Saturday 7th February - All 11 seen

At 14:30 this afternoon, the yearlings were sheltering from the rain in the gorse bushes on both sides of the path near ///shell.third.fabric, east of the ammo compound. When they saw me approaching, they decided to brave the elements and come out to greet me. They were very friendly, taking turns to enjoy plenty of strokes and rubs. All four were wet and covered in gorse, so they seemed pleased to have the loose sprigs brushed from their backs and sides.

After our initial greetings, the boys formed a loose circle around me on the track just south of the path and began to rest and chew their cud. One by one, they edged forward for more attention, thoroughly enjoying long neck and back scratches and returning the affection with licks and rubs from their wet heads. When the others felt one had received enough fuss, they would gently nudge him aside before taking his place. Despite several heavier showers, the boys weren't bothered in the slightest. All four were happy, relaxed, and looking well.

I said my goodbyes shortly before 15:30 and walked over to the tank pits to look for the ponies, only for the boys to follow close behind. The ponies were grazing in the pasture south of the eastern set of pits, but soon came over to greet me when they noticed me approaching. The boys hung back, though they made sure I didn’t forget about them with frequent moos.

The ponies took turns coming over to enjoy plenty of strokes and rubs. Although not as wet as the cattle, their coats were matted, which some gentle rubbing helped smooth out. They also seemed pleased to have loose gorse brushed from their backs and untangled from their manes and tails. All seven were happy, content, and in good condition.

After a while, the ponies returned to grazing among the gorse and heather but continued to wander over individually for more attention. They leaned in for long neck and shoulder rubs, offering gentle nuzzles and sweet cuddles in return.

By 16:30, both the cattle and ponies were grazing in the pastures on either side of the diagonal track leading towards the water trough. The ponies were browsing gorse, while the cattle preferred the heather. I split my time between the two groups, though yearling 276 was especially keen on extra strokes and rubs. I said my goodbyes at 17:00, leaving everyone grazing peacefully near ///steadier.stays.guilty.

The cows and the ponies were all good today.