Broadsiding ponies

Just thought I might share this picture of Calypso broadsiding a Dartmoor foal whilst out on a Llama walk this week.  The picture really doesn't do it justice, we were walking back to the carpark after enjoying our picnic lunch on the top of Yar tor , the llamas were having a munch on a hawthorn tree, Calypso who isn't much interested in hawthorn was just stood with his handler waiting when a little foal approach, Calypso really wasn't sure about this and presented a broadside display to the foal, who not speaking the same language just carried on approaching until he was in sniffing distance, sniffed and decided it wasn't a funny looking pony so ran off to find its mum.

We have been busy with walks this week and the weather has mostly been dry if not sunny.  The gorse and heather is looking amazing at the moment, I have tried to get a picture of it but it is not easy to get the true colours.

We have returned Nugget and Caliban to Lakeham Alpacas as we have finished our breedings for this year.  We have decided to put Langaton Caliban up for sale as we don't have that many light coloured Alpacas to use him on now, so we will be looking for a Black or Grey stud male for next year s breeding program.  Also up for sale is West Webburn Titan a young dark brown male who was placed first at Devon County Show and a third at SWAG this year.   The only other animals we have for sale at the moment are a group of three young males who are being sold as a package for ridiculously low price.  we are very short of land so at some point we have to sell something, but I can always find a reason not to sell any of them.

All the females have returned to Widecombe for the autumn and winter, to grow their babies on the lovely fresh grass they have over there.  They always seem to thrive, left to themselves except for a daily check from us to feed them and make sure they are all well.  They come home in the spring about a month before the first cria is due.  Having this facility allows us to rest the fields so we don't have a big parasite burden  and the fields they go on to are only used for hay so they don't get a problem from there either.  It is a bit of a pain having to travel over there to see them but it is worth it in the long run but the owners of the fields get to enjoy them all day.  Oh for more land!