New Residents

Hopefully you will all pardon my absence yesterday, the day seemed to fly by and I moved from one thing to another. As I sit here now, I am trying to think what I actually achieved yesterday. Oh yes- I remember now.

Still lots of rain about though the clouds were a bit more spaced out today, a bit more blue sky. Interspersed with lots of the wet stuff of course. As we were on our own again I helped Adrian with some stables, we have had loads of damp and chilly ponies in and of course the donkeys aren't waterproof so they were in Tuesday night to be cleared out yesterday. The weather was supposed to be better last night so all were out, easier on us all though there were still a couple left over that we didn't do. Sorry Tabby.

I also took some photos of Star who came to the Trust on Tuesday, I told you about her. She is the lovely bay mare in the photo. As I said she has a home to go to hopefully but she is indeed a beautiful creature. What with photos, computers and a bit of necessary shopping at the end of the afternoon, that was yesterday shot to pieces.

Yesterday was also the day that the Trust became rightful owners of the abandoned Shetland you see in the other picture shown with Adrian and a rather unsure Merlin. Dropped over a farmer's fence about 2 weeks ago, the miniature Shetland is all of 2 ft 6 inches in height. Isn't he the biz though? Because all the nameless animals this year have to start with the letter "C" and because of his huge stature, Adrian has named him Cquirt. That's a soft "C" like in celandine or ceiling. We couldn't think of a better name for him. He does have small man syndrome and as he is still a stallion (a whole year to 18 months old!) he keeps trying to attract the ladies.

This afternoon he was giving the eye to some of the older mares as they were feeding in the horse walk. He gave it all he had, bit of a stamp and a paw, a flash of the bent neck and a fling of his very bad mane. We've all been there girls haven't we? The mares, all being twice his size (at least) were suitably unimpressed and the herd leader, a aging gelding named Barley just sort of told him to push off in a horse sort of way. Cquirt was unperturbed at being given the elbow but in truth he won't get anywhere with the mares, they have seen it all before thank you. The would much rather read a good book I suspect.

Today was the first day of our 12 days off so we got some things in the garden done in between the showers; more wood shifted and I now have a sort of cold frame made out of an old window frame and some concrete blocks I found. Adrian has suggested that I might want to make a list of all the jobs that need doing that he can get on with when he has the time.

I doubt there are enough trees in the forest to make paper for the list.