From The Blog

Here we are then, another weekend ahead, a quieter one for us than of late.

This morning a big thank you to Chris and Amy (and Ann) for being there and to Chris for doing the stacking of the straw shift from it's temporary home in the isolation box to the long barn. We , Amy, Chris and I, did all bar the last 15 bales, moving them in relay fashion between us, the job also included clearing and shifting the remains of the last of the big round bales from last year. I was quite expecting evidence of rodents under the pallets the bales had been on but there was nothing , not even runs showing where they might have been travelling. All the loose straw from the long barn has gone into the big barn stables and into the middle meadow shelter, all banked up so we can use it steadily ahead. The long barn floor got a good rake up and clean and the pallets went back down for the new lot ingoing.

All the meadow tracks and fencelines got a little stretched today giving the grazers a little extra fresh to go at. Alas! it's been too wet again for topping, Bryan may have missed the window of opportunity? maybe not I did spot the forecast for next week telling of milder and sunshine....we may get it done yet.

Time for me to go shower, we have a Trustee meeting this evening and there are things to do ahead of it and plenty to discuss.

Just two pictures from this evening of Willow and his Ginger friends all happy together in their shelter ahead of tea time, I think they thought I had brought the buckets out by the expectant faces of Eric and Larry...not quite, another 5 mins yet bonus

September 28th, 2021

Firstly, I would just like to point you to our new Facebook header today. You may notice something that hasn't been there before.... if you still haven't guessed then ...... *drum roll please*

EMW Sanctuaries are super thrilled to announce that our charity and sanctuary is now a member of the NATIONAL EQUINE COUNCIL having passed accreditation during the summer months, giving you dear supporters, the confirmation that we are an approved establishment.

Throughout the last year we have worked hard and all our volunteers, all our Trustees, all our friends and supporters have enabled this charity to reach this goal which is so important and an assurance that you know we are working to the highest standard we possibly can do. We can proudly, now, display the NEWC logo alongside our own.

Today in sanctuary, on a murky, windy, dismal kind of day, Amy and I, and Ann, got our usual work done, Luya was very cross this morning, she was angry at being put in for the day – fatty jail! She had seen me stretchy the grazing fence line for Ted and Bean but could only imagine that tasty grazing, her food today just a ration of 2 year old hay. Her diet is most definitely reducing her lizard crest! It's not war victory by any means, just a small battle win as she only has to look at grass to gain a couple of kilos!

Mother nature is really cranking up the heat today. 24C probably a bit more in full sun, which we were in, Sam and I, this afternoon ( more on that shortly)

This morning then, Sam and Marysia and I again... guess what?! we have Marysia in sanctuary for the next TWO weeks! now that is good news as it means I am no longer a one-man-band with the daily work. We got all the jobs done and finished nice and early.

AND THEN...

Pete headed for the yard around 11am, his mission to do as much rubber mat kickboarding as possible with the fitting screws we had to hand, he has done a handsome job and the front of the barn is now protected, the inner will be done over the next couple of days once he has bought another 100 of the screws. Our most sincere and grateful thanks go to Samantha Brenchley-Shoults and the company she works with for these so very necessary items here, we are so grateful.

Around 11.30am I headed to the yard, charged strimmer to hand. I went and sacrificed another dollop of docks to the great god of horseflies! ( actually cutting down docks has reduced our influx of said beasties to almost zero ) Sam arrived just before midday and then she and I spend the next solid 3 hours labelling and packing the tack/rug sale items... on the 19th you will be thrilled at what we have up for grabs here!

I may have gotten a little sun cremated today I know I was pleased to get finished and back home.

July 27th, 2021.

Another day over, another cracking dollop of thunder and minor flood event, another good sweep out of the middle meadow shelter - it sure has a clean floor this year!

The morning consisted of usual jobs and then into the office. Going through a set aside box I found a very old file and inside it were *shock and horror* deceased residents passports packed to post!!! Ooops! anyway all now rectified and on their merry - if over due - way to be 'accounted' I have no idea what I was thinking when I boxed them other than I may have scooped them up along with other files and then completely forgotten about them. Oh well they haven't been eating anything nor in the grand scale of life is it a mortal sin! That done I then did my most hated job, filing but it's all done and up to date... for now.

I thought, about 2pm, that I might go back to sanctuary for an extra hour and strim docks etc...at this point the skies duly opened and it poured down! usual time it was then...on our way up the drive we looked out across our lovely neighbours field and saw.....well the picture shows you exactly what..

Footnote, Chris, Amy and I only got a small damping doing the second shift, while it thundered and tiddled down overhead.

Rain/sun/rain/rain/rain/THUNDER/rain that was the main part of our today... no big deal and nice that it felt cooler if humid.

Larry and Eric muzzled and on track with Willow. They are back on the bare paddock overnight but it was good to see them heading off this morning and knowing they have plenty of shade plus their shelter if needed.

The back bunch got the longer gone over grazing, again judging by droppings a fair bit of time was spend avoiding the heavy downpours so they've not been stuffing all day. They too are restricted overnight.

Tea in sunshine but not for long, it's since poured again.

I want to re-jig the fencing on the back meadow - we'll see what tomorrow brings for that job.