The promised photos

Here are the photos I was unable to publish yesterday, new dogs Twm and Tess and some of the 13 cats rescued from a home in LLanberis. They are very nervous and dont look in the best condition as you can see but we have a vet visiting next week to do a blood test on one of the ponies and I will ask him to check them over. It will be easier for them if we have the vet here look at them than to put them through yet another trauma of being put into cages and taken there. The pony having a blood test is Titch a 26 years old shetland pony who appears to be suffering a weight loss in spite of being out at grass and having regular worming and dental treatment. Its best to be on the safe side with him and cover all bases.

The black and white feral cat with the siamese lookylikey kittens (seen here) has calmed down considerably and no longer runs and hides when the pen door is opened, the kittens are also looking better, their eyes look less runny although there is some concern over the grey baby who has either lost the use of one eye or has an infection in it so she is having eye drops.

Another newcomer was admitted today, a very thin stray - longhaired with matted coat. This friendly black and white cat whom we thought was pregnant until we discovered she was in fact a neutered male! The fat tum is probably down to a large worm burden. I have no such excuse! Mine is down to lack of serious exercise!(not for much longer though, have rejoined the gym so goodbye wobbly bits and hello washboard stomach !!)

Murphy shetland is going off to a loan home this coming week and I have just had another enquiry for a small companion pony so who knows, Sam shetland may go too. We have decided not to rehome them together because they are not as close as they used to be when they first arrived and both have developed friendships with other ponies.There have been several calls this last week from owners wishing to find alternative accommodation for their horses but just because we have homed a few doesnt mean we will have enough stabling ijn the winter months and there is always the possibility some of our ponies out on loan may be returned.In particular I feel I have to save two stables for Romana and Rusty who are fostered nearby. 2 winters ago their carer had some health issues and we thought they may come back to the shelter.Fortunately they were able to remain in the home in which they have become very contented but winters can be harsh and little Rusty needs feeding several times daily due to his lack of teeth. As long as Mary is able to manage I know she will do so but there needs to be stabling ready for them at all times. I do not want to be in the position of saying " Im sorry we are unable to take them back at the moment" . That would not be fair on a lovely person who has taken these two on and cared for them so well in the past 18 months. Maybe when the three younmgsters find homes we will find ourselves in the situatiuon where we can take on anoither couple of needy horses but unless it is a dire emergency I have to let my head rule my heart. An even bigger issue of course is the financial one, horses cost money and in a nutshell we have none!" Well very little anyway. It often amuses me when I hear other charities - in particular I mean the Nationals who plead poverty when they are down to their last 20 million! That is not my definition of being broke. I would rather like to be that broke actually, who wouldn't?

Mei and Rosie have been busy tidying up the fields. Mei has been harrowing the fields with the new chain harrow attached to the back of the quad bike and Rosie has been trying to eradicate the weeds so the three fields which have been attended to will now be left for a couple of weeks and the horses will be kept out. After that period of time the grass should spring up nice and green ready for some serious grazing. Its always busy "down at farm". My own 'bete noir' is the dreaded ragwort.Having spent half a day removing it from the fields in Caernarfon where our 3 horses are grazing, my paranoia has reached out to everyone elses fields.I see it everywhere. Nevertheless even when I am removing it with great gusto I experience more than one pang of regret that by doing so I will also be removing the staple diet for the caterpillar of the striking Cinnebar moth (butterfly?) As Rhian would say "its all such a ghastly nightmare!"