More Christmas Presents.

I had a lot of lovely Christmas presents and I thought I'd show you the best ones. Firstly I decided that my owl should live high up on a shelf in my bedroom, loooking as though he is about to swoop. My farmer friends have a captive Barn Owl they were given at home and they tell me that it adopts exactly this pose when they bring it's food.



Next is a hot water bottle I was given that has made going to bed a whole lot more bearable;


Then my surprise present, if you can read what it says!!!!! I tried it in different locations:





If you click on the last photo you should be able to read it. I'm SO excited!!!! The grey was my lovely Jonesy and I out team chasing. David took the photo of the Barn Owl as it flew over his tractor one day at the top of our track.

A Very Special Christmas Present.

I recieved a very special Christmas present from a very special friend of mine in Scotland. He is quite magnificent and I will treasure him always. The fact that he was even sent at all means the world to me - that someone who was a stranger a short while ago would take the time and trouble, and care enough to bother.

He is a superstar and a hero and I hope we meet one day soon. A million thank you's for making this Christmas very special.

If you click on the photos you can see him in his full splendor. The pony in the photos was my beloved Ben, the sweetest, kindest, most genuine pony who ever walked on this blue planet.



Here he is with a new friend - a young Barn Owl I found dead when riding Grace in the summer and have had in the freezer ever since. I'm hoping to have him stuffed at some point as well, so they can stay together.

Merry Christmas.

A very Merry Christmas to all of my very special friends here.

Thank you so much, all of you, for all your endless kindness, friendship and support. Having friends all around the world is such a special thing and is very precious to me.

Do you realise, Hilary, Charlotte and Muriel, that we have been friends for several years now? Old friends indeed.

To all of you - old friends and new - thank you all so very, very much.

Lots of love to all of you.

Helen.

Magical Winter Wonderland.

We have a LOT of snow here and I love the way it stays so light at night and always looks so stunningly beautiful. I took some photos as the snow fell last night and more today, all around the farm.

My trusty, steadfast old Land Rover starts first time of asking each and every day and makes nothing of the ice and snow as cars are abandoned all around us. I can give all the people lifts who used to give me lifts and I am suddenly full of confidence in my own driving, and so far my passengers haven't complained too much either!!!!

My Smallholder Article.

Here is a link to my article minus the photos, in the archive of Smallholder magazine:

http://www.smallholder.co.uk/shlivestock/4803220.Motivating_the_native_pony/

I would be very grateful for any feedback as I would like to try to write more articles for other magazines at some stage.

Cirque Du Cheval

Rosie has just returned from performing at The Cirque Du Cheval in Dublin, in Ireland.

Please do have a look at this beautiful photo of Rosie standing on the horse with the kindest, wisest eye I have ever seen:
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrsV1p8Xbt7K8IBqms8F9QiB9Tbnow0RGErCWGz95lmmgLFHliZgQ-qQMnzYyWrp5_ATwe4-gc-J7lBc4GQATACZ8MVgoCS0dbK76wwyyTJItwnahvbKtNv_8eEiM43ks45mNTIqzUiB4/s1600-h/scan.jpg
and then look at all her photos:
http://picasaweb.google.com/Rosie.Jive.Pony/CirqueDuCheval?feat=directlink#
and read her write up of this event:
http://jive-pony.blogspot.com/2009/12/cirque-du-cheval.html

I know that the grass is always greener but in my dreams I AM Rosie and I can ride and look like that on a horse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you read this, Rosie, I will see you at the panto on the 28th, at the evening performance and I can't wait!!

For me there is just something SO exciting and SO magical about the Devil's Horsemen, and about Jive Pony, that they never fail to fire me up to do more myself.

One day I WILL have my own small equine theatre!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kindness.

I've been really moved by people's kindness of late. The immense kindness of you people here, bothering to read this blog and leaving me wonderful, sweet comments.

The kindness of some people today offering me a huge discount on some tickets for a Christmas event, because they know of my circumstances this Christmas.

The kindness of all the people I have met, spoken to and had business dealings with lately, all of whom have treated me like an old and much valued friend, and the never ending kindness of my friends at home, all determined to make this a happy Christmas for me.

One of my farmer friends hurt his back recently and wasn't feeling very well, so he and his wife went away for a couple of days. His brother gladly stood in for him, doing all his work as well as his own, without even thinking about himself. He always thinks of others, never of himself, and there is nothing he wouldn't do for his brother.

