Success! Dog boarding coming soon

Just in case I had any spare time I have just been granted planning permission to build dog boarding units. I hope to be welcoming our first guests in the not too distant future. The committee at the council meeting were all very enthusiastic with a unanimously positive vote. I guess they like to see progression and people trying to move business forward.

The units will be purpose built of course and to a high standard with under floor heating and self filling water holders.

We do have lots of experience with dogs so I am really looking forward to having boarding dogs and the way it is being positioned it will not affect our cat or small pet guests.

Hairy dogs!!

Toffe, our mop on legs went to the poochy parlour yesterday.

She was looking great as she flew around our yard with no eyes or legs to be seen but her coat was sooo matted. It was starting to restrict her movement and she gathered all sorts of rubbish when we went into the fields, so, yes she looks a different dog now. I'll put a picture on later.

This is our time of year. Out side!.

Today I am fencing, strimming, clearing the weed from the sides of the manege. I have various animals on the move, mainly coming in, for my business today and Jess has a vet appointment for second immunisations. We will no doubt ride and play with the animals too.

Please feed me.

A typical Labrador!  Rosie is willing Giant to drop some food. She sat there ages, waiting patiently just in case any should fall and plenty did.

Giant is a just 4 year old x race horse. He looks a little ribby at the moment. Partly as he is so young, is full thorough bred but also he is newly out of racing. He ran 10 races and was just too slow. With some decent spring grass in his system he will soon fill out.

So cute

Tom (his owners have named him) makes a lovely cushion. :0)

3 weeks old now, up and waddling around. Eyes and ears open. Dreaming about who knows what, as they whimper when asleep.

One of the girls is hopefully packing her bags and off to France. Wow! lucky girl.

The joys of horses!

Yesterday  my boys and I decided to give it a go, to take out our 3 horses, together in our trailer and go for a nice hack.

Great plan. Our trailer carrier 3. We put the first 2 in, no problems. When we tried to put number 3 in he flatly refused!!. He has to go in via the front ramp, facing backwards, trapped in the triangle the other two stalls create.

The boys were all kitted up, all the tack was in the car and we all so wanted it to happen. After a lot of coaxing, blood pressures raising and pushing of our little pony we managed to get him in and quickly pushed up the ramp.

I have a car build for towing. In fact it can tow up to 3.5 tonnes so we set off.

I have been towing for may years so have a degree of confidence. My car and trailer are both perfect but I have never felt so utterly nervous. The sheer weight behind me, I prayed I didn't have to break, All hinged on that small ball. I worried that the other two horses would bit the little guy in the middle . Opening the ramp (which I did) I envisaged the pony attempting to jump out before it was fully lowered. (of course he was tied up).

There was not big event and the boys enjoyed the occasion and had a nice ride but I have vowed never to tow with all 3 ever again!!

I must be getting old :(

A day off

My partner and I took a well earned day off and went to Yorkshire. Yes! Gods own country :)
We stayed in the old Swan hotel in Harrogate, my home town. We met up with two of my lovely sisters and ate at the Bell Tavern which was very nice and good value for money. Important to a Yorkshire lass, of course.

On Saturday we visited Fountains Abbey. It was a beautiful day, with clear blue sky. The sun has warmth in it at this time of year too. The abbey is stunning. Nestling in a valley on the boarder to the Yorkshire dales, very close to Ripon. It sits along side the river Skell, the water from which would have powered the wheel in the mill. The abbey ruins are quite magnificent and the atmosphere is one of calm and tranquility.

I had a friend, Marian looking after the farm. She said she thoroughly enjoyed it as it was so different to her day to day life. The best thing is she would happily look after the place again so holidays here we come! :)

On Guard!

I was in Melbourne, Derby today, doing a collection, turned a corner and thought "what a lovely ornament" then I realised it is a real, alive dog. This wall is about 7 feet high. I can only assume the ground level is higher on the other side. He sits sooo proud.

Nice weather

Spring is here. How nice it is too. The hedge rows are almost luminous green. The daffodils are in full bloom.

We have Ducky, a wild mallard who was brought to us by a builder as she had been found in a skip. We hand reared her and released her back to the wild. She chooses each spring to return. We can hear when she arrives as she brings a number of husbands with her and they are soooo loud. She will stay and rear a nest full of eggs and be off again by autumn. It is wonderful that she chooses to return to us.

I got out on my lovely horse today. he wasn't too keen to go on his own, well they are herd animals after all, but with some encouragement off we went and it was lovely too. He works very well and is such a pleasure to be on the back of.

Up date

This is Teddy. He is the proud Dad of our Jackapoos. They are just one week old now and we have had a lot of enquiries about them already.

This hairy girl is Lulu. She is our F1b labradoodle whilst she doesn't shed she does need clipping. I have just about finished her and will get an "after" picture but this is her before.

Poppy had her second training session last evening. My son took her and did very well. It is a great opportunity for him to learn new skills and grow his confidence.