Snow Ponies

The snow has started for us this evening!  It's -4 degrees outside so far...I guess it'll get colder overnight.  Good job our ponies have their super fluffy coats to keep them warm!!! 

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Sunshine At Last!

 Everyone has been enjoying the sunshine which has finally arrived...it's very welcome...even the chickens have been sunbathing and they are back to laying lots of eggs again. 

We're aware that it's going to get even colder so we've filled the water troughs to capacity whilst we know the water is still free-flowing!  Munchie's been loving Vicky's sessions with him and she came for an extra visit to see him this week - he's loving having some healing and essential oils!

Alison sent some photos of Breeze and Wolfie who have also been enjoying their extra snacks in their yard in the sunshine.   

And Alfie's been building up his work off the lead - such a clever boy!  He still has an ever increasing fan club!

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Henry's Half-Term Volunteering!

Our thanks to Henry and his Mum Vicky for coming to lend a hand on the yard today!  With myself and Roy too we had quite a team effort...and it was finally sunny again so the ponies were very pleased to head out to the field again after some breakfast!  As you can see Henry turned his hand to everything - mucking out, sweeping, haynets, wheelbarrowing and testing out all the tractors...and he was very health and safety conscious too with his riding hat!

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Thank You Margaret and Archie!

I want to say a big thank you to Archie and Margaret for their help this afternoon because they came to the rescue!  Last night the weather was atrocious to say the least and this morning the ponies refused to go out - it's the bad weather and the mud.  It rained a lot last summer and it hasn't really stopped since - so you really can't blame them - the ground has taken a real beating.  Even the local farmers are desperately trying to find more room in outbuildings to put their sheep in.  It does make you wonder if we're going to need an Ark!! 

We're just approaching that turning point...it's towards the end of winter but not yet spring...and it's the hardest bit of the winter slog for anyone running an animal charity.  The mud is at its worst, it's absolutely freezing cold, you're wet through day after day getting rained on...and now your workload has doubled...the barrows are heavier than ever because of the rain...you're triple hay feeding and with that comes the extra mucking out too...and then to start on the evening dinners - it's a major calorie burnout!  I really appreciate Margaret and Archie's efforts - they sorted everything out for me this evening which was fantastic.  What a team!  Guess what?  More rain forecast for tomorrow...!

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A Sprinkling of Snow!

We had a sprinkling of snow overnight followed by some much welcomed sunshine - you can even start to feel some warmth in it! 

Breakfast please!

Alfie out on a walk with Jas
and Munchie yesterday

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Love to Catherine + Family

We're sending our love and condolences to Catherine and her family as they lost a member of their pony herd yesterday.  Baby (also known as Janet's girl), an Exmoor X that they took on about 7 years ago had been part of a herd of conservation ponies were being given up as they were no longer needed.  Baby and her friend Chrysa were wild and were adopted by Catherine and they were brought to P4P for handling by Paul before going to live on Catherine's farm.  Both ponies had suffered damage from years of mis-management on the reserve - not intentional of course - but ponies and large amounts of grass just don't mix and of course the consequences of the recurrent laminitis meant their hooves were almost cloven.  As you can see in the photo, Baby was very much part of their family and will be missed very much by everyone.

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February's Here!

Somehow time has been flying so fast...it's February already!  This month's calendar photo features Puffin the pony who's had quite a fan club when he's been with us here at the yard.  Faie and Puffin made the perfect photo for February...we can hope there'll be more signs of spring around the corner before too long!  Puffin of course now lives with his foster family near South Molton...lucky boy!

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