Home and Away

Well as Lou Lou has told you, off I went to the vet. I thought I was really quite brave getting onto the lorry and going off all by myself. Actually, that's not quite true as The Gaffer travelled in the lorry with me and unloaded me the other end. Now one of the lads who was driving the lorry (very well I might say) had brought me over from Ireland and said how much I'd grown. He and The Gaffer had a small bet as to how much I weighed now. Much to The Gaffer's delight he was closest as when they led me onto the scales at the vets I weighed in at a healthy 375 kilos.

It was all a bit strange at the vets, but all the girls who looked after me were very nice - the only bad bit was that I couldn't eat before my op - I've never heard of such a thing! The next thing I knew, I'd had the op and was feeling a bit woozy - I really can't remember much about it - but at least food was now on the agenda. Everyone did spoil me a bit while I was there - especially as I had come alone as Lou Lou had put her food down and decided not to come with me - actually she missed a trick there as a change of scene was really quite fun.

Two days later it was back on the lorry and home - I'm pleased to say that I arrived back just in time for tea - talk about good timing. I must say it was nice to be back and after a quick hello to Louise - who apologised for not coming along - it was everything as usual. Having got back though, The Gaffer realised that my food bucket and rope were still at the vets so he had to go in and pick them up a couple of days later. He was most put out when he got back as, when he arrived at the vet's to pick up my bucket, it had been planted up with geraniums and was out in the yard!! I think he was a little taken aback - anyway my bucket is now home too (minus the geraniums!). I'm pleased to say that yesterday I completed my course of antibiotics that were being mixed into my food - uggghhhh they taste horrible and I can now get back to tucking in properly. The only real downside to my little op is that I have to stay quiet for 4 weeks which means that we are not out in the field but in extra large special stables during the day. We go in each morning after breakfast after a walk around the yard - typical as the weather is now gorgeous - still as long as there is plenty to eat...........

Love Big T

Flying Solo

Well its been quite a varied week - Big T had to go off this week and have a minor op (for a tiny hernia which apparently is very common). I was supposed to go too but................. On Wednesday morning we didn't get our breakfast which was odd to start with - then we were given something by the Mrs which I have to say didn't taste very nice. A few minutes later we had our headcollars put on and were led into the back yard where there was a very, VERY big lorry - it was HUGE! The back was open and there was a ramp up into it - now I had a really good look and didn't really like what I was seeing. At first Big T wasn't too keen to go in but after they put some bedding down on the ramp she went in slowly - but in she went. Then it seemed to be my turn - now I thought to start with that I would go in and several times I went halfway up the ramp but I just couldn't quite bring myself to do it!!!! No- one could persuade me and so then guess what - I heard The Mrs say that they could just go without me - without MEEEE!!!! I couldn't believe it - I would have gone on if I'd known, but they took me back to my stable and off Thelma went - she never batted an eyelid and here I was all alone. I was not pleased - I stamped my foot and was thoroughly moody if I'm honest (my own fault really). I spent the next two days while Big T was away in a proper sulk - I heard The Gaffer say that I was behaving like a moody teenager!

Anyway - Friday afternoon and back she came - straight into her box and over to her food - she did say hello but then just got back into her routine. I must say I was very pleased to have her back. I'll let her tell you herself about what she got up to - but I'm happy now that things are back to normal.

Now we were right - the swallows are well and truly here and we have a pair that are swooping in and out of our stables and I think the are tidying up their nest ready to move in for the summer - I just wish they were a bit quieter in the morning and didn't wake up quite so early - as any teenager will tell you - we need our sleep!!!

Bye for now Lou-Lou

Better Days

I'm pleased to report that after my tummy problems on Saturday night I'm now feeling much better - I have to admit things were a little uncomfortable there for a bit but all is now forgotten and its back to our usual routine.

Its been a funny old week - lovely sunshine one moment and then hail and wind the next. But I think spring is around the corner as Lou Lou and I saw the first swallow skimming over our field this week, which means that the warm weather must be on its way. We have noticed that there are some old swallow's nest amongst the beams in our stables so we are wondering if we are going to be sharing our accommodation before too long. Hopefully they will be quiet as Louise likes her beauty sleep - in fact when we had to wait up for the vet the other night she had to have a lie down while we were waiting as the photo shows - no staying power (now do I really mean that -what will be her distance in time I wonder?)

The grass is growing (which was a factor in my tummy problems) which means there is lots for us to eat in the field and the whole valley is looking green, and spring is putting a spring #9quite literally) in our step. Now Lou Lou has really perked up and was quite naughty one evening this week and didn't want to come in. She was messing around in the field and kept wandering off when The Vickster tried to put her headcollar on. Now The Mrs got really fed up with this and, as I already had my collar on and was waiting patiently by the gate, she told The Gaffer and The Vickster to take me on out of the field and off to stables. Now while I was doing this Louise was walking off in the other direction and eating and didn't notice what had happened. Then a couple of minutes later she turned round and noticed that I was gone and was ready to walk out of the gate in the next field - well you should have seen her - she was furious at being left behind and rushed up to the fence and made a fuss. The Mrs was very firm with her and put on her headcollar and made her walk in slowly and without rushing - Lou Lou really was not amused! I don't think she'll be trying that again - talk about calling her bluff!!!!

