Bonne A.................

To be honest its been a bit dull over Christmas - apart from the icy weather keeping us in our boxes for three days, The Vickster has been off for Christmas, and I miss her. The Gaffer has taken over and its just not the same. He's more strict (and stronger) and doesn't let me get away with anything! We got out into our field eventually and had great fun chasing each other and having boxing matches on our hind legs and rolling in the mud - very good for my skin, not so good for the mane. Don't think it was appreciated much either as we had to be washed off a bit and thoroughly groomed - lovely.

We also had some of The Gaffer's relations over to the stables for a visit, I think after a fairly boozy lunch, and I enjoyed that as I'm quite a social animal really. The Gaffer's daughter took over gate duty for two days as well - she's completely hopeless, not a horsey person at all - but then I guess she was just doing gates!

The Vickster tried a more grown up head collar on me this evening, but its still too big for me which is a bit embarrassing as I was hoping to wear a more grown up version as I turn one on Friday. It will be good to be a yearling - it even sounds more grown up!

As Thelma and I turn one it will be the new year for you as well - so Bonne Anniversaire to Thelma (and to myself) and Bonne Annee to you all.

Frosty Days

Well, what a cold week its been - and the snow and sheet ice have provided a bit of a challenge for us as I must admit I'm not too good on skates! Our lovely yard and the walk down to the fields was turned into a skating rink by the icy weather, and there were three days when we couldn't go out to the field as it was too dangerous. Now I thought The Gaffer, The Mrs and The Vickster were just exagerating a bit when they kept saying how dangerous it was, but then I saw them walking across the yard with tiny little steps, and every now and then slipping, and I realised they were right. In fact one day they just led me out to stand outside my stable while they mucked out and as I turned to get to my hay I could feel my front foot slipping - so I just stood still and waited - no fooling about with ice underfoot.

At least Louise and I have our thick winter coats at the moment - thank goodness is what I say, as one night this week it was so cold that the water in the trough INSIDE our stables even froze - brrrrrrrrrrrr. I've noticed that since its been cold the yard robin has been coming in and out of our stables more than usual, and I often see him sitting up on the rafter in the roof - actually he's rather sweet and sings for us nicely and makes the place feel rather Christmassy.

But on the whole Christmas has been quite quiet in the yard - fewer people around - all rather dull really as we've been confined to quarters - but thank goodness its finally a bit warmer and we went out today - yipee! From now on we should be out a bit longer each day as I heard The Gaffer say that we are now past the shortest day - roll on summer and the sunshine.

While we wait for that - happy new year everyone and happy birthday to Louise and I who turn one on January 1st - we are graduating from being weanlings to yearlings - which sounds so much more grown up!

Chopper Hopper

I'm sure Thelma has already sneaked on me, but it was all rather embarrassing this week as I had a panic attack. Most unlike me as I usually think of Thelma as the one who is a bit of a wuss. But this army helicopter flew really low and loud straight over us as we were going to our field, and I reared up with suprise and came crashing down on The Vickster - I didn't mean to, it just happened. Anyway in the melee I knocked her over and, quite naturally, she let go of the rope and I galloped off - not very far. The Gaffer soon gathered me in and gave me time to regain my composure before turning us both out in the field.

That evening The Vickster's arm was in a sling and she was only on gate duty - I felt awful and have been trying to make up to her ever since - I really didn't mean to do it was just one of those things. Je m'excuse. Anyway, the really annoying thing about it was that the WUSS, Thelma; never raised an eyebrow and just stood there watching the whole thing! The Vickster's recovered now and is back to looking after me and all is forgiven.

I understand its the festive season, (don't know about you but this weather isn't making me feel very festive),so Happy Christmas or as I would say Bon Noel to all our readers and we'll be back next week with some more tales from the stable yard.

Flew, Flu ....... and Phew!

