What weather!!, from freezing cold to being saturated in two days. The ponies are coping well with this awful deluge. We are keeping a north eye on them, especially little Annie. This is her first winter away from mum and we are making sure her condition does not fall back without milk. They have all got their winter Long Johns on and boy do they need them. They still come over to see us from two fields away when we are in the paddocks on the off chance we have a piece of carrot secreted somewhere.

Charlie has just realised that he is bigger than the others but does not abuse his advantage. When there is extra food about the others are very possessive and try to push him away. He just carries on eating and leans into them as if to say, “go on then, if you think you can”. His character has not changed and he does not display aggression. The others despair of him and just let him get on in his own sweet way.

Starlight has become, for her, very affectionate and will come to us of her own volition, which is super.

Golden Flame has stopped eating tails, probably because there is only her own left. She calls to us if we do not go to her when we arrive, so we have to report for duty, then she is happy. George has quietened down as if he is conserving energy for showing off next spring. He still likes to help in the paddock which can be a bit of a burden.

Rolo now in his second winter has developed into a little stunner and we are making sure that next year the phantom tail thief does not strike with him again. He has filled out although he is still growing. He has a character just like Charlie and adores attention and will purposely provide a head for a head collar if he sees one.

Blue and Frosty are still with us and have been working with school groups with Dru on her Pony Power Programmes. Rumour has it that they will put up for sale next spring. A sad day for us because we have become attached to them, which is silly really because we knew that they were never to be permanently with us. What a buy for someone, Frosty is rock solid with a fantastic temperament and Blue a little more independent but a reliable worker and never baulks at anything asked of him.