The End Of The Top Barn Challenge and Big Changes!

 Wow!  It's the end of Week 11 of The Top Barn Winter Challenge.  How fast has that gone? A lot of us have technically finished already, having not used our Rollover Weeks or our Holidays.  Charlie, having banked a full weeks hours, finished at the end of Week 10, and Daisy had just half an hour to do this week to make it a Rollover week.  They are both on Top Barn Holiday next week.  Although of course both will still be working.  So huge Well Done to everyone who has already finished, or will finish next week.  And Well done to those who tried, but had hitches with lameness etc.  The weather hasn't been a great help this year, with all of us in Britain having had enough rain to fill the Atlantic......not to mention the wind!!!! Oh how I hate the wind.  The Ponies don't mind it, after all they live out in it, but my Dodgy Lungs are even dodgier against a head wind.

But enough doom and gloom about the Weather!! Spring is officially here. We are very nearly at the Equinox. We are getting 12 whole hours of daylight now. The birds are singing, the Daffs are blooming and the trees are blossoming (Ah Choo).  It's actually been warm (13c) and occasionally sunny. The Ponies are shedding like mad.  Every time I groom Daisy, I end up wearing half a Highland Pony.  Charlie being younger isn't so bad. Today Jo and I took the poo rakes to Mini the Shetland and literally removed her top coat!  So only another 3 layers to go.  And as for the dog!!  Every time she moves, she leaves half a dog behind. So its out with Henry The Hoover every 10 minutes.  Top Tip.....Belgian Malinois are massive shedders! 

With the mild temperatures and the rain, our grass is growing like mad. Daisy can't have too much grass in one go having EMS (or whatever they call it now), so I have already started the track in the Spring Field.  They are having 2 or 3 hours out on it every day. Then coming back into the Winter Track which is bare, and has various hay stations. Once the new Spring track is long enough, they can go out on it full time with restricted access to lush grass.  Even this small amount of Green Goodness is causing Spring Fever.  Daisy is particularly prone to behaving like a teenager on Crystal Meth at this time of year.  Despite being 24, she fancied she was running at the Cheltenham Festival yesterday!  And to think I've been taking it easy with her, fearing that I would break her!!

And so we have had a massive change.  Lulu has gone out on loan. Jo is waiting for a new hip, so has been unable to ride Lu for a long time. She's a bright mare, and didn't enjoy being a field ornament. She has only gone up the road, to a Livery Yard run by my old friend Marie (we kept our horses together for years). If I was a horse I would want to live with Marie.  As the Boss mare, we did wonder how the dynamics would alter in our little herd.  Lu has been in charge for ever!!

In the first 45 minutes after Lu left, Charlie happily scoffed his face at the Hay Box, (having not been allowed to before, hence extra hay nets hanging in trees). The Shetlands didn't appear to notice and just carried on as normal.  Daisy, galloped around yelling her head off.  Eventually Charlie got fed up with the noise from Daisy, and went to her.  Nose to nose they seemed to have a conversation. After a few minutes, Charlie sauntered back to the Hay Box, followed by Daisy.  It's been very peaceful ever since.  Not sure who is in charge now.  Probably no-one. The remaining ponies are all very laid back. None of them would care if an alien spaceship landed in their field, as long as they had enough to eat. Lu was always on guard, alerting the others to a scary sheep, or plastic bag. Then she would wind herself up when they dismissed her fears.  Now with no pony bothering to do the Meercat thing, they are all completely laid back.  A bunch of Stoners!  As a Bonus, the electric fencing remains in place, the poo load is reduced, and I can get any pony in, without a major fight at the gate.  Sorry Lu!!

See you all next month.  P.S  I still need to get Charlie out hacking, so if anyone is willing to ride Daisy on some short hacks with me and Charlie in tow, please contact me.