When he returned my farmer friend gave me a present he'd bought for me while he was away. The fact that he'd even thought of me while he was away in itself nearly moved me to tears. He apologised for it being a strange gift but he thought it might be useful.

It is a Swiss Army penknife, bought in a gunsmiths while he was on holiday, and it is my most treasured possession. I never go anywhere without it.

Today one of the horses here, who can get so wound up she would, to quote a Parelli-ism "Kill herself to save her own life" managed, while she was tied up, to get the lead rope wound around her neck and nearly strangled herself. We all rushed to her but she was leaning against the wall and the leadrope was under huge tension. The farrier was here and even he was panicking. My knife was in my pocket, as always, and is very sharp. It sliced straight through the rope which pinged apart it was so taught around her neck. If it hadn't been for the endless kindness of my friend, thinking of me even while he was on holiday, the outcome could have been quite disastrous.

I have been talking to someone online recently who I have told things about myself to that I haven't told anyone else in the world. He has done the same to me. I would like to buy him a Swiss Army Penknife, in case he should ever need one as badly as I did today. I don't have his address and I'm not sure whether our friendship is real or in my head. So much has changed for me this year that I do struggle to know what's real or imaginary sometimes.

He has read some of my blog and if he reads this I hope that he might email or better still text me his address. The trouble is that, unlike me, he doesn't believe in the inherent goodness and kindness of people anymore as he has suffered and been betrayed too often, and at too young an age, to cope with the loss of his dreams and his purpose in life. If he knew the people that I do - my friends at home and all you friends of mine around the world on here - he might find the strength and the courage to leave his hurt and cynicism behind and begin to make his dreams come true again, as I have done.

The best Christmas present he could give me would be to let me buy and send him a Swiss Army penknife, like mine. I think that it would take such a huge leap of faith for him to do that that it might be the best Christmas present he could give himself as well.

My Christmas Present to Myself.

I've been feeling a bit odd for the last few days. Christmas was never going to be easy and, as I told my farmer friends, I've decided that the only way to tackle it is to "throw myself into the spirit with gusto, or should that be Bisto?". Luckily for me they are always there, at the end of a text message, to give me something to laugh out loud over. They used to think I was looking for sympathy but know me so well now that they know thats the last thing I want! I just want to be reassured that everything is fine and normal, and I'm only ever looking for distraction from my thoughts and something to laugh about, and they always come up trumps. I still couldn't manage without the pair of them.

My Manitou was collected by a lovely man on Tuesday and I went to supervise the loading. The man I bought it from has become a good friend and is coming over for a meal with the man who collected my bull for me, who is an old friend of his. It's such a small world!

I really love my Manitou. It's the first vehicle I've ever bought and I'm getting to grips with it really quickly, and driving it makes me feel confident and capable. It's a vast improvement on the loader tractor and much more suited to the jobs I need to get done. I got a huge grain bucket with it, which I've parked outside the barn to muck out into. It holds 2 days worth and saves on pushing wheelbarrows through mud, and as I'm mucking out up to 10 a day at the moment it helps no end.

I also got a grapple, a bale squeezer and pallet fork tines thrown in with the machine. I told you that the previous owner is now a good friend of mine!!!! Here are some photos:
On the low loader ready for the 25 mile journey home:

Back home:





I've also taken up a new sport, in an effort to get fitter for vaulting.
http://www.cani-cross.co.uk/cc_whatis.shtml
I'm trying to talk other people into joining me but failing dismally at the moment!!! I bought a harness at the local feed store today and they are alfriends of mine there. They asked what it was for and when I told them they'd all heard of it but when I asked them all if any of them fancied giving it a go I was deafened by the yells of "NO!!!" I get the feeling that they all think I'm sweet and harmless but more than a little crazy!!!!!!

I tried it for the first time tonight, firstly just with my Golden Retriever, Sophie, who is far too polite and won't pull, os then I tried using a pair, adding Meggie in, and that was a big improvement in pulling power. I'm going to try using Flora as well tomorrow.

I'm also being given a multi trainer by a friend and I'm trying to buy a cheap rowing machine on eBay, to improve my upper body strength over the winter. I'm also looking for a Pool table so my young lodger can teach me and my friends to play. I hate having nothing to do in these long, dark evenings and the more people there are here the happier I am.

