Tag Archives: fields

Snow Gone Today

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The snow has now just about gone from our fields, and so has the 4 hourly waitress service, much to the horror of everyone when we threw them back out into their fields this morning.

We put the oldies’ rugs back on and led them down to their field that hasn’t been grazed for two years. They seemed pleased to be back.  Freedom and food.

And yet, when they saw us putting the ducks to bed tonight, they came rushing over and assumed we would arrive with buckets of lovely food.  It didn’t happen.  Sorry, guys.

We put the Shetland ponies back in their old field, which started life as their winter track and they now have access to the whole place.

After a cursory glance at the grass, they spent their day in their containers grumbling, coming out only to ask for a spot of tea.

Daisy and I thought briefly about giving them some haynets and then decided no, it would set a preference, they are fat, they had a loads of hay yesterday and they can go and look for grazing in their field.  So, again, no.

For now, we stand firm on this decision and it’s not easy (though I would’ve secretly given them hay if I was on my own).

 

Bloomin’ Cold!

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It was my turn to walk the dogs today.  OH had gone to town, shopping, as we were down to our last carrot – apparently it was pandemonium in our two supermarkets.  As fast as the shelves were being filled, they were being emptied again.

Anyway, I was on dog duty so off we went into the hill field, recently vacated by the Shetland ponies and where the sheep like to spend their day, good weather permitting.

I found everyone at the far end of the field sitting in the heather.

A few came running up to see if I had brought chocolate cake with me. I hadn’t.

Dear little Maggie. Always a lovely surprise.

‘Ster, because if anyone is having chocolate cake, he is not going to miss out.

And not-so-small Gussie who is probably now my biggest sheep.  He maintains his figure by travelling with food in case of emergencies.  Somewhat like a woolly St Bernard dog.

Even Dahlia came up to be stroked.  These days, it is more of a case of where Gussie goes, she follows.  I wonder if she is glad he is still with her.  Probably not.   He can be very annoying.

I saw another potential album cover.

And the others were far away refusing to be hospitable so I left them to it.

It was far too cold to be hanging around being nice. I was freezing and my hands were cold despite new gloves (the kind with a second lining that is determined to turn itself inside out the minute you take them off and you can never get them back on properly again – the fingers will always be just that bit too short with a muddle of lining at the tips!)

Fresh Grazing

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Everyone is fed up.  I could tell.  The fields that had grass are now almost bare.  While that’s fine for younger and fatter Shetland ponies, it is not ok (apparently) for the others.

So, I rallied the troops and we went down to the field that is inside the Shetland pony summer track.  The grass here hasn’t been grazed for two years and it could do with being eaten down.

We pulled up all the plastic electric fence posts that I had previously carefully planted in two straight lines to join the track up at both ends.  And then we wound up all the electric fence wire as well because if anyone can trip over, walk through or ignore an electric fence, it is Kolka and Iacs.  They are my two worst (read stupid) culprits who instantly get tangled up and then just stand there saying nothing for hours.  It is all cleared now and put away carefully for possible use another time of year.

Then I called the horses, who had all been watching me from a distance. I could hear them hoping and I quickly caught Kolka, as she was the first to arrive at the gate.  I led her down and the two old men, Haakon and Iacs, in a meandering way, followed.  Once through, though, Iacs did a happy buck and Haakon trotted off.  Heads down and eat.

The two old ladies were brought down by Flossie as they couldn’t work out where everyone had gone.

Vitamin trotted happily off to find the grass.

And I’ve not seen hide nor hair of anyone again.  Lovely.  Oh yes, and the younger Shetland ponies are all now sulking hugely as they only have their grotty 25 acre field to find something to eat in.  One word – “Track”, guys.