When was the last time you saw a toad in the garden? Writer Jane Adams raises the alarm call for our endearingly ugly, slug-loving splodges
Common toad. Dorset, UK March – Shutterstock
As I drag out the recycling bin, a splodge the colour of pond water is looking up at me with copper-coloured eyes. A common toad. You rarely see them nowadays, but with their warty skin and bulging eyes, they’re an endearingly ugly and harmless creature. This one’s no bigger than a two-pence-piece and it’s winking at me.
Are they doomed? If you have an abundance of plants in your garden, with maybe a few areas of longer grass, the chances are you’re already sharing it with frogs, newts and toads. Many amphibians spend their lives away from water, only meeting at ponds to mate and spawn. The rest of the time, they’re surreptitiously chomping their way through considered pests, like slugs and snails. My toadlet lollops under a hydrangea and instantly disappears. If it keeps away from predators, it could survive ten to 12 years – longer than most people keep a car or live in one house. However, their numbers in the UK are declining (by 68 per cent just in the past 30 years) and in the last 100 years, thousands of the ponds they once used for spawning have been lost. Pesticides are killing slugs and other invertebrates they rely on for food and they’re being run over on the way to the few remaining spawning ponds. Toadlets emerge from ponds in June and July, so if you find one, think yourself lucky. This ugly Prince Charming could be a long-term, pest-eradicating tenant if you provide it with the habitat it needs to survive. If you don’t, it and the other amphibians we think of as ‘common’ could be gone in the wink of a coppery eye.
The common toad Image: Vanessa Wright
Encourage and protect garden toads
Don’t use pesticides. Let amphibians, birds and slow worms do the work for you. Provide them with a cool, dark, damp shelter. Let grass grow a little longer and pile up stones, logs and leaves in a shady area. Include water. A pond (of any size) is not only vital for amphibians but also for insects, birds and mammals. Be careful when you cut. Toads, slow worms and even hedgehogs are hard to spot – check before cutting longer grass. Drive carefully in areas near to spawning ponds – especially between January and March.
The second episode of July’s BV Magazine Podcast is out now – just click the play button to listen. If you’ve not had a chance to click through the July issue yet, then why not settle somewhere cool for 30 minutes of catch up?
In this episode:
Maggie Ollerenshaw, the acclaimed British actress, takes on the Random 19 questions Maggie Ollerenshaw, a proud Mancunian now resident in Stalbridge, is perhaps most famous for playing comedic Northerners, particularly in the sitcoms Last of the Summer Wine and Open All Hours
“The best guitarist that I have ever seen live” – Dorset Island Discs with Philip Coward Philip Coward is chairman of Hillbrush, sits on the Royal Warrant Holders Association executive committee and has been a Mere councillor for 46 years
The alchemy of the glassblower The Venetian art of glassblowing is little changed in 800 years. Edwina Baines visited Emsie Sharp’s studio in Child Okeford to interview the Murano-trained artisan
Local politics round up: North Dorset Labour’s Pat Osborne laments the undermining of rigts to peaceful protest. North Dorset Green Party’s Ken Huggins shares his thouhts on Boris Johnson, written before the PM resigned. And North Dorset Lib Dems’ Mike Chapman refelects on recent events in Westminster, with a bleak reference to America’s second Amendment.
Blandford Hospital and the Case of the Sozzled Servant Roger Guttridge finds the cottage origins still visible within Blandford’s hospital, and discovers the very first patients
The ‘fat old woman at the toll-bridge’ Roger Guttridge shares the second part of his dive into the Thomas Rackett Papers
Massage isn’t necessarily about scented candles, gentle pan pipe music and trying not to fall asleep, explains expert Mel Mitchell
Regular readers will remember May’s articles in which I spoke about the fundamental movements we use in everyday life. This month I thought I would explore in greater depth what is often described as the king of all exercises – others known as The Squat! The squat is one of the most effective exercises anyone can do. Not only does it train every muscle in the lower body but it also works the upper back and core. Most of us don’t really think about ‘good squat form’ as we come up and down from a chair (which essentially is squatting!). But what does make a good squat?
