Frodo - The Best Pony In The Universe!

I was reminded today of a little animated video about Frodo which Celeste made in 2007 when the ponies were at Horseford Farm.  It's titled "Frodo - The Best Pony In the Universe...But Not Always The Best Behaved!".  This video always makes me smile because of all the details that Celeste included in her drawings - seeing Toby the golden labrador who always used to greet you with a slipper in his mouth...Paul with tea and biscuits in the end chair in the little kitchen!!  Celeste was about 7 years old when she made this video with her brothers - such an amazing achievement and a lovely record of Frodo and his antics!  Make sure your sound is turned on which you watch it!

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Self Selection At Work...

So...last night, as I was warned by our vet, the lung infection did indeed try to take hold again of little hedgehog due to the wormer...and we are so thankful for the essential oils that are helping her so much - helping her to fight the infection and breathe better...I thought these pictures helped to show it working...

Hedgehog feeling poorly again - we placed a cap with some sandalwood
essential oil in her box and she comes right up to it, drawn towards it.... 

...Very quickly she is asleep as the oils start their therapeutic
medicinal work...

...25 minutes later she's feeling much better and the sparkle in her eye is back

This morning she was feeling much better again!

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Hello Little Hedgehog

Much happier hedgehog - photo taken this morning

We're caring for this gorgeous little hedgehog who turned up on our doorstep late on Wednesday night with a horrendous chest infection - the poor hedgehog was wheezing and heaving so badly she could be heard from quite some distance away.  She was in poor shape and was in need of some urgent help and TLC so we gently scooped her up and made her a cosy bed.  Thankfully we were able to treat her straight away with Frankincense essential oil which gave her some instant relief (it's a very effective oil, and the properties valued for a long time...part of the Christmas biblical story of course!) and started helping to fight off the infection.

Sophie our vet has been great and issued a prescription for the hedgehog - lungworms are the main culprit for causing lung infections and apparently this has been a bad year for them, and they are one of the most common causes of death in hedgehogs...so little hedgehog's having treatment for this at the moment...It seems that she arrived with us just at the right time!  The hedgehog is a good weight and weighs enough to hibernate but the warm weather has obviously caught her out (and probably a lot of other hedgehogs too!)

The hedgehog's feeling so much better already as you can see in the photo taken this morning.  Catherine and Victoria very kindly brought the hedgehog a present of mealworms and cat biscuits,  Oscar donated some of his dog food - so she's very well provisioned! - and thanks to the Verm-X team's advice she's been having some of Jenny's Chicken Verm-X pellets too.

Thank you to everyone for your thoughts for her - she's doing well...not out of the woods yet, but making very good progress  :0)

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Topsy And Faie

Lovely photo from last weekend of Faie's first time working with Topsy with direct contact!

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Tunny

Above: Early days of Tunny's handling (...a very young Pip the dog
in the background)!
Right: Tunny with Paul - much happier looking chap isn't he!

This week Cilla found Tunny on the internet!  He was the first pony to be handled from the original group (in June 2002) after having jumped out of the field - he was the main stallion and with lots of mares about, there had been some challenging by the other young stallions.  Having jumped out of the field meant that he automatically volunteered himself to be the first pony for Paul to work with!   

Being a registered Exmoor meant that he was of great interest to the Moorland Mousie Trust, which was being established at the time...and so after his rehab and gelding he went to them.  He is now living in Scotland, conservation grazing on land known as Traprain Law with 12 other geldings.  The herd of 13 ponies are known as the "Kings of Traprain" and they have their own blog.  There are also some photos featuring Tunny which you can find by following this link: http://exmoor-pony.blogspot.co.uk/p/news-from-traprain.html 

Tunny's registered details mean that we know he was born in 1998 (and his registered exmoor name was Porlock Eryngo) so he will be 18 next year!  Cilla and Paul had called him Tunny when Paul had noticed the "100" mark branded into his shoulder - Cilla says that "ton-up" means going at 100mph.  When they named him they didn't know the numbers meant he was a registered pony.  When they realised what the numbers meant, they had quite a job getting any details from the Exmoor Pony Society who were highly secretive...but they did eventually tell Cilla that Tunny was listed as dead - slaughtered.  He had obviously had a lucky escape being bought by Terry and thankfully he avoided that fate a second time because Terry was quite adamant that the herd shouldn't be slaughtered, or bought by unscrupulous dealers (who did try to "get their hands" on the ponies after unbelievably having been given details by a well known national animal welfare organisation...)

