My last two days in Clevedon

I cannot believe that it's already been ten days since I came to Clevedon (I also can't been only that!) I've felt so instantly at home here and I almost wish I wasn't having to leave so soon. I've had a fantastic time here working and not working, everyone has been so lovely and they really hav become family! I'll be sad to leave but it's see you later not a goodbye! However there are more adventures to make happen and another 7 months to make be most of yet!! 

I've had a busy and also relaxing last two days at Clevedon though. Yesterday I was up at 6:30 and made pancakes for everyone who wanted any (my favourite part of that was seeing Neil bolting across the yard when the pancake phone call was made!! I don't blame him, they we're good! 😉) 

I then headed out to help Kate with the horses, it's become almost habitual and I think we work quite well as a team 😌 I've really enjoyed being her right hand lady this week, and I've learnt a lot both watching her and just by doing what she's asked me to (and her talking my through the why and how) lots of handy tips in training and feeding and in dealing with bigger horses, and possibly some that I can apply to the two hairy beasts that I've left at home. I'm really missing those wee sweethearts after spending so much time around these other horses this week. I'll need o get my mum to FaceTime me to them once she's back from Edinburgh!😂

Anyway, by mid morning it was time to do another Fugato semen collection. This time we got a lovely lady (who's name I've forgotten) to come and help us since Sheena is still not feeling 100% . This lady is does this professionally in failing season and the job was done expertly and freakishly calmly considering there is a huge horny stallion about to jump on top of her! 

The semen was then tested and counted (put through a clever machine that tells you how many mares this much semen can inseminate - it was 13 by the way!!!) and yes that's the semen sample in that plastic bottle there, counter on the left and microscope on the right. 

For lunch Sheena treated me to a trip to the seaside town of Maraetai for lunch! It was delicious; I had fish and chips and an NZ soda L&P, yum! We had a wee walk along the beach with the pups before heading home. 

I had a slow afternoon; rearranging the rosettes and sashes in the horse truck, and setting up the foaling gizmo that Sheena bought! Very clever, one receiver that collects information from two small devices that you attach to your pregnant mare's halter, then here is a receiver that collects this info and sends it to an app that you can access anywhere! It tells you if your mare is agitated, moving around , lying down...very cool. 

 (Pic of mare machine) 

After dinner I also got a chance to FaceTime home! One call to Edinburgh where mum and sister (and Denitsa) were, and one call to the college in Stornoway to spray to father :) just lovely to see their faces. 

Wednesday 6th September: 
Slowish start this morning as it was wet and mucky outside! A crash of thunder woke me up at 4:30am and then again (a louder one) at 6:30am, and then it absolutely poured work heavy rain for about 2 hours!  Kate then lunged Lily and the other working horses. 

I also washed all my trousers so Sheena let me borrow a pair of riding trousers, don't I look cool 😎 haha 

Then Petra the vet came again to inseminate one of the brood mares, Ella. The next wee sequence of pics shows some parts of the process :) 

  

    

Then in th afternoon I made some banana cake and we ate most of it! I also put my graphic design skills to use by making Sheena a wee Facebook ad for a bit of PR for her stallion. 

Late afternoon I started saying my goodbyes, to all the animals and then to the lovely people that wouldn't be coming through to Auckland tonight (so basically everyone but Sheena and Dermot) 

After Kate and I put all the horses to bed Sheena drove me into Auckland to her and Dermot's apartment in town, where I'm going to stay tonight until I catch my bus up to Paihia, the next stop on my adventure.