Does anybody else have a "helper" in the school?!

Trewsers

Trewsers

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Oct 13, 2004
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Well, we've had our school a couple of weeks now - and we appear to have gotten ourselves a little helper in the form of Poppins the rabbit:p Lol, she came to us 4 months ago (she's wild btw) but seems to have made camp near our stables and we've been donating carrots to her on a regular basis for ages. She was poorly for a while and looked to be on her last legs but is definitely back with a spring in her hop!:p But, she seems to be loving the fibre surface of the school (so much I have caught her stealing some for her nest lining) and now she follows us whilst we are schooling:eek::D I was worried at first that she might spook the horses but they don't seem bothered - and so far so good!!!! Honest, its dead funny, she thinks its a game:D:D I promise I will try and post some pics (am rubbish and rotten with anything technical:eek:). Does anybody else have a helper in the school?!!!!!
 
Yeah, I guess our two see the bunnies regularly so perhaps they just don't worry them?! Yes its funny about her stealing the fibres, but I had a thought in the middle of the night - what if she tells all her friends?! lol, I could end up with no school surface, can you imagine that one?!!!!!!!
 
we have the odd bunny passing through (school is just a fenced off bit of field) and they never seem to worry the horses. I have two hens :D they belong to our landlord but their shed is by our field/stables. They are very tame and just a wee bit dim as they don't get out of the way when you are schooling! they'll also follow the horses into their stables. I was putting kez in for the night, turned round and nearly had a heart attack because one of the hens had sneaked up behind me!
 
We have loads of bunnies in our field and if they start digging onto the field I fill the holes with horse poo :D If they dig in the hedge I leave them alone :D

They are very cute and i really like to watch them, plus the dogs love to chase them :rolleyes: BUT they are a blooming hazard really, its a wonder we dont have broken legs whilst they go hooning around with holes all over the place. Our local falconry centre comes out every couple of months with 2 hawks and a couple of ferrets and keeps the numbers down for us (and feed all their birds for free)

The horses know who is who - they wont flinch at the noisiest rabbit in the hedge but go mad at the quietest fox
 
Claire1605 said:
All I get in my menage is the blasted cat from next door who seems to think it is a luxury litter tray :eek:
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I know the feeling.....our two lovely semi feral girls were delighted when I paid and installed the most expensive litter tray in Scotland last year.....cheeky wee sods....I was horrified at first :mad: but what can you do?......

Thankfully when I fell off I landed in a non-used part!!! :eek:

Your wee rabbit sounds so cute though!
 
We sometimes get rabbits crossing the school - usually followed by at least one of the yard dogs. The horse don't seem to mind.

More worrying are the squirrels. They're fine when running up and down trees, or along fences. It's when they suddenly drop from a branch that the heart misses a beat.

What I hate, though, are the pheasants. They lurk in the bushes around the school. Some will suddenly emerge and make a dash for it. Others will be more cautious and just keep poking a head out and try to creep across. Persistent little beasts too - you shoo them away and they just keep coming back. The worst are the ones which creep close to the wall of the indoor school, then let out that special squawk without any prior warning. Makes me jump a mile, never mind the horses!

Our YO also keeps sheep. They can also be found in one or other of the schools from time to time. Some horses (my Harvey, for example) take great delight in trying to make them run:eek:
 
Sparky Lily said:
What I hate, though, are the pheasants. They lurk in the bushes around the school. Some will suddenly emerge and make a dash for it. Others will be more cautious and just keep poking a head out and try to creep across. Persistent little beasts too - you shoo them away and they just keep coming back. The worst are the ones which creep close to the wall of the indoor school, then let out that special squawk without any prior warning. Makes me jump a mile, never mind the horses!
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Bless pheasants but I have to say they are particularly stupid birds and make ridiculous noises!!!!!!!! They keep them on our farm for shooting so theres loads of the little buggers squawking in the corn and diving out of hedges at random only to chase each other right in front you, head bobbing and generally being a bit daft and clueless with us trying very hard not to stomp on them. Its no wonder they have to be bred - Im surprised they managed to survive at all of their own devices!
 
eml said:
Just watch she and friends don't start a warren under the surface. We have to wage war in the indoor school with rabbit holes and I know someone who's school was totally undermined and needed redoing.
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oh no!:eek: I had better not show OH this thread....he rather likes the school as it is.......:p
 
Hahhaha, know what youmean about pheasies! They really make me jump never mind Storm! There is one persistant offender tha "lurks" when we set off to hack - I swear he does it on purpose............(that awful squawk !!!!)
 
We have two new kittens on the yard that take great delight in running in front of you, sending me in to a panic that I have killed them then have Tyler chase them!! His hoof is the same sie as they are!!

Jen
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