Storm Barbara seems to have come and gone here: we did get a huge amount of rain for a couple of hours and it is till a tad windy but otherwise, all is good. We were glad that the cows were inside their pad though, the rain left standing water in various places which their ‘delicate’ little feet would definitely have turned to mud!
Before all this however, we moved the alpacas into the 4-acre and oh my goodness, what fun they then had. They have never been in this field before and the excitement proved way too much. Led by Jupiter, they galloped off into the distance and then galloped back down towards us and then galloped off once more. The cows stood watching in disbelief and the sheep did not know whether to join in or hide. We never cease to be amazed and delighted by animals’ capacity for simply and plainly just thoroughly enjoying themselves. The alpaca’s ‘jolly’ reminded us of the cows run around when they first went into the bottom 3-acre. It is interesting to compare with the sheep whose immediate reaction when entering a new field is to get their heads down and eat!!! The goats are even more of a contrast. In our experience, new places or situations actually make them fearful as proved by their reaction this morning to their ‘new’ goat path. Curds (always first out and ‘top dog’) was seriously scared by the now finished path and had to be encouraged to use it to get to the field shelter. The others only overcame their worries when they could see that she had and was safe in the shelter.
Not that sheep and goats don’t ‘enjoy’ themselves: provide goats with something to climb on or give a sheep a good neck/face chuckle and you will have very happy animals!!!