Limping out of Winter

Poor Furrgall has been injured, he has a poorly paw, poor thing. he was limping around the yard mewing piteously as Ari shot around the corner ready for a good chase. Seeing our moggy hopping from paw to paw he juddered to a halt. he looked round, nudged him with his nose, sighed and walked away. "Another avenue of pleasure closed for me" was his comment. Fair do's though, he realised that there was no fun to be had in an easy victory.

                                 Rest and recuperation on the rugs for our poorly pussy.

Carly, our local trip adviser correspondent is extremely keen to ensure that the accommodation for our horses is top notch, although, to be fair, he is keener to ensure that his is the best. Today he went to inspect the other stables.

             "Kavi's home is ok but the haynet is empty. No thanks "

                                     "Rooster's is not to my liking. Pass"

Finally a little bit of Spring arrived today.

                                           Where's my Easter Egg ??

The Slaughtered lamb

We've just returned from a weekend in Reading, where we were visiting family. Reading is a big town that, as H said, has everything except charm. On Friday night H and I went on a fine pub crawl through the town. One place we decided not to visit was here..

I'm not sure what this venue was called but the signpost was warning enough. Our hosts have two, admittedly, lovely three year olds and every hour spent in their company increases exponentially my respect for people trying to bring up children. They are relentless. Also you have to look for different pubs to go to where children are welcome, the sort of places that we normally avoid

This unprepossessing rubbish tip was advertised as a "kiddies playground" Clearly they have a strange idea of what a play area is in Berkshire, still as Lovelyneice said "once you've removed the syringes and condoms, it's really quite good" She sent me the picture sideways so please turn your computer through 90 degrees to view it. She made up for this by taking us to some interesting hostelries in the evening, including one where I was the only male who was neither a dwarf, mad, 75 years old or 32 stone, it may become my new local as I was the pub sex-god. Sound of H and Housemate rolling their eyes.

Invasion of the Woolies

Aaah Springtime (almost) trees budding, temperatures rising, sheep frolicking...wait a minute, the bas**ds are frolicking in our field and eating our (well, the horses') grass.

"Quick, run, we've been rumbled"



The pack leader, Sid, was busy rounding up the herd, just to digress, Sid is frightened of sheep so goodness knows why he is the boss.

                                               "It's because I am so Handsome"

Anyway he had them all up in the top field in a place of relative safety in double quick time. Rooster was looking serious, Carly and Kavi were giggling behind their hooves. H then did her One Man and His Dog impression by shooing  the ovine intruders away.This was all the more impressive as she didn't have a dog, or a man either for that matter. The fleecy ones have been warned that if they return a tactical Ari will be deployed as a deterrent.

I am rather fatigued tonight, this is due to going out with Kavi to escort Ramah on one of her initial, fittening, rides. She strides out purposefully, positively shooting up the drive and poor old me 'n Kavi have to kick and push to keep up, my legs were complaining after a mile of this, the rest of me soon after. Our mission for the day was to take a look at Cruella's arena which she was offering us to school in. She told us that it was easy to find as it was next to her Ha-Ha (Comedy Gold, we thought).

Great celebrations at the yard last evening as Freshie routed the opposition at Ludlow to win by an eased down 9 lengths. I didn't have a penny on him (sad face)

                                      Fresh Air and Fun with Will Biddick romp home.

Will he ever learn ?

It was bound to happen. Ari has been getting increasingly aggressive with his extreme views. As we saw last time he was berating the Fox Botherers, but yesterday he went too far. The NLND was pinned against the hay bales and threatened with re-education at the Hopton Cangeford Gulag and her alpacas were to be sent to labour in a tractor collective. All because she had changed her hairstyle and had a cute hound. He was frog marched back to his lair and corrective measures have been taken.

                   "Did someone mention Fava beans and Chianti ?"

Yesterday H and I went on a shopping expedition to Cleobury Mortimer, (doomed from the start). We had seen a present for the lovely niece's children. The shop was deserted, we hung around for a few minutes but no one turned up. Disappointed we repaired to the Kings Head for a pint of Hobsons Mild, fully refreshed we went into the sort of hardware shop that only seems to exist in Shropshire, think the Two Ronnies Four Candles sketch, we were waiting in the queue when we overheard the following, (imagine a broad Shropshire accent)
Customer' "Do you have one of them dimmer switches ?"
Proprietor, "We've got one of them that turns on and off "
Customer, "It's almost the same isn't it ? I'll take it"

The lady behind the counter then turned her attention to us , the shop didn't have what we wanted and we mentioned that the shop across the road had no staff in. "Oh that's me, I'm doing them both today" before trotting across the road with us, leaving the hardware store with the door open, and completed the sale of what we wanted. (You'll have to wait until Saturday Lisa). Does this happen in London ?

Finally Kavi, Rooster et al are keeping their hooves crossed tomorrow when Freshie, the least mad Pointer is running in the Hunter Chase at Ludlow.