No rules Believe it or not there is no one best way to squat, and it should be tailored to the individual. If you watch a dozen people squat, you’ll see each of them will squat differently, particularly in terms of their stance. I often adopt the penguin stance with my toes pointing outwards. Does this mean my squat is any less efficient? Absolutely not! Essentially, as long as your squat meets the following criteria, chances are you have good squat form.
Lower the crease of your hips to below your knees
Neutral spine
Weight evenly distributed between the ball and heel of the foot.
When coaching squats, I often cue people to stand with feet shoulder-width apart, but even this may need to be adjusted depending on the individual’s natural stance. One of the most important things is that you keep your back straight with your chest up, keeping your spine in neutral. Squatting with rounded shoulders or having your chest down is not only less efficient but could lead to injury when squatting with added weight. Squatting with your chest down means your weight is going through your toes rather than your mid foot. There also might be a tendency to lift your heels as you go deeper into the squat. Try transferring your weight more towards your heels and you may find that not only does your chest lift, but you’ll feel more stable.
Why did we stop eating the Fat Hen, wonders expert Carl Mintern, who is celebrating the season for finding the jewel in the mushroom-foraging crown
One of the jewels in the mushroom foraging crown, the Chanterelle (Cantharellus cibarius)
July is here and we are in the full swing of summer, with the call of our gardens and the great outdoors as strong as ever. I find myself suggesting walks to my wife and children most evenings, exploring woodlands and footpaths, always with a glint of excitement at what I might find to bring home to use in the kitchen.
Eat the fat hen One such exciting find to be on the lookout for at this time of year is fat hen (Chenopodium album), also known as wild spinach. This plant, both nutritious and prolific, was a staple food for thousands of years, used as a valuable food source dating back to prehistoric times. Like so many things today, it has fallen out of favour as a menu item simply by virtue of its accessibility – it grows everywhere, and who wants to entertain guests by serving something that everyone has growing in their garden? Well, me, obviously. Amazingly, this plant which most people will never try has leaves that taste similar to those of spinach and can be treated the same way in the kitchen. Gardeners throughout the country will be picking it and throwing it to the compost, rather than saving the tender leaves and lightly steaming or tossing in butter. It also makes a fabulous base for soups. Fat hen has diamond-like, sometimes referred to as goose-foot-shaped leaves, with a coating of delicate white hairs covering them. You can find it masquerading as a garden weed, and on any footpath or waste ground. The fresh growth of leaves and flowers near the top are the choicest pickings for the kitchen.
Now considered a weed, fat hen was a staple food since prehistoric times
Elderflowers Another July staple which we must all be passing every time we drive down a country lane is elderflowers, from the elder tree (Sambucus nigra). This plant is extremely important to the forager as we come to harvest from it three times throughout the year. First, in early summer for the flowers, which we use to make cordials and other surprisingly exciting treats, then later in the summer for elderberries to make pies and jellies. Finally we return in the depths of winter for a mushroom (the jelly ear – Auricularia auricula-judae) that is found almost exclusively on the elder’s branches. Early July is usually the end of the window for collecting elderflowers, so set to it before it is too late. Often used as a hedging plant, they adorn roadsides right across the Blackmore Vale. Since late May, collections of the tiny off-white flowers have been hanging in sprays the size of breakfast bowls, enriching my walks with their deliciously distinctive sweet smell. Many of us gather the flowers to make cordials by steeping them in water and adding sugar, but a lesser-known use is to batter them whole and fry them, making elderflower fritters as a showstopping accompaniment to your summer dining. It is worth remembering that every part of the elder is mildly toxic raw and should always be cooked before consumption. Of course, I frequently hear anecdotal stories of people who have nibbled on the raw berries since childhood, but the mild toxicity is a scientific fact and one this forager cannot ignore when sharing his knowledge and passion, either here or on a guided walk.
