The perfect end to the perfect day... When we got back at eleven o clock I walked down to the bottom meadow to check Velvet Dove who was due to foal any day but as she hadn't started to wax I thought it would be later on in the week when the weather improved. Well, as I approached her in the moonlight I could just make out a black shape next to her. My heart stopped as it wasn't moving and I thought it was dead, but suddenly it lifted its head and Dove whickered at it and I knew all was well.  When I got closer I was able to check it over and 'it' was a lovely filly foal (by Midnight Legend) in true feisty Dove style she wouldn't let her suckle so I phoned Doug to ask him to come down with the twitch. Whilst I was waiting and watching the foal taking her first steps I reflected on how very lucky we are to live in such a stunning place. The moon was glistening on the lake and I could hear the bubbling river as it went over the weir. The owls were shrieking at each other in the starlit sky. It was stunningly atmospheric and I felt very privileged to witness such a scene but also incredibly sad that the High Speed Railway was going to rip through this peaceful bucolic landscape.
Before I got too emotional Doug arrived with the twitch and we got the foal to suckle - Dove has done the same with her past two foals, she runs around in circles not allowing them to get anywhere near her teats, but when they do she is more than happy for them to continue. The foal had a good suck and at last we were able to go to bed. What a day!