Dressing up!

As promised, a picture of us in costume at St. John's Fayre in Witheridge last Saturday. There was also a lovely but lively Fell pony stallion in the procession whose rider opted to stick close behind Frodo 'because he's so well behaved!' and he was, as always when we do this! The noise, colour and diversity of participants is amazing but he copes really well, also with everyone wanting to pat and stroke him.

On the left is Noah, as Sir Thomas, in a magnificent yellow cloak and tunic that she had made herself (and thanks Paul for a very late night making her sword and shield after getting the hay in), then there's me - I am a Peasant, and looked the part even if I say so myself. I'm leading Frodo who wore a green and red strappy get-up that I'd made for him. In front are Emily who was a Jester, very colouful and tinkly with her red tights, tunic and jester's stick and hat and next to her is Lauren, a medieval lady in a white dress with red velvet sash and a headband to suit the period, carrying Sir Thomas's flag.

There were about 20 people to be judged and we didn't win one of the two £25 prizes, much to our dismay, but the Mayor gave us each £1 for an ice cream as a consolation.
Paul said 'we wuz robbed' ! Never mind, it was fun.



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St. John's Fayre

Last Saturday we attended the Fayre, all feeling a bit weary from the haymaking the day before.

Another swelteringly hot day, and as well as our fund-raising stall we took part in the procession. This year there was a medieval theme so we decided to dress Frodo up as well as ourselves. I made him a red and green costume; sorry we haven't any pictures yet because I didn't take any! Others have though, so I will post them on the Blog when I get them.

The picture shows the now-empty street at the end of the day just prior to us packing up. Our stall is in the foreground; we had Margaret's gazebo and umbrella for shade. The old traction engine steams quietly outside The Angel and that's Philip and Kip (who raised money with her Penny a Pat dog tabard) just crossing the road.

Earlier in the day the street and square were heaving with people out enjoying all the fun of the fair. Frodo was so good with all the musicians, dancers, noise, strange costumes and especially with the crowds of people, many of whom wanted to stroke him.

We did well with book and marmalade sales and the Tombola; thanks to our gallant ladies who manned the stall all day.



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Haymaking !

Along with thousands of other folk all over the country we were helping with the haymaking last week, in perfect June weather. With the lack of rain this year it was not expected to be a big crop, but the quality is superb - it's so green and sweet. Ted had been out turning it twice a day and it dried very quickly.


In the picture Stella is guiding Pete back into the big barn at Jenny's prior to us unloading on to the stack. It's such hot work but we had plenty of help, what with 5 of Jenny and Ted's good neighbours and 8 of us p4p lot, and with lots of cold drinks.

The total was over 600 bales, but they are each lifted several times so it's no wonder we were all a bit tired after that lot. Ted and Jenny work so hard to help us and the p4p ponies not only with all this hay (which they donate) but also by fostering for us. Currently they have Silver and Jaffa Cake over there, and both ponies watched all the hay goings-on with keen interest, hoping a little would blow in their direction!

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Little Ginger

Here's Ginger, having her feet trimmed. This old pony certainly doesn't act her age; she's quite feisty with the other ponies and is the most vocal pony we've ever met. She positively roars at the boys over the fence if she is in the field next to them, squeaks at Mousey to move her out of the way and all rolling and bodily functions are accompanied by much grunting.

As you can see she is a bit ribby, but because we are very wary of laminitis she has a high-fibre, low sugar, low calorie diet with lots of short chop chaff that she manages to eat quite well now after 2 visits from our brilliant equine dentist Bill Lomas.

Ginger needs a home where her management is clearly understood. She still has much to offer, being safe on the roads, and it would be lovely to find her a good home not too far away, with a little jockey to ride her out on the lead.

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Mousey's triumph

This morning I took this lovely series of pictures. I feel quite emotional to see Mousey so accepting of this attention after being such a terrified pony last October. She is ready to go home, but will probably stay until July. She is very lucky to be owned by, and will return to, SWEP (South West Equine Protection) and they will continue to work with her and provide her with a safe home for life.

