2 weeks on and ponies are fine, fields are holding up (just) with careful management - getting greasy now, this morning was the first morning I have had to have the torch to find the Poo! I am not a winter person at all , it cold - damp mornings and sunny during the day the moment - not had too much rain - but the water table is obviously filling up causing the ground conditions, other than a small patch in one corner of the winter field opened up for Tess overnight it remains untouched ( unless you can class the 2 opportune breakouts by the sh*tland) - Tess was on it this time last year - but we still have grass growing!
Ponies are laying their winter fat despite being on next to nought - Coats are well on now - so we are now at that time of year when Acorn has no feeling or respect for Electric, he is in the Sin Bin this morning (front well wired paddock)
on his own, the little sod decided he would make a break into the winter field this morning and didn't have the decency to wait until I had left, so armed with feed tub and halter I managed to get him and frog march him through the bigger day paddock - the girls watching on smugly - and to his disgust into their smaller night paddock - Charlie went over to him no doubt to give sympathy as he is on his own all the time but got a nip on the nose for his trouble - so no doubt he will be spending more time on his own now - hes usually good as gold for a couple of days after a breakout and sin bin when put back in the bigger paddock and then repeat offends so ends back at square one - while its still growing I am reluctant to leave it to chance with his history - once the frosts come and we stop grass growth then the odd breakout is not too much of a worry as the winter field is left to grow all summer and much is long and lost its strength, with that being later this year and no sign of frosts in the forecast for us yet then that's some way off, will keep the winter feed bill down then so always a silver lining!
had the bags of equilage for Tess/Nuts and the silvermoor lite to mix with the hay for the boys delivered in last week plus 3 months feed supply, Had more bedding supplies (with a discount) and 3 months worth of Happy hoof delivered as well, its the molasses free they have brought out so will see how it goes down, theres ~£2 a bag off it at the moment so seemed silly not to, ordered bedding in for new girl at yard as well hence the discount so win win, free delivery and feed and haylage bales stacked tidy in trailer to boot- saving me a job, which was just as well as I pulled a muscle in my Neck last weeked stripping wall paper so have been next to useless all week other than feeding and poo picking.
Just a few pre winter jobs left to do and then ready for whatever it throws!