I wonder when they'll announce a hose pipe ban?! Been some time since I have gone into heatwave mode .. getting up early to carry out breedings so that the studs don't get overheated, and when I say early I mean sunrise, which is around 5am. I didn't really mean to start quite that early, but couldn't sleep, so thought I might as well get on with it. The girls were very surprised to see me and it was actually lovely to be out that early - everything looks so beautiful in that light. I must admit I had to take a siesta in the afternoon before a visit from the Wickham Beavers in the evening.
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| The girls at 5am |
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| 1st Wickham Beavers - a great bunch of kids! |
Been a busy week, again, another three cria have arrived. the first was a tiny little chap, just 4.8 kgs, who we have named Hunky Dory from Sabrina x Snowmass Royal Vision, a solid dark fawn, legs all over the place, but it's amazing how strong and determined he was and now there's no stopping him .. evening orgling today!
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| Hunky Dory getting a kiss from Sabrina |
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| A few days old here and he's grown already and straightening up |
Next came a rather stunning little grey girl, Hoity Toity, from Missy x Ardingly, yes he did it again with the grey. She drove me bonkers the first day, suckling Missy's leg all the time. I never actually saw her suckle properly, though in the photo she has milk round her mouth. She wouldn't take the bottle, so I played a little trick and put red food colouring on Missy's teats - sure enough an hour or so later she had red lipstick and red on her head, and ear too! I got up twice in the night to make sure she fed to make up for what she might have missed during the day. I know I'm a fuss pot, but I just had to! She has a floppy ear, still does, and she's not very strong, but doing OK.
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| Hoity Toity with mum Missy |
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| Milky mouth! |
Then to day, whilst I was busy doing stud work, Cassandra popped her cria out. A beautiful little beige female from Snowmass Invincibly Elite. Very strong, up in no time and feeding really well and racing about almost immediately - her name - Charisma. A bit calf kneed at the moment, but again she'll straighten up in a few days.
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| Charisma and Cassandra |
Today's spit offs went quite well - 6 pregnant out of 9 from 1 mating - one of them being Aglaia who The Sorcerer, son of Ardingly and winner of many broad ribbons, and my pride and joy. Excellent, the boy is firing on all cylinders, now I have to find him a few more ladies...
This Sunday we're off to the Rare Breed Show at Singleton, near Chichester. It's a fabulous venue nestled in the South Downs and has an Open Air Museum with fantastic buildings to explore. Well worth a day out and do come and say Hello to us and the boys, we'll be bringing lots of fleece to sell too - some really special ones.
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