Journal
18th April 2024
Tim and Charlie spent three hours – hauling and heaving on a bull calf. Here he is, all of 15 seconds old, and mum’s ready to charge!
9th April 2024
Waiting outside Mutch Meats Abbattoir in April 2024, I spoke with a nearby farming inspector, just back from a visit to a 4,000 strong herd of cows in Beijing.
Incredible set up, and impressive management, he related to his Chinese counterpart,
“But what do you do with the animals that die, from disease, or any other cause?”
“Well, we tell the Communist Party that we bury them…but actually we just leave the deadstock around the back and people come from the City and cut up what they want and take it away – not much remains by the next day.”
We forget how lucky we all are, living in a rich country.
Saturday 16th March 2024 –
The Courtfield Cup, two home breds ready to race “Tim” and “The Cock”
….6 or 7 miles…£1500 prize money.
There were a few wobbly tired horses at the end… this race trumps the Cheltenham Festival all day long.
19th March 24
Cheltenham races have been and gone, and we can start to look forward to spring, after the wettest winter in living memory. My land beside the river flooded five times, when once is the average.
But most exciting of all is to see the muck spreader in action – thank you Jolyon King. Grow grass, grow!
15th December 23
Charlie attended seminar on breeding and youngstock by Bourton Vale Equine, Aled Thomas, Lucy Collins and Ollie Crowe. They’ve all got more letters after their names than in their names.
According to Ollie, we should all be breaking and starting our ponies at age 2, not age 3. Horses bred for the flat race at 2, and show significantly better soundness later in life than National Hunt bred horses that may not be backed until 3 or 4, and some are not raced until 5. Ligaments in 2 year olds can be “trained” and the tendons will improve if you exercise at that age.
It is perfectly obvious that our Colgate Farm steep hills for foals is good. I guess two legged professional sportsmen who were put through the mill as teenagers have the same records over others who only start when adults. We feed our foals and yearlings at the top of the hill and water them at the bottom of the hill. That way they work from an early age, and it is nice to see this theory backed by science – thank you, Ollie.
7th December 23
Foot trimmed and ready to go out, let ’em go Paula!
20th October 23
Somerford blocked off for two hours by floods as water comes off the fields onto the roads. Weirdly the river did not even burst her banks a day later, and here is a photo just 36 hours later – all dried out again on The Banks.
Thursday 5th October 23 – a great day – the rest of the sheep to market! Prime prices are £103, cull ewe prices well down at £75 her head. No more dagging / shearing / foot rot / fly strike / complaints / dog problems and lots of grass.
20 more horses have arrived for the winter, including a collection of ten bays/browns from one owner – distinguished by just 3 white socks and 2 stars between all nine horses. A triumphant scene of identification ensured.
HORSES – AUTUMN
“If you break a horses confidence, it could take years to get it back, but if you break it’s heart, you’ll never get it back.”
HORSES – WINTER
“It takes two lifetimes to learn to ride.”
High Goal ponies on The Banks with Paula.
HORSES – SPRING
“You can see the quality of the horse in the nostril – a course, heavy nostril belies a course, heavy brain, so look for an elegant nostril and a delicate nose”
Video of “Snoopdog” by the famous polo-sire Hip-Hop, who was also bred at Colgate Farm by James Beim.
HORSES – SUMMER
“If you have a horse that you really love, it will come back to you seven years after it dies.” Old Gypsy saying.
The Pasture
FENCING
Top of the range equine fencing
Cattle and Sheep
For the best pasture, cattle and sheep must follow horses. Our herds of Belted Galloways and mixed store cattle join 250 sheep in ensuring the pasture is spot on for the horses.
HORSES
Our horse of a lifetime: watch this jump!
“The Cock”
LISA
The best of all of us. Valé click here