The elderflower heads won’t last long into July
Simply the best Finally, towards the end of this month we are hopeful we may find one of the jewels in the mushroom-foraging crown, the chanterelle (Cantharellus cibarius). This bright yellow mushroom is one of the best looking, and tasting, mushrooms to hunt for full stop. Hopeful excursions for this mushroom can start now and continue right until the end of the year. With its distinctive funnel shape and apricot smell, this mushroom can be found in many diverse woodland habitats. The chanterelle’s preferred growing spot is on the sides of mossy banks nestled into last autumn’s leaf litter. It is a firm mushroom that you can wash without fear of it becoming spongy. It can then can be used as you would any shop-bought mushroom – just with a far more satisfying feeling as you do so. Beware the false chanterelle, which appears similar. There are three simple differences and even novices can learn to distinguish them: When cut in half, the false chanterelle is all one colour, whereas the chanterelle hides white flesh beneath the striking yellow outer. On close inspection, the true chanterelle does not have gills, but instead its flesh forms folds which give the gill-like appearance. The false chanterelle does, indeed, have true gills. Finally there is that aroma of apricots associated only with the true chanterelle. If you tick these three boxes you are sure to have a safe foraging experience, and one that would make many jealous, knowing you have hunted down one of the most prized finds in the foraging calendar.
See details and availability of Carl’s local foraging courses on his website SelfSufficientHub.com
Some of Dorset’s coastal creatures play an important national role in our coastal biodiversity, explains Hazel Ormrod from Dorset Wildlife Trust
A Dorset seahorse Image: Paul Naylor
In Dorset we are lucky to have the most astonishing marine wildlife, from secretive seahorses and delightful dolphins to colour-changing cuttlefish and rock-licking limpets. The theme of this year’s Marine Weeks, from 23rd July to 7th August, is marine superheroes. Wildlife Trusts across the UK are shining a light on the extraordinary sea creatures and plants which are helping to fight climate change and water pollution, or have amazing superpowers. Dorset is a national hotspot for many sea creatures which have evolved special talents to help them survive. One such creature is the enigmatic seahorse, unique because it is the father that gives birth in a complete gender role reversal. In addition, seahorses have incredible camouflage skills and the ability to move each eye independently. Another common sight in Dorset waters is the cuttlefish, whose greatest superpower is the ability to become practically invisible by instantly changing its colour and skin texture to blend in perfectly with its background.
Dorset’s marine events To celebrate Marine Weeks, Dorset Wildlife Trust has planned a series of special events to get families and individuals involved in exploring the seashore and wider marine environment, to discover some of the bounty that these habitats have to offer. At Kimmeridge Bay, there will be the opportunity to join a dolphin watching session on the cliff-top look-out, explore underwater marine life on the snorkel trail or take part in eco-friendly crabbing and rockpooling activities led by our expert wardens. At the Wild Seas Centre, at Kimmeridge, a state-of-the-art underwater camera will broadcast live footage to a screen inside the centre showing Kimmeridge Bay beneath the waves. All without getting wet! The centre staff will be getting the microscopes out on Plankton Day, when visitors can discover the amazing diversity of plankton found in water samples collected from Kimmeridge Bay and also learn about the vital role that these miniature organisms play in our oceans. Over at Chesil Beach, there’s the chance to join the Strandline Detectives walk, to hunt for wildlife treasure washed in from the sea and to find out what lives in the deeper water. Or you can take a trip on the glass-bottomed Fleet Explorer boat, which makes regular trips around part of the spectacular Fleet Lagoon, to explore its incredible underwater wildlife.
To find out dates, details and costs of all the events in Dorset (and not just for Marine Weeks), go to dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/events.
New boy Equador MW showed his Aston Martin tendencies but Freebie slowed to miss out on his second International win, says Toots Bartlett
Toots Bartlett celebrates with Freestyle R
Team Bartlett had a quieter month of competitions, but it still turned out to be an exciting few weeks. After a couple of months of getting to learn the do’s and don’ts with Equador MW, the newest member of the team, we travelled to Aston Le Walls for our first event together in the UK. It was also Equador’s first event for a couple of years due to the Covid lockdown in New Zealand, where he has recently come from. We had a truly fabulous day and I was thrilled with the way he behaved and performed. He posted a 29 dressage score, and followed that up with a lovely double clear in the showjumping. Being a little too speedy around the cross country course – he’s the equivalent of an Aston Martin on four legs – we picked up some ‘too fast’ time faults which cost him the win. However, I hadn’t been sure that I could form a partnership with him this quickly, so I was thrilled that there’s every sign a good relationship will develop. We now look forward to taking him to Somerford Park CCI2* at the beginning of July.