What a busy week its been around the yard. Lots of men turned up on Monday and started working in one of the big barns that we walk past every day - there were tractors and diggers and drills and even people outside the barns cutting down trees! Now I'm rather sensitive to noise and found it all a bit overwhelming - so a couple of days I rather raced past all the schemozzle to get into my stable. (I think I must have pulled a bit because The Gaffer and The Mrs were rather left behind and didn't seem best pleased). But then today I think I redeemed myself because as we were going out to our field this army helicopter flew down our valley and right overhead - it really was very,very low - and I didn't bat an eyelid whereas Louise......................!

We also had worming day this week - not very nice, but I must say that the Mrs is a dab hand with the old syringe in the mouth. I was all ready to make a fuss when I heard them talking about dosing us, because believe you me the stuff tastes HORRID, and before I knew it she'd given me my medicine and I'd swallowed it all! I think she was even quicker that the Vet when she came and thats saying something. I watched over the stable as she did Louise as well - it was just the same - I blinked and almost missed it - Louise never knew what had hit her and had swallowed the lot before she knew it. Actually, none of these things are as bad as you think they will be - the lovely vet came to give us our flu jabs and we were all ready to make a fuss but she was sooo good at it that in the end I didn't even realise I'd had my injection. Now our injections were for Equine Flu - none of this rather common Pig Flu thats going round - actually I'm finding it all rather confusing - if horses get Equine Flu why don't pigs get Swine Flu? Or maybe they do.................... I must ask Louise about this. Until next week. Oh, and have a Happy Christmas - Thelma.

Rain and Cricket?

C'est vrai - it has done nothing but bucket down for weeks - now I'm just as hardy as Thelma, but I must admit that I really don't like getting my beautifully manicured hooves too wet or muddy, and because there is a rather a muddy patch by the gate where we go in and out of the field its causing me a small problem. Whats a girl to do - me - I just have a little jump over the mud - the perfect solution, although The Vickster sometimes finds that I can jump further than her - well of course I can! By the way thats me with her on my way out - its a miracle its actually not raining!

This week there was lots of activity on the big field that we walk past on the way to our pasture. Some men unloaded these rather wierd looking contraptions made from something silver and shiny and put them together and left them out in the field - I think I heard someone say something about pitch covers? Now The Gaffer, The Mrs and The Mysterious Broom Man keep talking about the Cricket Pitch and some game called Cricket, and I think these things might be connected. Cricket ? - I certainly never heard this mentioned in Ireland and I'm sure its not something the French do - I think from what they have been saying that its some sort of game - do they expect us to play? Anyway, I have to say that Thelma and I were not at all happy with these 'covers' to start with, and took some persuading to walk past - we did eventually but then, we had just become used to them ,when they MOVED - zut alors! Its most disconcerting - how do they move? Do they move on their own? Thelma and I will have to discuss this and decide how we're going to handle this. We'll let you know what we decide............

Going Walkabout

Generally this has been a quiet week - although I must admit I have been getting fed up with the weather. Now coming from Ireland I know a thing or two about rain! I remember there was one day not long after I had been born that it rained so hard that all the mud from the field washed down the hill and into the stable yard. We were knee deep in mud for weeks. But the past few weeks here have een something else!! Now I'm made of strong stuff, but by last week I was getting seriously fed up. All that rain means that we come in soaking wet and have to be dried off, which just distracts me and delays me from getting to my hay. I must say though that our stables are very deluxe, and if it is really cold and wet The Gaffer puts on the overhead heater just to get us dry a bit quicker - what luxury! By the way - do you like the photo? - its me and The Gaffer on the way out from stables on the one nice morning we've had in weeks. The other one is of Lou heading out through the passage - I thought I should be nice and include one of her! You can see that it is really quite narrow and it did take a bit of getting used to, especially as it is right alongside the wood chip store from the boiler which can suddenly starts to creak and groan a bit as we walk through, which can be quite scarey if it is gloomy or dark.


