What a gorgeous autumn we are having, hopefully the winter will seem that bit shorter now.

Most of the foals have now been weaned. This year I have been weaning them two at a time, getting them used to the halter and a bit of feed, before going on to the next two. Most of them were quite happy to leave their mums, only the filly Whisper got a bit wound up and sulked. Her mum, Emma, also did not want her to leave, which is quite unusual as I think she's in foal again, and they normally do not mind leaving the older foal then. Some of the mares actually seem relieved when the foals get taken off. I have seen them wondering around the field with the foal chasing them, getting quite grumpy with the other mares and not letting the foal suckle!

The stallions are settled in their winters quarters. Squirrel has Fudge (Molly Bloom) for company, and Muffy (Zak) has Jinnie. Teddy is enjoying a rest in his small paddock and barn, which over looks the fields to his girls and the cows in the yard.

August 2007

Just finishing off the last few loads of straw. We finally made our hay in the first week of August. One field should have been made in June, so most of it resembled a carpet, as new grass had grown through the old and matted it together. It certainly isn't good hay, but it will fill them up. The second field was second cut so it should be nice, even though we had one bit of rain on it!

The foals are growing and enjoying more human contact but we would all benefit from some sunshine! As with everything it is much easier when it is not raining. Some of the foals have not bothered to shed their foal coat and are now getting a winter coat, so it is much more difficult to see what their adult colour will be.

The stallions have been moved from the mares and are looking really well. I think 'Teddy' looks forward to leaving the mares as he gets a rest and a bit of extra feed, such a little gent!

June 2007

Welcome to an insight into a small farm in Somerset. Initially I thought writing a few lines about the ponies would be easy, but as they are so easy to care for it will be more about what I hope will be interesting stories!

The ponies foal outside without cameras or monitors, they don’t get over-fat as the cows east the richest grass. The only downside this year has been colts currently at 4 to 1, but don’t think there is much I can do about that!

I do not show my ponies, not because I don’t think they are good enough, but because with my experience of my parents showing dogs, I know it is not always the best animal that wins.

It is the middle of June now and we are still trying to finish silage making and bringing back the seemingly endless loads of black silage bales. Haymaking seems a long way off after a really dry April we are now getting payback with not enough dry days to start.

The foals are growing well and its lovely to see them tearing around the field morning and evening in a gang, with Teddy (the stallion) trying to keep them under control, as the mums are not bothered now! The young calves do the same thing, running and jumping around. You never seem to think of them enjoying themselves not in the same way you see lambs playing on the television, but calves and foals have just as much fun. They particularly like an old bucket or broken roadside bollard to play with!