So close Freestyle R gave us a fantastic weekend at Nunney International Horse Trials near Frome. Nunney is a local event which we always try to support, and we are hugely grateful for all the wonderful volunteers who tirelessly to assist the organisers to keep it on the International circuit. Freebie finished the CCI3S dressage on a top score of 27.4, and after leading the two days of dressage, I did start to wonder whether the showjumping phase – historically our weakest together – would let us down. But he produced a lovely double clear, which was absolutely thrilling. My main aim for the competition was to gain my MER (minimum eligibility requirement) to enable us to move up to CCI4 together, rather than winning, so this did take a lot of pressure off me, and we were able to produce a solid clear round showjumping. I am fortunate that through my training on World Class, and having played nationally in several different sports, I have learned to try and utilise nerves effectively. I always try and turn them into excitement, to show what wonderful horses I have and how our training is being productive and beneficial. Unfortunately some ‘too slow’ time penalties on the cross country stopped Freebie from gaining his second International win, but he still claimed a very exciting fifth place. Homework for me is to get him a bit fitter and do some hill work. If you have prepared properly at home, then all that is left at competition is to try your best, safe in the knowledge that you have given your horses every opportunity you can to show what they can do. We definitely learn the most from the days we don’t get the results we want rather than from the days of success.
Last month one curious foal stole our hearts with her naughty leap inside a small pen after a ruptured bladder operation – Lucy shares the story
Summertime, and the living is easy for the TGS residents in the meadow Image: Lindsay Swalwell
Last month we told readers about how, during foaling, one of our foals suffered a bladder rupture which required medical stabilisation and surgical repair at an equine hospital. The vets at Western Counties Equine Hospital, our closest surgical facility, have since used the case on their website and have given permission for us to adapt their transcript for our readers this month, so we hope you find this interesting.
The vet’s view Clinical signs of bladder ruptures which have occurred during foaling are typically seen in one-to-three-day-old foals; they become lethargic, may appear bloated, show mild colic signs and can sometimes be seen straining unproductively to urinate. These cases are medical emergencies, as the electrolyte disturbances can cause heart rhythm irregularities – and ultimately cardiac arrest. First urination should normally occur around six hours for colts, and 11 hours for fillies. An average sized Thoroughbred foal should produce around 7.5 litres of urine a day, which equates to a good stream roughly every two hours after nursing. If a foal is straining unproductively, a meconium impaction (blocked colon) is far more common. However, a ruptured bladder should always be considered.
Vet Eefje preps the foal for surgery Image: Western Counties Equine Hospital
Observing urination doesn’t necessarily rule out a ruptured bladder, as the most common site of rupture is the top of the bladder – therefore a foal may appear to urinate normally, even while urine is leaking into the abdomen. Studies have shown that the condition is more prevalent in colts than fillies, but it is observed in both. ‘Uroperitoneum’ describes urine in the abdominal cavity – this build-up of urine causes electrolyte disturbances, the most critical of which is high potassium. A high blood potassium concentration can cause heart irregularities and cardiac arrest. A foal with this condition is stabilised with intravenous fluids, the abdomen is drained, and the foal’s blood parameters are carefully monitored. Once the condition is stabilised, the anaesthetic risk is reduced, and the foal can then undergo surgical repair of the bladder under general anaesthesia.
Last month’s sick foal is now out in the field with her gang Image: Lindsay Swalwell
Happy endings Hospital vet Eefje, who has a post-graduate certificate in medicine, stabilised the foal and can be seen in the photo (bottom, opposite) administering and monitoring the anaesthetic, ready for the surgeon, Nic, to repair the bladder. These cases are a team effort, with lots of intensive nursing care and monitoring, before and after surgery. As long as the foal presents with no other conditions, the prognosis for a ruptured bladder is favourable, with an 80 to 90 per cent survival rate. And happily, our foal, after post-surgery weeks in a small turn-out pen as readers will remember from last month, is now enjoying life with the rest of the gang of younger foals, stretching her legs to the full while galloping around in a large field.