I did have one small break from the usual routine this week - we were coming into the stables (and between you and me I don't think The Gaffer was concentrating) and he undid my lead rope before the Mysterious Broom Man, who was helping out, had closed the stable door. Well, I thought, I been dying to explore the yard and check it out properly ever since we arrived - so an open door was just too good a chance to miss and off I went. I must say it was rather nice to explore the corners rather that just walk in and out. Its really rather large - room for lots more horses. It has a lovely grass bit in the middle which was rather nice to walk on, and barns everywhere full of lovely hay from what I could see. Now I have to admit that The Gaffer was not best pleased with my little stroll and came to get me a bit quick for my liking. It would have been nice to go and have a chat with the horses on the other side of the yard as I haven't really got to know them yet as they are rather far away. But as it was, I was quickly put back in my stable and told I was naughty - I have to say I was a bit put out by that - if they think that was naughty ......................

Tales of the Hoof

Oh la la! An interesting week. Tuesday - Farrier Day. First of all The Gaffer and The Mrs arrived much earlier than usual and The Mrs squirted some sticky stuff in our mouths and left no breakfast, no hay, nothing! In fact, Thelma got quite stroppy and started kicking the stable door in protest. Anyway, half an hour later back they came with a man in a funny apron and carrying some sort of tools.

Thelma by this time was quite dozy, and I watched over the partition as the stranger went to work on Thelma's feet. She stood very patiently as he clipped what to me seemed like great chunks off her hooves, and then filed them into shape. It didn't look a very nice operation and it was my turn next! A perfect opportunity, if you ask me, to lash out and kick the stranger into the middle of next week!!!

Somehow it didn't quite work like that. He knew exactly what he was doing and I'd had a front foot pedicure before I realised he was at it. The back legs were a different cup of tea, and I managed three good kicks (sadly missing each time) before he told The Gaffer that my back feet didn't need doing! A battle won but can I win the war?

The Farrier called me some very rude names - its odd that they think that you can't understand - and told The Mrs he hoped things would be better in two months time - Dream on.

First Impressions

Well - our first couple of weeks in our new home now seems a bit of blur - there was so much to learn. It took me a while to get to grips with the new layout and daily routine but I managed in the end and I am now feeling very settled.

Its quite a long walk to our field and we have it all to ourselves which is a bit spoiling - thats us in the in the picture. Although, there are some nosy sheep next door and, just once in a while, one of them strays into our bit and has to be put back in its place by the Vickster and the Mrs. Its quite fun watching them trying to get them back through the fence - not easy by the looks of it!

On our walk out we go through yards, lots of gates, fields with the sheep, other horses and an Alpaca - and then there's the GOOSE! Roll on Christmas thats what I say. There we are walking along as good as gold and suddenly this bird appears out of nowhere, stands up, flaps its wings and honks (a very silly noise if you ask me). Well what would you do? I was startled and had a little gallop - the Gaffer was a bit cross with me and called me a wuss which I rather take exception to- a WUSS , I mean, I ask you - what would you have done if a silly bird stood up and honked at you? Exactly!



But something good did come out of this little 'contretemps' as Louise would say (this Frenchness is catching)- we now have two routes to the field - and the second one, through barns and round the veggie patch avoids that noisy bird altogether, and means that if all the sheep are in the yard we can keep out of their way as well!! A double whammy (now where did I pick that up from?) Its all so busy, busy, busy.

Morning and evening stables are hectic as well - we are groomed - it took me a little while to take to this as I found it all a bit tickly to start with, but now I find it all rather soothing and relaxing - especially as I nibble on my hay net at the same time - lovely. The most irritating thing though is the foot lifting and cleaning out. Why I have to stand on three legs and go through this every morning is beyond me. The Mrs says its to keep my feet clean and to stop me making a mess through in the yard on my way out. My view is that if they're 'doing stables' then they should clear that up as well, so to start with I wasn't too co-operative. But actually, just between ourselves, I quite like that too now as it makes my feet feel far more comfortable, and I can admire the nice pedicure that we had the other day.
Now there is a story!!!!!! I think Louise will tell you about that.

'Til next time. Thelma