass and relaxing after the trials of motherhood. Katy was devastated to loose her beloved child ( even though she had been very mean to her over sharing any feed!!) Everyone soon settled down into their new routines and it has been the making of the two foals, who are now much easier to handle, they are leading nicely and even let me hose the mud off their legs without a fuss. Still a long way to go but really being very good girls, being foalsat by their older sister Megan. The next big hurdle was the farrier and bless them they were ANGELS, obviously they were a bit worried but they remained calm, next hurdle, their booster jabs.
Katy and Rosie getting used to life without babies.
Now for the happier news
The two filly foals, Ruby and Pearl, have not been handled as much as I would have liked and when it came to the vet giving them their first Tetanus jab, they were, to say the least DIABOLICAL, I was quite ashamed of them, they broke their headcollars, several rope clips and I have to congratulate the vet for her perserverance and getting the job done.
So I made the decision to wean them and they have taken to it very well. I turned Rosie and Katy out in one of the furthest fields away from the yard. Rosie breathed a sigh of relief and got down to eating grass and relaxing after the trials of motherhood. Katy was devastated to loose her beloved child ( even though she had been very mean to her over sharing any feed!!) Everyone soon settled down into their new routines and it has been the making of the two foals, who are now much easier to handle, they are leading nicely and even let me hose the mud off their legs without a fuss. Still a long way to go but really being very good girls, being foalsat by their older sister Megan. The next big hurdle was the farrier and bless them they were ANGELS, obviously they were a bit worried but they remained calm, next hurdle, their booster jabs.
Katy and Rosie getting used to life without babies.
Megan is proving to be a very capable older sister and takes good care of the foals
Once the youngsters have got over their weaning they could be looking for new homes. I'm sure they would be better off in a home where they can do more than I can offer them, such a shame if they become bored, Dales like to be doing things.
Well thats about all the pony news.
Stanley the puppy is growing fast and keeping us busy. Most of the time he's lovely but he has his moments, he gets very easily distracted and when he's busy doing his own thing, obedience goes out the window!! He will be starting Puppy School in the new year, so lets hope meeting other dogs, will calm him down. At the moment he gets so excited when his doggie friends come visiting because it means playtime with lots of mad chasing about. So we are hoping for a great improvement when he goes to school!
He likes to keep busy round the farm lending a paw when he can. I have dealt with the same dog food supplier for a long time, so when they wanted to celebrate their twentyfifth anniversary, and ran a competition to find their longest standing customer, I thought I'd give it a go, though I never win anything. So imagine my surprise when, although I wasn't the winner, I was runner up!!!! Stanley was delighted with his prize and was so pleased that Great Uncle Norman and his other ancestors had contributed to his win by eating up their dinners over the past years. I am a little worried though, because he loves to dismantle his toys and one of the items in the box is ' Delia Duck' hope I won't get too upset when she gets dismembered!!
Well thats about all the pony news.
Stanley the puppy is growing fast and keeping us busy. Most of the time he's lovely but he has his moments, he gets very easily distracted and when he's busy doing his own thing, obedience goes out the window!! He will be starting Puppy School in the new year, so lets hope meeting other dogs, will calm him down. At the moment he gets so excited when his doggie friends come visiting because it means playtime with lots of mad chasing about. So we are hoping for a great improvement when he goes to school!
He likes to keep busy round the farm lending a paw when he can. I have dealt with the same dog food supplier for a long time, so when they wanted to celebrate their twentyfifth anniversary, and ran a competition to find their longest standing customer, I thought I'd give it a go, though I never win anything. So imagine my surprise when, although I wasn't the winner, I was runner up!!!! Stanley was delighted with his prize and was so pleased that Great Uncle Norman and his other ancestors had contributed to his win by eating up their dinners over the past years. I am a little worried though, because he loves to dismantle his toys and one of the items in the box is ' Delia Duck' hope I won't get too upset when she gets dismembered!!
I think this years foals will be the last. Laddie will be 25 next year, he has sired 28 live foals that I know about, not bad for a pony who broke his pelvis 1995. Rosie will be 20 next year and she has had 13 foals, she has beaten her mum Primrose by 3 foals, but Prim also had a successful show career. Rosie has devoted her time to motherhood, she has been lunged with a saddle on, but that is as far as her backing got! I would love to hear news of your Akehurst ponies, and how they are keeping the Dales flag flying.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.
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Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.
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August
Well, July flew past and now it's August.
The weather is crazy, all that heat was not good for the ponies, but thank goodness we haven't had the awful rain some of the country has been getting. Susie, who has breathing problems these days, was very bad in the very hot and dusty weather, wheezing and coughing, her usual medications didn't seem to help much, very sad to see her in such a state, she's a little better now we have had some rain. June coped with the heat well, but got a bit 'footie' once the rain came and brought the grass on, Oh dear, we are all beginning to show our age!!
