What's been happening and what's coming up

Congratulations Brennan, you are a father at last. Amber, a pony mare in Wellington, foaled a delightful (sex not known to me at this stage) foal over the weekend. I am hoping to get over to Wellington next week and will try and call in to meet him/her and get some more photos if I do. It is so nice to, at last, have a foal by Brennan on the ground. Hopefully next season there will be lots more!

Brennan's next outing is in a couple of weeks. Just down to Solway for a dressage ribbon day but this presents the perfect opportunity to give a L2 test a go. He was going to do two L2 tests but the second test is 2.5 and, after a bit of a play at home today, Karen and I decided to just do the 2.2 and 1.5 instead. 2.5 is just a bit advanced for him right now and we don't want him to have a bad experience in the arena.

Last night was Guy Fawkes and for the first time in 12 years of living here someone on our road let off fireworks. It was NOT good as Hooty, who has an expected foaling date of 18 November and is heavily pregnant, was very distressed by the loud bangs and bright lights and was rushing around her paddock in a right state. Nick flew up the road in the car whilst I tried to catch and settle her. Eventually she stood for me to catch her and Nick came back to tell me that he had found who it was and they had promised not to let any more of the really loud and colourful sky rockets off so I stood with Hooty whilst the last of the crackers went off and then waited for a bit until all was quiet and let her go. No sooner than I had removed her halter and there was a God almighty wail and a series of bangs and a lot of bright flashes and, of course, poor Hoots bolted straight for the fence-line with me in hot pursuit. I managed to catch her again (I was very angry by now) and calm her and eventually was able to let her go again and head to bed.

This morning she seemed fine so hopefully no damage has been done.


And last of all for today's blog entry, one of Nick's latest songs:

Clydesdale Pony