My vaulting roller is a bit too short so I need to find some straps to extend it a little. I've been riding Bella and Grace and doing a little with Kate (who will now walk along with me just about anywhere totally at liberty. She reminds me of Bella at that age so much) and Jack as and when I can. Crystal will have to wait until the Spring and for longer days.

My article was published, with two photos, and I've had loads of favourable comments about it. I'll put a link to it when it goes into the magazine archives.

I'm feeling much more confident and more positive for the increase in exercise and for beginning to master my Manitou. I've got so much energy at the moment I wear everyone else out and they're all younger than me!!!

I was going to cancel the dating agency membership, as going on it makes me feel a bit unhinged and out of control, but I guess it's only talking to people after all, and I love to do that, so I'll let it run until the end of the month but I won't rejoin after that. I think that my life probably does have everything I really need now and looking for even more seems a bit greedy somehow!

Wasting Time.

I think I've been having a bit of a brainstorm lately. I've got a barn full of beautiful, eager horses and 3 lovely dogs who don't get enough of my attention, a barn full of lovely cattle including a very handsome bull, a yard full of fantastic friends, with more friends everywhere I go, and what have I been doing?

I've been joining an internet dating agency for farmers!!! Why? My life is so busy already and I don't want to go anywhere or leave here for more than the odd hour at a time. What do I possibly think that the added stress of trying to fit someone else's needs into my life and time would achieve, for me or for them? I have SO many things that I want to do and to achieve, SO many plans and dreams for the future that I need to work on, SO much to be grateful for and to nurture.

I think that winter is to blame, especially at weekends. The long, dark evenings inside when it's too cold, dark and dismal to do much outside and everyone's gone home to watch the tv by 5 o' clock, which really isn't my thing at all.

For the first time in my life I really don't HAVE to fit in with anyone else and I'm free, but I guess it takes a bit of getting used to and adjusting to, but I can do that. I've done so many things already.

Habit is a difficult thing to break, for people and for horses. Habitual patterns of behaviour give feelings of comfort and of security. The longer established the habits are the more comfort and security they give and the harder they are to abandon. My comfort and security came from being one half of a couple for nearly three decades. I like sharing things and I don't really want things to be 'mine'. I liked them being 'ours'. No wonder then that I feel the need to find someone else but that doesn't mean that it's the right or the sensible thing to do. I have a sneaking suspicion that it would send my anxiety levels right through the roof and I might even end up getting moody, bad tempered, and less sensitive to other people's feelings - things I try never to be.

Maybe one day when I'm old and can't lead as active a life with my horses finding another partner would be the right thing to do but I believe that if I did find someone else now I might end up not following all my dreams and end up looking back on what I might have done and might have made happen with regret - that I was too busy chasing the wrong rainbow and let my dreams slip away, just as they began to materialise.

I feel especially guilty about Bella. She is so super intelligent and so keen to be my soul mate in our life together, and I've let nearly a year of her life go by without me being there with her mentally. It wasn't avoidable but it doesn't have to continue any longer. She's been so patient with me already.

I think that normality is very hard to abandon and change is very challenging, and my normality has changed forever, but the freedom I have now in my life will become normal in time. It already is compared to a few months ago and it really does all depend on comparisons, doesn't it? Everything is relative and nothing is forever. It's time to make the very best of what I have and prove to Bella that I deserve her.

I am buying a second hand telehandler, a Manitou, like this one:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MANITOU-MANISCOPIC-725-TELE-HANDLER-FORKLIFT_W0QQitemZ280431159049QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_BOI_FarmingEquipment_RL?hash=item414affe709

I have sold my loader tractor because it keeps on breaking down and I need a reliable machine to keep the cattle fed plus the Manitou is useful for so many other loader jobs too.

I'm really excited about it!!!! One of my farmer friends took me to see the machine and the man selling it is a friend of a friend, and fast becoming a friend in his own right. I will get so much pride and satisfaction from being able to drive and use this machine as it's a serious piece of kit!!!! I just hope the buildings are all still standing by the time I've got the hang of it! I have driven my friend's once and loved it but theirs is a much more modern machine. I'll post photos when it arrives.

I've managed to buy a cheap vaulting roller on eBay and am eagerly awaiting it's arrival!!! Today some friends and I watched a 20min video clip of last weekend's lesson with Rosie, taken on a camera we haven't worked out how to download from yet, and I felt so keen and energised again watching it. Rosie does a small demo on Grace too and I just wish I had her legs and elegance!!!!

