Today is my "Gotcha" Day!

Today is my "Gotcha" Day and Mum and Dad have had me for 3 Years, this is the very first photo they saw of me!

This was one of my first walks, look how tiny I was with my oversized puppy ears!

My first meeting with Ernie, look how Big Ernie looks compared to me as a Puppy!

I am so glad that I have such wonderful Pawrents that love me very much!

Thank you for choosing me Mum & Dad, I have the best Family EVER!

Love and Licks

Frank

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Playdate with The Bionic ERNIE!

On Saturday 16th February I had a Play date with my Bionic Friend Ernie!

I was so very happy to see him, I haven't seen him since our October dog holiday because of his knee operation!

We played and played and played together and soon needed a rest.

"Pant, Pant, Slobber, Pant!"

But then it was back to playing some more!

We played Chase, Bitey Face, Humpy Time and Lick-and-Run!

Pete (Ernie's Dad) liked the attention from us both!

After having some fuss and loving from Pete we were both sleepy!

The Pawrents (Sam,Pete, Mum and Dad) watched a film while we snoozed!

Me and Ernie snuggled up, we had missed each other so much, he is my BESTEST Furiend and I didn't want him to go home!

But then Mum told us that we were all having a Sleepover!

Ernie was so happy to hear that, we had another little play before bedtime!

We had a wonderful evening and a good night, we were sad to leave each other in the morning but after all the fun we had we were both exhausted!

I cant wait to see him again!!

What is a Pit Pony?

Sultan the Pit Pony is the UK’s largest figurative earth sculpture!

A Pit Pony was a type horse bread especially for their strength and size and commonly used underground in coal mines from the mid-18th until the mid-20th century.

Ponies began to be used underground, often replacing child labour, as distances from pit head to coal face became greater.

The first known recorded use of a Pit Pony was in Britain was in the Durham coalfield in 1750.  

At the peak in 1913 there were 70,000 ponies underground in Britain.

In later years, mechanical haulage was quickly introduced on the main underground roads replacing the pony hauls and ponies tended to be confined to the shorter runs from coal face to main road (known in North East England as "putting") which were more difficult to mechanise.

Typically, the Pony’s would work an eight-hour shift each day, during which they might haul 30 tons of coal in tubs on the underground narrow gauge railway.

Penallta Colliery (pictured above) was a coal mine, located close to Hengoed in the Rhymney Valley in the South Wales Valleys. Work began on Penallta Colliery in 1901 and by 1909 was in full production, in 1939 Penallta held the record for the most coal produced in a single week. Penallta Colliery closed in 1991 when political pressure forced its final closure.

Sultan Pit Pony Walk in Penallta.

On Saturday, although cloudy I could feel spring in the air, the Daffodils were peeking through the soil and the birds were singing their songs, so Mum and Auntie Ashley took me to Panallta for a walk on top of Sultan the Pit Pony!

‘Sultan’ the Pit Pony is the UK’s largest figurative earth sculpture.  

There are so many different trails to choose from, but today we are going on sultans trail which is posted as a purple horse sign!

This is an award-winning trail called 'Sultans Ear Walk' which leads visitors on a tour of the beautiful country park. The route was chosen as one of the Top 50 walks in the UK !

This is me on top of Sultans back leg!

When Sultan was first constructed he didn't have a name, the locals nicknamed him 'Sultan' after one of the famous colliery ponies that were kept in Penallta Colliery.

Me and Auntie Ashley play as we walk!

Sultan is a giant horse measuring over 200 metres from nose to tail that leaps across the mountainside at this country park.

Sultan himself is made 99% from spoil on the colliery site, it was designed by an artist called Mick Petts. It represents the final freedom of the pit ponies when the collieries closed in 1991.

I just love to explore and the views are just wonderful up here!

Me on Sultans "Maine"

Running up Sultans "Maine"

Sultans Head, the Metal part is his ear!

Photos in Sultans ear!

Playing with Ben.

We had a wonderful time walking together but for now unfortunately we MOUSTACHE!