Five new photographs have been put on the Photo page, starting from number eleven.
These are the latest pictures of Blossom age 4 weeks. Alex..
Taken at Golden Acre Park. Nr Leeds. Elsie.
As requested, herewith three photos of my front garden, two summer and one winter. Pat.
I checked of the Ewe’s today to see if there were any signs that they were due to Lamb. None of their udders showed any signs of producing milk. As I let the Ram run with the Ewe’s all year, it is difficult for me to tell when they will Lamb. Sheep Farmer would know within a day or two when their Ewes were due to Lamb. Most Farmers will only introduce the Rams to the Ewes from October on. With a gestation period of 148 days, giving a day or so either way, they would know nearly to the day when their Ewes would Lamb.
When the Rams are introduced to the Ewes, called Tupping, most will have fitted a harness, with a crayon type marker attached under their chest. When the Ewes come into season, the crayon marker will leave a coloured mark on the Ewes back after the Ram has covered them. You have probally seen Ewes with the marks. 148 days from then is about when the Lambs should drop. Pity I wasn’t so organised. The ideal time to lamb is in the spring when the new grass is growing. Some Farmers lamb early. One not far from Denbury, Lamb around Christmas time. I will keep checking the Ewes and let you know if there are any signs of them Lambing. I have an Electrician coming on Monday to tidy up the barns wiring, and to put a couple of new points in. When he has finished I will put the infra red lamp in the barn.
We have been looking at the options of a Stallion to use on the Maiden Filly that we purchased when we bought Emmi and Gypsy a month ago. We have left the Filly in Ireland as we were going to use the Stallion Generous on her. It is what Lady is now in Foal to. Generous was last year at Stud only an hour away from Denbury. It seems that the Stud wasn’t making any money, and has closed. The Stallions including Generous being taken to Ireland.
Every year we receive a Stallion Book from Weatherby’s, giving all the details of all the Stallions available, with all their statistics. You can access it on line. I liked the look of a Stallion called Clodovil, when I phoned the Stud he was fully booked, with a waiting list of over forty. Yesterday I received the paperwork for Emmi, by chance she had belonged to the Stud that Clodovil is standing. As there was a piece of the paperwork missing, I phoned the Stud and was fortunate to have spoken to the Owner. I enquired of what chance I had of a covering of Clodovil. As long as it was an early covering he would be able to arrange it. The Filly will be prepared and hopefully be covered in the middle of February. Looking at the fillies Pedigree it will be a good match.
I looked at the BBC weather forecast on the television this afternoon, about 2.30pm, to make a decision if I was turning the Horses out after their evening feed. The forecast with animation, so I didn’t get it wrong, was dry with a chance of a little rain. Since 4.15pm it has poured down. I was going to turn the Horses out at 4.pm but I could see that it was liable to rain, so the Horses were bedded down in their stables. Both yesterday and today the forecast has been seriously wrong within a couple of hours of it being given. Even with rugs on, the wet with cold is not good for Thoroughbred Horses to be out in.