Thursday 31st July

 I managed to avoid the rain, and when I arrived, went a little way down the path from the main gate - and the ponies were spread out, up to my right, happily grazing.  The good news is that there seemed to be far fewer flies troubling them today, although possibly because of the cloudy weather and/or the citronella.  All seemed well, and nothing adverse to report.

After checking with Fiona, I opened the lower gate, rescued the garlic delight and turned it the right way up.  Beware - it has a unique and not entirely alluring (to me) aroma, and if you get it on your hands, it is difficult to get off.  The ponies were some distance away, but hopefully will find it.  This is a photo looking towards Morestead Rd.

The trough nearby was fine - I didn't check the far one.

Wednesday 30th

 We shut the lick in. It was upside down, checked, not much had gone. I left it upside down. We looked up the main path and the middle section back down the main path and by the road fence but didn't see the ponies. A man blackberrying hadn't seen them either. Plenty of hiding places there... The troughs were full. We picked up some litter from the verge.

Tues 29th - staff check

I visited again to try and put a new extra good fly cream on them, but you guessed it, Hoopy and Doune were having none of it!! The flies were still present but not as many today. POnies were at the eastern end and I have left the lid off the mineral lick in the corral so that will be a lovely treat for them! Pooped in later to see if they had found it but they hadn't as yet. I don't want them to have full time access to the lick though, as I'm concerned they'll get through it so fast! SO, Kitty and Stephen, could you please shut half of the corral tomorrow when you visit with the lick inside? I will open the corral up for them on Friday all day so that they can have another go. Many thanks all!

Tuesday 29th July

Cooler day on the Hill with the threat of rain. The ponies were a little way up the main path and slightly down the slope. They were munching away as if grass were going out of fashion, and looked much happier than last time I saw them. There were still flies, but not so bothersome and strangely Hoopy seemed the least bothered (perhaps Fi 'citronella'ed her).

Mon 28th staff check

Ponies were by the corral which was handy.  I tried my best with the cotronella spray again but Hoopy was having none of it.  Have bought them a mineral lick containing garlic to help keep the flies off  - it may or may not work! They are crazy for it! To start with they are only supposed to have it for 30 mins a day, so I left it safely in corral and will give them access later on today.  

Monday 28 July

 The ponies were near the corral along the bottom path.  The top trough is full of lovely clean water. It puts the bottom trough to shame. 

Wednesday 23rd

 4 ponies were on and to the left of the track about 100 yards down from the clump. 

Hoopy has some scratches on her flank.

The one I've been calling Doune has a thin patch on her stifle. Otherwise all fine apart from those bothersome flies.

Bottom trough full.

Tuesday 22nd July

Warm but duller day on the Hill today, ponies had wandered away from the corral and were munching their way the hill in the section just below the main path. They were all intently eating and appeared okay, but the ever-present flies were still irritating. Hoopy didn't seem as bothered today.

Monday 21 July

 The 4 ponies were at the corral and seemed chilled. The top trough is looking very green and might want cleaning out. Both troughs are full. 

Sunday 20th July

 Some much needed rain today. The ponies were getting some respite from the fly invasion but were still ever present around the eyes. Hoopy appears to be suffering the most. 

Friday - Saturday 18/19th July

Popped along to check on the ponies on Friday armed with a bottle of citronella based fly deterrent. We found them in the corral and we managed to spray some of the hind parts of Flam and Kat, and even sprayed into our hands and applied to their faces, avoiding their eyes. Also got one squirt onto Doune before she realised what was happening. Hoopy however was having none of it, and the constant barrage of flies was making her really grumpy and a little aggressive. Poor thing. 

Back on Saturday after some refreshing rain, and sure enough fly levels had dropped on the 3 amigas, who were still employing the top to tail swishing technique. However no such joy for Hoopy, who was still being bothered. So bad she had her right eye almost permanently closed. All eyes (of all ponies) still appear normal, with no redness, but couldn't get too good a view of the Hoopy closed eye. Wish there was more we could do for them????

Staff check

Myself and Eliza (work experience student) went up on Wednesday afternoon to smother the ponies in fly spray and top up the water supply. We cleaned out the trough, so I'm sad to see that John has noted the troughs are murky as the bottom one should be far cleaner than it was. A shame that this 'naff off' spray doesn't seem to do enough to keep the flies down. The bottom water tank is entirely full and we will fill the top tank tomorrow on Friday. To clarify who is who - Flam is the smaller chestnut mare who is the friendliest and most likley to steal your hat or eat your hair! Kat is the darkest of them all and is getting more friendly. Doune is the stockiest and has a dark round patch on the right side of her underbelly, and usually keeps her distance. Hoopy has branding marks on her left flank, plus a soulful expression I always think. Thanks all!

Thursday 17th July

 It took me almost 2 hours to find the ponies - heaven knows where they go, but they were determined to be invisible, maybe lying down in the long grass.  Only when I got back to the corral for the third time did I find them there.  As expected, they were OK, but the flies were clearly being a nuisance, particularly around their eyes, but I couldn't see anything wrong.

Troughs OK, if a bit murky.

In my wanderings, there were several now regular singing yellowhammers, some ragwort near the road fence completely stripped of leaves by cinnabar moth caterpillars, and a vociferous raven.

Phew.

I regret that I shall be missing next week, but back for the 31st.

