Newest addition: Carrick-a-rede Fhinn McGinn
At the end of March (as opposed to the beginning of the month, which is when we thought the foaling would happen) we welcomed a new little addition to the herd.
A baby colt! (Colt is what a young male horse is called.) I named him Fhinn – because we are just a stone’s throw from the Giant’s Causeway.
Baby Fhinn wasted no time settling in. Mum Babybel, on the other hand, was keen to get back to the herd and for her life to resume as normal. I kept her in for a few days after the birth, but being apart from the rest seemed to be stressing her needlessly. I got baby a calf coat, and out they went for socially distanced visits.
The band of bachelors seemed to take to the newest member very well. Before long, I was happy for them all to mingle together again.
Everyone takes turns at babysitting – Bel was in an entirely different field the other day, happily grazing, while baby was elsewhere exploring the world with one of his ‘uncles’.
It’s lovely observing the horses in as natural a habitat as can be provided. The foal is learning a lot of social skills from the herd, which will benefit him in his future role as someone’s pet. He really is a very civil little guy!
Contact
Address
80 A Whitepark Road,
Ballycastle,
Co. Antrim,
BT54 6LP
Phone
079 3887 6837
