In the beginning!

This was what our funny little boy looked like on the day we first set eyes on him. We went to the Rare Breeds farm at Cholderton to have a look at their Eriskays, because I'd been researching the breed for about a year and wanted to see if they were as good as I'd read.

I'd been saying to Andrew (my husband) for a long time that my next horse would be called Merlin, and his reply was always 'what horse?, there won't be another one'! When we saw the ponies at Cholderton, I think we were both a bit smitten by their sweet natures and then to be told that their colt may be for sale sometime, our ears pricked up (well, mine did, anyway). As we crossed the farm to look at the colt, I casually asked what his name was. The reply? Of course, Merlin! Andrew was speechless at first and then simply said 'that means nothing, don't get any ideas' Too late for that, I took it as a sign that Merlin was meant to be mine.
After a good few months of heartache as we gave up on Merlin and tried for another Eriskay, a darling called Duart, who also went on to cause heartache as we realised we couldn't afford his transport costs, we then decided to give up on our breeding plan. Andrew, by this time was starting to get as carried away by the idea as I was! With heavy hearts we put the plan aside and concentrated on getting the field fenced and fit for our other two horses Oliver and Toffee.

By September, Oliver and Toffee had settled nicely into Yarrow, and were just making the field their own when their worlds were about to be rocked by the arrival of a hormone fueled interloper. Yep, I'd had the call, did I still want to buy Merlin? Did I ever???? That was how in October 2006 RBF Cholderton Merlin came to live with us :)