Sunday 31st August

 Ponies out and about enjoying a spot of rain and fresh new growth. 

Saturday 30th August

Humid morning on the Hill, found the ponies a short way up the main path, just stood there staring at me, intimidating me 😁. Flam was biting her foot, Doune and Kat looking menacing and Hoopy spaced out. They all looked well, not too many flies, and dispersed to start scrub nibbling. Didn't give them any 'lick' time. 

Wednesday 27th

 Ponies rather spread out this morning. Flam and Hoopy in the bushes down from the grazed area beyond the trough. Hoopy's leg seems to be healing. Flam pointed me in the direction of Kat and Doune who were further down among the bushes and on the bottom path. All looked well. Trough full.

Tuesday 26th August

Looks like yesterday 'lick' spat has been forgotten as they were altogether a little way up the main path and down the hill, in amongst the long golden grasses. They all looked in great shape, but a few marks on Hoopy's legs from the kicking match, nothing on Flam. They were too busy eating to be bothered about me, so left them to it. 

Monday 25th August

The ponies were by the corral when I arrived, looking eager and expectant. Opened the gates and left them to it for a bit. Spotted the Hummingbird moth again in section 1 and a lovely common blue before returning to the corral. Doune and Kat were still glued to the lick, with Doune using her hoof to scrape the surface. Cunning. Poor Hoopy seemed to have been side-lined totally, so I attempted to ease the others out of the way to let her have a go. Just about managed it with a compliant Doune/Kat, but Flam was really giving Hoopy much of a chance. And despite my efforts, we ended up with a kicking match, quite a long and vicious one. Once they'd calmed down managed to slyly remove the lick and re-close the gates. Other than the kicking and fighting they all look, if not smelt, very well. 

 

Sunday 24th August

 Another warm day but with a welcome breeze. On arrival the ponies were nowhere to be seen. I walked all the way up to the top of the main track with no luck and was beginning to think I would need to be exploring the new tracks that have been opened up. However when I returned to the corral they were all there!

Friday 22nd

We had a lot of pony company today on the work party. Very chilled and friendly ponies today, enjoying the work we were doing opening up the edges of the grassland. No issues to report, and another small salt lick put out for them - I think that is 7 they have around site now... No garlic lick though today as they were happy grazing in other parts of the site.

Thursday 21st August

 Arrived at Deacon to find 3 ponies by the corral but no sign of No 4 (possibly Doune?).  After an unsuccessful trawl along the top path, it was predictable that all 4 would be by the corral when I got back, and indeed they were.

Far fewer troublesome flies, and the ponies were looking fine.  Glad to hear that the farrier will be seeing them very soon, but they don't seem to be too worried about their hooves.  Water levels in both troughs OK.

Wednesday 20th

 4 ponies were up by the top gate. all looked well. Both troughs full. 

Tuesday 19th August

Ponies not in the corral today, probably due to the horrendous smell coming from the water treatment plant. Opened the gate for them just in case, although found them a couple of hundred metres up the main path, laying down along the path and looking very dozy. Doune was instantly defensive, and I swear she growled at me, but I could be wrong. Kat was already up and about, so went to see her first, whilst the other roused themselves. They were all looking well, and only a few flies on Hoopy. The mark on Doune's flank also seemed to have faded away, so other than being a bit dozy and grumpy all seemed well. Closed the gate on my way back.

Cover request

 Could anyone cover Monday 25 August for me please?

I cannot make the checks that day. 

Thanks in advance.

Monday 18 August

 The ponies were at the top of the site. Both troughs were full. No issues noted.

Sunday 17th August

 Another warm day. Four very expectant ponies greeting me at the corral this morning waiting to get their garlic fix. They need no persuasion to get stuck in though getting them to leave it is another matter! They get quite argumentative when it is time for them to leave!

Saturday 16th August

Opened the gate and removed the lid from the garlic lick whilst I went off to check on the sheep. Still no sign of the ponies when I returned, nor at the top of the site, or a little way along the lower path. As I was short on time, replaced the lid, closed the gate and headed off. 

Note: didn't see the ponies today. 

Friday 15th August

Very very hot on the Hill today, and not surprisingly the ponies were in the shade near the corral. Once they saw me they crowded the gate and rushed at the lick once I had it open! Doune was leading the charge and using her hoof to scrape the surface of the lick. She also seems to have a mark on her flank, white I think, which is attracting a lot of flies. Being Doune I couldn't get too close to check it properly, but might be worth a check. She didn't seem bothered though. Other than smelly breath and orange tongues they all seemed in good nick. 

thurs 14th - staff visit

I delivered a brand new mineral lick, causing much excitement!! They had a full hour of access to it and then I put it away again.  Very happy ponies!  Fly level far more manageable, I'm very pleased, the garlic taste must be repelling the flies!! All else fine.  Lots of birds and butterflies about.

Thursday 14th Aug

 It took time to find the ponies again, but after a circuit of the reserve (by me - and possibly the ponies) they were by the corral.  They were still having the occasional lick at the empty garlic container, but looking fine.  Trough close by looking splendidly pristine.  The far trough is a bit murky.  Both full and OK.