I've had a lovely weekend so far with lots of friends for company and loads of laughter, in spite of the weather. My kitchen is often bursting with friends these days, thank goodness, and that's just the way I intend to keep it, although the washing up gets rather time consumimg!!!!!

Rosie's Blog.

I've just realised that I haven't given you a link to Rosie's blog. She writes beautifully and gets very little feedback.

Her latest post is about trick training horses and is very interesting and informative. Please do have a read of it and tell her what you think:

http://www.jive-pony.blogspot.com/

How to stay Warm and Snug in the Winter!!

I think Meggie is feeling the cold a bit at the moment!!!!

Cone Circle Training.

Rosie suggested that I set up a cone circle track like Jive Pony use at shows, so that the horse will stay inside it at liberty and I can practise vaulting on my own.

I set it up yesterday with driving cones, short lengths of bamboo and white tape and it's working really well.

I took Bella in there first, at liberty, and got her to walk, trot and canter around in time with me but slightly further in front of me than for our usual liberty work, with me holding onto imaginary vaulting roller handles, so she'll be in the right position to able to pull me on board. She very quickly worked out exactly where she needs to be to get clicked and was trotting and cantering powerfully and enthusiastically beside me, after waiting for my lead to set the pace. I found out that I heavily favour the right canter lead myself and will have to work on the left lead!!!!

Kate was next, again at liberty, and she was very spooky so I just slowly and methodically chose my own pace and stuck to it, and clicked her when she was where I wanted her to be. She began by stopping and staring at things then trotting to catch me up, or spooking and zooming off then coming back to join me and I let nothing she did change what I did, she just had to fall in with me if she wanted to get clicked and treated. This very simple job with no pressure or penalty for getting it wrong and praise and treats for getting it right is just what she needs after so much pressure from her previous owner. She understood the job in hand very quickly and was totally chilled out and relaxed in a short space of time. She hated going into the school with her previous owner but I had a job getting her to leave it yesterday!

Jack has had very little work for a while now and was full of the joys, cantering around bucking repeatedly and really enjoying himself. I stayed in the middle circle out of the way until he had sobered up a bit then did the same as with Bella, plus a little Spanish Walk and started to teach him to bow. He settled really well and gave me his full attention by the end of the session.

With Grace I just worked on running with her and keeping her well up in front of me, and on getting her to keep going when I run towards her. I noticed in the videos how much more cadence her trot has than it used to have and timed my clicks to try to encourage that as well.

I really like the cone circle. All of them were happy to stay inside it and if they got a bit fresh I could step into the middle circle out of the way. This is particularly useful with Jack as he can't see me properly on his bad eye side and does cannon into me occasionally when he's not concentrating on me. I hate to react to that or for him to see me flinch at all as I never want him to think that I'm nervous of anything when he has to trust me to make up for his partial sight in one eye, and it can be hard not to when you have nearly 600kgs of horse veering your way!!!

It also allows me to give Kate all the freedom she needs to make her own choices and decide that she wants to work with me, which is exactly what she is consistently choosing to do already.

I'm going to try Crystal in there tomorrow. She can still be a bit sticky at times to keep going forward so I want to work on enthusiastic forward movement through choice rather than as a result of pressure with her.

At this rate I'll have so many vaulting ponies I'll be spoilt for choice!!!!!!!!!!!!

More Vaulting Lesson Videos

Vaulting Lesson with Rosie from Jive Pony!!!!

Rosie came here yesterday to give me my first ever vaulting lesson and it was brilliant - the best fun I've ever had on a horse!!!!! She is an incredible teacher- very enthusiastic and encouraging while making things like walking around the school standing on your horse's back seem like a perfectly normal and reasonable thing to do!

Grace was a complete superstar and never turned a hair at anything. Her only fault was stopping if she got too worried about our antics. She used to be quite a spooky pony so she showed just how far she's come.

I had told Rosie that all I wanted to do was to be able to vault on at a walk, trot and canter but the truth is that was all I ever thought I'd be capable of. As it was we went through loads of vaulting positions including walking around the school with me standing on Grace's back, sitting on her neck with my legs crossed behind her ears, kneeling with one foot on the pad, and even a shoulder stand on her withers.