So Tunny was the first of the many...some of our volunteers holiday in Scotland so perhaps they'll go and visit him one day!


Comments:

 Anonymous said...

from Cilla and Paul

Nice pictures Faye - we are so pleased for Tunny to be out on Traprain.
He made a profound impact on us during the weeks that he was here and working with him was an eye-opener into how much early negative experiences, associated with humans, impact on a wild pony.
Tunny had many "trauma triggers", one being waxed jackets, and Paul was definitely persona non grata when he put one on to go to Tunny on a wet day. On another occasion Tunny would not even walk past such a jacket that was simply hanging by the stable. (Waxed jackets are standard wear during the Autumn pony roundups and subsequent brandings).
We were worried about Tunny's impending gelding operation as he was a mature stallion by then and had only been lightly handled - well, very obviously traumatised by his first handling for the branding and then this completely different approach by Paul 4 years later. Particular concerns were about the close approach of an unfamiliar person and the initial anaesthetic injection. I had contacted the Moorland Mousie Trust - they came to see Tunny and said they could take him, which would mean safety for Tunny, and they also paid for his gelding but it was thought best if it was done whilst still with us and so that Paul could be with him in a familiar environment.
The vet was Brian Crawford - we didn't know at the time just how skilled and respected Brian is. When he arrived he looked quietly over the door at Tunny whilst getting things ready. Paul asked Brian if he would mind putting on a shirt - one of two ethnic patterned shirts that Tunny was very familiar with Paul wearing. Brian said not a word, but solemnly did as required, and went in with Tunny, Paul holding the headcollared pony on the offside. Brian turned away from the pony to pick something up, and Paul asked if he thought he would be able to inject the anaesthetic. Brian said 'I've done it! ' !! Paul was absolutely amazed as in spite of his intense interest in the proceedings he had not noticed the syringe already in Brian's hand and there had been not a flicker of fear or even acknowledgement from the pony. After a few seconds Tunny visibly wilted, but didn't fall - Paul was by now sitting on a stool directly in front of the pony and Tunny's head dropped sleepily until his muzzle was resting in Paul's lap. Brian efficiently accomplished the procedure from Tunny's nearside, being sure to count the portions removed. After another five minutes or so Tunny began to wake up; Brian was outside the stable quietly cleaning up and Paul was still with the pony and was able to steady a wobble or two as he moved.
The wound healed perfectly. It was the first of many geldings performed on the group, in a bid to stop the breeding. On Brian's advice I wrote to the various drug companies that were involved and they donated the drugs for 25 operations. We had special rates from Brian himself; he became a friend and advisor to the project and we feel indebted to him for his wonderfully quiet and skilful bedside manner.
Cilla King

13 December 2015 at 13:17

 

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What Happens To White Ponies Who Live In Devon...?

They turn pink!!  

Here's Topsy enjoying a late lunch!  She must have had a lovely time rolling in the field!  Just a couple of white patches left...on her nose and the top of her tail.  Nice to have a dry day...just very windy!

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Goodbye Tess

Mrs Brownhead in May 2004...her next foal was due soon!

Sadly we have lost another pony...so we say goodbye to Tess, who was also known as Mrs Brownhead.  Thank you so much to Trina and her family who have lovingly cared for Tess for over 10 years - she has been very much loved and part of their family.  Not everyone is keen to take on a traumatised pony...but not only did they adopt Tess but also two of her untraumatised daughters - such lucky ponies.  

