This Time I'm Really Going To Do It

Watty1

Most Handsome - he who struggles to hack on his own due to nerves - got out and explored the neighbours field yesterday.  Fortunately a dog walker spotted him and came to let me know.  Not thinking things through, I grabbed a handful of treats and his headcollar and set of to catch him.   There was a large run of post and rail fence that was down and he had clearly jumped over it.  I caught him with ease. He found out the field that was very green was in fact a field of just sprouted rape and not grass and so the pony treats seemed wonderful!   I then realised we were being carefully watched by Charming Cob and young Fell.     So, if I walked Most Handsome home it was obvious that those two would also escape.   I suggested Most Handsome jumped the broken fence which he did with ease.

I was then faced with three horses all on an escape mission, I couldn't leave the gap, I only had one headcollar and no phone to call for back up.  Eventually I suggested to Charming Cob he could help out, and, that yes I knew Most Handsome's headcollar did not fit him but if I sort of held it on approximately would he walk across the field for me if I promised a bucket of food.    He is the most polite and amenable of the three and he graciously agreed.    The other two followed (I had hoped they might) and I was able to get all 3 out of the field and into the stables.

Then spent yesterday evening fencing half the field off with electric fence using the car headlights to see what I was doing.  

I know have a shopping list (a) fence tester as mine is not working properly (b) some portable flood lights for working in the dark (c) new electric fence tape.  I had to cobble together bits of old and broken tape.

I'm also rethinking the  work here.  I had hoped that the fencing would last until next year but having had a good look this morning I realise that much of it has rotten.   I'm going to make the outside work a priority despite the fact we are in winter!
                                                                        

themadvix

Oh Watty, that did make me smile - I could feel your dilemma as you stood there. Great horse whispering with Charming Cob, and well done to him for being amenable. Wasn't smiling so much at the thought of you doing the electric fence in the dark on your own - hope you had your phone with you by then and very much agree with your shopping list! Would a portable power pack be worth investing in (for the floodlights)? An Anker or similar?

Karmacat

Good grief, Watty, you did amazingly well there!  Yes, I can see your shopping list needing some alterations, however 😉

Suffolk_lass

Well done you! Capable woman swung into action and adapted to the circumstances. Be very proud of yourself!

daisy_1571

Well done all 3, that could have been quite a different story of hours running round various fields capturing and recapturing.

We have a Erbauer rechargeable led worklight.  Its triangular so sits on a stable base and you can twist the light to various angles as a worklight or you can hold it as a flash light.   Its got a really good strong floodlight for working in dark remote places.   You can buy different wattages, ours is 2000 lumens which is currently on scre@wf!x/b$q for  around £43, ebay have a 4000 lumen on bay of e for £56.  Ours charges in about 6 hours.  Would recommend that brand if any are in your price range

Daisy xx

Watty1

Thank you Daisy!  That looks a good one. I've spent quite a bit on new electrical tape for the fencing as much of what i have has been reused and bought a new tester so I can do any fixes more easily and check them.

A fencer was already booked for 7.30 AM Saturday to repair a gate post and I'm going to ask him to quote for repairing the rest so I think that will be my new front door and decorating fund going on fencing!  I've made a list of the outside jobs. I've decided to do as much of the outside work as I can afford to do rather than inside now.

In bright news I remembered to use TopCashBack and found I had £46 waiting to be claimed so that was a nice contribution to the electrical fencing money

KajiKita

Well wrangled! (Literally!! 😊) 
Love how these boards share knowledge and ideas 😊 Think that triangular light might be a Cmas present for Mr KK ❤️

KK

LadyWithAPlan

Well done on being so practical in the moment - good you have some funds to divert ! The no phone though must have been worrying

it reminds me when I was playing Ms Doolittle 18 months ago - luckily the horses never escaped but  the new rescue dog would escape daily and then a second one would jump out the window whilst the other 4 would look hopeful  .. not enough hands without leads to control them 

Well done on TCB -  have just found £35 in tcb from
insurance - only wish I had discovered cashback sooner over the years it adds up  

Watty1

The man to do the fencing did not turn up yesterday.  He had said he would be here at 7.30 am and no sign of him by 9.00 am so I called and left him a message.  No reply.  I am not impressed.  Rhetorical question:  why is it so hard to get anyone to do any work ??     I have had four people in to quote for various things and not one has even sent a price, I'm still waiting for the man with the wood chipper to turn up to chip the remains of a tree that came down and for the man to chop the logs!   

Still on the bright side I have the money to do the fencing as none of those jobs got quoted for or happened.

Watty1

Lovely sunny day here.  Have cleared and made a list of what is in the freezer as I realise my food spend is very high. I'm going to work on that over the next few weeks. First was find out what I actually had in there and next is to work on a plan to bulk cook.
Have posted on the old style board but I need some inspiration on using up some frozen peaches so if anyone has any ideas please fire away!

The fun stuff:  a local village has a scarecrow festival so suggested to the VNM we go and have a walk around the village with WattyDog.  The standard of the scarecrows was so high - the theme was "musical legends" and they were fabulous. We had fun finding them and posing with them and persuading WattyDog to pose too and then finished up with coffee and cakes in the village hall.   When I went in to get the map, the organiser heard us saying we were not sure we had cash for the coffee.  When we handed back our voting slips (you voted for your favourite) the man gave me £5.50.  i was baffled until he explained he wanted us to have coffee and cakes and had heard our conversation.  I was so touched.  By then we had realised we had enough coins but the generosity of a complete stranger really touched my heart.   

After the last few years with the ex I'm going to realise the world is filled with wonderful souls after all.