Unfortunately we ran out of battery time for the video before we got to the most impressive parts but I'm going to set up a roped off cone circle so I can practise on my own to my hearts content and get a little demo videoed of all the moves. I didn't quite get to the stage of being able to vault on unaided but apparently it's much easier at canter and looking at the videos I can see, watching Rosie and then myself, that I'm not diving forward and pivoting enough yet.

I loved this SO much and sitting in a saddle will never have quite the same appeal again. I have been high as a kite ever since, in spite of the weather!!! I just need to buy a vaulting roller now, and finding one is easier said than done, but I'm on the hunt!!!

What I'd really love, one day, is to have some sort of equine theatre here. I have myself down for some sort of comedy vaulting act, which I would love as I love making people laugh, so I'll have to work out exactly what my angle will be!!!!!

Rosie is going to come again when I've practised on my own a bit more and she's going to be at The Devil's Horsemens Christmas Pantos, so we are going to meet up with her again there.

We had such a good laugh and such a good time, Rosie is such a lovely, sweet person and such good fun. She dared me onwards with laughing, twinkling eyes which made me try things against my better judgement, which was fine because her judgement was spot on and she made it all seem surprisingly easy. I was hardly stiff at all today either, which was a big surprise.

Rosie was telling me about all the new and exciting ideas she and Rebecca have for next year's Jive Pony shows and I can hardly wait to see them again then. They both have young horses who will be coming into the shows one at a time so they will have even more adrenalin going than normal!!!!!!!!



Having terrible trouble uploading videos, as you can see, although this one does work!!! Will try some more tomorrow!

Devil's Horsemen Medieval Banquet.

I took a party of 30 adults and 4 children to the Medieval Banquet at the Devil's horsemen's home base on Saturday night. It was as a way of beginning to thank them all for all that they've done for me and it was the most fantastic night of my life.

http://www.thedevilshorsemen.com/

When we went in we were announced by a 'fool' called Peterkin who just made the show. He introduced me and the 4 friends I walked through the door with as "four wanton ladies of easy virtue". When I said "thanks for that" he added hastily "but they're not cheap!".

He made loads of people stand up and do various embarrassing things but the revelation of the night was one of my farmer friends. He vaulted in over the high wall when called upon to go into the arena and was just SO adorable, helping Peterkin who pretended to be inexperienced on stilts and doing a mime run when called upon to catch him if he fell. He loved every second of it, as did his 7 year old son who was watching and told his 2 year old sister the next day that "daddy had to dance with a man on stilts." I told him the next day that he is totally wasted and should be on the stage.

We all laughed until we cried at Peterkin and the horse action had me just aching to join in. I would have vaulted the high wall too if anyone had offered me a go at jousting or garrocha!!!

One of my friends had to choose whether to be carried of over the shoulder of Daniel or Gerard Naprous and was in raptures over being carried off by Daniel. Personally I would rather have taken Peterkin home as I love being teased and made to laugh more than anything. It was a magical evening of a lifetime and I had some big hugs from my friends in return.

It's inspired me to get on with training my horses again and I rode Bella for the first time in a while today and we both loved every moment of it. We also did our first jump with me in the saddle together which she thoroughly enjoyed too. I did some in hand work with Kate, who is a little claustrophobic in the school still at times, and clipped Grace ready for my lesson with Rosie this weekend. I wanted to do something with Jack too but my farmer/actor friend brought me some haylage and it was the first time I've been able to talk to him on his own for ages, and I make the most of every opportunity I get to talk to both of them as they are my rocks, my solemates and my guardian angels still, even after all this time. I must have been very good in another lifetime to have deserved them.

Farm Animals for Films..

My two farmer friends said the other day that they've realised the way I get wildly over enthusiastic about new plans and ideas is my coping strategy and they're right as far as it goes but there is more to it than that. I do need lots of plans on the go to keep me believing in myself and in my ability to have a successful and fulfilling future but I also intend to turn as many of them as possible into reality.

I've also been told that I should concentrate on one thing at a time but I dread boredom more than anything and my plans should all fit together and compliment one another.

My latest idea is to set up an agency specialising on supplying farm animals for films and photo shoots. I've done two films with my sheep and I loved every moment of it but had to take charge on set and keep everyone calm and focused. I have always been very good at keeping calm under pressure and at keeping the people and animals around me calm too.

