Chilled out!!

Toffee, just having an afternoon nap.

A washing mountain

The puppies are all doing great.
Toffee is very chilled and allowing us to handle the pups, which is going to give them a great start to their life, living with us humans. The only sense available to them at this age is smell, as eyes and ears are tightly closed so they will be having a good sniff at us.

Pony camp finished and what a fantastic week it was.
My boys are shattered and all in one piece but have achieved great things both with their horses and socially. They grow in confidence and maturity. Whilst at camp they have to care not just for them selves but their horse too. They are all in squadrons so working as a team is very important. Every time I went to camp (which was often) the atmosphere was great, friendly and all, clearly having fun.

Everything washable the boys took to camp is now on my utile floor, waiting to be washed. I have done 6 loads but fear many more to go.

Cockerpoos have arrived!

Toffe has safely delivered her litter of Cockerpoo puppies and they are sooo cute.
She started in the early morning and the last one arrived at 10.30
She did a very good job, made little mess and no fuss. They are all feeding well so fingers crossed as if there are to be any deaths they happen within the first 24 hours.
She is a star and is letting us pick them up which is great grounding for the puppies as by the time they leave here they will be briming with confidence. Just as puppies should be.
She will not let the other dogs anywhere near though.

pony camp is going very well. I managed to sneak up most days to help out which is great as I get to see how the boys are doing too. One of my boys was flying across the cross counrty course this afternoon and the other show jumping, 4 foot jumps. They are so brave but most importantly they really enjoy it.
The atmosphere is fantastic. Strict rules for their and the horses safety but they get the relax and have fun too.

Sooo much excitment

My eldest two boys are off to Pony camp tomorrow and they love it.
They get to ride twice every day for a week, doing show jumping, cross country and dressage. They have a one day event competition at the end of the week.
They are amongst 43 children so there is lots and lots of socialising to be done too.

The amount of "stuff" they need for themselves and the horse is huge. They have to pack for all eventualities. It gives to boys a chance to grow their independence and certainly gives them an opportunity to demonstrate their sense of responsibility.

Pony camp is over 100 years old and is run in the very traditional way with reasonably good boundaries/rules. Children attend from as young as 11 to 18 years. They all muck in and help one another. It is a pleasure to be a part of it and I thank, enormously the team of ladies who organise and run it all voluntarily.

Our animals make us smile

Jess, our lovely cocker spaniel, caught my eye as she stood on her hind legs, stretching as high as she could, in the middle of the paddock.  Then I saw why. A butterfly danced above her. It dropped a little lower, she stretched a little higher. They "danced" for what seemed ages. It was beautiful as the butterfly was certainly choosing to be there, teasing.
Whilst I watched with amazement and pleasure, had Jess caught hold of it, it would be no longer.
I wish I had a camera.

keeping in touch

This is Tom, one of the Jackapoo's we bred a few months ago. What a little cutie!
It will be interesting to see if his coat goes curly, as his Dad is a toy poodle but didn't go curly until his second hair cut. Tom's family clearly love him (although I know he drives them mad at times) but as a breeder I love the feedback and to see what lovely dogs our puppies turn out to be.

Play time!

I run my dogs 4 times a day.

At the moment I don't let them into the field as the moat is almost completely dry and has very, very smelly, black silt in the bottom, they come out plastered and the smell makes you feel nauseous.

They have plenty of room on our yard though and they love to play ball. They are very even tempered with one another and often have a wrestle together.
 I have just read a great book by Ceaser Millan who is a dog handler . well worth a read to try and understand the psych y of dogs (and humans).

The cattery is completely full and every small pet unit occupied I even have 6 hamsters and 2 gerbils in the house so not much time for me at the moment.

I did have a great ride on my beautiful horse yesterday though so I cannot complain.

Looking good

Due in just 2 weeks and looking good. Toffee is definitely eating for more than just one.

Looking good

Toffee is looking great and very round. She is due in two weeks and she has definitely slowed down.
Jess (our 5 months old cocker) is her best friend and she still wants to play but Toffee just can't. I have started to separate them as when Toffee gives birth she will not want Jess around for a short while anyway.

Jess is most disgusted and howled the whole time. I shall put her with Poppy, my young lab and see if she settles with her. Dogs!!!

I have been down sizing my horses. My youngest son decided he would like to do athletics instead of riding  and as my 15 year old son is now too old to do pony games I have parted company with my 13.2hh boy.:(

Life is so very busy and my boys and I had acquired a lovely, now 3 year old to back and break in but no one has the time so he has gone to live with a lovely lady who is intending to event him.

He is so lovely he followed me onto the trailer when they came to collect him. Loading a horse into a tight, confined space is some thing that proves very difficult with many, well established horses never mind, unbroken youngsters.

Barney came to play

Barney's family are moving house today. A stressful day without having to think about dog, cats and rabbits so all the animals have come to me for the day. Jess and barney have spent the last hour charging around, rolling and wrestling. He should go home tired!

Who is a pretty boy?

This is Rocky. he really doesn't t like women but is great with my boys.
He has quite a vocabulary most of which I would not repeat . he loves being read to and enjoys my sone piano playing. A fun fee paying guest.