In the pictures she is HEADCOLLARED ! ... and TIED !... safely, because she understands how to yield to pressure. As you can see in the first picture, she stands relaxed, with loose rope and calm eye, whilst Paul brushes a foreleg.

In the second picture Mousey shifts her weight to allow Paul to pick out a hoof.

The third picture shows how Mousey enjoys having her tail brushed! She looks really good now.

Fourth picture - Mousey is fine with back feet too!

The final picture shows Mousey so relaxed while Paul brushes out her mane, just by her damaged ears.

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I can do it too !!

...headcollar Mousey, that is! I have done it three mornings running, in the stable and in the pen. I am dead chuffed to have achieved this. First time was under instruction from Paul, and you have to 'go for it' a bit, and if Mousey goes away a little , you just stay with her, and believe you are going to do it, and she accepts it going over her nose. I am flipping the head strap over, rather than going over her head with my hand. Don't think she will cope with that from me yet though Paul can do it, even outside in the open.

We will have to video this amazing progress.

The picture is from Open Day at the beginning of May; I'm interacting with Mousey and she has moved her nose very close to me to allow me to touch the side of her face rather than her muzzle. She does the 'magnet' thing which we've experienced before; you get quite close, and she suddenly sticks her face onto your arm, as if to get the moment of contact over with quickly. She is such a sweet pony and so pretty now in her summer coat.



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Mousey's ear tag

As you might already know, Mousey has a plastic tag in her left ear. (Her right ear has had the top cut off it). It has been an ambition to get the tag out, if possible. It's so ugly and is a horrible reminder of her previous abuse.

Paul can now headcollar Mousey 'out in the open', and has spent many hours helping her become used to hands touching her head; so much so that he said he was going to try to remove the ear tag.

She was very good about him fiddling with her ear. We have found that the site of pain is not necessarily the same site as a 'trauma trigger' associated with it. For instance Mousey is less frightened of her cut ear being touched than of her muzzle being touched. Her muzzle may well have been held whilst her ear was cut, and it is fear of a touch on the muzzle that makes her panic.

Anyway, Paul was able to cut through the plastic tag at the top thinking it might then come out, because he could see that the button fastening was all on one side of her ear. He then managed to cut the piece off, with the button. Still it wouldn't come, and he realised that the button stalk at the bottom of the other piece of plastic has become embedded in her ear. So she now has half an ear tag, and it looks like it will have to stay like that.

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Walkies!

Yesterday we went out for a walk - here we all are, just setting off. We took Muddy, Rocky, Bobby and Frodo and they carried our bring-and-share picnic lunch for us!

The lanes are absolutely beautiful at the moment with all the cow parsley out, red campion, bluebells, buttercup and stitchwort, and with the young beech leaves dripping out of the hedgerows. All the ponies LOVE cow parsley, and we did stop several times to let them take advantage of it.

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Troy

Ahhh! He's lovely isn't he? Troy is here for 2 nights on a stopover from Cornwall. He and his owner/rider David are making their way up country and we are so pleased they chose us as their next stop after Chulmleigh.

Troy is enjoying a nice rest and some turnout, and has caused much excitement among all the ponies here; Jeremy was the bravest (right hand picture) and was the first up to say hello.

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Open Day 2010

We held our annual Open Day yesterday and I think it was very much enjoyed by all who attended - not as many visitors as on some May bank holidays maybe because the weather was rather cool. However lots of people stayed long enough to buy more tea and cake between the pony demos and we also sold plants, books and bric-a-brac and ran a tombola.

The picture shows Paul holding Mousey - I am explaining on the microphone just how fearful she was back in October and how well she has progressed. She coped with all the visitors very well and I think the day was good for her. Bobby, Frodo, Ginger and Rocky also took turns in the demo pen and since they are all moulting heavily I ended up with almost as much hair on me as one of the ponies (....why did we choose to wear navy fleeces I wonder?)

Many thanks to all our gallant volunteers who work so hard preparing for events like this.

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