NEWS FROM THE FIELD - October 2024

May 2022, posted by Isabelle

OCTOBER 2024

Gandalf, the swan!

We had the pleasure to host a very unusual guest. A swan, (he/she, I never quite figured out which it was) walked from the river onto our land one day and settled down at the farm, cleary attracted by the company of our flock and reassured that their home would offer him a safe haven for his short holiday.

I called him Gandalf - not that i am a fan of the Lord of the Rings - but i thought that his majestic gait and poise had some sort of similarity with the world re-known wizard.

Gandalf settled down beautifully and became comfortable with my presence etremely quickly. My sons did not share the same confidence and warned me repeatedly that i was about to pay a high price for my sudden and irresponsible friendship with a bird of this size. They were of the opinion that a bashing of Gandalf's wings and a taste of his serrated beak were rapidly heading my way and woud leave me crippled for life!

None of their predictions happened and Gandalf quickly learnt to adapt his life style to our ways. It was an absolute pleasure and privilege to share a moment with this huge and magnificent bird. He was polite and gentle, always moving slowly and with consideration, never showing any agression or anger. He had put his turst in myself and all the inhabitants of the farm without question.
Not quite all the inhabitants in fact, the geese, always on the look-out for anything that could disrupt their peace and threaten their little world, were not too happy with this large intruder and behaved towards him like a gaggle of thugs. Gandalf, despite his towering stature, decided it was best to back down and remain out of harm's way.

Unfortunately, despite his size, Gandalf was still potential prey and received one night, the close attention of a fox. He escaped unscathed except for an injury to one of his legs. Unable to walk properly and most certainly feeling weakened and unsafe, he went back to the river to take care of his wounded leg. He laid it carefully onto his back, and stayed in the same spot for a few days, close to the bank, avoiding the powerful current raging in the middle of the river. Despite his effort to stay with us, little by little he drifted down stream to my utter disapointment.
I went searching for him a few days later and found him in a little creak, away from the turbulence of the water. I then lost sight of him.

I am always hoping that Gandalf made a ful recovery from his unfortunate encounter, will come back or live long enough to tell tales and inspire his kind to pay us a visit.
That was truly a lovely experience.

JULY 2024

All About Dolly Poppins!

Dolly is a Gypsy Cob with a long, thick mane, a tail a la Rapunzel and thick feathers on each of her feet. Catching Dolly In full gallop is a ravishing sight. She has a way to jump, buck and shake her head that emphasises the natural beauty of her attributes and defines her as the little Lady that she is.
She is a Dolly!
I looked for her as a companion for Mikado who I rescued about 2 years before I got her. I was struglling so much with him that my friend Marie, who is teaching me natural horsemanship, encouraged me to get a second horse, but for myself. The thought was a scary one. My first response and deepest fear were that i was going to end up with 2 problems as opposed to 1.
I went on looking though, partly out of curiosity and partly hoping to find a horse that would suit my needs and my novice skills.
A few weeks or months later, i found Dolly, hidden away in North Devon. I asked my son to accompany me for moral support and we set off to get her, pulling our newly acquired horse box.
I never regretted it.

Has it been easy? Absolutely not!
Dolly is a Dolly, a little Madam, full of character and willfulness, but also, should I say it, full of charm and loveliness. She knows that it is easy to fool me and enjoys setting up challenges along the way, hurdles for me to jump, hoping to discourage me and get away with murder! She has a book full of magic tricks and goes through the table of contents wondering ...“Hmm!, Which one should I be pulling today!”

It is impossible not to fall in love with Dolly. She is undeniably cheeky, full to the brim with mischief and at the same time incredibly loving and respectuful - once i have learned how to earn her respect, that is. She may be pulling tricks on me but never goes beyond what I can't handle. She looks after me through the challenges she slkillfully sets up for me, which does nothing more than making me a better rider and a better human and which, above all strengthens our partnership and respect for each other.
She is a wonderful teacher and truly lives by her name:
Dolly Poppins!

FEBRUARY 2024

The Old Chapel of Ermington has openend its doors to guests and visitors of our Farm.
If you ever think of a short break in Devon and are visiting friends for a special occasion, we would be delighted to welcome you to stay in the large suite located in the old vestry of the building. It is a private space with its own entry, lounge and dining areas, an emperor size bed and a shower room.

The field is nearby and should you wish to meet our animals, we will love to introduce you to our alpacas, horses and goats. As you may have gathered from all our newsletters, I am passionate about my animals and would like nothing more than share my love for them.

The Old Chapel is also the home of Materia Aromatica and samples of our essential oils will be made available for you to test and experience.
The listing of the Old Chapel is on Airbnb with numerous pictures of the suite and of the animals. Just search for Ermington UK. Bookings can be made through Airbnb. Should you have any query, please contact Isabelle on 0776933907.

To know more about what we do, visit our Youtube channel
ALPACA TRAINING AT LIBERTY