Some more freaky weather today, snow, then sun, then snow, then sun but always FREEZING!!!! At least there is blue sky :-D

Mack lost his soul mate back in January and we were worried he would close off and deteriorate. Thankfully, he found a new friend in the new arrival Gus, who has been an absolute godsend to not only Mack but the whole herd. As you can see, these two stick together like glue but Gus's wisdom basically held the herd together after the loss. He has not only shown amazing empathy but also fantastic leadership. Every single herd member loves him and he has settled so well, he is loved by us all and has the most amazingly funny personality. His love of life is so plain to see, showing interest in everything and everyone and his communication skills are fantastic. Gus is definitely a gift to Mack from heaven <3

Things have been absolutely hectic between moving the horses, building work, meeting new friends (Mr Pheasant) and visits to the hospital. The horses are doing well, Gus got a bit upset when he saw the lorry, poor boy thought he was leaving the herd but soon settled knowing that they are still all together. It hasn't helped there being a storm, roll on spring.

When the youngsters think they're GANGSTA.............

Share share share!!!

It’s been our worst winter yet and we are now desperately trying to catch up with what we owe plus try to raise money to help with our running costs. The care of the horses is always our top priority, this sadly has meant that our time has had to be spent on their care and not having enough people on the ground, we were unable to get out and fundraise. It has cost us an arm and a leg over winter, with basic costs (without vets and farriers) coming in at around £1500 per month, and we only receive £100 a month in donations, the rest comes from the pockets of our trustees. We have managed to find somewhere for the horses that saves us £250 per month on rental costs but to get us there we have had added costs on top of our normal costs which has basically stretched us a bit too far. It’s a worry at the best of times with very little money coming in but during this winter our bills went through the roof between Spirit and then Aiyanna and all the added feed, haylage and rental costs to keep the horses healthy. We have had to turn several horses in need away which is a horrible feeling knowing that it is simply behavioural issues but we know we can’t take anymore on in the meantime. We tried to raise money with a justgiving campaign but sadly only raised £180 and after Justgiving took their cut we got £168.61 which gets us 1 weeks supply of haylage and 2 bags of feed. Being a charity is far from easy, we do what we can to give these horses somewhere to be that is safe, we work with them 7 days a week and make sure all their needs and more are met, we give up everything we have to ensure they get what they need, sadly, at this time, we literally have nothing more we can give up. We are appealing for help through a very difficult time and hope and pray we can get some donations through the door to get us over this rough patch. Even just a one off donation of £1 from many of you will help us through. Thank you for reading and if you can help we will be eternally grateful <3 Shelby Mcwilliam (Trustee) Account Number - 00116215 Sort Code - 83-26-44 OR PayPal - donate@katiescradle.co.uk

Horses all safe and well and getting through the #beastfromtheeast I think we are all looking forward to this awful time passing.

The weather has been atrocious and with roads blocked by snow drifts there has been no other option but to 'hoof' it. #beastfromtheeast #dedication #horsecare #charitywork

Very apt for us just now lol Dec 20 - It’s started to snow. The first of the season and the first we’ve seen for years. The wife and I took out our hot toddies and sat on the porch watching the fluffy soft flakes drift gently down clinging to the trees and covering the ground. Its so beautiful and peaceful. Dec 24 – We awoke early to a lovely blanket of crystal white glistening snow covering the landscape. What a fantastic sight, every tree and bush covered with a beautiful white mantle. I shovelled snow for the first time ever and loved it. I did both our driveway and our pavement. Later a snowplough cam e along and accidentally covered up our driveway with compacted snow from the street. The driver smiled and waved. I waved back and shovelled it away again. Dec 26 – It snowed an additional 5 inches lat night and the temperature dropped to around minus 8 degrees. Several branches on ours trees and bushes snapped due to the weight of the snow. I shovelled our driveway again. Shortly afterwards the snowplough came by and did his trick again. Much of the snow is now brownish-grey. Jan 1 – Warmed up enough during the day to create some slush which soon became ice when the temperature dropped again. Bought snow tyres for both our cars. Fell on my a*** in the driveway. £100 to a physio but nothing broken. More snow and ice expected. Jan 5 – Still cold. Sold the wife’s car and bought her a Landrover to get her to work. She slid into a wall and did considerable damage to the right wing. Had another 8 inches of white s*** last night. Both vehicles are covered in salt and iced up slush. More shovelling in store for now. The b****** snowplough came by twice today. Jan 9 – More f****** snow. Not a tree or bush on our property that has not been damaged. Power was off most of the night. Tried to keep from freezing to death with candles and a paraffin heater which tipped over and nearly burnt the house down. I managed to put out the flames but suffered 2nd degree burns on my hands. Lost all my eyelashes and eyebrows. (Car hit a f******* deer on the way to casualty and was written off.) Jan 13 – F******* b****** white s*** keeps on coming down. Have to put on all the clothes we own just to get to the post box. If I ever catch that a******* that drives the f****** snowplough, I’ll chew open his chest and rip his heart out with my teeth. I think the b****** hides round the corner and waits for me to finish shovelling and then he comes down the street at 100 mph and buries the f****** driveway again. Jan 17 – 16 more f****** inches of f****** sleet and f****** ice and God knows what other kinds of white s*** fell last night. I wounded that b****** snowplough driver with an ice axe but he got a way. F****** car won’t start. I think I’m going snow-blind. Can’t move my f****** toes. Haven’t seen the sun in weeks. More f****** snow forecast. Minus 20 degrees. F*** this. I’m moving back to Clapham.

