TREC Training at Burrow Farm

Over the weekend of 21/22 May we had a group of riders staying at the farm who had all come to train and improve their TREC skills. Most of the riders arrived on the Friday afternoon and during the evening to get their horses settled, some were stabled and others corralled. On the Saturday morning Robert worked on the theory of orienteering on horseback and just before lunch the riders went to practise their compass bearing skills on foot in some woods in the village. After lunch the riders had the chance to practise their ridden skills or PTV on a few obstacles: S-bend, rein back, corridor, gate, bending, maypole and low branches which had been set up in two of our fields. This was followed by a circuit around one of the field edges to learn the paces of their horses for a bearings section and to practise timing between the sections.

After all the horses had been settled for the night we had an evening meal and after the meal a talk and demonstration by Helen Tompkins from near Barnstaple who is a Mctimoney practitioner. We then went to the stables to practise our massaging skills on three of the horses, this went on until after 10pm before everyone disappeared off for a good nights sleep.

On the Sunday morning Rob gave maps to the riders who then drew the route for their orienteering day or POR whilst Rob gave them tips and helped with marking for timings and then when they were ready they set off in five minute intervals towards Timberscombe common and then eventually Croydon Hill. All of the riders found the route difficult to navigate in places, but at the end of the day they all said they had learnt alot from their experience.

New Ducks for Burrow

After losing our ducks and only having one female left we knew we had to find her a mate as quickly as possible. We were fortunate enough to find her a white male only 7 months old who had also suffered a trauma by losing all his family to a fox. We bought him from Jackie at BRB poultry near Wellington and then we set about trying to find some more Indian Runner ducks. Many phone call later and without much luck as most people did not have any for sale or they only had ducklings or were waiting for eggs to hatch. Then we heard that there was a poultry and waterfowl sale at Salisbury market. Even though it was a long drive there we went to the sale and had a thoroughly enjoyable and interesting day. We then came home with five more ducks who have all settled in together and enjoying life at Burrow.

A Dry Spring

We have had very little rain since the beginning of March and everything is now beginning to look a bit desperate.
This March we fertilised and spread lime on our grass fields and here we are at the beginning of May without much grass, and I can still wander around the fields and see granules waiting to be dissolved by rain. However our guests this spring have enjoyed T-shirt weather and have finished their holidays with summer tans!
The Wisteria on the back of the house is looking particularly good this year and several of my other plants seems to be enjoying this unusal hot spring. Well at least I haven't had to do a lot of lawn mowing.