Winter still has a hold on proceedings as you can see by the weather on the Open Day we had in January. Thank you to those who came and braved the atrocious conditions. The snow started after we had opened and everyone thought that we had a good chance of being trapped at Brimpts. However, as soon as it came, it melted.  The ponies didn’t mind one bit, they had what they wanted – food.

Flame decided to lie in the hay and eat “cow style”, in a semi-circle around her head, lazy doesn’t cover it.

Charlie is of to see Lorna this month and will stay about a week. He will learn some manners and when he comes home we can then see about putting his size to a constructive use. Lorna is the lady who manages our site at Bellever and has kindly offered to give Charlie some much needed schooling.

By the time you read this they will all have been wormed and had their feet trimmed. We always examine them each time we see them and feel them all over to check their condition.  Golden Flame sometimes feels that this is an indignity to a girl in her position but she will generally succumb. She has not lost an ounce since winter started so we will have to intervene. They need to lose a few pounds in the winter so that in the spring they do not put on even more weight when the good grass comes through. ( Golden Flame seems unable to grasp this concept!!!!!). George, Rolo and Smartie are all fine and doing well. Charlie has lost some weight but he is still doing well and we are not too worried about him. Boss, though not an adoption pony is still important to us and he has lost some of the weight from his sides. This is not a bad thing as he was carrying more than we wanted him to. The rain runs off him now and does not pool on his ample back.

There is plenty of work to do at the centre and I imagine I will have help from at least one of them. They have managed to push the top rails off four sections of fencing and loosened two or three posts. They can’t be bored they now have the run of twenty two acres and super views over Dartmoor. ( I’m sure they appreciate that).