Impetus

One thing that I have found difficult about life here on the farm is maintaining the impetus. Adrian and I have a great deal of that of course, we live here and as I mentioned once before, if it fails we have nowhere to go.

However it is still a difficult thing to do, for us to maintain all our energies and to carry on motivating others to do the same.

At the moment whilst in the pseudo quarantine of the equine flu, it is very easy for Adrian, Tabby and me to take it easy, rest a bit and become reclusive up here. It is such a beautiful place and it is easy to forget about the rest of the world, letting it slip past us un-noticed, only surfacing for grocery shopping. I have to admit we did try to get a supermarket delivery only to find we are 2 numbers out on the post code and as such they don't deliver. That would make it even more attractive to stay right here and potter about with few interruptions. To stay in the garden and enjoy the summer weather (what little we get up here) is a huge attraction believe me.

But being a small and not very well funded charity we can't do that. I had a long talk to myself last night, like you do just before you drop off to sleep, and find that I am concerned that we aren't covering enough bases even without being able to take ponies to events. If we aren't careful, we will be forgotten and I don't want that to happen.

The ideas we had the other day need to be consolidated and "got on with" if we are not to falter at the next fence. We have come so far, so very far, we have raised the awareness of the local population and are moving in the right direction. We cannot allow equine flu to be our undoing because we have lost our motivation. Nearly a year after being told by two other major charities we should close, we are still here. Ok, it's a bit dodgy but we are still here and we can remain here if we push on and never let up. But it needs to be all of us that are involved with the Trust, not just a few, we all need to pull together.

So any of you who read my blog and have ideas please get on with them. Things aren't going to happen by themselves, I have learned that you make your own luck to a certain degree and at the moment we definitely could do with some good luck.

Return of the Magnificent Seven

There, just when you thought it was going to be about a silly spaghetti western, I throw you a picture of a cat. Well, there you are, I guess you should never assume anything about me.

The cat in the picture is indeed named Seven and he has mysteriously reappeared again. When we moved here he was still semi feral, we had only just managed to entice him into the house. He sort of moved in on us at the other place, I already had 6 cats and didn't want another one, but this fluffy 6 month old silver tabby just wouldn't go away. We trapped him and tried to get one of the animal charities to take him but none would, their policy was to neuter and release in the area from which he was trapped. As we lived on a main road and I wasn't prepared to come home from work and find him dead on the road, we kept him and because we couldn't think of any suitable name, decided we would call him Seven as we already had the other 6. Ah well, I always have been a sucker.

When we moved here, Seven came along with us and the others but we quickly realised that he was a cat apart. When we finally let everybody out after a week or so he wandered off and we didn't see him for a month. I knew he was around because he whinges a lot, particularly if it is time to be fed but he wouldn't come in the house again for a while. That first winter he came in occasionally, we could tell the weather was going to be bad if Seven came in. The first summer we only saw him sporadically, a fleeting glimpse here and there. It became a bit of a "Where's Wally?" type of challenge for everybody that came, spot Seven if you can.

I think the longest he was ever AWOL was about 6 weeks one summer. It got to the point where I assumed that he had met with some accident and was no more. I was just beginning to get used to the idea when he appeared across the yard and then as quick as wink was gone again. When we did manage to get hold of him, we checked him over and he seemed to be well fed, sleek and despite the long coat, not a single matt on him. We came to the conclusion that he had found a little old lady's knee to sit on and that he only condescended to visit us on Bingo night. And so it stayed up until just recently.

Friday evening the cat flap went and there was the familiar whinging. Most strange as it is prime hunting time for cats up here, rats, mice and other small creatures abound and we didn't expect to see anything of him for several weeks yet. In fact, that very day I had wondered where he was so I must be a bit telepathic. But Seven was there, as large as life yet on close inspection, wasn't as fat as he has been, he has a few matts and his general condition wasn't as good as I have seen even in the worst of the winter. What is even more surprising is that he shows no inclination to disappear again. Most unlike him. I am beginning to wonder what his angle is or if the little old lady whose knee he has been cuddled up on has gone to a more permanent type of bingo game, if you get my drift. Something isn't right.

But never mind, I am the type of person who likes to know where my animals are, I never cared for his wandering off for weeks at a time though Adrian says that is what some cats do. Not my cats thank you. I would much rather have him drooling all over my knee than somebody else's so that I know he is alright.

So welcome home Seven.

You will have to excuse my sporadic appearance on the blog, we are sort of off and I don't always get round to updating myself. Back to normal by the 4th June I think.

Yesterday for instance we never really finished till about 9.30 when I washed the dishes so I didn't switch on...I am afraid I am not one of those people who burn the midnight oil, I am in bed with my book just after 10 every night unless we are out or entertaining (both very rare events).