Trevor is his groom Holly’s favourite in the yard Image: Holly Chaston
News of Trevor We always track the racing progress of horses we have bred and sold on, but it is extra special to either see them in the flesh at a race meeting or to hear from an owner or groom. So it was lovely to have been contacted recently by the groom of Triple Trade, a six-year-old Norse Dancer gelding out of Doubly Guest, bred here at TGS and sold at the sales as a three-year old store. Now in training with the Tizzards near Milborne Port, he has won one race and been placed several times last season. His groom Holly sent us several lovely photos, including this one (bottom right) of him having a cuddle in the stable. Holly told us how Trevor is such a big, kind horse and is very much her yard favourite. We hope that he and all our other TGS-bred offspring get many more cuddles like this.
Is the Connemara simply the best pony? Local breeder Kate Walters explains their appeal and introduces a couple of Connemara superstars
The Connemara is a breed of native pony originating from the wild and rugged region of the same name in County Galway, Ireland. Prized for their hardiness, agility, extraordinary jumping ability and not least for their temperament, Connemaras are understandably popular with children and adults alike. The British Connemara Pony Society’s breed description is ‘a well-balanced riding type with good depth and substance and good heart room, standing on short legs, covering a lot of ground.’ The height specification for a Connemara pony is 12.2hh to 14.2hh but the overheight Connemara is probably everyone’s ideal first horse! They have a gentle disposition, are deeply inquisitive and love human affection, making them very easy to handle. The Connemara pony is a safe and sensible breed, which makes them a fantastic choice for all ages and stages of riding.
Marion Mould with Stroller, the only pony to compete at the Olympics in Showjumping
Working roots Traditionally, Connemaras were bred to be the backbone of small farms, where they lived as part of the family. They worked from dawn to dusk doing whatever task was asked of them; ploughing, pulling carts of turf, rocks and seaweed, and of course, on Sundays they were the mode of transport carrying the family to Mass … Not to mention hunting, racing and local shows. They have a natural jumping ability, with a rectangular frame which also makes them suitable for dressage. Their natural athleticism and versatility allows them to excel in all disciplines and makes great all-rounder ponies. In fact, the Connemara pony can be seen competing in all rings – showjumping, eventing, dressage, driving, working hunter, showing, hunting, side saddle … They make fantastic competition ponies and are completely safe riding ponies for children. Many of today’s Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) showjumping and eventing pony teams, representing most of the European countries, are made up of Connemaras and partbred Connemaras. Connemara ponies have long been crossed with Thoroughbreds to produce the ultimate competition horse, with a couple of noteable showstoppers.
Tommy Wade on Irish Connemara showjumper Dundrum
Stroller Marion Mould’s Stroller was the only pony to compete at the Olympics in showjumping. He was just 14.1 hh (but clearly absolutely believed he was a horse). A bay gelding with a star on his forehead, he was a Thoroughbred cross Connemara and was owned and ridden by New Forest-born Marion (nee Coakes). She is very well known in riding circles across the New Forest and Dorset. Representing Britain, they competed in the 1968 Olympics in Mexico, and despite Stroller suffering with a tooth infection they won the silver individual medal and achieved one of only two clear rounds at the Olympics. At Olympia that same year, Stroller cleared a puissance wall of 6’ 10”.
Dundrum Tommy Wade’s Connemara gelding Dundrum was supreme champion at the 1961 Wembley Horse of the Year Show, where he set a puissance record of 7’ 2”. Dundrum was 15.1 hh – 61 inches tall at the withers. A 7’2” puissance wall is 86 inches high – more than two feet higher than the horse. And Dundrum was carrying a rider and a saddle. In 1961, Dundrum and Wade won a total of five major competitions and a Sports Star of the Year award. Connemara societies around the world frequently refer to Dundrum as the best Connemara that ever lived. But he was simply one of the world’s all-time great jumpers, and he beat the best of every breed. Kate Walters runs Holnest Connemaras, near Sherborne, where she breeds competition, showing and hunting ponies.
Beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother who passed away peacefully on July 9th at Dorchester Hospital. Kath will be sadly missed by all who knew her. Service of thanksgiving to take place in August.
