It's not always raining

Welsh ponies

Woodland pictures from early October

The views are changing daily around here, leaves are falling fast and waterfalls and streams are overflowing. Suspect next weeks view of this same walk will be completely different again!

Meet the Team. Pony version.

Despite owning land and keeping a wide variety of animals, we are not a farm. My husband will gladly point out the difference to you, - farms make money ;) 

I sometimes think we should change the name of our house to "Nota Farm" because then, ironically, we would be a farm !

We've got goats, ponies, horses, chickens, sheep, and two huge mad pointer dogs. I have my eye on some 'other varieties of animals' but I can't possibly comment as the husband might object. {see first point}  

Originally I began this new blog to showcase the photographs of the gorgeous views and surroundings around us, but I figure you might as well meet the team, as 90% of my photographs have the animals in them. 

You've met the goats and the dogs. Now meet the very important Equines.

In the beginning there was only Puzzle Pony.  

Actually before that there was a pony mad child, who rode any horse anywhere that she could. Who walked miles as a teenager to help out at stables. Who babysat others horses, who rode the mad ones at the riding schools. Who finally had her own loan pony in her late teens..... and then gave it all up to become a responsible married woman and mother.
Fast forward many years of missing horses so much I actually avoided them, as being around them but 'not' being around them properly was too hard.  Then my third child wanted to ride, and the forth, and somehow I rode too.  Eventually had a pony mare on loan, which was a learning curve and half, and FINALLY we get to the point of the story here - this fine ginger chap.  

He was - as all the best ones are - 'not suitable at all'. He was too short, too young and definitely not for us.  Except of course he completely was. He taught the girls to ride, he taught me all about the holistic approach to horses, and introduced me to some genuinely wonderful people. He will go and try and do anything you ask of him. He knows way to many tricks - including undoing zips, knots, doors and gates. He adores food, in particular pears. He's the one all the kids of friends ride, and the one they all want to take home.  He's far too bossy in the field, he can't stand goats/sheep/dogs/ anything in his field, which isn't helpful.  He's a zingy bright orange in the summer and a handsome fluffy auburn in the winter. He never wears a noseband, and has a glorious unpulled mane since moving to Wales. He trots faster than most horses twice his size and he can sulk like no other, but I trust him and he trusts me. To be able to have him here, at home and see him from my window is my whole dream come true.

Whiskey, or Whiskey Mac, to give him his full title, arrived the first year we lived here. A big horse, as all the others were ponies.  He is a fabulous chap. the most sensitive soul, prone to overacting and prone to all manner of accidents. I once described him to my Vet as a Shakespearian actor in horse form; that's him exactly. He loves music, - love loves music, is obsessed with hay, and since moving to the 'slate and clay' based soils of our land has taken on a pink hue and never been white again. He is most likely to stand on your foot one minute, but look so very elegant and thoroughbred-y the next minute. He detests the Stella dog, and tho the tallest of all horses here, he bows down to Puzzle the boss. He's brilliant fun to ride, -with a whole new array of paces he makes up as he goes along and the ability to spot a potential monster at a 100 paces you might not think so, but he is, like a great big merry go round horse. I laugh every time we ride, he is doughnut, but he's my doughnut. 

 

Vincent is a  Shetland pony. If you don't know Shetland ponies they are basically the gangsters of the horse world. Cute but utterly dangerously so. They can escape, charm, steal, undo and wheedle their way out, or into, anything.  Vinnie's parents are show champion standard. Perfectly marked piebalds. Vincent arrived annnnnd.... was black with a few white smudges, so never made it in the show world. Their loss our gain really. He is adorable. He has fans all over the world, and wins the 'who in our house has the most instagram likes' count every time his photo is posted! He sadly suffers from a reaction to midges and flies, so summer is not his favourite time of year. During the winter he grows a good four inch thick coat and frankly looks just like a teddy bear. With attitude. He is, shall we say, a real foodie, and will pick pocket, trespass and steal if that's what it requires. He and Puzzle were best buddies until Whiskey arrived and now he often gets left out as they play together. Which makes me feel dreadful. However should you take Vince from the field, the other two have a minor meltdown that he isn't there. He's got the deepest voice I've ever heard and his whinnies sound like he smokes 60 a day. (Knowing Vincent, that's entirely possible)