Well, July flew past and now it's August.
The weather is crazy, all that heat was not good for the ponies, but thank goodness we haven't had the awful rain some of the country has been getting. Susie, who has breathing problems these days, was very bad in the very hot and dusty weather, wheezing and coughing, her usual medications didn't seem to help much, very sad to see her in such a state, she's a little better now we have had some rain. June coped with the heat well, but got a bit 'footie' once the rain came and brought the grass on, Oh dear, we are all beginning to show our age!!
Ruby and Pearl the two filly foals are great fun. Pearl ( Silver Lady) Katy's foal, is definitely going to be grey, which is good considering the name I have chosen for her! She is now showing grey flecking on her cheeks as well as her eyebrows. She and Ruby ( Rambling Rose) Rosie's foal, have just started to talk to each other and enjoy a good frolic round the field together, as well as a bit of mutual grooming. Considering I have not had a lot of time to play with them, they are getting quite friendly and now they have head collars on, I can get hold of them easily to handle them
Megan, the yearling, is growing fast, I think she will be a good height when fully grown. She's a kindly soul, and quite well behaved, she obviously gets a bit silly at times, if she comes across something new, but soon settles down. She got very worried when I was taking her out to the field the other day. As we came out of the barn, there was a very strange echoey, scraping sound, coming from an open upstairs bedroom window, very scary, then suddenly John's head appeared ! he's busy redecorating our bedroom at the moment, once she knew it was safe, she calmed down. She's living with June and Susie and I think she finds them rather boring, at first, they were a bit mean to her but lately I've seen them grooming each other and if life gets too boring she takes her self off for a good gallop and buck round the field.
We had a good hay and silage harvest, so animals will be well fed next Winter, and hopefully we won't have the problem we had this year, when the hay ran out and there was not much around to buy in. Working in the hay fields, just makes us realise the beauty and peaceful ( apart from all the sound of everybody haymaking!) setting of the farm. How lucky we are to live in this beautiful part of the world.
Stanley, our new Curly puppy is giving us hours of amusement. He takes a great interest in every thing going on around the farm, he likes going out in the car, and enjoys a good paddle, if we go somewhere there is water. He also enjoys a good play, when his little friend from next door comes visiting, does his own washing and is excellent when it comes to recycling!
We still miss our old boy Norman, but I'm sure his great nephew Stanley, will give us many hours of fun ( when he stops chewing us)
We still miss our old boy Norman, but I'm sure his great nephew Stanley, will give us many hours of fun ( when he stops chewing us)
Mo, the cow who had all the calving problems is back to full health, but still carries the scars of all the drama. We have been waiting for the last cow in the beef herd to calve for months, she was tested in calf but no signs of a birth, then when we were giving up hope, we thought she just might be going to do something and when John did his evening check round, there was a surprise calf beside her. So we can now say this years calving is officially over!
June
Sorry not to have updated recently, I can't believe where this year has gone. What with the awful weather,( try not to mention it again), not very much of interest has gone on here, though I seem to have been rather busy, with little time to do much else other than routine jobs.
But now I have to report there are two new additions to the Akehurst herd. Firstly, amidst a lot of drama, Rosie had a black filly foal. Born June 3rd. The day started normally, with Mo, our Jersey cow due to calve, which she started to do around lunch time. However, it was soon clear that all was not well, so John stepped in to help, and after a long struggle, a heifer calf arrived. Later that afternoon Mo still had not got up, so we put the calf onto her lying down and it had a good drink but Mo was now looking very unwell. So the vet was called.
While all this was going on June (2Legs) arrived and I decided to get her to help me get the ponies in. I was surprised that Rosie and Katy weren't waiting at the gate but we spotted them at the far end of the field, as we walked across the field June announced she could see Rosie foaling, and sure enough when we reached her, she was down, with two little hooves appearing, while Katy was standing by giving advice, as she does. Rosie was ten days early and apart from her udder getting a bit larger, had shown no signs of imminent birth. June gave a little assistance and out popped a filly foal, and it was not long before she was up on her legs and very slowly we managed to get her to totter back to yard.
By this time Mo was very poorly, she had got herself wedged across the gate of her pen and when we opened it, she fell out onto the concrete yard, so now we had the added problem of her lying on a nasty hard surface. When the vet arrived it was several hours of treatment, and trying to get her sitting up rather than lying on her side, which was causing more problems, before she suddenly rallied, got up and walked back to her pen!!! Amazing!
