Thursday 9 March 2017

The 2nd half of my walk



Outside the church, by an ancient tree, is the old mounting block, so that the less able (who rode to church) would be able to remount their horse with ease. I dare say the horse appreciated it too!  I always hated to see a saddle dragged across a horse's back as someone heavy or none too limber heaved themselves aboard.



Y Plas - when we first moved here it was on the market, and needed "doing up" and we tried to buy it for my mum to live in, but the chap who owned it was a bit "twp" (not quite right!) and when we made an offer, he then upped the asking price.  He was sleeping rough in one of the bedrooms, and in a moment of madness (drunk?) had painted all the half timbering in the walls different colours of GLOSS paint - it would have been very difficult to remove.  Whoever bought it in the end solved the problem by "modernizing" it, and plastering over the top of all the beams.  It's been on the market several times since and now is for sale once again.  Not a happy house, perhaps?  The other end of the cottage to the left is in the photo below . . .


Once thatched (judging by the pitch of the roof and the wriggly tin which replaced the thatch), this cottage is falling down - half of the inglenook fireplace back has fallen already and the whole wall looks ready to go . . .  It will end up as a building site eventually.


A VERY fat little Shetland - that'll have Laminitis if it stays much longer on such lush pasture.


First of the year - Stitchwort on a bank beside the lane, near Llywn Fortune, where once a Roman hoard of coins was discovered.


Across the fields, a well blown up photo of Dryslwyn Castle in the distance.



Above and below: brood mare and foal at the TB stud.



This was the lane behind me . . .  One car's width these days (and one cart's width in the past . . .)  This leads past the Thoroughbred stud, and the Equine Vet's place.


I had an Admirer!  A touch of Shire blood added to a Welsh Cob base by the look of his hairy legs!  Personally, I would never leave a headcollar on a horse in the field (unless it's an absolute fiend to catch).  It can be a recipe for disaster, if they get caught up on something.


It was lovely to see the first of the wild daffodils in flower.


Above and below, Section A's on a local stud.  Possibly related to our little palomino Merlin, who came from this same stud, many, many years ago now. He'd be nearly 30 now!



Hooray - the first of the Mollyblobs - Marsh Marigolds - in flower.

13 comments:

  1. Fabulous pictures BB. I so love the mounting block, that would suit me to the ground, although getting back off is equally an issue these days ;) I adore the horse and pony pictures, mine are like wooly monsters at the moment and you wouldn't believe the mud!!!

    ps, I didn't know you had a Merlin too! x

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    1. Merlin was a long time ago, when we first got here. Turned out to be too exxcitable for small children though so we sold him on as a 4 yr old. He was palomino and nice blood lines. I used to get on Fahly off the gate, to save his back (and mine!) I bet yours will be starting to moult now, and you will be covered in multi coloured muddy fluff!

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    2. They're really hanging on to their coats at the moment due to all the rain, sigh!!!

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  2. What a beautiful walk - lovely photos - I felt as though I was walking with you. Great to see the Marsh Marigolds too - really feel as though Spring is nearly here now :)

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    1. The sun shone so nicely today - I didn't get a walk in as we had to view an auction, but it was lovely driving through the Brecon Beacons and seeing the hedgerows just start to green up, and masses of daffodils on the verges. Glad you felt you were with me.

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  3. Ludicrously fat little pony! Lovely shots though, as the world wakes up!

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  4. Gosh this brought back pony memories. I had a forester once who was a devil to catch so we kept a safety headcollar on- one of those that snapped if it snagged. Sure enough he caught it on a fence and the collar broke as it should. Love the marsh marigolds x

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    1. CT - that's the sensible option. I read once in someone's horsey biography, that he always left (roomy) leather headcollars on his TB broodmares. One night he woke, in a sweat, certain that his favourite mare was in trouble. He dressed, grabbed a torch and ran to the parkland where his broodmares lived, and found that his favourite had managed to get her hoof through the headcollar when she was wading in the lake, having a drink, and had fallen over and drowned . . .

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  5. I have really enjoyed my walk with you, I am walking a bit further now and am increasing my distance weekly.

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    1. I'm glad you are mending a little bit now Pam. Has the hospital sorted out any useful treatment yet?

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  6. I do so love seeing wild daffs.
    Arilx

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    1. I will try and post some of the daffodil photos (again) that I took in Dymock and area a couple of years ago. Oh my but they were divine.

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