Tag: smuggler

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Starting from number six there are five new photographs on…

Starting from number six there are five new photographs on the Photo page all from Elsie.

Sky – before Katrina struck- awesome & terrifying

These pictures were made by a man in Magee , MS where the eye of the storm

passed thru – what an experience.

Magee is 150 miles North of Waveland , Mississippi where the Hurricane made land fall.
Worth passing On!!!
The dance with Katrina, part of her beauty as she left destruction on her exit. They are remarkably dramatic.

I don’t know if you managed to see Kye swimming in the Lake yesterday. The reason that I have mentioned it is that the Geese don’t seem to be worried about her being close to them when she is swimming. It makes you wonder if the Geese are worried about any Fox that are on the prowl. Kye is the only German Sheppard that we have had that likes water. Tass and her Mother Cass never swam, although when kye is swimming Tass does try to be brave by putting a foot in the water.

Breaking Smuggler is going well. He seems to be enjoying the work he is getting in the breaking procedure. We do take our time in breaking Horses, only going at a pace that the Horse is comfortable with, that is of course that the Horse wants to be broken. As long as the Horse has always been treated well, or at least has been well treated by those breaking them, it is an enjoyable experience for both those breaking and the Horse. We have broken many Horses at Denbury, and have never had any Horses that we have had problems breaking. At the moment Smuggler is being long reined. That is when he has a bridle and bit on, with long lung lines fitted to the bit in place of reins, you then walk behind the Horse steering the Horse with the lunge lines. This is done to teach the Horse to turn, steer and stop before the Horse is mounted. There is little point in sitting on a Horse that doesn’t want to turn or stop when you want it to, especially stopping. Later in the week we will show Smuggler being long reined in the sand school.

It was an opportune time for the Buzzard to show itself on the pole today, as we are hoping to put the new Valley up next week. Because it needs to be controlled from a computer different wiring had to be put up over a distance of nearly a quarter of a mile, it also had to have an untried piece computer equipment put on to get it working. We think that we have now managed to get it going now and as long as we get a free day next week we start to install it. It should be a vast improvement on the camera that is installed now. Being auto focus as most of the camera that we use, so instead of having to focus the camera manually on a subject it will focus immediately. It is also capable of seeing completely up into the sky, this will give us the chance of seeing the Bird flying high and hopefully the Buzzards hunting.

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There are four new photographs on the Photo page starting…

There are four new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number one. We have very few photographs left.

Smuggler the Horse that we brought down from the paddock when Sonny went last week. Photograph taken by Vicky who with her Mum Dad and Boyfriend are on holiday at Denbury this week.

Ewy by the Horse field gate. Again taken by Vicky.

Cygnet from Abbotsbury Swannery in Dorset. Lisa, Eastleigh, Hants.

Butterfly. Anjela Connecticut

Chapel built into the rock in Sedona Arizona. Anjela Connecticut.

We have started to break Smuggler so that he can be a riding Horse. He is being kept in Arnie and Breezes stable block. We are giving him a lot a attention, one thing that he hasn’t had for a few years, when he was in the paddock with Sonny. For all the lack of attention that he has missed he is a very kind Horse.

Smuggler was born at Denbury a little over four years ago. When he was born he belonged to some one else who was a Tenant on the Farm. When the Tenant move out he sent Smuggler to another Horse livery yard. As he didn’t pay for the livery, Smuggler was left out in the Winter without being rugged or given any feed other than Hay. He was only about nine months old, being a thoroughbred he did need a lot more care than he was given. The following Spring I purchased Smuggler and he came back to Denbury.

I delivered Smuggler when he was born. Smuggler was his Mother first Foal and initially she was not very interested in him. I had to milk the Colostrum off of his Mother and bottle feed Smuggler. After a few days of persevering with holding Smuggler on to his Mother udder, she eventually accepted him. So Smuggler is a little special to us.

With Smugglers breeding he should make a very good jumping Horse. After breaking him to the saddle we will start to get him to jump on a lunge line in the sand school. Once jumping we will then make a decision on his future. If he is good at jumping he will be wasted at Denbury and we will have to decide if to sell him or find a rider who would want to compete with him in either eventing or show jumping. We will have to wait and see, but we will show him working from time to time when he is being broken.

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There are five new photographs on the Photo page starting…

There are five new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number six.

We thought she looked a bit unusual. Lindsay.

Ducks in a pond in Connecticut. Anjela Connecticut.

The grannys bonnets are in my garden. Barbara.

The first is my dog , Pepper, enjoying an ice cream. PM.

Newstead Abbey. Nottinghamshire. Judy.

Sonny went to his new home this morning. We don’t like parting with any of our Horses. In Sonny’s case it was that we got him to be a companion pony for Smuggler until we had the time to break him. We really needed to break Smuggler last year, but although Sonny was a very well put together Dartmoor pony, and that we were also giving him away free, no one except for the people who took him today had made any inquiries for him. We believe that he has gone to a good home. The two children that Sonny is for came when he was collected, they were very keen on Sonny and they do have other Horses so he wont be on his own. Mind you we would not have let him go to any one unless Sonny had a companion. The people who have taken Sonny will need to have him gelded, that will cost in the region of two hundred pounds, and of course they will need to break him, so they will be putting a commitment into him.

