scruffyponies
Well-Known Member
Having watched my herd carefully on the water meadow which they have been on since April, I have been amazed that they have held condition on what for the last month or so, to any inspection, appears to be no grass whatsoever.
I have a smaller field (currently well-covered) they can stay on until summer, by which time they should be leaner (natives), but they mustn't lose too much early in the winter, obvs, so timing is everything.
Decision taken that it was moving day yesterday. Only when I pull them out of the meadow do I realise that little Buster (12.2hh Dartmoor stallion, who I have been looking at side-on from a distance) is not just 'doing well for the time of year' like the others, he's still, well, TUBBY. Actually, viewed from the back, he's downright spherical!
No hay, no hard feed, no grass. What is the little blighter living on?
Needless to say, he's staying where he is until he does the decent thing and tells me where he got the pies, or at least shifts a few of them.
P.S. Herd of native ponies available by arrangement for conservation grazing... guaranteed to eat things a goat wouldn't.
I have a smaller field (currently well-covered) they can stay on until summer, by which time they should be leaner (natives), but they mustn't lose too much early in the winter, obvs, so timing is everything.
Decision taken that it was moving day yesterday. Only when I pull them out of the meadow do I realise that little Buster (12.2hh Dartmoor stallion, who I have been looking at side-on from a distance) is not just 'doing well for the time of year' like the others, he's still, well, TUBBY. Actually, viewed from the back, he's downright spherical!
No hay, no hard feed, no grass. What is the little blighter living on?
Needless to say, he's staying where he is until he does the decent thing and tells me where he got the pies, or at least shifts a few of them.
P.S. Herd of native ponies available by arrangement for conservation grazing... guaranteed to eat things a goat wouldn't.