Good day though yesterday, lots to think about really. First off I finally managed to learn how to do bigger resolutions on photographs on my 'pooter. I am a bit of a techno phobe/nerd. If I don't have to do something specific I don't sit on the box for hours learning all the subtle nuances that make up a computer, simply not interested. But there are times when you have to buckle down and do something you haven't done before and sorting out the resolution was yesterday's challenge. It was easy in the end, don't know why I was so wary of it. So the photographs have now gone off to be edited into our slot on Good Morning.

Didn't I tell you all that Adrian and I are going to be on the telly? Very exciting. It is for a downsizing thing, an advertisement I answered way back in November last year. We were chosen because we have changed our lifestyle and cut all the strings of the old life, no second home tucked away somewhere just in case, this is it. If it all goes down the tubes, we have nowhere to go. A very sobering thought that really motivates you to make a "go" of things.

Which brings me to part 2 of yesterday, a brainstorming half hour between Adrian and myself, Tabby and one of our volunteers who has come back despite the flu as she has no contact with horses. We came up with some good ideas that involve local people that will raise awarness of the Trust and hopefully some much needed cash as well. We aim to have something going on at least once a month. Not always easy and of course coming up for Christmas we get very busy with donkey things as you can imagine. Millie had 5 engagements last year. Nearly couldn't get her head through the door in the end. Anyway the July event is a 6 day sponsored ride that I will tell you more about as I have the details and we have come up with a couple of things into the autumn up to November. We like to keep busy.

Yesterday afternoon was taken up with a course that Adrian and I went to that was all about using animals as land management and the benefits to the environment. Quite interesting, all about grasses and forage and flowers and what animals are best used in certain circumstances.

It was nice to hear that our fields, although over stocked at present due to the flu, contain a lot of healthy options for horses as opposed to just grass. In the leaflet I was able to tick off 85% of the plants listed. Things like stitchworts, vetches, scabious; wild flowers that you don't see in fields that are fertilised and resown ever few years in order to maximise the nutrients of the grass in order to fatten up the animals on it quicker. We aren't in that game anyway and our equines don't need "good" grass. They prefer some of the more delicate herbs to forage. In one area of the woods in a sunny but very damp glade, we have a plant that I had never seen before and has been identified as lousewort. Not a particularly inspiring name or indeed an inspiring plant being only about an inch in height and width but the glade has a fair covering of it. We are told by them wot knows that the glade is a very good habitat and I suppose the lousewort proves it.

We are very keen to hang on to things like that, coming from East Anglia made us very aware of just how barren the arable landscape can be. Huge fields of oil seed rape, peas or wheat and very few wildflowers or wildlife to break it up. Wales has an abundance of both and I love walking and seeing something different every time. Not all that keen on the pole cat that took one of my remaing chickens the other evening but you have to take the rough with the smooth I guess. After all how many polecats are there around at all?

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.

As is common with most people, I often get bogged down in my own personal little troubles. Small worries quickly become big ones and you think that you are the only one in the world with a problem.

Working here at the Trust doesn't mean that we just deal with the animals that come into our care, we usually meet the people behind the animals. As you know equines come here for a variety of reasons, neglect, abuse, cruelty or an inability for the owner to cope due to chronic or terminal illness. That particular situation is close to the hearts of many here as the founder of the Trust died of cancer herself at the very young age of thirty eight, still with so much to do.

An animal came to us early last year, his owner unable to care for him any more because his partner was dying of cancer, the horse was several miles away and the owner openly admitted he was neglecting his beloved gelding as he just couldn't cope. It was a huge wrench for him, the gelding was 11 months old when bought and we took him at the age of 18. All I could do as the back of the truck went up was to wish him the very best of luck though we both knew what the outcome was going to be. I felt useless.

Late last year we took in three animals with the same situation, owner had cancer, her parents had cancer. The woman couldn't be there when we collected the animals as she was just too distraught at losing what she considered to be part of her family, a large part of her life. The people who were there knew the horses well and were just as upset I think as the owner was. There were many tears shed.

Today we took in the last we can take in for a while, at least until the flu is finished with and we can rehome some that are waiting to go out. We had hoped to put off the intake till after the flu but we couldn't, we already have a home for the animal but that will have to wait now.

The owner is suffering from ME, a debilitating illness that meant she could no longer care for her beloved horse. She was distraught when we left, knows it is the best thing for the animal but she just can't do it any more.

I have hugged more people in the last two and a half years I think than in the previous fifty four years of my life. I have seen more tears and shed some myself as well, it isn't always easy to be efficient and I am certainly not cold hearted. At least I am able to reassure the owners that their animals will be well cared for and often we are able to put ex-owners in contact with new owners so there can be some contact.