Both Smuggler and Sonny knew something was happening that they did not like, as they started to call to each other as we were loading Sonny into the Horse trailer. It was quite easy getting him into the trailer, and it would not have caused him a lot of stress. We managed to get him to follow a feed bucket and within fifteen minutes he was in the box. He kicked the side of the Horse trailer once the back was closed. Both Horses then started to call to each other more. It is sad and we do feel sorry for them. They have been together for four years, since they were both about nine months old. When we got Sonny he was only days away from going to be slaughtered. A lot of moors ponies do finish up this way, as there are very few homes for them. Some years the ponies bring very little money in the pony sales straight from the moors. Many bringing little more than a pound or two each. At least Sonny was saved from that fate and is now going on to a new life. Both Smuggler and Sonny will miss each other for a while. We have taken Smuggler from the top paddock in to the stable yard that Breeze and Arnie are kept. He has been calling for Sonny all day, but will settle quickly once he get use to his new stable friends.

We put Lady and Emmi and their Foals into the Horse field this morning. They both seemed very pleased to be together. There was no squabbling and they stayed close to each other all day. Within a few days the Foals will start to play and run with each other.

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There are five new photographs on the Photo page starting…

There are five new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number six.

We thought she looked a bit unusual. Lindsay.

Ducks in a pond in Connecticut. Anjela Connecticut.

The grannys bonnets are in my garden. Barbara.

The first is my dog , Pepper, enjoying an ice cream. PM.

Newstead Abbey. Nottinghamshire. Judy.

Sonny went to his new home this morning. We don’t like parting with any of our Horses. In Sonny’s case it was that we got him to be a companion pony for Smuggler until we had the time to break him. We really needed to break Smuggler last year, but although Sonny was a very well put together Dartmoor pony, and that we were also giving him away free, no one except for the people who took him today had made any inquiries for him. We believe that he has gone to a good home. The two children that Sonny is for came when he was collected, they were very keen on Sonny and they do have other Horses so he wont be on his own. Mind you we would not have let him go to any one unless Sonny had a companion. The people who have taken Sonny will need to have him gelded, that will cost in the region of two hundred pounds, and of course they will need to break him, so they will be putting a commitment into him.

Both Smuggler and Sonny knew something was happening that they did not like, as they started to call to each other as we were loading Sonny into the Horse trailer. It was quite easy getting him into the trailer, and it would not have caused him a lot of stress. We managed to get him to follow a feed bucket and within fifteen minutes he was in the box. He kicked the side of the Horse trailer once the back was closed. Both Horses then started to call to each other more. It is sad and we do feel sorry for them. They have been together for four years, since they were both about nine months old. When we got Sonny he was only days away from going to be slaughtered. A lot of moors ponies do finish up this way, as there are very few homes for them. Some years the ponies bring very little money in the pony sales straight from the moors. Many bringing little more than a pound or two each. At least Sonny was saved from that fate and is now going on to a new life. Both Smuggler and Sonny will miss each other for a while. We have taken Smuggler from the top paddock in to the stable yard that Breeze and Arnie are kept. He has been calling for Sonny all day, but will settle quickly once he get use to his new stable friends.

We put Lady and Emmi and their Foals into the Horse field this morning. They both seemed very pleased to be together. There was no squabbling and they stayed close to each other all day. Within a few days the Foals will start to play and run with each other.

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There are five new photographs on the Photo page starting…

There are five new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number eleven. Getting short again.

Butterfly in my garden in Connecticut. Eastern Tiger Swallowtail. Anjela Connecticut.

Mallard ducklings,there were 10 for her to look after. Lindsay.

Feeding the Robins in the lane near my house! PM.

Photo of one of three bearded dragons that belong to my boyfriend. Vicky. Derby.

Newstead Abbey. Nottinghamshire. Judy.

One of our Holiday Guests was watching the Geese on their live webcam monitors that we have installed in our cottages, when a Fox nearly had the Goose last night. By all accounts it was only inches away. Although he went to the lake to make sure that the Fox had gone, it may have returned to take the Gosling that was missing this morning. The Fox may not have been responsible, but with the help of our holiday guest we electric fenced around the area on the near side bank that Goose and Goslings lay out on. We could well be putting the danger in another area, but it seems to be the most dangerous part for the Goose and the Gosling, as other than a small leet, that would be easy for the Fox to cross there is no protection. On the far bank there is a five to six foot drop into a stream making it a less dangerous area. I am not convinced that it was a Fox that took the Gosling last night. It could have been a Magpie. What ever it was, it will try to take the two remaining Goslings and the Goose.