Happy days - Thelma

A Night on the Tiles?

Well a quiet week except for Saturday night - I know what you're thinking - two uppity fillies out on the town - well WRONG! It was all down to the Big T. We came in from our field in the evening and had our dinner and then Big T got all hot and bothered - literally, and began to sweat up a bit which The Gaffer and The Mrs decided wasn't normal. There was a bit of toing and froing and consultation with other people and the vet was called. Now being a Saturday night, she was out with someone else (no not on the town - another horse acutally) and couldn't get to us for a while. In the meantime The Mrs had to find a thermometer and take Thelma's temperature - not an elegant process I have to tell you! Her temperature was a bit high but nothing serious apparently. Anyway, the poor vet came at around 8.30 - now I'm not used to being up that late and was finding it all a bit of bore by this time and had a lie down - but I soon got up to see what was going on when the vet arrived.

The diagnosis - too much grass (well I might have had a guess at that myself as Big T knows how to put it away!). The vet (who is soooooo nice, by the way) said that she had been called out quite a few times in the last couple of days for the same problem as the grass had suddenly grown. A quick injection later and Big T was feeling much better and is now back to eating as normal. As for me I just had to catch up on my beauty sleep as quickly as possible - as a girl never knows who's going to drop in.

Love Louise

Pastures New

Well, we are in our new field and very nice it is too. We had our first look at it on Monday, which as it happened was the most gorgeous sunny day. We had to change our routine completely which was quite exciting. Every day since we have been here we have seen the older horses go out of the yard in the far corner through the big gate that mysteriously opens all by itself, and have wondered where they have been going. Well to our new field was the answer. Out of the gate we turned right, went through another field and then into this lovely new pasture. Its very nice with a water trough right in the middle and a field shelter - how smart is that! We now have lovely views right over the valley as we are on a slope and get a great view of the cricket ground as well. I wonder if we will still be here when they start playing - if so we can learn exactly what cricket is all about.

We are also right next to the field with the llama and go and talk to him over the fence every day - he's really quite a friendly chap and comes right up to rub noses with us. I wasn't too sure about this at first but am now quite used to him.

The weather has been so warm that we are starting to loose our lovely woolly winter coats, which means that our hair is coming out in great handfuls when we are groomed. I heard The Gaffer say that the birds would like it for nesting material! I suppose in our little way we are recycling. The only down side of all this moulting is that it makes us a bit itchy and sensitive when we're being groomed but I think that we will look very smart when we are in our shiny summer coats.

Bye for now Thelma

Sunny Times

Well - what a gorgeous, sunny week its been - lovely. Everything looks and feels so much better when the sun it out including worming and having our feet seen to!

Yes, it was worming this week again - it seems like only five minutes since the last dose, but I heard The Gaffer say it was three months ago - how time flies. This time it tasted really vile - so vile in fact that we both couldn't eat our breakfast afterwards. Now that's really saying something as Big T is NEVER off her food! But I'm pleased to say that after a day in the field we were well and truly ready for our dinner.

As if that wasn't enough, the following day the farrier came. Now we're really both getting quite good at this and he was in and out in about twently minutes having done both of us. I think The Gaffer and The Mrs were quite pleased with us.

The other thing about this lovely warm weather is that I am starting to come in my coat - some of my fluffy winter hair has come out, and in places I'm looking quite sleek. Thelma is losing her hair too, but hers was much thicker than mine in the first place so she is still quite woolly. I only hope it doesn't turn cold again as I might feel a bit chilly.

We didn't get to move fields after all this week but I think tomorrow might be the day - Big T will let you know how that goes next week. Au revoir Louise

Hunting for Answers

Well some funny things happened this week - the best of which is that the sun shone for the whole week and we have't had a drop of rain! The sun on our backs has been lovely and spring is in the air. And as if that wasn't celebration enough it was my birthday this week. Although Louise and I were officially one on January 1st and became yearlings then, my real birthday was the 6th March so I'm properly one now! Louise has still got 7 weeks until she catches me up.

Another strange thing was that the local Hunt came by - well we only knew what it was later when we heard The Mrs and The Gaffer talking about it. Lou Lou and I were quietly minding our own business in the field, when we heard all this noise and clatter on the road above fields and then noticed the other horses starting to get very excited. Then suddenly all these dogs came pouring down the hill from the road and ran along the hedges yelping and barking and getting altogether very excited. Now we played it a bit cool as, to be honest, we didn't have a clue as to what was going on. But the horses nearer the road went bananas - whinnying and charging up and down their fields in a state of great excitement. It didn't last long and we soon lost interest and went back to our grazing, but the older horses where in a bit of a lather for the rest of the afternoon.

And then yesterday there was the helicopter - now we are getting more used to this, and although we had a little gallop when it came down the valley to land, it was more of an excuse to have a run around rather than the fact that it scared us - in fact we didn't even give it a second glance as we walked past it on our way in for the night - it is a rather smart blue though, I just happened to notice in passing!

I heard someone say that the weather is supposed to be good for the next week - hooray - and also mention of the fact that we might be moving fields! That could be interesting.

Til next week love Thelma