Author Archives: Frances

No Speaking to Waffle

Ok, it was a grotty morning – constant drizzle turning into rain at times – but that is still no excuse for Waffle’s latest behaviour.  Yes, you, Waffle.

Having finished his bucket, Waffle sidles up to whoever is still eating – this time it was Vitamin – and …..

… then he swings his bum into them so they have to move off leaving their bucket which he swiftly swoops and steals.

I called Waffle out on this behaviour today.  I knew what he was up to.  I could see the way his mind was working. He knew I knew too and he was more cross than sorry that I had caught him at it.

This little cute face cut absolutely no ice with me.

And so he took out his apparent hanger on Newt (a bad choice in my book) so I told him that too.

Waffle, realising his petard had been well and truly hoisted, went off in a I-didn’t-want-it-anyway sulk to eat old willow trees at me.

I have noticed this bum-swinging is a recent habit that has to stop. He does it to the old ladies and positioning them together to eat their buckets is tricky but necessary if I want them to have any sort of protection from Waffle.

Up and Down Hill

My afternoon horse-and-pony-check found me climbing up the hill to give the Ancients an apple each.

Bloomin’ miles away they were too.

I originally thought I could take lovely photos of all three horses galloping downhill towards me but they didn’t move and expected a full waitress service.  Of course, I obliged.

I even had to climb the last cliff face to give Kolka her apple.  It was steep and I am not good with steep as I have little balance these days the minute I remember I have little balance these days!

Bibble, on my way up.

Kolka looking rather splendid and prehistoric, refusing to budge or meet me halfway.

And Bibble on my trip downwards, as in “have you got another apple as I ate mine?”

I had a quick feel for ribs and found none.  Everyone is fluffy and happy.

Next, I took two dry rain-sheet rugs out to put on Vitamin and Fivla as we are due a storm starting tonight with rain and a windchill of about minus 5.  The wind really gets going by Wednesday (a feisty Force 10) so I wanted to be prepared and not let the old ladies get totally soaked through and utterly miserable.

I told the other Minions they were all too fat to need a rug!  They, of course, disagreed.

Off-Roading

Since the Ancient horses are in the field that needs water delivered to it and that is a back-breaking job, I put on my Brave Pants and drove across the hill in the Eggbox with large containers of water.

This is exactly what I wanted the Eggbox to do and I won’t lie, I was nervous as I haven’t off-roaded for years.  I last did this route in my big old-style Defender which was built like a tank complete with the best off-roading tyres and drove like one too (I loved that car – it is sorely missed).

But today I did it!  The Jimny made short work of it all and I felt safe and capable as I trundled slowly across the scattald (open hill).

OH walked alongside so he could warn me where I would get stuck. I had the four-wheel drive on after the tyres were slipping in a few places.

Meanwhile, the horses watched on, probably judging my off-roading driving ability.

Yes, I took carrots.

There is an old rutty track across the hill which I followed some of the way to the gate.

And now I can sleep knowing the old horses have a good supply of water.  The bigger tank is full of old rain water (and needs a clean) and, although there is a ditch with running water going through, Haakon won’t drink from it as it is too low for him to reach so he stops drinking.  This is the field where every horse and pony gets colic so I like a fresh supply of easy-to-reach water available at all times.

Well done me. I can do this!

A Busy Day

We are exhausted. It’s been a busy morning.

I started by moving the three Ancients into a field across the hill where they could stay well away from the track creation and the electric fence.  There’s lots of grass and shelter in their new field so they were happy to oblige.

Then came the hard work.  There were three of us working – OH, a kind friend and me.  The 120 wooden “stabs” were already in place but needed a plastic post or two in between to support the one strand of electric wire.  OH went all the way round putting 120 plastic insulators in with his drill, which makes life far easier.  By hand, it is a nightmare.  The dogs were about and we told them this was the equivalent of a dog-walk. They were very good and just pootled about while we worked.  The whole fence is 700 metres long all the way round the field.  That’s a long way and a lot of wire.

The battery is now on charge but I am not sure when to move the Minions into their field.

The spring grass is about to come in so I will possibly put them in tomorrow and hopefully we will avoid laminitis.  I am dithering because it’s not really spring, their existing field is doing the job perfectly well and I don’t want to peak too early, run out of grass and have to put hay out for them.  Oh, what to do?

And back with the Ancients – I went over to check their water – they are all fine.

And they’re all looking good considering they don’t wear rugs and are 28, 29 and 30 years old (Iacs, Kolka and Haakon).

 

It was a good day – we achieved great things and I feel happy that the track is all set and ready to be used. It looks good and I think everyone will sleep well tonight. So much walking round and round the track.

Working on the Track

Vitamin is back on course (fingers and toes crossed, please) and I am beginning to think about moving the Shetland ponies onto their Spring/Summer/Autumn track sometime soon.

(Vitamin eats in the old sticks as she decided this is what she wants to be and no one will bother her).

Note Tiddles and his bucket! *** sigh ***.

Anyway, the track is all laid out around the edge of this field and the Ancients are meant to be eating it down for me first.

Grabbing my Sharpie pen and electric fencing post, I went round each post and put a large black X where I want the insulator to be drilled (tomorrow’s job).  The fence wire will not be very high because Shetland ponies will slip underneath it if they think they can so it is low enough for Newt to not do this and high enough for no one to jump – that’s the theory.

I had observers with opinions.

And the small Minions watched on.

“I’m watching you, Wazowski. Always watching. Always.”

Once all my X’s were on the fence posts, I emptied out the Eggbox’s boot to fill it up with fence posts that needed returning to their rightful owners.  I hate borrowing and keeping things. It makes me worry.

More help – but so very cute.

Everything was organised and stacked to go back.

Tomorrow will be Insulator Day. I won’t put the electric fence wire on yet as if anyone can totally walk into an electric fence wire, it is Kolka. I swear she just doesn’t see it and I want the horses to eat a bit more of the grass down before the Minions move in.