November has started out to be a busy month, The Ponies Inspiring People project at Occombe Farm has now finished and the ponies have gone back to their farms and are for sale. That is, except for Miss Mousie, who has come home to live with “The Hooligans”.

She arrived full of beans and was put in a small paddock area adjacent to the other five. Golden Flame and Boss looked but decided that the hay was much better. George and Charlie stood at the fence and just stared at her. Rolo appeared not to be interested. After an hour or so we put the resident gang in the field with some hay and left them for a few minutes. Then we introduced Miss Mousie and the shemozzle started. The three young ones chased her everywhere. Miss Mousie went into a field next to the adoption paddocks and the others stood there gasping. Miss Mousie went to the top of a very steep hill and was looking down on the others. When the rest of them went into the field we were a little worried because this was a 22acre field and there would be no way we could get between them. In they went but the atmosphere had changed, they did not go near Miss Mousie but walked to the top and began feeding. Psychological warfare!! did the bullies then think, this is her field we are the invaders? Miss Mousie has now been accepted and mixes well with them; she has come into season and teases the youngsters mercilessly. Charlie and George look at her then at each other as if to say, “are we supposed to do something now, I forget? Let’s eat instead”. Rolo is one up from the bottom now and he reminds her occasionally.

Although the ponies are not in their usual fields now for a few weeks, we do bring them back for work and they will be here on Sunday 29^th November; between 1-30 and 3-30pm for you to visit.

Don’t forget, we now have five adoption ponies.