Lambing is nearly over (38 more to lamb) and
touch wood it's gone very well. We've had a good team this year, with Bernie on his usual 10 days 'holiday', George Rhind as our very capable student, Sarah at home most of the time (with the occasional breaks for parties which couldn't be missed) and Chris and I taking the roles of manager, cook and nightwatchman/woman. Sophie Perks and her friends took after the tame lamb department for a week, which was a great help.
The weather hasn't been particularly kind this year, with hail, thunder and the odd snow flurry, but at least there have been some dry periods so the animals can get warm and dry before the next onslaught.
The first Exmoor foal to be born was found dead in the field after a particularly rough night, poor little thing. The second foal was born today, and seems to be fine. He's a colt foal.
On the subject of horses, Arabella is now recovering from a nasty infection which the vet thinks was Lyme Disease (a bacterial infection caught from ticks). Thankfully, she's now making a slow recovery, aided by injections of mammouth proportions which she bore with incredible good humour (perhaps she was just too ill to protest).
George (Eveleigh) has four black Labrador puppies (all dogs) to sell if anyone is interested. Price negotiable. They were born three weeks ago up in Scotland, but he's probably coming down south for a few days in July and can deliver them to English homes then. George's gundog bitch, Ali, is the mother. The father is a working black Lab. Unfortunately Ali isn't registered because she was a rescue dog, but she's a lovely Labrador and a very good, willing worker with a gentle, biddable nature. Pics to follow, when George can get near a post box.
That's all for now. I'm on night duty, so I'd better go and see what's happening in the lambing shed
The foal which was born today
Any spelling, punctuation and grammatical mistakes in this blog are due to sleep deprivation, not incompetence!