Wednesday 13th

 I don't know if the ponies thought we were bringing more lick, but the 4 came up to me when I was checking the trough. Flam as inquisitive as ever so we didn't get very close to the others. All looked ok and the nice clean trough was full.

Tues 12th - staff check

Well I didn't manage to make it to Deacon yesterday to retrieve the mineral lick and lock it away, so predictably the rest of it had been devoured by the time I arrived this morning. There were some rather sticky looking muzzles this morning on Flam, Doune and Kat in particular! Filled up the bottom water storage tank and gave the trough a thorough clean again. We have another lick on order. We have contacted a farrier to come and look at Hoopy's tiny hooves. Otherwise the ponies all look well and I even managed to stroke Doune today - think she was high on garlic as she was unusually relaxed about it!

Monday 11 August

 I opened the corral and took the lid off the lick. Seconds later hoppy was in. The troughs were full. The ponies were guarding the lick so I could not get the lid back on or get them out of the corral. I sent a note to Fi to see if she could have a go later.

Sunday 10th August

 Ponies looking well! Flies under much more control. 

Saturday 9th August

Doune with her identification mark

Was a little later today, and after looking for the ponies at the corral found them just a bit down from the top gate. They were all munching away at the short (fresh and sweet) grass, and weren't bothered about me. They looked well and seemed quite happy, although the flies appeared to be back in force. 

Thursday 7th Aug

 Ponies were about 250m along the path, seemingly preferring the short grass on the path to the longer grass to the side.  Munching was clearly a priority, and they were heading slowly eastwards.  Some flies around, but  not as bad as it has been for them.  I didn't like to leave the corral open for them to have unlimited access to the lick - if they had been at the corral, I could have opened it and let them have a brief burst of garlic.  The lick is still inside the closed section.

I was able to see the slightly chipped hooves - not apparently causing any problems at the moment.

West trough fine - I didn't check the far one.

Wednesday 6th (during butterfly transect visit)

 When I arrived for this week's butterfly transect the ponies were by the corral but the gates were shut. So opened up for them, and in they rushed, although Hoopy was edged out. When I returned from the transect, all but Kat, were still lingering around rather than obsessively licking. Flam came over to say 'Hi' but with her orange dripping tongue kept her far enough away to not knock me out with her garlic breath! This was an opportunity for Hoopy to get at the lick, although Flam was soon back nudging her out of the way. So ushered them all out of the way, despite Flam trying to halt the gate closing by using her bum as a gate obstruction. So corral all secured and lick back in the neutral zone, sealed and less smelly.

Wednesday 6th

 4 ponies were by the Morstead Rd. fence about 400 m. from the corral. All looking well, Hoopy tried to nip me and I had to ward Doune, as I call the lighter coloured pony, off too. Didn't change the corral gates, so the lick is off limits. Bottom trough full. When we got back to the bike they were in the corral.

Tuesday 5th August

Warm but breezy today with no ponies at the corral. However they weren't far away between the main and lower paths about 100 metres along from the trough. They were all munching away hungrily and didn't seem to be too bothered by flies, even Hoopy. They all seemed okay, but as they weren't near the corral they had no garlic-lick session today. 

Monday 4 August

 I opened the pen but no sign of the ponies. Checked both troughs. Both full. Shut the pen on my way back down. No ponies seen in the light misty rain. Plenty of fresh droppings near the pen. 

Sunday 3rd August

 The ponies were waiting for my arrival at the corral eager for more of the garlic lick!

They were fairly well behaved taking turns at their fix!

After a while I finally got them to retreat!

Saturday 2nd August

The ponies were in the corral when I arrived clearly waiting for someone to come and let them at the garlic-lick! And at it they went. To quote a topical phrase, Kat and Doune were 'mad for it'! Flam a little less so but poor Hoopy couldn't get a look in. They all seemed okay, flies still present, especially on Hoopy, and Flam's garlic breath was horrible 😆.

Left them at it, and only when I got home did I see Fi's latest notes, so headed back, and they'd had enough so was able to shut up the corral again and put the lid back on the lick. 

The lick is about half gone, although more gone in the middle than at the sides. 

Friday 1st Aug - staff and volunteer check

Ponies were happily grazing at the eastern end most of the day and suddenly cantered down the hill to the western end after lunchtine - beautiful to see! Gave them access to the garlic lick for about half an hour but had to put Flam, Doune and Kat in the corral again to make sure Hoopy got her time on the lick, as otherwise Flam chases her off it. They are getting through it fast, so I think it's best to only give them access if you are on site for a while, and they'll probably eat the lot if we give them access for 24 hours, which I really want to avoid! I'm sure the garlic is helping reduce the numbers of flies though, which is excellent! Had a good look over the ponies and their condition today. They are all looking very fit and well, and reasonably rotund as we would expect and want at this time of year! Please keep and eye on their hooves. Hoopy's are looking pretty chipped and she has a small vertical split on her back right. Doune has some pretty big chips out of her hooves too. Flam and Kat have perfect hooves at the moment. A few scratches here and there but lovely dappled markings showing on their bellies, and their coats look excellent.