Alreet ?
Last night was the usual mixture of alcohol, dancing, abuse, mickey-taking & bashing the
locals at pool that signifies our nights out at The Albert.
Last night differed in as much as when we were kicked out of the Albert at 2am we
were only just warming up, so carried on the party at Trina's, opposite the staff house
at the Stud. By the time we had arrived back at hers in the taxi, a group of farriers
had tacked themselves on. Nobody seemed to be complaining.
We then talked, drank green stuff & fell in the lavender beds (I was pushed) until 0430.
At this point, I gave up & went to my bed for a whole 2 hours before the alarm dragged
me to the point of consciousness, to face the day.
During my 2 hours repose, there was a catfight outside my window. From the volume
of the screams I can only assume the felines were perched on a stepladder directing
their moggy obscenities through the opening of the window. (The windows cannot
be fully opened or the mossies have a human smorgasbord)
After work this morning & a fortifying cup of tea, I made my way back to Cedar Lodge
& crawled under the duvy to emerge, feeling slightly less icky at 1pm, ready to head to
work again.
It's been a bit of a non-day really. Grey, humid & warm. I haven't achieved much, apart
from writing to my Gran & eating enough dinner to choke a horse. I also spoke with Mal
& heard the sad news that Genevieve's very cute pony Shrinky, sustained a broken
leg at Pony Camp & was subsequently destroyed.
As it's been a bit of an unproductive day, I thought I would describe the weaning process
taking place at work, for any of you that are remotely interested ...
Anyone apart from Trudes, Cocky, Amanda, Taff & Mx is welcome to skip the next bit.
For those of you mentioned above, sit up straight & pay attention.
The baby neddies have been with their mums since the day they were born.
They live in 'mobs' which are usually 6 mums with 6 babies, separated
by gender. ie one mob will be colts, the ones in an adjoining paddock will be
fillies. Thoroughbreds will not usually be permitted to have twin foals as
one or both would be too small.
At about 6 months of age, the weaning process begins.
A 'nanny' mare is kept with the mob. She will be a 'dry' mare, ie. non-lactating
& without her own foal. Her purpose is to assist the weanlings handling the
separation from their mums.
I am pleased to report that Trelawney seems to have a very humane approach
to weaning. I can't say if this is typical of NZ or the stud industry in general.
As soon as we returned from Karaka, 2 of the 6 mares were removed from the
1st paddock. This was done by feeding the mares & foals so that the foals
had their heads in a bucket. The 2 mums were led quickly from the paddock, with
a 3rd person ensuring the foals did not try to follow.
It was my role to remain outside the paddock to make sure the foals didn't harm
themselves as the realisation that mum had gone dawned.
The mares were removed to far off paddocks, already in foal with next season's babies.
The foals ate, quite calmly at first, not seeimg to realise that they were alone.
As the food ran out came their first querying snickers, which would normally
be replied to by mum.
When the reply was not forthcoming, each baby began to look around the paddock
for mum, investigating each potential mare, only to be rebuffed.
Gradually, the search became more urgent, with each baby now running around
the paddock, calling frantically, pausing only to look in the adjoining paddock
to see if their parent was in there.
No prizes for guessing how I was feeling as I watched.
This process was repeated on Wednesday & Friday, eventually removing all
mums & leaving only the nanny mare.
The foals are then left for a week in the company of the nanny mare, being fed
twice a day on weanling mix.
This Friday (the day I had off to go to Waitomo) the weanlings were brought
up to the newly-prepared & recently water-blasted boxes in what was
the filly barn.
It is at this point especially, that the worth of the nanny mare becomes evident.
The foals, who have at this stage, not worn halters, follow the nanny mare
with less stress & panic than if they were driven up alone.
They are then placed, 2 to a box for company, in the barn & left to settle in.
On Saturday, we separated them, 1 to a box.
This is because in the forthcoming week they will be handled, freeze-branded
& have their feet trimmed by the farrier. These 'babies' are quite big now,
certainly chest-height (foties to follow) & it's safer for all concerned to
handle them singly.
After the end of the week, I am informed they will be turned out again in mobs
(again gender specific) for 3 months or so, until we get them back in to begin
the yearling preparation process again.
The next eldest mob of foals will then be separated & brought up to the boxes
for the process to be repeated. Apparently, it will take some 9 weeks to work
through all the babies.
It has been very interesting to follow the cycle, as well as satisfying to take part
in the process. The stage that I arrived at Trelawney at in August last year, was
when the mobs were just being brought up to the yard for the beginning of the
preparation so I missed out the initial stages.
The person who is in charge of the mares & foals is 'Ledge' or Andrew as his
mummeh christened him. It is testament to his handling skills that a large
proportion of the foals are well-socialised, easy-going individuals, who do not
appear stressed by their separation from mum.
It is an education to watch Ledge with all horses, but especially the babies.
Some have had to undergo some traumatic processes so far, including hernia surgery
& corrective foot procedures. Always fair, endlessly tolerant, seemingly unafraid & not
adverse to 'explaining' to a pushy horse, the error of its ways, he is the benchmark
I aspire to.
I was hoping that Blogging for a while would ease my digestion process.
Alas, after the Tanners prodigous portions I still resemble a badly-stuffed
sofa. Dinner this evening consisted of a pile of lamb chops, sweetcorn, new potatoes,
beetroot & green beans.
There were second helpings of all the above.
Just as that was starting to find somewhere to digest, Michelle placed a vat of
semolina on the table. Nothing unusual in that you may think. Semolina made
with single cream, accompanied by single cream & garnished with jam and or sugar.
It's just as well I am moving to the stud.
The kids have gone to bed, with Alice complaining dramatically
that her room 'reeked of green beans'. I may be less tired today but
I found the girls good company this evening. Harriette entertained us
with a couple of truly dreadful magic tricks & she & Alice were pleasant
to each other ALL through dinner. Bliss.
We are now enjoying a quiet evening. Inca is dreaming about wabbits,
paws paddling furiously. Bin is snoring, jowls reverberating gently
in his Hattersleyesque style. Eric is studying, requisite dull book
clasped in hand. Michelle is reading a Lynda La Plante, & I am writing,
inspired by the sweeping strains of Vaughan Williams' 'The Lark Ascending'.
Vaughan Williams brings me England like no other composer can.
This piece evokes the chalk downs of Surrey and Leith Hill, in particular.
I really enjoy these evenings. It's testament to the Tanners hospitality
that I don't feel an intruder. I will miss their relentless good cheer &
interesting company. I have already asked if I can visit when I have
moved.
Michelle sussed me straight away 'It's just so you can Blog isn't it ?'
The little hand creeps around to the ten, so Humpy will be waiting.
Cocky, if you're reading any of these, click on 'comments' at the end of a posting
& say hello. Yawillyawillyawill. That looks strange now I've typed it. Father Ted
for anyone that's unsure.
Stin, I have noticed ickle counters on Mx's & Bloo's sites logging visitor numbers.
'IwantIwantIwantIwant.' How does one go about it ?
Mummie. 'Doughty' Wasn't sure. Looked it up in OED. Thank you.
Goodnight all,
lots of love,
Cx
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