Kirklee Farm

09/22/2025

Dynamics in the paddock are still shifting. Poe is working on Opal.

09/21/2025

I was worried about Old Ben last night. The unexpected rain we had yesterday brought a temperature drop with it and he wasn’t drying like the other three. He positioned himself with an overstuffed hay net in the last rays of the sunset after feeding time. When I checked on them before bed he didn’t approach me and if he’s uncomfortable or distressed he will come to us for help.

This morning he was just fine. I was worried for nothing.

09/20/2025

I don’t know what happened in the paddock yesterday while we were at work but at dinner time not a single youngster tried to steal another’s feed.

I’m not complaining, if this continues it’s gonna make feeding time so much easier and give me back another ten minutes.

09/19/2025

09/19/2025

I can’t wait for the day that I’m in a position to wake up and feed these goobers at a decent time. It will mean missing sights like this though.

09/19/2025

For a brief moment today Ben and Poe had a conversation over a hay pile. Mando broke it up but for about a minute the two of them just stood there looking at each other and chewing hay.

09/18/2025

09/17/2025

Scenes around the farm.

09/15/2025

This is our Ben!!

An Independent Nature🦄
(or what makes a "unicorn" of a horse - a unicorn?)

This is a photo of one of my dearest client’s four horses.

You can easily spot three of them. The fourth? He’s wandered off down the driveway on his own — you can see the arrow pointing him out.

I actually found this horse for my client a few years ago, because I knew he was special. Back then, I couldn’t quite put my finger on why. He was calm, easy-going, had more “whoa” than “go,” and seemed like the perfect partner for someone wanting to trail ride and have fun. Back then I put it down to “good temperament.”

Since then, thanks to learning about herd dynamics and the theories on the sensory processing of horses from Kerry Thomas (I will link you to his work in the comments), I have the language to describe exactly what makes him special.

He’s part of what, Kerry describes as the rare 15% of horses who can process and interpret their environment without relying as heavily on the need to outsource to other horses.

That independence means he regulates stress more effectively and doesn’t always need the herd to tell him how to feel. In practical terms, it makes him more forgiving, more reliable, and often much easier to enjoy in new or unpredictable situations.

There is a good chance most of us have met one of these horses. The horse that you realise now that was "easy going" and you probably labelled a "unicorn". Kerry's theory on herd dynamics identifies a trait and it is one you can learn to spot.

And this photo captures it beautifully — while the others stick together, he’s perfectly happy to head down the driveway solo, processing the world on his own terms.

This is Collectable Advice 24/365 of my notebook challenge to SAVE, or SHARE but - listen up content thieves - no copying and pasting 😎

Sensory Soundness and Herd Dynamics with Kerry M Thomas

09/15/2025

I think we officially have a herd now.