I've been a bit caught up in winter and mud and bad weather and general apathy when it comes to taking photos and writing the blog. We've had a run of lovely days (about three in a row!) so my mood is much improved and I even took my camera out with me when I fed out this morning.
Weaning is over for another year and has gone well. We put Paddy in with the mares and foals and after a couple of weeks we took Hooty away. Ata called a few times but was pretty nonplussed. He did try to feed off his sister a few times but she was having none of that! About ten days later (and just a couple of days ago) we took Maude away too. Ata seemed more upset about that than Enya - go figure! But, again, no real drama. Yesterday we shifted the foals and Paddy to a new paddock full of grass and popped Bella in with them too so now the four of them are all quite happy right down the other end of the farm.
Tomorrow is the second day of the dressage series. I have ridden Meg a handful of times since the first day a month ago - pretty much all hacking work over the farm and up and down the road. Today she is in season and grumpy so I won't be surprised if we get bucking in our canters tomorrow, we certainly did today!
We have two new family members who have joined us here at Talisman Farm. The SPCA recently had an adoption drive for cats so we went to the local centre and picked up two neutered tom cats (4 months old, so older kittens). They came with the names Doug and Monty and, unfortunately, the names have stuck! Monty is a tiger tabby with a medium length coat (soooo soft!) and Doug is a black DSH with a few tiny patches of white (two white toes and about a dozen white hairs on his throat). Doug has a hairless patch on his back from a wound - we are not sure exactly what happened to him but it is a big scar and we don't know if the hair will ever grow back. There is a scar ridge trailing back from the bald area as well, and it goes quite a way. Both are very friendly and cuddly critters and have settled in brilliantly.
A random selection of photos follows:
Meg and Me on our way out for a hack
Trotting up the road
Pretty Meg
Pat for the girl - Do you like my wellies?
Monty
Doug & Monty
Omar & Doug
Doug
Saffy
Ata and Enya
Ata and Enya
My gorgeous girls
Bella