I was amazed at the haphazard way the animals were sourced for the films we worked on and have made enquiries from other people in the business and found out that this is the norm where farm animals are concerned. Considering the amount of time and money involved it's hard to believe that agents just arrange for an unseen animal to arrive on set without having any idea of what's going to arrive or how wild it will be but that has been absolutely my experience.

My plan would be to supply calm, well handled animals with calm, well mannered, patient, helpful and friendly handlers who would blend in and get the job done quietly and competently without fuss or melodrama. My sheep got standing ovations from cast and crew when they were in a film called "The Tenth Kingdom" because no-one could believe how obliging and easy to work with they were, and I was too.

I would so love to do more of this and to meet more of the fascinating people I met before. I have put out a few feelers and hope to get something going on a small scale by next spring.

This should fit in well with my meat sales, clicker training confidence building courses, dog agility, etc. especially with all the brilliant, competent, caring people I have here now who would help out as and when needed and whom I can trust implicitly.

Life is still full of endless opportunities for fun, laughter, friendships old and new and fulfillment for me. I am very, very lucky!

Photos of Pascoe and son, first at their old home and being loaded by my youthful helpers, and then meeting their new herd. Pascoe is now in with his new wives and has served one of them already. Some of my friends were laughing at the way he hid behind his son on arrival and cast aspersions on his manhood, so at least those rumours have been well and truly disproved!!!!

My Clicker Training Article in Print!!!!

I've just found out that an article I wrote about clicker training my ponies is going to appear in the Christmas edition of Smallholder magazine!!!!!!!

I had a bad day yesterday, the first for months. It was because I was so upset that I can't show my lovely bull to David. All my friends came to see him, including my two farmer friends, and they were all very enthusiastic about him but I couldn't get past the fact that David was the one I most wanted to show him to; he would have been so proud to own him. This is just the lift I needed to get me back into positive thinking and motivating me to get on with training my ponies again, and in the Christmas edition too!!!!!!!

I sent loads of photos too but I wasn't wearing a hat, as usual, so I don't know if they'll use them, but seeing my first ever clicker training article in print........

I've just found a link to my one and only previous attempt at journalism, about my ewe appearing in a televison program, if anyone would like to read it;

http://www.smallholder.co.uk/shlivestock/shsheep/1666778.Meet_the_star_of_Eastenders___Helen_Wakefield_s_Oxford_Down_ewe_Kensworth_Flair_showed_quite_a_flair_for_acting_/

Lovely Weekend.

I've had the loveliest weekend in spite of the awful weather on Saturday. The Chilli and Reflexology was a great success, Joy has remained perfectly happy and relaxed in the barn with my horses and her owner is absolutely delighted as it has always been her dream to see her happy to be inside in the winter, and I have spent most of the weekend with one of my farmer friends whose ability to stay upbeat and cheerful in the face of all adversity even exceeds my own.

I get really anxious these days if I can't keep people happy and smiling and he is a fantastic ally in this, as all he ever wants to do is to help people and make them happy with no thought for himself. He also has the wickedest sense of humour and it's impossible to stay serious for long when he's about. I love being around him and watching the natural, effortless ease with which he charms everyone he meets. It is my total privilege to know him and to be able to have him inspire me and to learn from him.

I have found a very small, light adult rider for Crystal and now have some purpose in trying to get her going properly. She starts off full of enthusiasm but then old habits and patterns start emerging and she begins to nap and get stubborn, which I intend to clicker train her out of. Her new rider is so tiny she rode her in the Inky Dinky saddle and loved it, and loved long striding, twinkle toed Crystal too!!

My decisions are slowly resolving themselves and I've decided to stick with the things that I enjoy the most and get most satisfaction from, and that's the things I have here. I don't really want to have to spend much time away from here, although drawing more people here with the dog agility, meat sales and clicker training will all be part of my plan, but I think the people I already have here plus my farmer friends are company enough on an everyday basis to keep loneliness at bay.

After Pascoe arrives on Tuesday I hope that I can begin to get life under control and start to do some proper work with my ponies again, including Kate who now follows me around without a leadrope and likes to stand with her head as close to mine as possible like Bella and Jack do. She reminds me so much of Bella and I just know she's going to be a superstar like her too.

I will take some photos of my newly rearranged horse barn and of Pascoe when I've picked him up on Tuesday. Everything is ready for him and I'm getting more excited at the prospect all the time, if a little apprehensive. The thought of me buying a bull, let alone looking after him single handed is just so mad compared to how my life used to be - but good mad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Decisions To Make.