We can't always help them but we try to when we can. I feel so very sad for them, their lives are falling apart and then they lose just that little bit more often the one being that they have been able to share all their thoughts and fears with.

And that is when I suddenly realise I don't really have any worries at all.

One of our volunteers is starting chemo therapy today. All of us here wish her the very best.

Rain, flu and coleg students

AWOL yesterday as the head of Trustees was here for most of the day. Lovely lady and always a pleasure to see her. We sorted a lot of different things appertaining to the website and a few other bits and pieces as well so we know who is doing what. Always a good thing to know.

Today the rain is sheeting down. We have lots of very wet horses and a few that are chilled. My goats are not happy in the rain, the dogs refused to go out, one of the stables is flooded and I had water seeping into my downstairs loo again.

We can't raise the house so we shall have to lower the ditch again I suppose. Why do they build Welsh houses right up against ditches? I can't fathom that one. The house is old and built into the side of a bank so that it looks like it looks as though it nestles snugly, warm and cozy against the prevailing southwesterly winds however because the ditch isn't wide enough or far enough from the house and is in fact higher than the house itself, after a heavy rain, the water seeps in; if it happens over night you can come down to and inch or so which of course you don't necessarily notice till you are seated on the throne and the ends of your pajama legs are dripping wet.

We thought we had cured it till the Big Freeze led to the Even Bigger Thaw and the cold obviously cracked something somewhere meaning water was running under the house and into the downstairs loo. Deepening the ditch was the only way to deal with the problem, Adrian went out with his mighty pick axe and an hour later had managed another 6 inches of depth. So now if we have water inside the house we know it has to be a very very heavy rain. Adrian has had a look so I suppose he will be searching for the pick axe very soon.

With over half the equine population now flu ridden and all the herds exposed to it, we have decided that the best way forward is for them all to just get on with it. Today it was Steel, the Arab x Connemara's turn. He has skipped the coughing stage and gone straight to the snotty nose stage. Adrian reckons all of them come down with it that way now. That's another one out of the way and still only Tumble the quarter horse who we can honestly say has made a full recovery.

The students from Coleg Elidyr have returned from their spring break to resume their work experience with us. The Coleg is a residential school for young adults with learning disabilities. It is based on the Camp Hill ideal of teaching life skills; they have marvelous facilities at the Coleg. At a visit we saw their forge, weaving room, gardens, woodworking, candle making areas and a fully working livestock farm with sheep, pigs and cattle all looked after by the students there . We were approached by one of the staff and asked if we would be prepared to take students on for work experience, an area they are lacking in and we agreed. I have to say it has worked really well for all concerned. Many of the students lack self confidence or are wary around certain animals. Working with the horses gives them that self confidence and we can see the strides they make in horse handling. There are two here at the moment, one was terrifed of dogs and cetainly not sure about how to behave around horses. After a week or two he walks my greyhounds, leads horses, mucks out stables, grooms "his horse" and has come a very long way forward.

The Trust seems to be moving more and more into this area of work. Animals and special needs people seem to "click" somehow. Maybe it is because the animal can sense there is no hidden agenda or perhaps they can sense a certain innocence in special needs people, I don't really know. I do know that more and more we see how the animal changes when approached by special needs people and how much that interaction helps the people involved. Sort of gives you a warm glow inside.

To quote Pooh bear it has been a "rather blustery day."

Hasn't known whether to rain or shine so being Wales it chose to rain for most of it. I chose the housewife option today and did housework. God I really know how to live don't I? But even I have to bow before the great god hoover every once in a while. I try not to make a habit of it.

Our equine flu head count is now up to 16 either having, have had or awaiting to have due to exposure to the flu. That is near enough half the equine population here. The main herd are starting to come down with it now, a bit of a relief in a way as we have been on tenterhooks worrying and trying to keep them free of it and who knows, perhaps that has dragged the whole situation out more than it should. At least this way, there is now a chance that we will get through it more quickly and be able to return to normal life again. I am still wary of Zorro getting the illness after such a bad bout of pneumonia and I would worry sick if the foal gets it but other than that, it is a bit like sending your child round to Jimmy's house when he has the measles so that your child gets it over and done with.

The AGM scheduled for tomorrow has been cancelled, too many trustees with horses who don't want to put their own animals at risk and indeed who can blame them. If we don't soon see the end of it, we are also at risk of being unable to continue with the August Open day and that would be bad news as it is one of our biggest fund raisers of the year. Leave the decision too late and we might not have enough time to put a decent Open Day together. Lot of stuff hanging on this equine flu.