Wednesday 29th

 4 ponies were just up from the bottom gate. All looked well, Doune and Hoopy grooming each other. Trough full.

Tuesday 28th January

Mild day, but with horrendously freezing wind chill! But despite that the soggy and rather sorry-for-themselves looking ponies were gathered around the top gate. Flam came over for an investigation and Kat was also a little tempted but Doune and Hoopy were staring into the distance. Apart from the sogginess they looked well and healthy. 

Monday 27 January

 What a muddy path. With all the rain it was no surprise that it was so muddy. Nearing the top of the site the ponies had a bit of a cavalry charge but darted right before they got to me. All looked well. The troughs were full. 

Sunday 26th January

 A very wet and windy one with heavy going on the muddy main path. I’d expected to have difficulty finding the ponies believing they would have sought sanctuary in the lower, more sheltered spots so was rather surprised to find them at the top in the most windswept part of the site. Such hardy girls!

Fri 24th Jan

POnies all looking fine even if they were totally covered in dried mud today! Burdock in their manes too - all looking lovely and wild! Quite friendly and enjoyed a new salt lick i put at the entrance. Good to see that the cattle are off site too. Many thanks for all your help as ever folks :)

Thursday 23rd Jan

 Afternoon round this time - Fiona forewarned.  The 4 ponies were fairly easy to spot, about 150m from the M'way gate - 1 on the top path,  3 were just a little way down the hill from the top path.  A bit bedraggled after the earlier downpour, but seemingly unconcerned.  

All well with them.  The path was very muddy and slippery - be careful!

I only checked the trough near the W gate, and it was full.

Cattle now over the road...

cattle off site

We have taken thee two cattle off site and over to Dongas the other side of the road for some new grazing. 

Thanks,

Grazing team

Wednesdat 22nd

Grazing Map showed the cows near the corral, so we headed there between checking the Hill and the Dongas. 2 cows looked well, trough full and we didn't have far to go before Stephen spotted the ponies. 4 frisky ponies running around, we kept our distance.

Tuesday 21st January

Dull day on the Hill but not particularly cold. According to the app the cows were near the middle of the site, but still took me a while to track them down. They were close to the lower path, near the scrub block we recently reduced. Eleanor was in no mood to be distracted from eating, although I did notice she has a pink bald patch on her right front flank. Doesn't look nasty or anything though. 

The ponies were up by the end quite close to the end of last weeks planting, but not showing any real interest in nibbling at the young trees. They all looked well, although Doune was a little jumpy, as if she felt threatened. 

Monday 20 January

 The cows were near the top of the site. The ponies were hiding so were not seen . The troughs were full. No issues. 

Sunday 19th January

 Another grey day, but the ponies looking great, happily grazing towards the far end of the main path.

Both cows were together further up the path near the Morestead road.

Saturday 18th January

The cows were just off the main path and slightly down the hill. They looked great and Dilly was having contortions trying to lick her back leg. 

The ponies were up towards the top end of the site, with Kat and Hoopy on the lower side of the path and Doune and Flam on the upper side. All four were intently munching away and not particularly bothered about me. All looked great albeit a little muddy in places. 

Thursday 16th Jan

 Dilly and Eleanor were easy to find - about 100m along the top path from the M'way gate, almost exactly where my phone said they would be. Eleanor was having a good scratch on a hawthorn bush.  Both were looking well.

The ponies were by the 'far' gate, apparently watching the traffic, and only briefly distracted by my arrival.  They all looked fine too.

Both troughs were OK.

Wednesday 15th

 Love that map. 2 cows were by the top gate grazing/browsing looking well. 4 ponies were on and around the track near the bottom. Looking fine, not inquisitive. Both troughs full.

Tuesday 14th January

On arriving noticed the bag of hawthorn saplings was outside the corral and on closer inspection the contents were scattered. There appeared to be teeth marks on the bag, so I suspect horse play! Re-bagged, hydrated and returned to the corral, hopefully they'll be okay. 

And as I was doing this I spotted Doune watching me in the near distance. She was overlooking the gang, who were lower on the slope munching away and enjoying the sunshine. They all looked in good condition, and even settled down for some proper sunbathing. 

The cow app showed them partying up by the top gate. And so they were, excellent, and unfortunately disturbed a gorgeous fox who went scampering off down the hill. Again they looked good, alert and nothing weeping or leaking. All good. 

Monday 13 January

 The ponies were a third of the way up the hill and looking good. The cows were at the bottom of the slope and seemed happy enough. Both troughs were free of ice. 

