Kensmyth

Well as the weather turns to hay making – its Field Shelter moving time folks… with a little help from our friends!

who found the new field very satisfactory…

Known for breeding white socks and stars in our ponies of decades past, I love “playing” with the colour combinations with Alpaca whilst retaining strong genetic depth, conformation, temperament and fleece quality.

When you know what your own Sires have in their backgrounds and have seen them shorn… anything is possible.

2019 cria drop quality is amazing but I took my Vet by surprise recently when I showed him a deliberate mating to create a racehorse Alpaca … LOL

well with thunderstorms and Alpaca females birthing either late or 2 weeks premature and a premmie foal into the bargain with mating under way for all and the pony mares off at stud…

bird watching is the order of the day whilst we observe them – with Dads binoculars… apologies for the slightly out of focus shots but there is quite a range to be seen here LOL

well we are always looking for recommendations as to where to send our visiting Clients and as many returning clients have been to The Greyhound at Siddington, we tried the Thames Head on the way to Coates and I have to say it surpasses The Greyhound.

superb meals, friendly polite staff, large portions and plenty of choice…

  fresh garlic mushroom starter yum yum

  Bubble and Squeak with free range egg and bacon (hubby)

  fresh chicken breast with sour dough crust and crunchy chips

cant wait to go again and highly recommended

I also had their sticky toffee pudding with custard (huge) but forgot to take a photo and they have a jolly decent Chardonnay and beer choice too.

Well as we prepare the barns yet again for all inside for the storm due tomorrow, just had our girl inseminated, not just the Alpaca boys preparing for 2020 at the moment. thanks to assistance can cope at the moment with my injury nearly a year old! below the boy – not yet a week old – what a great future he has and will make over 17.2hh

well birthing is in full swing, more on that another time but its constantly  in and out for vulnerable mums with this torrential rain, every barn space booked here!

well it has shone on a few occasions and the crazy colts coats have yet to be discarded in full and we are June already…

at least they can look clean on occasion even if the forelock could do with taming!

We have received some very sad news that my Uncle has died. Our prayers go to his family and especially his children and to my Father who is his brother and of course Mum. It is a terrible thing to have to telephone your parents with such sad news and it is by no means the first time I have had to do this and I very much doubt it will be the last.

He was a cheerful happy gentleman, such a big part of my childhood and life – one of those people whom you never forget and always looked forward to seeing… my fondest memory of him was when we were sat at Aintree at breakfast and he asked me who I was going to put my money on in the Grand National. When I said “Red Rum” he burst out laughing and said he would never win for a third time – well guess who had the last laugh on that occasion. I remember he thought it was hilarious I should have predicted such a thing.

So many happy memories of a man who was devoted to his family and only wife who sadly lost her fight to cancer very young many decades ago and he stayed faithful to her memory. They will be together now of course.

I always have songs to remember people by and because of his total devotion to his wife and his memory of her after she died, I always thought he was so handsome it was such a waste and so Simply Reds song is the one that reminds me most of him with the words “ill keep holding on” because I know he was waiting to be with his beloved Ann again when he died. Play it and you will understand.

Rest in peace Uncle Eddie – you were a superstar.

its a curious term “unpacking” which is the giving birth terminology for Alpaca if you didn’t know… but “unfolding” is the term used for horses when foals are first born because well, they are definitely kinked up in the womb.

this is the first few shots of the very first ever Draught foal born to Kensmyth – enjoy…

  yes that’s the placenta!

yet to unfold

oh boy hes going to be big – his mum is nearly 17.2 hh and just look at those cannon bones !

place your bets now but I reckon he will make 18hh or thereabouts!

well as Mum says – its “that” time – anytime, anyplace, anywhere… birds and bees and Alpacas for 2020 !

inside, outside, with help, without help – that’s Alpacas for you!