We have found a new home for Sonny our companion pony for Smuggler. We have been trying to re home him for quite a while. We have had a number of enquiries for him, but we had to make sure that he was going to the right home. Sonny is going to a family in Devon who have two young children and two more ponies. So hopefully we have let him go to the right people. We need to break Smuggler as a riding horse and he will need to come down from the paddock in to the stable area. Although both Smuggler and Sonny have been well looked after, being in the paddock away from the stable area they have been deprived of attention. Both really like to have a fuss made of them. The family taking Sonny will be able to break him themselves and it is good for both the family and Sonny to get use to each other.

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We have seen two Little Grebes on the lake for…

We have seen two Little Grebes on the lake for the past couple of days. It is the first time this year that we have seen them. Usually we have a pair on the lake for most of the summer. It could be that we haven’t seen them, for when ever they see us they dive down in to weeds below the water to hide. They seem to be able to stay under the water for ever. When they do come back to the surface they never rise in the place where they dived down, it is always a long way off.

Now that Bliss an Misty are not on the Farm, we are going to start to break Smuggler and Branston. They will not be as easy to break as the Fillies, as they are older and will be a bit more set in their ways. Smuggler is coming five years old and Branstone three.

Before we start to break them, Smuggler will need to come down into the main yard with Branston. Unfortunately before we can bring him down Sonny will have to be sold. Sonny is an 11.2hh Dartmoor Pony that we got in to keep Smuggler company as he was a Colt. Now that he has been gelded, he will be able to go into the field with the other Horses. Sonny is to small for any one at Denbury. He is a very smart little pony, dark bay with four white socks, he will only be wasted here. He will make a great little show or a child first pony.

Once broken we will probably keep Smuggler as a riding Horses. Even as a Colt he was very laid back and easy to do. He should have been broken a couple of years ago, and If we hadn’t been so busy he would have been riding out by now. He will love the attention when he comes down and is being broken. We did try to sell him in the Summer. The money that we were prepared to let him go for was silly money. If any one had bought him, it would have been the best buy that they would have had, he is extremely well bred and will make a very good event Horse. One Women who came wanted both Smuggler and Sonny, trouble was she must have thought we were daft. She thought that we would let her take them away without paying for them, to see if they would be suitable. She was sent on he way with the sharp end of my tongue. We are unsure what we are going to do with Branston. Again he is extremely well bred. We will have to look at all the options with him. Now that we have a camera in the sand school we will let you see some of the work when breaking Smuggler and Branston.

The weather is awful tonight, tipping down with rain and gale force winds. It was nearly as bad last night, it did look a bit like snow last night. The Horses are in and stabled, so we are having to muck the stables out of a morning. I hope that this is not the start of Winter.

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We had another unpleasant job today with the Veterinary We…

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.

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There seems never to be a dull day on the…

There seems never to be a dull day on the farm. One of our horses, Branston a colt, has learnt how to open a gate inwards, it allows him to get out of his enclosure and cause havoc, where ever there are other horses. Without us realising, he has been doing it for a few weeks. We have been blaming each other for leaving the gate open. Today we caught him at it. Branston is only two, you would not expect him to be doing that at his age. He would not have learnt it from another horse, he would only have seen us opening the gate inwards.

On the other occasions that Branston had got out, he first goes to Arnie’s paddock, where Lady, Woody and Breeze are also turned out in the day, after a few menacing threats, that makes the mares run riot around the paddock, Branston realises that it would not be wise to have an argument with Arnie, and trots up to Smugglers paddock, further up the farm drive. Smuggler is a four year old colt, about the same size as Branston. They have a argument across the gate, biting each other until I managed to catch up to him, to chase him back to where he belongs. Before I could get into the position to chase him back, he decided to leg it further down the drive, towards the road. I managed to get in front of him, to turn him back, by running round the lake to cut him off.

As I got Branston back to his paddock, I could hear horses behind me, when I turned I could not believe my eyes, there was Smuggler and his paddock mate Sunny, running so quick toward Branston’s paddock, I could not get time to close the gate. I turned Sunny but Smuggler got into Branston’s paddock, a situation you really don’t want. Two unfamiliar colts are very liable to hurt each other. Branston at his age would initially be very submissive, but Smuggler you just don’t know what he would do, if he decided to start attacking Branston, Branston would retaliate, where it would end, you can never know. There was a lunging whip leaning against the wall. Cracking the whip, a lot of running around and shouting, we managed to chase Smuggler out of Branston’s paddock. After blocking the drive to stop Smuggler from running up the drive, towards the road we got him and Sunny back into their paddock. We never make a mistake in tying Smugglers gate. I can only think that Smuggler or Sunny had been playing with the tie, when Branston was at the gate he push it slightly open, allowing Smuggler and Sunny to squeeze through. Fortunately none of the horses got hurt, but it was very close.

Don’t make to much of Lady not being rugged up tonight. Although the excitement of the colts getting out, could bring the foaling on, I left the rug off as it is not that cold and the rug was nearly over her head last night. I don’t like to strap the rugs up around the legs, to keep them on, so near to foaling, if you miss the foaling there is a chance that the foal may get caught up in the straps. We are waking every hour to make sure she is OK, although I reckon we are awake more than asleep, we seem to be more tired when we get up in the morning, than when we go to bed. The sooner she foals the better