Tess was a very old pony and the vets tried to help, but she didn't respond to treatment for colic and it was just her time to go...

Mrs Brownhead and 2003 foal Bibi

Tess was one of the mares that came with the original wild group bought by the farmer in the autumn of 2001.  She had 4 foals that we know about...and in her lifetime it's likely she'd had many more.  

In the herd of 51, Tess was Mum to Frodo...and their family group soon became known as The Brownhead Family - after their distinctive colouring.  "Tess" was Mrs. Brownhead and Frodo himself was Master Brownhead. Frodo had an older sister (later named Millie) who sometimes looked after him - Millie was Miss Brownhead. Soon there was a baby sister too, born in the summer of 2003 and nicknamed 'Baby Brownhead' or Bibi for short. Apache, a stallion then, hung around with them - he was Mr. Brownhead.    

Frodo as a yearling in the various 2003 round-ups got himself noticed. He would not stay with his mother, who was clearly very frightened of humans, but preferred to dash about in a cocky fashion, sending ponies off in all directions and making as if to approach the humans, thus earning the nickname 'the cheeky foal'.  

Life had been good for the family; they had a big acreage to roam over with natural water, and woodland and hedges for shade and shelter.    However, they had done the required job of managing the grassland until the foot and mouth epidemic was over and had to move on.  Their best option was going to be drifted in, accustomed to being handled and then found a good home...and that's how they came to P4P.  

Tess was a good teacher and a wise old girl.  One skill that Tess and all of her offspring possess is a spectacular array of methods for avoiding/getting through electric fences! Tess herself was traumatised and had been ear notched but all her foals from the rescued group were untraumatised having had sympathetic handling.  She's had a good life since she was rescued and could finally enjoy a retirement with no more foals...and with a family who cared about her very much.  

...Run free little Tess...   

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December Has Arrived

How about this for a wintry photo for this month's calendar photo!  Paul and Cilla arriving at the "herd field" with hay for the ponies...what a welcoming committee!!  You can see the pony at the back in particular with the cloud of snow thrown up behind!  There are particular ponies you can pick out - Ebony (the black mare closest to the middle), Muddy and Gus...possibly Basil?  The original datestamp on the photo was 25th November 2005!

Meanwhile...today is the first day it hasn't rained for two weeks!  We've been constantly battered by heavy rain and gale force winds...no real sign of cold and wintry yet!!

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Wellington School Christmas Fair

Thank you to Wellington School and everyone who supported us at the Wellington School Christmas Fair on Saturday!  We actually ended up with two stalls thanks to the efforts of Thea and poor Jenny who was too unwell to go (we hope she is feeling much better!). We had a Christmas tombola stall and our fundraising stall and met lots of people - thank you everyone because the combined efforts of the stalls and the donations raised a total of £221 for the ponies, which is so greatly appreciated!  Faie and Rachel ponysitted for us - and Thea and Julie donated lots of extra items for the P4P tombola and stall.

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Oscar's Anniversary

A year ago today, on the 24th November 2014...gorgeous Oscar the Bearded Collie arrived at the farm, adopted by Ted and Jenny!  He came from The Dog's Trust at Ilfracombe.

He's much loved by everyone, including volunteers who are normally frightened of dogs!  We bought him some special treats for today so he could celebrate!  He is nearly 14 years old and this is his sixth home...and we think he knows this is definitely his forever home!!  Here are some of his best photos from the last year!

First ever meeting!

The Dog's Trust shaved off his hair before he was
allowed to go to his new home...rather a chilly event for November!

Out in the fields!

He loves to run!...

...He enjoys cuddles...

...And adventures out and about!...

...With or without the ponies!...

...He's loved by everyone!...

...Chief haymaking supervisor dog...

...And he's very handsome and photogenic too!!  He even made
it into our p4p calendar for 2016!!

 Happy Anniversary Oscar!

Comments:

 Vanessa Bee said...

Go Oscar! Happy Special Day!!!

25 November 2015 at 12:17

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