A Visit to the Two Little Frenchies

Mum and Dad have been to see Caladeux and her baby filly foal, Eclipse, commonly known as Elly.

Mum said that Cally is even prettier in real life, but shy, and the little foalie person has the longest legs in the world and is quite delightful. I am surprised she did not smuggle them back in the car with them.

Cally is a bit overwhelmed, new place, languages to learn, plus she has to chill out as now she doesn't have to worry about anything. A charity has taken her on for the rest of her life, so as soon as Elly is weaned, Cally will either retire completely or perhaps find a new career as a riding pony if she feels she wants to pursue professional development in this way.

She is one of the last of the lucky french ones as the farm she came from all the horses will be going for slaughter very soon, as they don't want to run it any more. From my point of view, this is excellent news, as they won't be having any more horses, but for the horses,donkeys and foals there it's the worst of news, as unless some money is found for them very quickly, they have no chance whatsoever.

I am very very upset about this - some of them are just 12-15 months old, some are this year's foallies with their mums, still drinking her milk, it is awful. I am powerless to do anything for them and it makes me so so sad that I can't help them.

A new member of the family

One of the battery hens has fulfilled her life's ambition, she has hatched out a chick. Of course she chose a pretty inconvenient time to do it, one of those Saturdays that Aimee was off fund raising and suddenly kitten pens were put up, mother and baby inserted into pen, chicken pellets put in the magimix and made into crumbs.

Just what you need when you are busy and trying to get Aimee donkey clean, loaded and out there strutting her stuff.

Mum says that chick is now getting quite big and is convinced it will of course be a cockerel given she already have 4 of these useless things already. She's not even convinced that the hen that thinks it is the mum is actually the mum. She is a typical red/brown battery hen, but the chick is black with silver legs, which is suspiciously like the cochin hens she has, and the daddy has to be the cuckoo speckled maran cross.....so she thinks the mum has to be the cochin but for whatever reason the little battery girl has claimed it as her own.

She is totally made up about it. In the daytime, she and the baby go into Molly's stable and run around. She has been teaching it how to scratch and dig, and mum says she isn't quite as ferocious as she was on day one, when she would have killed you if you tried to go near her baby.

I am pleased for her, it must be sad to lay all those eggs with no result! She is a very very proud mum and at night time you can see her, sitting down to sleep, with the little head of the baby sticking out from under her feathers. Aw. I want one of those too.

We Have Been House Sat

They cleared off and left us for a few days.....we were inspected by this lady called Evonne who was left to deal with us!

Well of course, Rosie played up, managed to lose her muzzle. The rest of us however got a Gold Star for being talented well behaved donkeys who did exactly what mum said we would do.....

We were pleased to see her back, particularly as they were late....it was almost dark....something about a 3 hour boat trip on Lake Windermere. I ask you, is that more important than getting a donkey's dinner and putting them to bed. I was very very hurt and tried to sulk, but couldn't keep it out....

Have to say the place was much tidier and cleaner when they were away.....mum says she is ashamed that the house looked tidier and cleaner as well.....

Aimee Saves Another Little Life

That donkey really does do it - any collection, another little one safe and sound.

Beautiful little chestnut filly, only 3 years old, far too young to die.

I like the look of her, we are going to be pen pals I hope. Vodka donkey has to admit that Aimee really does have the fund raising gene, or genie in her case.

Aimee Saves Lives

Aimee, bless her little cotton socks, did her fund raising at the weekend and people just loved her - why I don't know. She is an annoying little spotted thing, in my esteemed opinion, but she seems to sway hearts and get the pennies going into her tin.

She raised £700! What an amazing little donkey. There was so much stress for her, as a little mare and her baby - Caladeux and her foal Eclipse - were waiting for another £500 to save their lives so no pressure Aimee, get the money or they get the bullet.....Aimee says if it had been for me, Vodka donkey, she would have downed tools and refused to be charming, but as it was for an amazingly sweet little pony and her filly foal, she fluttered her long eyelashes, walked the walk and talked the talk, so to bray.

What a clever donkey she is, even I have to admit it. These two will be safe and sound soon!

Pivione Tibere and Now Ulysses

As a compassionate Vodka donkey, I was very very upset that these three little donkeys were going for the unkindest cut, i.e. the chop.

I did my best, got Aimee galvanised into fund raising and the excellent news is that Pivione, a lovely little grey girl donkey - hey we could have been pen pals and good friends you know - her son Tibere and a little one year old friend, Ulysses, are all safe at Sussex Horse Rescue Trust.

Me, I am thrilled, while it would be great to meet them and rub noses and do all the usual hi how are you stuff, you can say hello to my other french friends in Sussex, like Kevin, Padraig etc. They are nice donkeys too, maybe you could all make a video and send it to me.

For the moment, here are a few shots of the lovely trio.

They look so relaxed already.

August Has to be better than July

July was all doom and gloom, horses getting killed, nothing happening.

I thought that August would be better, we might be into bbq season as promised, but no, mud mud mud, rain rain rain.

Only good thing is at least I am coming into my stable again at night.....

Some good comes out of bad weather.