I'm writing this is the middle of the night because I'm up keeping an eye on a claustrophobic horse who has to live out who I've taken into the barn with my horses as the weather is terrible - 60mph winds and heavy rain. I brought her in to try her in there after a text message just before midnight from her worried ex-owner whose beloved father is at home rapidly dying of cancer. She has not only found the time to worry about the horse but sent me a message today to say that the photo of me on Jack on my profile should be on the cover of a training DVD. I was so touched by that.

My horses have been in all day but are always so chilled out that so far she seems fine in there surrounded by them. It's getting a bit crowded in there now though with 7 horses and 2 goats!

I've got a few decisions to make. The school that we've been trying to fence has fought back every step of the way and it's in a place that I never really wanted it in the first place, as it's a spooky spot that many horses find hard to relax in, but dogs all love it in there. We've only managed to do the corner posts and along one side and I'm wondering if I should go with the flow and finish fencing it with dog proof plastic netting fencing, without trying to get anymore posts in, and think about another school for the horses in a different spot one day when I've earned enough money to pay for it. It will still be useable for the horses in the meantime and my farmer friend won't kill himself digging massive lumps of granite out to get each small post in!!!

I have had loads of enquiries from people wanting to move their horses here. We have such a brilliant atmosphere here, with everyone falling over themselves to help each other, that word is spreading. In theory I could find stabling and grazing for a few more but they'd have to walk quite a way to get to the grazing. I could also stick with what I've got and concentrate on other things now, like my confidence building courses using positive reinforcement and clicker training.

My loader tractor is a nightmare and completely unreliable despite many efforts by my farmer friends to fix it so I've sold it and two old tractors and am looking for a telehandler with a telescopic arm, which is purpose built for loader work and will make my life so much easier if I can find a reliable one.

I'm going to pick up Pascoe and son on Tuesday with an old friend who does horse and cattle transporting. I haven't seen him for years so we'll have loads of time to catch up. His wife of many, many years died a couple of years ago so we have a fair bit in common.

David's family business, which he left to his sister, is proving totally impractical for her to even try to manage herself and I can't find an agent to do it for her so I'm thinking of trying to do it myself. I'll have to do it for nothing as I'll have to learn as I go along but it shouldn't take up too much time and I'll learn loads about managing businesses and people along the way. She has two partners and none of them seem able to communicate with each other but they will all talk to me and make me feel wanted, appreciated and useful. My greatest fear in life has always been boredom so at least I should never suffer from that!!!!

A vet came yesterday and said how happy all the horses and people seem to be here, and, although he's only a horse vet now, he said that he and his friend, who is also now a horse only vet and who was a friend of ours and came to the funeral, they would both help out with any cattle veterinary work in their spare time, to keep their hands in, so to speak!!! He also wants to buy some beef when I have some.

We're having a Chilli and Reflexology night tonight with about 20 friends coming. I'm going to be dead on my feet by then, especially as my farmer friend is coming to do some work with me today and I've had no sleep so far, but it should be really good fun. I'm going back out to check on Joy, the horse, now then try and grab a couple of hours sleep!!!!!!

Dog Agility Day.

We had a trial run of the dog agility training this afternoon and it was fantastic fun and a great success. We had ten people plus our trainer who was just brilliant. She got us to introduce all the dogs to clicker training and even provided the clickers and the treats. She explained everything really well and had all the dogs doing a short course off the lead by the end of the session, even though only two of them had ever done anything like it before.

They were a very mixed bunch, as you will see from the photos. The Golden Retriever is mine but was borrowed by a friend who she doesn't know at all. Unfortunately there are no photos of me doing pairs with my two terriers as I was the camera woman. I didn't want to leave one of them out so trained the pair of them together and they showed real potential, especially my rather plump Jack Russell, Flora, who is food mad!!!!

Everyone had such a great time, dogs and trainer included. Our trainer, Kimberly, couldn't believe how good they all were and made us all feel very successful. Everyone is now eagerly awaiting the next session and we already have another four people who would like to join in next time!!!! That's all by word of mouth and all the agility clubs around here are full so I think that this one could really fly. It was also really lovely to do something that involved my own dogs for a change.

Here are the photos. The weather was very kind to us