Sunday 12 January

 Glad I made an early start and found the ground frost made for much easier going. The main track is now a muddy mess in most places. 

The cows were towards the Moorstead Rd having completed their inspection of the new saplings. No flocks of yellowhammers to report so far!

The ponies were at the far end of the main track near the beehive. They all look in great condition.

Both water troughs cleared of ice.

Saturday 11th January

A gorgeous winter walk ruined by hunting for cows and ponies! I jest of course, Eleanor and Dilly were close the the lower trough, basking in the late morning sunshine. The trough had pretty thick ice in it, and the garden trowel I brought with me was insufficient for the task, so had to restore to boot heel and trying to stop before the whole foot became submerged. I did remember my rubber gloves though, worried looks from the cows, to ease the removal of the chunks of ice. So anyway the cows looked great. The ponies were found at the top of the site, in the sunny glade area, still munching away frantically. Hoopy was grumpy, at least she stomped as I got near, and the others way too busy eating to take the slightest notice of me. Flam's coat, is a lovely shade of red in the sunlight and she's starting to resemble a fluffy teddy bear. Again they all looked great and couldn't see any discharge or gunk in Hoopy's eye.

Thursday 9th January

 Beautiful frosty morning.  I managed to 'ping' Eleanor, who was in the far NE corner, at the end of the lower track - and Dilly was there too.  They looked well, even if they seemed not to be doing anything.  The ponies were also at the far end of the reserve, about half way up the hill from the cows, and grazing voraciously.  This meant a clamber up the hill, but it was achieved, and the ice in the 'far' trough broken.  I had already broken the ice on the trough near the main entrance.

I met a young lad who was bird-watching on the pools - he pointed out lapwings and a green sandpiper to me - I took his word, as I only had binoculars, but saw the bird.   

Wednesday 8th

 We got onto the website, thanks for the link, Fiona. Headed straightish to 2 cows a bit up from the bottom path. It would help if our location was marked as well as Eleonor's. They both looked ok. No sign of the ponies down there, found the 4 by the top gate, spread out. all looked well. Broke the ice on the bottom trough but forgot to check the top one. Oops.

Tuesday 7th January

Beautiful winters day with just a little nip in the air. I had checked the 'cow app' from Costa in Southampton, and it worked perfectly, I could see Eleanor close to the main trough. But when I actually arrived at the hill, she just wouldn't show up on the map. Not sure if that was an issue with my phone settings, or perhaps the signal on the hill. But before leaving for the Hill I advise checking the app just in case. But they were still where the app had said they would be, having a lie down in the sun and looking pretty relaxed. Eleanor even had a full lie down, albeit very briefly. 

And as luck would have it the ponies were pretty close to them, and  moving slowly towards the corral, eating as they went. Hoopy's eye looks much better today, and as if to celebrate she had a couple of quick rolls. Other than that they all looked in great shape, really fluffy.

Monday 6th January

Found the ponies a little way up from the main entrance. They all looked well, although Hoopy's right eye looks a little leaky (I missed this but Fi spotted it). Met Fi whilst I was looking for the cows, and it transpires as Dilly's collar isn't working (and she knows it) that the cows have been allowed access to the whole site. Luckily Fi had already seen them at the far corner of the site so didn't need to check them. 

Sunday 5th Jan

 A very blustery, muddy and miserable day on the hill. I found the ponies unflustered by it all. BUT after many attempts and up and downs I could not find the cows!

Saturday 4th January

Cold one, but nice and crisp. Broke and removed the ice on both trough, could hear both refilling. Cows were close to the main trough close to the bottom path. In fact, looks like Dilly might have realised that her collar isn't working and she was on the bottom path. Both looked really well. 

Three of the ponies were up the top of the site in the open plan area, but no sign of Hoopy. Looked around a bit and couldn't spot here, so started to worry, but after a little pacing and calling her, she appeared from the undergrowth, looking really happy and munching away. Glad one of them answers to their names. All looking well and fluffy.

Shocking....or not...

Fri 3rd Jan check

Both cows near western end. Warmed my hands on the sunny side of the black one. 

Four ponies all fine. Very deviously hidden in a scrub tunnel running along the fence by the bottom track. 

Both troughs were frozen over but luckily I had hand tools to smash them. Eastern trough I smashed later in the day and was refilling.

Four ponies

New Years Day

2 cows were near the bottom trough, looked ok, trough full. 4 ponies were further up the track grazing and browsing, all ok. 

Happy New Year.