Wednesday 16th

 4 ponies were in the corral, bunched together. I always thought Doune was the light coloured one, but the scratches on the right flank were on one I would have called Flam or Kat. No flies on the scratches today, though there were plenty bugging them round the head. Bottom trough full.

Tuesday 15th July

A little breezy today and found the ponies just down from the top gate, popping up above the golden grasses. They were very busily munching away, but sadly still inundated (despite the respite in the sun) by pesky flies. Doune looked to have a small scratch on her right flank on which the flies were concentrating. And Flam had been rolling in the dust, in an attempt to put off the flies I guess, but seemed to have the opposite effect. Other than the flies (and the possible scratch on Doune) they all seemed okay.

Monday 14 July

 The ponies were at the corral and appeared chilled. Both troughs were full. No issues noted.

Sunday 13th July

 Another hot day, but a reasonable breeze seemed to bring the ponies out from the coolness in the corral. They were half way up the main track. All looking great but with a lot of flies pestering them.

Saturday 12th July

Hot on the Hill, with the ponies shading themselves in the corral area. The original three were top to tailed helping each other with the flies, but poor Hoopy was on her own with her face covered in flies. They all seemed okay, but seemed really cheesed off and a little tetchy. 

Fri 11th - staff check

Found the ponies in the shade of the Beech at the western end - very sensible.  Covered Flam and Hoopy with Citronella spray to keep the flies off - less success with Kat and Doune.  The flies are awful and the poor ponies are being bothered but thankfully no red or gunky eyed today.  The tea has definitely helped I'd say... all fine otherwise

Thursday 10th July

 The ponies seem to sense me coming - they played their usual game of being completely invisible when I arrive and then turning up near the entrance in an area which I had already checked.  So it was today.  No sign near the main entrance, and then after I had made a complete circuit of the site, they were just downhill from the corral:

After a brief hello, they continued to graze.  A lot of flies around their eyes, but I could not see anything wrong.

Yes - yellowhammers singing still, and ragwort has its uses, at least for cinnabar moth caterpillars:

A good number of butterflies enjoying the sunshine.

Wednesday 9th

 4 ponies were in the corral. Lots of flies, especially on Hoopy, who wasn't part of the swishing off each other activity. She seemed dejected but her eyes look ok. Other 3 fine.

Lower trough full.

Tuesday 8th July

The ponies were in the corral on arrival. Flam came out to greet me, but the others looked really sorry for themselves. The flies were really bothering Hoopy and Kat. It was like Pig-Pen from Snoopy, a swarm of flies around their eyes, and when you swept them away they came straight back. It's horrible I wish I could do more to help them. Apart from the horrid flies, they looked okay, eyes seemed to be okay, but the light wasn't great. Hoopy started to get agitated and stamping so moved away. Weirdly Doune was hardly bothered at all?

Mon 7th - staff check

As Nick didn't find the ponies I went to check on them. Found them halfway up the top track and thankfully they looked less bothered by flies, and Hoopy was looking a lot better too. Kat's eyes were a little gunky but not red. I managed to put more 'naff off' citronella gel on them anyway, so hopefully this will do the job. The site is looking gorgeous!

Monday 7 July

 The troughs are full. The ponies were not seen, they must be down the bottom somewhere.

Fri 4th - staff check

Went to put more citronella on the ponies - they really weren't keen today and I felt I was annoying them as they were busy grazing. Kat manged to wipe a smudge of the crem onto the edge of Doune's eye so that wasn't great, and of course Doune wouldn't let me near to get it off! Managed eventually to bathe Hoopy's eye with tea. Am concerned that kat's right eye seemed a but red too. They are all really being bothered by flies at the moment. poor things. Otherwise they are all looking very fit and healthy.

Saturday 5th July

The ponies were a little way along the main path, eagerly eating away. Flam stopped long enough to say Hello. Hoopy's eye looks much better and the flies not too much of a problem today. 

Thursday 3rd July

 Nothing but blue skies 🎜this morning.  When I arrived, the ponies were nowhere to be seen, not by the corral or down the hill, not along the top path or near the road, not by the far gate, not along the lower path, but - predictably - when I got back to the corral, there they were, having a drink at the trough.  They all said a brief hello, and then retreated to the shade by the corral.. Hoopy's eyes looked a lot better - a few troublesome flies but nothing worse so far as I could see.  They were doing a bit of mutual grooming as I left.

Lots of butterflies out in the sunshine - and yes, a couple of yellowhammers! A pair of buzzards were trying some synchronised soaring and a red kite put in a brief appearance.

Wednesday 2nd July

 Out early to avoid the heat. 4 ponies were by the top gate. All looked well, lots of flies. Hoopy's eyes had small spots of mucus and she was attracting the most flies. Both troughs ok, top one not as full.

This adaptation to the gate opposite made it easier for us to do the circular walk, back through the Dongas and a carpet of wild flowers.

Tuesday 1st July

Swelteringly hot day and surprisingly the ponies weren't sheltering in the corral, but they weren't far away, a little way along the lower path and up a bit. They seemed very intent on eating and were slightly testy with my presence. Hoopy looked well, but huffed off before I could get a close look, probably worried I was going apply some cream or other 😁. Lots of butterfly activity which is great to see.

Mon 30th - staff check

Filled up the water supply at both ends of the site today. Ponies were handily in the corral so I managed to bathe Hoopy's eye in tea again, and covered theor bums in citronella cream to help keep the flies off.  Thet are all being bothered by flies but thankfully Hoopy looked better than she did on Friday. Stifling heat!!