Mystery Photo Number 1 from N/L No 8 revealed: -

Exbury Am-EX & Sheena Atkinson

How nice to see Amee and myself as a mystery! I won't go in to too much detail about Amee, as most of you would have read our story in the 2nd newsletter and know all the trauma and drama we've been through together and how special he is to me.  Instead I will tell you about the move.  Paul (my partner) accepted a job with the NFU, great, more money less pressure, the only little thing being, we had to move from Hampshire to the Somerset/Devon border. That is Paul, myself, three dogs, one cat, seven horses (now eight as Tansi foaled) eight ducks and three chickens also the horse lorry & trailer, three tractors a baler, bale sled, bale grab, mower, fertiliser spreader, two tipping trailers, topper, chain harrows, Roller, bale trailer, two smaller trailers, various gates, fencing, contents of tack room, work shop numerous piles of wood plus log store and many many more items and of course the house contents, that actually was not too bad as NFU were paying for that.

As you can imagine we had to start moving machinery etc down a few weekends before, there was no way we could do it in a day, my eldest son Paul helped along with a few other volunteers (well, they sort of volunteered!)  February 20 th arrived, I'd had a terrible night, felt really lousy running a high temperature just wanted to stay in bed, but no way, we were moving.  Off to do Amee and say goodbye, we'd decided to take two horses down with us and collect the rest on Friday, we needed to make stalls for Amee and Nightie as we had big black insulated polytunnels, in fact they are quite good, about 80' x 30' so lots of room and nice and dry.  Anyway Amee sorted, back home for the off, the removal lorry is in the drive packed to the hilt ......But with a puncture!!!!! We had to wait for the cavalry to arrive and fix it, so, I thought I'll hitch the trailer up ready to go off and collect Tansi & Nightie, but hang on, where is the trailer key, Paul said last night I didn't need it because it was unlocked so..... I packed it!!!!!!!!!!!

Paul asked which box it was in!!!!! all the boxes are white with Brittania on!! You can just imagine how happy the guys were to open the lorry up and look in boxes! Fortunately I remembered it was in one of the last boxes to be packed so it wasn't long before we found the key, although Paul was adamant we would not go and leave the trailer behind!!!

So off we all departed, Somerset here we come.  By the time we arrived, and I'd towed the trailer down with the horses in, I felt really lousy, once the lorry was off-loaded and the horses settled in the field, the helpers all left I went to bed, or maybe crashed out on top, I could not do another thing.  Next day my sister and a friend arrived, which was great, there were about 30 boxes in the kitchen, boxes in the bedrooms living room, office everywhere, they just went through and unpacked and filled cupboards drawers etc.

Paul and I sorted stabling out for Amee and Nightie and unpacked as much as we could in the yard. The dogs were having a great time, lots of new things for them to explore, the chickens and ducks settled in okay, the cat escaped and that was the last we saw of him for two weeks then he just turned up, rather Hungary but okay.  Friday soon came around and so back to Hampshire for the other horses, we travelled 5 loose in the lorry and put Amee and Laddy in the trailer.  I was quite worried about the horses coming here as the grass is very thick and lush, thought they would all get the runs and probably laminitis, however, I am very pleased to say that they have all settled in remarkably well, no problems with the grass, they all seem very happy. 

Tansi produced a lovely New Forest x Appaloosa filly foal. This is the fourth part-bred we have produced as we can see what a lovely cross the New Forest and Appaloosa make, which will be a wonderful start for adults or children wanting to get into the breed at an affordable price. Amee has been brilliant, met some llamas at the end of the lane, also lots of pigs around but no problem, the only mishap was just before Amee was due to do the equine event at Malvern he threw a shoe and stood on a nail!! We couldn't go.

The two things I miss the most about Hampshire are my two sons and first grandchild who I desperately miss, also the riding on the New Forest with no rode work, all that I have here is roadwork, although they are very quiet lanes with hardly any traffic.  The plus side is, we have a lovely big bungalow, just under 10acres of land, all the animals around us a wonderful scenic view and peace and tranquillity. Also our immediate neighbours are great.

We have also now acquired a peacock and a guinea fowl, was a pair of peacocks but the peahen did a runner, also a trio of guinea but two took off and the ducks are now down to 5.

So folks that's about it, I'll look forward to seeing you all at the breed show where I hope you'll come and say hello. Amee will be there along with one of our part-breds, which of course will be for sale.