Our Animals
“Animals are such agreeable friends - they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms.”
— George Eliot
Casey
Casey is our miniature pony, she is 5 years old. She waits at the gate to greet visitors. She checks all the mums’ handbags because she has learnt that is where the treats are kept. She has a little shelter under the cubbyhouse that is inside the chickens enclosure. The most special trick she can do is to lie down, then sit up, but only if we keep the treats flowing. All the big horses are wary of her, she can frighten then away from their dinner just by showing her rump. We often say she would be an awful mannered big horse.
Tilly
Beautiful Tilly. Such a smooch, she loves everyone and truly believes she is hungry all day. She is a stock quarter horse and she’s very inquisitive. She lives in the paddock with all the horse obstacles and we often find poles, flags and witches hats rearranged overnight.
Kimmy, Tilly & Norman
Kimmy, Tilly and Norman having some time out of their paddock. Sadly Norman passed away a few years ago. He had a racing reputation that was awful. Quite mad in the starting block. I loved riding him, he never forgot he was a race horse, fellow riders would hear the call ‘coming through’, and “Stormin’ Norman, would bolt to the lead and beyond. Quite mad, but I loved him.
Bringo
Bringo is a Kelpie collie dog. He is also the ultimate guard dog. All day he is on duty keeping chickens off the verandah, watching guinea pigs and rabbits and greeting anyone that comes to visit. He keeps Casey away from the dog water and dog food and tells me when he finds a chicken who hasn’t gone to bed. He comes with us on every horse ride and runs past paddocks of sheep, I feel he sort of wonders if there is something he is missing in life.
Frazzle the Chicken
Frazzle the chicken cracked out of an egg, she has frightful feathers and is larger than the others. She lays beautiful white eggs and is an enthusiastic Mum. She insists on sitting on the fertilised eggs for the last week only, pushing the small mums out and declaring they are all her babies, even though they don’t look like her in the slightest!
The Chicky Family
Part of the Chicky family, Queenie the rooster, Raleen, Goldie, Pinkie (we dye her pink at Easter) and Twiddle Dee. I love to sit with clients and feed the chickens. The family dynamics are all there. School bullies, shy friends, best friends, loners, big brother, the lot. Everyone can find their situation in a cluck of chickens.
Kimmy
Kimmy is 10 years old. She was bred in Peth for show jumping and dressage. But instead ended up on the race-track. Luckily she came to live with us after only a few races. We had high expectations for Kimmy, only to find out she stumbled over trotting poles then learnt it was easier to jump them all in one. In fact, anything Kimmy finds difficult she just clears with an almighty jump without much warning. At 52yrs, I have a heathy respect for Kimmy’s problem solving. What I love most about Kimmy, who is a big horse, she is a teddy bear with my clients, she really seems to know where they are at and helps them work through their feelings.
Rabbits and Guinea Pigs
Rounding off our gorgeous animal family are our rabbits and guinea pigs. These guys are so friendly. They love being given special treats to nibble on while meeting new and old visitors and friends.