While all the cow business was ongoing, Rosie and new baby were rather neglected, other than the odd fleeting visit, but I am happy to say, both mums and babies are now healthy and doing all they should, a happy ending to ' Manic Monday '
Rosie's new baby is Rambling Rose, stable name Ruby.
Sorry not to have updated recently, I can't believe where this year has gone. What with the awful weather,( try not to mention it again), not very much of interest has gone on here, though I seem to have been rather busy, with little time to do much else other than routine jobs.
But now I have to report there are two new additions to the Akehurst herd. Firstly, amidst a lot of drama, Rosie had a black filly foal. Born June 3rd. The day started normally, with Mo, our Jersey cow due to calve, which she started to do around lunch time. However, it was soon clear that all was not well, so John stepped in to help, and after a long struggle, a heifer calf arrived. Later that afternoon Mo still had not got up, so we put the calf onto her lying down and it had a good drink but Mo was now looking very unwell. So the vet was called.
While all this was going on June (2Legs) arrived and I decided to get her to help me get the ponies in. I was surprised that Rosie and Katy weren't waiting at the gate but we spotted them at the far end of the field, as we walked across the field June announced she could see Rosie foaling, and sure enough when we reached her, she was down, with two little hooves appearing, while Katy was standing by giving advice, as she does. Rosie was ten days early and apart from her udder getting a bit larger, had shown no signs of imminent birth. June gave a little assistance and out popped a filly foal, and it was not long before she was up on her legs and very slowly we managed to get her to totter back to yard.
By this time Mo was very poorly, she had got herself wedged across the gate of her pen and when we opened it, she fell out onto the concrete yard, so now we had the added problem of her lying on a nasty hard surface. When the vet arrived it was several hours of treatment, and trying to get her sitting up rather than lying on her side, which was causing more problems, before she suddenly rallied, got up and walked back to her pen!!! Amazing!
While all the cow business was ongoing, Rosie and new baby were rather neglected, other than the odd fleeting visit, but I am happy to say, both mums and babies are now healthy and doing all they should, a happy ending to ' Manic Monday '
Rosie's new baby is Rambling Rose, stable name Ruby.
On June 13th, luckily a Thursday not Friday!! another unexpected arrival. When I went out to feed and start morning routine, I found an extra little person in Katy's pen. Not to be out done by Rosie, she too had given birth with no warning signs, but this time only a week early, in fact the day Rosie should have foaled!! Am I going senile and getting muddled?
Katy is very pleased with her new baby but is being a bit silly and protective, hopefully she will soon be back to her usual sensible self. Her foal, another filly, lucky me, although very black will almost certainly go grey as there are a few tell tale white hairs over its eyes. I hope so as I have named it Silver Lady ( Pearl) and I will look a bit silly if she stays black!
Katy is very pleased with her new baby but is being a bit silly and protective, hopefully she will soon be back to her usual sensible self. Her foal, another filly, lucky me, although very black will almost certainly go grey as there are a few tell tale white hairs over its eyes. I hope so as I have named it Silver Lady ( Pearl) and I will look a bit silly if she stays black!
Easter Sunday, remember when it was hot and dry,( sorry mustn't mention the weather). Well, we had family round and it was decided to take all the dogs for a walk, so the men set off, while us ladies sat in the shade and caught up on family news. But it was to end in tragedy, the heat proved to much for our old dog Norman, and he collapsed during the walk, they got him home and we cooled him off and he seemed to be reviving but later that evening he became very unwell, we rushed him to the vet but it was too late and he slipped away. It was a shock, old age had been creeping up on him and he had slowed down quite a bit, but he was still up for a walk and a bit of fun. He had been a lovely friend one of many Curlies we had had, and full of fun right to the end.
Norman with his friend Tilly cat Still up for a game Just checking his old coat after a groom
Norman with his friend Tilly cat Still up for a game Just checking his old coat after a groom
Well after a week without our Norman, we just had to get another dog, and we ALWAYS have a Curly, so I checked the website to see if there were any rescue dogs looking for a home, of course there weren't, but I found that Norman's breeder in Bexhill had puppies for sale. Oh dear, did we really want a puppy at our age? Why not. So we now own Norman's great nephew, Stanley!!
We made a pen for him, but some how I think there's something wrong, and he loves water.
We made a pen for him, but some how I think there's something wrong, and he loves water.
Not sure Tilly cat quite trusts him yet, but he's a lovely chap when he's not chewing everything, and starting to retrieve,
so I'm sure he's going to be a very useful member of the family when he grows up a bit!!
