We are all working absolutely flat out trying to get everything ready for the raceday, incidentally we have almost sold out but we do have 4 tickets available on a first come, first serve basis! Do please contact us if you would like to come. Harriet arrived this morning to see the classroom full of lots of displays and pictures and expressed a certain degree of horror because she was expecting a group of children any moment. Thankfully we managed to clear it up in time for the children's arrival but the office where Melanie and I work looks like it has been hit by a small incendiary bomb and Maddy's part doesn't look much better. Nevetheless, all is going to plan and we look forward to a successful fundraising day. Sue came in last week and today, despite expecting her first baby in just a few weeks, just to help us prepare everything.
It looks like Ravastree will be running in the first race which will be really exciting.
Monday 28 February 2011
Tuesday 15 February 2011
Weekends......
Last weekend started off quite quietly but as it wore on it was apparent that it was going to be another of those times - Bank Holidays and or out of hours, when the vet would have to be called in to help.
About five years ago we were asked to take in three orphan white kids (as in goats),we called them Bill, Ted and Reg. They were in pretty good health and we bottle fed them for some weeks and they soon became very friendly and great characters. However, one called Reg, continued to be rather frail, he suffered from a skin ailment which gave him and us a level of concern. We couldn't quite get to the bottom of what exactly provoked the onset of his extremely irritating and itching coat, which would then result in the poor little chap rubbing and scratching until places became raw. We tried all sorts of things, changed the type of bedding, the food and treated him for the obvious skin complaints. Nothing really worked and the only way to keep on top of it was to administer steroids when he was particularly laid low, this although, not ideal, made him feel alot better and between bouts he gavorted around in as good health as any of the others.
In the last week, he had been quiet and generally off his food, we kept him warm and gave him as much attention as we could, Becky sat by him and tried to tempt him to eat, but sadly, on Sunday, the vet decided that we would have to say goodbye to him.
So dear old Reg passed away, in amongst his dear friends, Bill and Ted and of course everyone here. He was a great goat and will be sadly missed, and he had been very good with the children. I can only think that perhaps he didn't receive enough colostrum when he was born and consequently he didn't have sufficient anti-bodies to keep him going well into adulthood.
On Saturday, Michael and I were invited for lunch in The Royal Box at Newbury, it was a day that promised good company, and good racing, sadly all brought to a hasty conclusion by the tragic death of two horses before the first race resulting in the whole meeting being abandoned. It was horrible for both horses and people and sympathy has to be felt with the owners, trainers and lads and lasses who lost their horses on that day. A real tragedy.
On a brighter note though, Ravastree ran a good race at Exeter in pretty ghastly conditions, he kept up mid field but was slightly one paced and couldn't keep up with the two leaders....still 3rd second time out was good and we are hoping that he will run in The Novices Hurdle at Newbury on our raceday. March 5th!! don't forget we are offering cut price tickets!
About five years ago we were asked to take in three orphan white kids (as in goats),we called them Bill, Ted and Reg. They were in pretty good health and we bottle fed them for some weeks and they soon became very friendly and great characters. However, one called Reg, continued to be rather frail, he suffered from a skin ailment which gave him and us a level of concern. We couldn't quite get to the bottom of what exactly provoked the onset of his extremely irritating and itching coat, which would then result in the poor little chap rubbing and scratching until places became raw. We tried all sorts of things, changed the type of bedding, the food and treated him for the obvious skin complaints. Nothing really worked and the only way to keep on top of it was to administer steroids when he was particularly laid low, this although, not ideal, made him feel alot better and between bouts he gavorted around in as good health as any of the others.
In the last week, he had been quiet and generally off his food, we kept him warm and gave him as much attention as we could, Becky sat by him and tried to tempt him to eat, but sadly, on Sunday, the vet decided that we would have to say goodbye to him.
So dear old Reg passed away, in amongst his dear friends, Bill and Ted and of course everyone here. He was a great goat and will be sadly missed, and he had been very good with the children. I can only think that perhaps he didn't receive enough colostrum when he was born and consequently he didn't have sufficient anti-bodies to keep him going well into adulthood.
On Saturday, Michael and I were invited for lunch in The Royal Box at Newbury, it was a day that promised good company, and good racing, sadly all brought to a hasty conclusion by the tragic death of two horses before the first race resulting in the whole meeting being abandoned. It was horrible for both horses and people and sympathy has to be felt with the owners, trainers and lads and lasses who lost their horses on that day. A real tragedy.
On a brighter note though, Ravastree ran a good race at Exeter in pretty ghastly conditions, he kept up mid field but was slightly one paced and couldn't keep up with the two leaders....still 3rd second time out was good and we are hoping that he will run in The Novices Hurdle at Newbury on our raceday. March 5th!! don't forget we are offering cut price tickets!
Monday 7 February 2011
First Day At School
This should read the first day in the school. We use the sand school in the winter to let the horses have a good old buck and a kick and a roll. They really love it and hurtle about at full speed and more often than not come in covered both in sweat and sand and are a nightmare to groom. Aggy and Poppy have been led out in hand every day from the moment they arrived. But Saturday was the big day when we felt that we could give them their head and let them have their turn in the school... always a bit nerve wracking!
We led Poppy round so that she could get used to it and then let her off the headcollar. She dropped straight to the floor, rolled three or four times and then got up and had a good old buck, a kick and a belt around the school. She then refused to be caught for ages. Aggy was different, she was slightly nervy but she wandered around, rolled a few times and then proceeded to frighten everybody out of their wits by trying to balance on very shaky crooked legs as she attempted to scratch her quarters. They both had a good time, and came in unscathed, although by the time Poppy had finally agreed to be caught the coffee was cold.
We led Poppy round so that she could get used to it and then let her off the headcollar. She dropped straight to the floor, rolled three or four times and then got up and had a good old buck, a kick and a belt around the school. She then refused to be caught for ages. Aggy was different, she was slightly nervy but she wandered around, rolled a few times and then proceeded to frighten everybody out of their wits by trying to balance on very shaky crooked legs as she attempted to scratch her quarters. They both had a good time, and came in unscathed, although by the time Poppy had finally agreed to be caught the coffee was cold.
Tuesday 1 February 2011
The Book is Well Underway
Harmony River - Poppy
Harper Collins have just been in touch to say that the book about Greatwood will be published on the 3rd March. It is a collection of stories about animals and children, and explains about our work from the inception of the charity until now.
It is called 'When Sophie Met Darcy Day' and can be ordered in advance from Amazon.
We have also taken on another chesnut mare that needed our help(see above), her name is Poppy and she, like Aggy, is in her early twenties. She is a very sweet and kind mare, but from the moment she walked into the row of boxes (known to us, as the 'girls row') she took one look at Aggy and hated her immediately. We had to pull her out for the farrier quite soon after she arrived and although she was in the ally just outside Aggy's stable and certainly beyond even sniffing distance, she squealed if Aggy had the audacity to even glance at her. It is a case of hate at first sight and even gentle little Tara has difficulty in keeping the peace between them. Sue and I just wonder how we will manage them when they do have to go out in the field together, at the moment, it looks as if one will have to be at one end of the farm and the other in the next county.
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