Bloody Dove Pigeons And The First Frost

Those Bloody Dove Pigeons!!! It didn't take long for them to not be scared of the tin foil.  To say I was cross is an understatement!!!  Jo heard the roar of anger from the fields....... So I found a roll of orange road workers stuff.....And the netting off the hay bales.  More wobbling on a hay feeder, and very determined stretching, yards of baler twine and an hour later.....And the buggers can not get in now. Nor can we without un-tying all the baler twine and tying it back.  We had the Farrier the other day, and he laughed his head off....he said it felt like entering a Moroccan Hareem Den ??????????? At least the horses were ok with it. 
And so we have had the first frosts.  Although the water pipes were frozen, and the Water Butts too, it was nice in a way.. At least the sun was out.  Bizarrely its now back to grey cloud and double figures....So its rugs off again. Horses are designed to deal with the cold. Their coat hairs move to deflect the rain/cold and keep them warm.  So i would rather they were a little cold, than sweating under rugs.  We put the first lot of hay out when it got below zero, but they have so much old grass they are not overly interested.
At the RDA I drove Fern last week......first time driving in 8 years. I had forgotten how to hold the reins!  Luckily she looked after me, and was so good we practised lowering the wheelchair ramp for the first time. Hopefully my riders and helpers are having fun lessons. Today we went out searching for hidden letters to Santa....and popped them all in the post box. They are all starting to get used to my over-active imagination!!

ice from water

  

new dove pigeon trap