As it is The Founders Birthday, I thought I would share with you all what my time at Katie’s Cradle has been like. I started as a volunteer back in May/June 2016. I went there thinking that I was an experienced equestrian, but I never knew how wrong I was. Through Katie’s Cradle I have learned that being and equestrian isn’t just about riding and basic care, it is also about reading your horse, learning from them, and communicating with them at their level. I was your basic horse girl, using the horses for my own personal enjoyment, I rarely thought about whether my horse was enjoying my company, but that is the main thing you have to understand here. You have to see these animals for what they are, Sentient Beings. If the horses do not want to work with people or train one day, then they won’t. We will not force them. We want them to be Willing Participants in everything they do. Sharon mainly trains our horses using liberty work, that way, if the horses are uncomfortable with anything, they can walk away. By allowing them to be willing participants, we give them the go ahead to be who they are. In the normal horsey world horses are punished for doing undesirable behaviours, which yeah fair enough, if it’s dangerous then they cannot be allowed to continue the behaviour. But unfortunately, most of the behaviours that are discouraged are the behaviours that the horses use to either communicate to us, or to express themselves. For example; horses nibbling at you while you groom them can be seen as an undesirable behaviour, but it is actually one of the most loving things a horse can do to their owner. They are grooming you back. It is a bonding behaviour between horses. It shows that your horse sees you as a friend. They also use this behaviour to reassure each other. If this is the case then your horse is turning to you for reassurance in a stressful situation. As horses have come into Katie’s Cradle it is clear to see the change in them, in most cases immediate change, and it has been an absolute privilege to be part of that. Sharon has taught me how to effectively communicate, read and handle these horses. I can handle difficult horses and help them calm down and realise that whatever it is, is not that scary. I have learned that I have to work hard to earn trust and respect from the horses and I can’t just expect it from them. I have learned that anything the horses do for me is their choice and I should be deeply grateful for it. My knowledge of horses and their care has greatly improved, but so have I. My confidence and self-esteem have skyrocketed. I have been able to take charge of volunteers and horses. I have been able to organise events and send professional e-mails to companies and estates. I was also able to play a main part in the charities administrative work. Throughout my time at Katie’s Cradle I have come on leaps and bounds. I started as a voluntary poo picker and I am now a charity Trustee. I have constantly surprise myself with what I am able to do and what I learn. And it is all thanks to Sharon and the Katie’s Cradle Horses. So thank you, and Happy Birthday. Shelby Mcwilliam (Trustee)

Today Braes Equestrian held the draw for the raffle. Well done to Fiona Kennedy who was the winner of the amazing hamper. An amazing £51 was raised in the raffle which goes directly into our Feed & Bedding account. We would like to say a big thank you to Braes and all their customers who supported the raffle to help with feed and bedding costs <3 If you would like to donate, you can do so via Paypal/donate@katiescradle.co.uk Direct to Bank RBS Katie's Cradle Account Number 00116215 Sort Code 83-26-44 Direct to Feed Supplier- Braes Equestrian 01324717765 Direct to Vet- Forth Valley Vet 01786430387