Time to leave the nursery

Bodkin and his mum April

Well the time came when April pined for adult company and all of the grass in her little nursery paddock had gone. With fear and trepidation it was time for Bodkin to take his place in society and join the grown up otherwise know (or called by Charles) "The ladies that lunch" Young Dolly was confined to her stabel for the day to allow Bodkin to meet Diva and Belle and settle in before addin our young live wire Dolly.



Chlres led Dolly back up the lane in the afternoon and let her go in the long field from the garden I could only hear the pounding of hooves as Dolly aproached and she burst over th bank with hooves pounding - only to be soundly rebuked by April, Diva and Belle who had all taken ove maternal duties





However Dolly was allowed to canter along at the rear




"gosh i realy didn't know there were so many horses in the world"

a sceen of bay silk Diva, Belle April and Bodkin




they looked much better going uphill but the camera wouldn't click!

and meanwhile................

Sophie and Toffee the warmblood contingent - Sophie is looking really well after her last dose of shhh wormer

and this week....!

Toffe really shouldn't be here because he is a woarmblood but he is such a lovely yearling with a perfect glossy black coat and no trouble with sun burn



whilst poor Archie needs total sun block before venturing out the capion on the tin reads "do not allow the horse near anything you do not want painting white for ten minutes" and Archie is just so generous with the white "paint"



but here he is monarh of all he surveys and it must be said apple of his dad's (Charle's) eye

The top of the hill is the best place on a hot summer day - we've opened four fields for them now so they can mimick their natural wandering behaiviour - funny though they are always by the gateway at breakfst time.never miss a meal!

to cont!

Time for a catch up!

Archie aged two

Full brother and sister Magic and Amie both out of Diva by Danilon - I sometimes have to check the lengths of their tails to tell them apart

(don't worry magic seems to be missing two spherical objects at the moment..........maybe I should be worried!

The water trough que

"Little" Sophie also aged one, again by Danilon out of a Holstein mare

Sorry I've been hording these and not posted them but see above like a number 42 bus my post come along in twoes!

News from Bodkin

Bodkin is happy to report that after earnest application to the milk bar he can now see properly over the stable door - result!! Not to mention has at least two teeth - ouch! April doesn't believe in coming into season with her foal at foot so we will have long wait for a full brother of sister but in time, in time.

I nearly tripped over this little chap with his liquid brown eyes and trusting expression when taking Bodkins photo - he must be his special friend. I hope he makes it and just maybe doesn't did holes all over the field and eat all of the grass and produce two hundred young but that is a bit of a tall order so maybe I'll just enjoy the Innocent baby rabbit for what he is today and not anticipate tomorrow.

A colt foal!!

April has her own system of birth that she has tried and tested - the other year we positioned her under cameras and relentlessly watched her all night and April waited and waited........and then had the Archie at the top of the field all on her own just as she had planned. So this year we kept a discreet watch but let her have her own way in her private field shelter with old Belle for company.
We watched the weather forecast for the weekend with trepidation - the foal was officially due tomorrow by Charles calculations. But it was pleasant in the early morning sunshine this morning- milky warm in fact and there in the private corner at the top of the hill was a proud mother conducting her very own "foal checks" which reads something like:- full wash, check; feed check; check umbilical check; lick tail to stimulate muconium check; settle down for own breakfast of Dobson and Horrell oats ( long story but the corn merchant only had the "posh" ones!)
The vet agreed with April that everything is perfect and here is the little chap:- officially out of Shabril Will by Shaab, by Danilon Pre who's by Official XXIX out of a Yeguada Millitair Mare Jeletita. He can even claim to be related to Fuego via Goran....some way back!

and the stripes around the top of his tail ?? from gramps - Official of Yaguada Suseata! Now Here's the boy...

Baby foal has now dried to a rich bay and is sleeping soundly in his stable

Working on the canter

Our finished "wind assisted" canter at the end of the session, the lower ones ore the work in progress.





There is a lovely view from the school towards St Hilary church spire on the ridge




Rising trot (I'm a lean forwarder to rise I'm afraid)




Danni's more collected trot to finish - I was pleased with this carriage




Riding the canter forward for a big bound - Charles pointed out I'd reverted to putting my elbows out.....sigh




Earlier canter work - I think you can see a difference between here and the last photo at the end of the session ( that I put first because it was the best one ah hum)

So after a hectic couple of bank holidays Danni got his chance to go to a school to work for a change. i wanted to work to get a big canter bound and then bring him up for a more elevated carriage. Charles wasn't happy with my efforts to the right as Danni was drifting out through his left shoulder and so we spent some time cantering with a counter bend to open that shoulder - which for me was rather like rubbing your tummy and patting your head type job! but eventually we succeed and he became straighter. I was really pleased with his finished balance - you''ll have to excuse his mane billowing in the wind, it has been a breezy few day here in cornwall even the Scillonian didn't sail one day!

We hacked home through lanes laced with bluebells and cow parsley just in time for Danni's lunch!

Danilon in april

Danni had a rare treat when we hired a school for an hour this week but I think the work we have been doing with him to approach collection is starting to pay off and he has gain more elevation without dropping his back.

and nothing like a nice long rein when you have finished to stretch your neck ahh..... sorry to be brief but time and tide!!