Tack / Tank / Feet
Posted: Monday 25 November, 2019
Monday 18th November
Cold and sunny; the ditch has a blockage that stopping it flowing properly so Dan’s getting the waders on to sort it out. I started a Christmas cake, but I need to get oranges and lemons. And almonds.
Jane was here to fit Smokey’s saddle. Credit card about to get a thrashing. The saddle I’m buying is the same as the one I sold when we “retired”. I need two saddle racks too.
Took a load of muck to Guildy Farm and picked up four bales of hay.
We have a tawny owl. Or maybe two. Lovely!
Tuesday 19th November
Hard frost this morning, but still dry. No8 is lame so she’s in a wee pen in the field shelter for treatment.
Shetland cattle at RHS2020 conference call tonight.
Wednesday 20th November
Change in the weather; mild and damp today. Took the ponies out for a walk in hand then spent an hour spending money on tack. Saddle, stirrup leathers and irons, girth, saddle pads (2), bridle, bit and reins. And a helmet.
No8 sprung herself for the pen but looks a bit better. We’ll see how she is tomorrow.
Septic tank repair man finally arrived. Hopefully, it will be repaired by the weekend.
Thursday 21st November
Miild, broken cloud and a wee bit of blue sky. Finally got the cake I started on Monday in the oven – I’ve been glugging brandy on the fruit all week, so it should be flavoursome.
Skippy, one of the Blue Faced Leicesters, has a green bum! No8 still lame so back in the pen.
Cattle foot-trimmer called to ask if he can come tomorrow at 8.30am. Ah well, give me less time to worry and will get it over with. And Blizzard doesn’t look comfortable.
Friday 22nd November
Rain, and more rain.
Nik, the foot trimmer was here at 8.30am. Cattle all tied up and ready to go – we go in reverse order of the hierarchy, so Rosie first, then Annie, Blizzard and Ace. They all behaved beautifully apart from Blizzard. All done though and Blizz looks much better already.The dogs enjoy the foot shavings.
Dogs has snax.
The septic tank repair is not going well; the rain, the high water table and the sandy soil mean that the hole keeps collapsing.
Baked for the crochet course tomorrow and he craft fair at Barry Mill. Linda and her chum Shirley are manning the stand but Dan will set it up while I look after the course.
Saturday 23rd November
More rain. We’re back to where we were two weeks ago. Even the cattle shed uses more bedding because the atmosphere is moisture laden. Cleaned out the hens.
The loch that is Home paddock.
I let No8 out but she’s not right yet. She’ll have to come back in tomorrow.
Course went fine; craft fair was OK. We covered the cost of the table but it’s just as well Linda and Shirley are free.
Septic tank man called in a bigger digger today but to no avail; now bringing in a team to shore up the hole but not until next Saturday. Not thinking about how much this is going to cost.
Aw,Gwenna and Bertie, together.
Gwenna and Bertie.
Sunday 24th November
Damp, dismal and dreich. But very mild. Dan’s not well so has been sent back to bed; he’s been sort of flu-y for a few days but has been too busy to have a day off, but he is today. He needs to give his body time to mend.
Ditch pretty full.
Mucked out the cattle – the calves love a new bed! Zen thought it was all for her.
Zen's bed.
Brought lame ewe No8 back in – she wanted to come in. Soaked her sore foot in Milton and warm water. If she’s not better tomorrow, I’ll get some antibiotics from the vet.
Catching up on housework and writing to my sister – yes, a real letter on paper and in the post. I type it but in a hand writing font. Close to the real thing – but my hand writing is so awful now, at least it keeps it legible.And I put up the saddle racks!
New saddle racks.
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