Tally Ho

Yesterday was the last hurrah of the Fox Bothering season and from first light the yard was full of Hugos, Jaspers and Camillas all braying away at full volume prior to going out to slaughter some unsuspecting mammal, sorry, going out to follow a pre-laid trail. This was too much for Ari who, once again, disgraced himself and needed to be returned to his lair with a severe flea in his ear.

He was caught red pawed having trapped an effete, blonde, boy up against a wall and quoting Socialist doctrine to him with menaces. Sadly the ruling classes still do not realise that entering the Workers Paradise of BC is as dangerous as trying to adjust Kavi's rug whilst he is eating.

"That's production, distribution AND control, isn't it DJ ?" "Yes it is "

Ramah (with an H I have been told) has now been put out with the herd and there was, of course, the usual interest in the newcomer, as this short, but touching film shows;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lsdfn6OE2xQ&context=C34f64c8ADOEgsToPDskICUtRqfusY3zFo259wyRMG

The soundtrack was supplied by the birdies, and you have to love Carly's wistful look as his new chum is whisked away by Mr "I'll have none of that sort of malarky here " Rooster.

A New Arrival

Endurance racing is a tough sport and Rooster has done very well in the last few years and is now competing at quite a high level.However as with any athlete you are always close to having a mishap that could rule you out of your chosen event for a while, and so it is with our chestnut chum. So over the last few weeks H has been considering having a reserve to be there in the wings if something untoward (fingers crossed that it won't happen) occurred.

After hours spent on the internet she decided that a four or five year old gelding who had not competed would fit the bill. So off we went to mid wales to look at a prospective candidate and today she returned with.....Rama

                             "OK so I'm a fifteen year old mare ? What of it ?"

She has moved into Kavi's stable and has settled in ok having wolfed her tea down. Don't worry Kavi lovers he has temporarily relocated to an adjacent room which, as it had a bulging haynet in it, was considered acceptable.

She took housemate with her to pick Rama up so Darcy stayed here with  me. We started watching the racing together but after loser after loser after loser limped home at the rear of the field usually to the accompaniment of an anguished howl from me, he disappeared to make himself comfortable and to put his paws over his ears, (such bad language)

                      A rather saucy bed pose from the Darcinator

Faster than a speeding bullet

I think that most of us would agree that Dj is of, how shall I put it, matronly proportions. Apart from when in romping mode she is a steady rather than speedy mover. Why is it then that she can disappear in a matter if seconds ? When I am out on the yard with her and Ari, doing the horses she can be at my heels one minute and then gone in a matter of seconds. I will then spend time wandering around the yard calling her. No sight nor smell of her for ages then I look around and she reappears...in the middle of the yard.

                                       "I was here all along"

She is searching for her Nurses uniform at the moment as she has heard that one of our regular readers, Badger, has hurt his paw and is in need of some extra, doggy, TLC. Get well soon.

After a grim, cold week the weather relented today an Kavi, Carly and Rooster were able to get out and have a little stroll around the lanes and admire the snowdrops

Stay tuned to this blog as in the next offering we may have some exciting news of a new friend coming to join our gang.

Soon be Spring

Winter finally hit South Shropshire at the weekend. Although the weather forecasters had been warning us for days, we, at BC, were shocked to find the snow arriving on Saturday evening just at the time of our normal Saturday night foray into Ludlow for beer and a takeout Housemate was mortified at the thought of the loss of Saturday night treats. Luckily H came to the rescue, raiding the cupboard and amazingly coming up with...







A Sideways Date and Banana cake, I ventured down to the wine cellar to find the perfect accompaniment.

That's right, Champers for us and Bonios for Darcy

Housemate nom nommed the cake and emptied the bottle before falling asleep into a box of chox. She later declared that this had been a great night and we are possibly her best friends.

"Are you a member sir ? Sorry none of your type in 'ere"

The cold has finally melted her heart and Ari and DJ have now been given some fashion accouterments. Ari is waiting for "Security " to be written on his coat so that he can keep undesirables (and Tory voters) out of the yard.

   

      DJ is now convinced that she is a Racedog in her new rug. She is calling Gershwin to tell him what NLND needs to buy him, so that he can look as great as she does.

Elementary my dear Ari

Earlier this week the Barns Cottage Posse went to the local fleapit to see the new Sherlock Holmes film. It was inspirational to us all. Darcy is going to open his own investigative  agency "Darcy Detects". With his faithful (and it must be said slightly challenged ) lieutenant Ari. They have already taken on the case of The Missing Cat Wormers. Granted there has been no success yet but they have promised to keep looking. Sharky was very much taken with Sherlock's urban disguises (You need to see the film).

"Now you see me...."

Last evening she transformed herself into a plantpot and pounced on an unsuspecting Darcy (think Closeau and Cato). He was traumatised and is now off his bonios.




                                                  "Now you don't"

When Kavi is turned out he is always rewarded with a polo for being a good boy. When turning him out this morning there were none left. I gave him a date instead.

                                                                  I think that he did.