This Week We Have Been Mostly Fencing! And News From West Meadows.

Yes, now we don't have to put hay out, our time is taken with moving fences!! With no rain in sight, we have been moving the ponies along the field, opening up new grazing, and closing off old grazing.  In the hope that it will rain, and the grass will grow back for the Autumn.

Along with the sun, we have had oddly cold nights still (3c) and chilly North Winds.  Yes, us English Are obsessed with the weather!! 

We have been given permission by the landowner to graze the 12 acre field, which has been planted with a thousand trees, but left with 20m clearings, in which one day, in about 10 years,will contain Teepees for camping. We are now able to graze the circles.
So Jo and I set off on the tractor to explore.  Wow....It was like being on Safari....without Lions etc.  We actually got lost! Some of the trees are pretty tall.....some are stunted.  The grass is high everywhere.  Having hunted high and low for the clearings, we found 5.  Unfortunately, they have a lot of ragwort in them.  We had hoped to move the Shetlands straight away, but we have a bit of work to do first. And Jo picked up a tick!!!! And so we continue to move the Shetlands around.  Although Sweet Pea seems to be sound, we don't want to risk her running about with Dora yet.  Its times like these I agree with tethers, which would be handy to graze the little 'uns for a few hours while we are there.

Of course we wouldn't leave them tethered overnight.  I don't agree with that at all.  Equines being prey animals, get stressed if they are unable to run away at the first sign of danger, real or imagined.  Which brings me on to a brief update from West Meadows in Ipswich.  The girls from Voice of The Horse Facebook Page, worked long and hard to get the majority of....dare I say it.... The travellers ponies,off tethers last year.  Despite the Admin of the group getting asbos for harassment, the council did indeed fence the wasteland/water meadows in Papermill Lane, Bramford, so that 80ish mares could run free. However, the owner has 40 or so mares on land close to West Meadows Traveller Site, that he rents off the council, so its been hard to monitor these ponies. All through the Winter there have been reports to the RSPCA and Redwings Horse Sanctuary of distressed ponies.  Unable to go and check we have pursued the council about the amount of plastic hay wrappings strewn over the field. I spent a cold Winters afternoon lurking on the A14 embankment, dodging police cars and taking pics. As the council are keen on Ipswich becoming a centre of excellence for re-cycling plastic, this seemed a good place to start!! Anyway, after a council visit 2 weeks ago, this week reports have come in that two Redwings lorries were parked in the entrance of the Site.  The same night, the shelter that houses the Colts waiting for the Meat Truck, was burnt down.  There only seems to be about 15 ponies left on this site.  This can only be good news!

In other news.... We have lots of children coming to ride at the weekend with Eli teaching them.  Its all good fun and we are planning a 'Pony Day' with lessons, stable management, a picnic, Pony Painting and a Gymkhana.  
Charlie joined in today in-hand.  Fully tacked up i led him round. Then Jo took over the leading while I walked alongside, leaning on the saddle.  He was pretty chilled and quickly got over the fact I wasn't by his head.  This is extremely good progress on his behalf.... We will continue.

Daisy and Dora giving lessons

Charlie with Jo...Learning to go without me.

Polly and Scrumpy in our lovely wild flower meadows