We had another unpleasant job today with the Veterinary. We had to have Smuggler our four year old Colt gelded. He has been at Denbury most of his life, the intention being to break him for riding. Unfortunately we have not had the time, so the time has come to try to sell him to someone who can do something with him. His Sire is a Horse called Double Trigger a very well known race Horse. His Mother was a Horse called Jua, who had a very good Dam, a Horse named Good Thyme. Going by Smugglers breeding, he should make a good jumping Horse, maybe eventing or show jumping. We could have had him trained for the track for jumping, but I am really not keen on that part of Horse Racing. It would worry me that the Horses would get injured. He is wasted at the moment, but I will miss him when he goes. I had to help when he was being born.
Smuggler was Jua’s first Foal and she did have problems giving birth to him. She wasn’t to keen to let him feed. For the first three days I had to milk Jua and bottle feed Smuggler. Gelding Smuggler should make him easier to sell, most people don’t like Colts or any entire Horse. They can be a bit of a nuisance if you are not use to them, and of course you have the problem if you have Fillies or Mares. We wont have that problem now. Smugglers friend Sonny is also a Colt, he is a Dartmoor Pony, who we got so that Smuggler would not be on his own. He will also have to be gelded if we sell Smuggler. When he is, he will make a very smart first pony for some child. Gelding is not a very pleasant procedure and you need to watch that the Horse does not get any infections after the operation. Smuggler will also be feeling a little discomfort, so we will need to give him pain killers. I am watching him munching with Sonny on their hay and he seem alright at the moment.
Whilst here the Veterinary also had to microchip Willow. Again this is done to identify Race Horses so that they are not nobbled on the Race Track. Willow didn’t like that a lot, but they cant go on the race track without without going through these procedures.
I went up to the Observatory to set the Telescope setup last night. I had gone through most of what is needed to get it tracking correctly. One of the final part was to align the Telescope to two stars. When I looked through the spotting scope to find the stars, it was broken. The spotting scope is what it is, It has no magnification just helps to find object in the Sky. I am going to try to do it again tonight with the broken scope, other wise the new one that I have ordered will be here tomorrow.
Rose Wincanton, nature will tell you when the Hazel Nuts are ready, by falling from the tree, if the Squirrels don’t get to them first. At Denbury we have never seen so many and so large, as this year. With a bit of luck we may get some after the Squirrels.