Tuesday 30th September

Lovely day on the Hill. Flam and Hoopy were in the corral, with Hoopy playing magical statues. Kat and Doune were a little way along the lower track, grazing and eating berries. Everyone looked well, although a few snorts from some of them. 

Monday 29 September

 The ponies were on the middle section in the bottom half of the site. Both troughs were full. No issues noted. 

Sunday 28th September

 A much cooler drizzly day! I had anticipated getting very wet wading through the long grasses hunting down the ponies but they were not too far from the main track, off to the left grazing happily.

Saturday 27th September

No sign of the ponies today, not along the main path, not along the top, nowhere in the middle and not along the bottom. Then just as I was giving up there they were in their favourite place just below the main path. They all looked good, but only interested in eating!

Fri 26th - staff check

Ponies were elusive at first today but we saw Flam investigating the truck at lunchtime - thankfully she just licked it a bit and didn't start chewing! They were all grazing happily on a slope which we have just opened up, and were all looking so fit and well. No longer worried about Hoopy's hooves after Jayne had a good look with me - they are very neat and no vertical splits. Hoopy is being very friendly at the moment and looks so much happier now the flies are gone. Flam was also very friendly today. They had a good time investigating where we had been working and having a good look at the new water storage tank we are installing near the corral.

Thursday 25th September

 The ponies were grazing about 100m along the top track.  Just a brief hello and a nibble at my fleece

Lovely sunny morning, but heavy dew making their hooves look very shiny.  All 4 were looking fine and trough fine too - I didn't check the far E trough.

Tuesday 23rd September

Bright and cheerful on the Hill this morning, despite Summer being officially over. Found the ponies by the fence line, with Doune using her long neck to reach the goodies on the other side. Hoopy's coat seems to have grown so much since Saturday and is looking very sleek and shiny, and best of all no flies today. Everyone was looking super well and they were having a great time grazing on all the lush green grass. 

Monday 22 September

 The ponies were between the top path and the road. The troughs were full. No issues noted.

Saturday 20th September

Bumped into Kat a little way along the main path where she was hiding behind a bush. Not sure who jumped the most! The others were slightly down the hill munching on the lush looking grass. They all looked good, and not many flies today. 

Friday 19th - staff check

All ponies were in the corral at the beginning of the day and looking pretty good. At the end of the day Kirsty and I had a proper look. They'd obviously been having a good mud roll, and other than the flies seemed on good form. Fla her usual friendly self.

Thurs 18th - staff check

As you know we've been a bit worried about Hoopy recently -she looked really fed up on Monday when we visited and she coughed a few times. We did have a good look at her hooves and decided they were fine though. So I spent about an hour with the herd this afternoon, keeping an eye on her in particular and hoping to collect a poo sample that we can test for worms. She was on fine form actually and was leading the herd around on the top paths as they were grazing and browsing. The order was Hoopy, Doune, Flam and Kat. Flam was feasting on fruit far more than the others and loved a treat of Sloes that I picked for her. No coughing from Hoopy at all. Flies weren't bothering any of them at all. I thought Hoopy looked well and happy and left them all to it when she started having a standing snooze up ny the top gate.

Thursday 18th Sept

 Good to be be back - apologies for my 3 week absence, but all in a good cause.

Ponies were fairly easy to find, along the top track.  Hoopy was further along than the others, apparently enjoying a freshly diced breakfast and a scratch on the metal surround to the recently cut brash.  No sign of coughing.  The others were grazing on the path-side shrubbery.  They all looked good, and the trough by the corral was full.  I didn't check the far trough.

Wednesday 17th

 We'll be away next week, sorry for the late notice.

4 ponies were by the top fence, about half way up. They all looked ok, no coughing and only moderate flies on all of them. Both troughs were full. 

Tuesday 16th Sept

No sign of the herd (surely a Play or a Prank of ponies), on the way to the top of the site, but spotted Hoopy and Kat approaching along the top fence line. Went to meet them, but after a quick sniff Hoopy carried on to the top. Kat then galloped to catch up, got between us (not in an aggressive way) and had a couple of snorts. It appeared to me that she was looking after Hoopy? Hoopy's muzzle was covered in flies, many more than the others, and seemed to be concentrated around her nose. She was also looking a bit miserable and was trudging along, but coat and feet seemed okay (have emailed Fiona with more detail). 

Flam and Doune were further along the fence line but heading in the same direction, both looking very well, doesn't look like winter coats have started to grow out yet.  

Monday 15th - staff check

All well with the herd today, apart from the fact that Hoopy coughed several times while we were with her. PLease keep an eye on Hoopy and report straight to me if she is coughing, and how she seems in general. In other news, we may be getting a 5th pony to join the herd at some point soon. More info to follow as I hear more.....

Sunday 14th September

 A chilly morning. Ponies out and about enjoying the respite from flies. Managed to find them grazing on the new shoots, although I was keenly followed back to the corral by a couple who were disappointed not to find a fresh treat waiting for them.

Thurs and Fri - staff checks

I visited on Thursday, filling in for John. All ponies found at the eastern end of site happily grazing away. All seemed fine and calm with Flam and Hoopy grazing next to each other just fine. All ponies pretty friendly. Site looking great, ponies looking prosperous! POnies have been investigating the lower paths that we have recently been cutting back. Friday - the ponies were on the top path and weren't keen on moving first thing. They were very interested in the work party, having a bit of a nibble of the tea kit and the brushcutter! They eventually moved off and were enjoying browsing the cut scrub we placed inside sheep hurdles at the end of the day! Very sociable ponies today!

Wednesday 10th

1 pony came up to the corral when Stephen called, thought it was Kat and went looking for the others. Found 3 about 400 m. up, off the track. Flam, Doune and Kat all looking fine, so I thought it must have been Hoopy at the corral. When we went back for the tandem there was no pony there to check for the Hoopy marks. Trough was full.

Mon 8th - staff check

WEll I could certianly see evidence of the garlic chaos as I arrived! I opened up the corral to give them access to what was left ( a small chunk) and Kat was straight in there. Flam was being a bully to Hoopy again over access to the lick, which was not nice, poor Hoopy. All I can think is to get 2 licks next time, but they are expensive! Really hoping the flies will reduce naturally soon. Other than being a bit bothered by flies, the ponies did seem well.

Sunday 7th September

 A cloudy but warm day. I expected to see the ponies free from flies this morning after their garlic overdose yesterday but they were all suffering from a mass fly presence. 

Saturday 6th September

The ponies were waiting by the corral when I arrived, so I quickly allowed them access to the lick and went off to see the sheep. Doune and Kat had pounced immediately, but by the time I got back their interest was waning and they were easy to ease out of the way. Flam however was another kettle of fish, and I couldn't get her away from it, and then Hoopy got in on the act, but then tensions were running high between them, so in the end, after many attempts to retrieve the lick, I had to give up and abandon it. 

Whilst I was away Doune and Kat had managed to remove the lick from the tub and flipped it over, but I couldn't get it back in the tub, so I'm afraid it'll probably get wiped out quite quickly. Sorry about that. 

Apart from the naughtiness, they were looking well, but lots of flies today for some reason. 

Doune & Kat removed the lick from the tub

Wednesday 3rd

 4 ponies were at the top. Flam and Hoopy near the 'beehive', Doune and Kat a bit further down. All looked well and the troughs were full.

Cover request

 I am unable to looker the ponies 8 and 15 September. 

Is anyone available to cover?

Monday 1 September

 The troughs were full but the ponies were not seen. They were probably hiding from the rain.