Well, they've managed to finish the grass in the hill park - a clean plate has been made and it is time to move them down to the other half of this field - the lower field.
Firstly, though, we noticed that Charlot's rug was squint. So Jo went up to him, put on a headcollar, which I held, while she put everything right. He just stood there, in the middle of the herd (with others offering to "help") while we tugged and pulled and shoved his rug back around his fat big tum-tum so that it was symmetrical again. Didn't mind in the slightest, wasn't bothered at all.
Then we went an opened the gate into 25 acres of ungrazed pasture. This field has been left all summer and autumn, the grass is fantastic and it is all theirs (13 ponies + 2 goats in total). The whole herd was very enthusiastic and galloped through the gate and stopped dead, with heads down to eat - not that anyone is looking thin or peaky.
So, Charlot, the only one with a rug on, seems to have re-integrated himself with his chums. The spring/summer girlie rivalries are forgotten and everyone is acting as one in this herd. Today was Charlot's turn to guard against the potential tigers while the rest had a snooze. So he ate, and they snoozed, either standing up or lying (blob on bottom right of photo is someone lying down). You can see the length of the grass too. Oh they are in for a nice winter. You can also see that Charlot is the with the Shetland pony contingency rather than the big 'uns that are the other side of the stream.