At the moment I have June's Dales gelding, Mac, staying, he has been away for schooling as he hadn't been ridden since coming back from being on loan, and she is hoping to start riding him herself, but doesnt have any where to get started. He is being a good boy, but the weather ( there I go again) hasn't been exactly helpful, but hopefully it won't be long before she is out riding him.
so I'm sure he's going to be a very useful member of the family when he grows up a bit!!
At the moment I have June's Dales gelding, Mac, staying, he has been away for schooling as he hadn't been ridden since coming back from being on loan, and she is hoping to start riding him herself, but doesnt have any where to get started. He is being a good boy, but the weather ( there I go again) hasn't been exactly helpful, but hopefully it won't be long before she is out riding him.
Last years filly, Megan is growing fast, considering how little I have done with her, she is really a good girl and easy to handle, rather wasted here so hopefully she will find a new home where she can do her bit for the breed.
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HAPPY NEW YEAR
I hope everyone had a good and peaceful Christmas, taking time out to do what you want to do. Thank you, if you sent cards with up dates about your ponies, I enjoy reading how my Akehurst ponies are doing with their new owners, and I'd love to have some photos to put on here if you have some.
Christmas was rather over shadowed this year by the sad passing of my older brother earlier in December, and traveling to Yorkshire the week before Christmas for his funeral, although It was great to see so many relatives, some of whom we hadn't seen for a long time, and catch up with news. Not a good time of year to go away for three days, with all the animals in for the Winter, but the ponies all got turned back out, they didn't seem to mind! and June did a grand job feeding cows, sheep and Norman dog.
I don't feel 2018 was one of the best years. It came in with a bang with ' The beast from the East ' and what a beast that was!
Some people may have thought what a glorious Summer we had, although I think most people with animals or growing crops may have thought otherwise! We had a fan going in the barn to try and cool the ponies down, and grass burnt and dead in the fields. Obviously it would have been great hay making weather but you need grass to make hay!! So with crops of hay and silage right down, we got very worried about Winter keep for all our animals.
May saw the arrival of Megan ( Akehurst Royal Rose ) born on the eve of the Royal wedding, obviously. She started off a very nervy little person but she has grown in confidence and is now a very sweet pony, she's even got some good stable manners when being mucked out.
June saw Megan's older brother Austen, setting off on his long journey to his new home in Denmark. I have regular updates from his owner and he is much loved and went to a show recently to do his bit for his breed!
July saw visitors from Sussex, Becky who as a teenager had helped me with the ponies. We still keep in touch and she made a flying visit with her family. Katy was delighted to give every body a ride, and stallion Laddie, behaved like a perfect gentleman while they all gave him a grooming. How many stallions could be trusted to do that?
August, and more visitors from Sussex, this time our ex neighbour, Veronica and her dogs, who were entered at a breed show for Bearded Collies, on the Royal Welsh showground in Builth Wells. So off we all went to the dog show, a new experience for me but great fun.
October saw two, four legged visitors arrive. Having just moved to Wales, their owner was looking for livery in the area for her cob and pony. They seemed quite happy in the front field next to my girls, and we had had some rain, so grass was growing again. I was a bit worried about them being here over winter, as our fields do get very wet and my lot have to be in and just go out in odd places for exercise. Knowing we were well down on the amount of hay and silage we had for the winter, I was also concerned about the huge quantities of hay being put out for them each day, which they were just picking at. However, I was assured by their owner " Oh, they will eat it" After a few weeks, it became obvious that their owner was unhappy about them being here and one day in November, she announced they were to be put down. Rather a shock and coinciding with a week when a lot of our cattle were off to market and our dear old bull Lenny also had to go, it was all rather upsetting.
Oh, and they didn't eat the hay. Neither did the cows we put in the field, so I spent many back breaking hours raking the ruined hay into piles, then we loaded it onto our box trailer and put the driest of it, in as cattle bedding but most went on the muck heap! Our precious hay!!
Oh, and they didn't eat the hay. Neither did the cows we put in the field, so I spent many back breaking hours raking the ruined hay into piles, then we loaded it onto our box trailer and put the driest of it, in as cattle bedding but most went on the muck heap! Our precious hay!!
While all this was going on with the liveries, I heard that Melrose who had been staying with Lynette being broken in, and in return, breeding a foal for her to keep, was ready to have her foal weaned and would need to come back to me strait away, but that she might have found a buyer for her. Melrose was sold and I believe she is settling into her new home well.
So that just about sums up 2018. It didn't start or end too well, but the middle was a bit more fun, catching up with old friends. Let's hope 2019 is more sensible weather wise.
So that just about sums up 2018. It didn't start or end too well, but the middle was a bit more fun, catching up with old friends. Let's hope 2019 is more sensible weather wise.