A Real Horseman

 

Jim Bolger won the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket, by using every method to get his colt, New Approach, to the start. He duly one.

The horse had a friend with him and he was used to pony him down to the start. it is always in attention to detail that you gain that small edge that creates victory.

The Definitive Water Trough

 

Water troughs can be a real pain on a stud. And although I have no experience on a cattle farm too.

You plumb one in and rest assured on the wettest and coldest day in the winter something will fail. In the pitch dark you will be trying to avoid pouring a large number of litres of water from creating a quagmire.

From many years experience of fixing the damn things, I like to think that I've come up with a better way of doing things. I probably haven't, as there will always be better methods and I suspect others have gone down the same route as I have.

So what do I do that is different?


One thing is obvious from the picture and that is that there is no back rail, so that the trough can be tipped backwards to both empty it and remove it from its cradle.

You will also notice that instead of hard-plumbing the trough into the cradle it's connected to the water through standard Hozelock components. This means that the trough can be quickly disconnected and removed.

This arrangement also has other advantages.

1. Water is often needed in the paddocks on a stud. Just unclip the connector and fill a bucket.

2. You can also use these connectors to join a hose to the trough, so that this can be used to perhaps fill an adjacent broken trough or supply water to trees.

But the whole point of this arrangement is to avoid using tools in a field on a cold and wet day.

Outside Painting

 

The various local planning authorities have said that the building must be painted black or dark brown. Here's the preferred dark brown coat going on over the primer.


Some prefer the primer. Do you?

The Floor Goes In

 

This is the tiled floor that will sit over the under-floor heating.

The building is starting to look good.

Helping Hands

 

I had a lot of help today making the connections to the drinkers in the field more secure.


Lizzie doesn't do much but she does sit around, taking it all in. At least she doesn't run off with the tools.


These are the trouble-makers and note how one foal has his teeth in the pipe, trying to rip it off. I'll probably put a bar across to stop it.

This bunch are like a bored load of spotty teenagers standing around on a street corner. Anything that happens and they're up to no good.


Note that in this picture, I've replaced the Hozelock fitting with a Jubilee clip. Well not a real Jubilee clip but a Chinese copy.

It's a Foal's Life

 

This five really are a lazy bunch.

Deer at Kings Wood

 

We were at Kings Wood, between Bury St. Edmunds and Thetford on Sunday and this roe deer stood on the walk and just stared at us and the two basset hounds.


Note the couple with the dog in the distance.

I've enlarged the deer here and you can see the white patch on the rump.


For more information on the six types of deer you can see in the UK, visit the British Deer Society.

Wind Turbine

 

There is a house with a wind turbine on the horizon towards Hobbles Green.

It's interesting in that I always think wind turbines are ugly and rather a blot on the landscape. But in this case, I'll make an exception, as I feel the house stands out a lot more.

Foals in the Mist

 

This picture was taken in the early morning mist, just after some of this years foals had been fed.


Here the next group of foals are being fed.

Painting Starts

 

The painting of the offices has now started.

Completing the Floor

 

The floor is now dry and ready for tiles.

The first picture shows the reinforcement being laid. The rather odd boxes with blocks on top are the power sockets in the floor.


In this second picture, the final coat of cement is being laid.

The Completed Bridge

 

This is the completed bridge described earlier in Bridging a Ditch.


Note that since the top has been grassed.

The Underfloor Heating

 

The stud office will use underfloor electric central heating.

This might seem a strange choice, but electricity is a very flexible method of power and who knows what method of generation will be used in the future; wind or solar power.

The key to a good underfloor heating system is good insulation underneath.


The wires are laid out here.


The interesting point is that the wires for the floor were laid in well under a day.

Completing the Framework

 

The front of the offices have an oak beam framework, that mimics the original building that has been replaced.

Lifting them into place is not easy and needs a small hand operated fork-lift.




The completed structure is now becoming apparent.