Dam Head Livery

17/09/2024

Scruffy , showing off his new stablename plate.....🥰🤩🥰

11/09/2024

07/09/2024

The Story of Dora and Remus

Our journey begins with a decision: we would put forward a pony, perhaps one that was much needed. It felt like the right thing to do. So, we set off on a visit to Wales, to places where the original workers had once been, and where authentic stories were written.

Although I didn’t have the money or facilities to fully commit to such an endeavour, I kept looking. Eventually, I came across two connected ponies. Both ponies caught my attention, and I was eager to choose them. When I visited their home, I was told that they had been reserved for someone else, someone who had already made arrangements. Disappointed but still hopeful, I decided to return another time.

During my next visit, I saw a small pony standing at the edge, quietly observing everyone. It didn’t seem like anyone had written about her. She stood out to me, and I felt drawn to her. Then there was the other pony, slightly larger but not by much. Both stood there, watching. Something about their presence made me stop and pay attention.

At this point, I met Jess, who worked at the stables. She was incredibly helpful, telling me that both ponies were quite rare. This intrigued me even more, and I thought to myself, “If they are going to remain unbothered and overlooked, wouldn’t it be a great opportunity to care for them?”

Finally, I made my choice. These two ponies would come with me. I looked at their names and decided that Theodora would be a fitting name for the younger one. It was a strong and elegant name, inspired by the Byzantine Empress, who was renowned for her grace and strength. I had recently read Stella Duffy’s book, which only further convinced me that Theodora was the perfect name.

However, upon reflection, I realised that I wanted something simpler. So, I shortened it to “Dora.” This was fitting because everyone started referring to her as Dora the Explorer – lively, curious, and full of energy. She was a bright and animated pony, with a spark in her personality.

The first time I brought her into the stable, Dora was nervous. It took her a while to settle, but once she did, it became clear that she was full of potential. She was a fast learner, though sometimes a bit hesitant. It just took some patience to bring her out of her shell.

Then came Remus. His name seemed to suit him perfectly, recalling the mythology of Romulus and Remus. Like his namesake, he was bold, strong, and unmistakably unique. The two ponies complemented each other well, and so the choice was made: Dora and Remus would be ours.

As time passed, I started reflecting on how they had come into our lives and how much they had grown. Remus, in particular, continued to grow rapidly, which meant that training him was a bit of a challenge, but it was a rewarding one.

My friend, Heidi Sturges, an incredible artist, even helped create a logo featuring Dora and Remus. Her artwork captured their unique personalities, and I was thrilled to see how beautifully she brought them to life. Heidi Sturgess Studio

We have been training both Dora and Remus ourselves, and they are making steady progress. Dora, in particular, will likely attend a larger school to further her skills in the near future. Remus has grown significantly, and we continue to work on his training, ensuring that both ponies are developing well and building strong bonds.

In the end, the story of Dora and Remus is one of growth, discovery, and mutual trust. Their journey is ongoing, but what matters most is that we enjoy every step of the way.

04/09/2024

50 Followers, 8 Following, 1 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from OPUS MOTION (.rwo)

26/08/2024

Bank Holiday Weekend Update…

A rather productive weekend here at Dam Head! We’ve been busy with lots of weeding, painting, and of course, feeding the horses—though they’re happily grazing outside most of the time at this time of year. We also moved our bad boy Sheeps, Biscuit, Max, Yogi, and D’Artagnan to new pastures—by that, I mean one field to the right. It’s been an incredible year for our swallow population too—the number of nests and breeding pairs has really taken off!

The pathway to the Dam is looking fantastic and feels great underfoot. This 11th-century Dam, which once supplied the mill, now graces our little corner of ‘Planet Horse’ here at Dam Head, nestled in the idyllic Shipden Valley—the Shangri-La of West Yorkshire. It’s a place so picturesque it could only exist in God’s own county.

As you settle on one of the benches, taking in the serene beauty, it’s the perfect spot to reflect on life’s big questions. Like, ‘Why didn’t anyone warn me that having a horse would be so, so, so expensive?’ But then again, can you really put a price on paradise?

Next up on our project list is Pippin’s Stable. Pippin, our top-of-the-range dressage simulator by Racewood, has been with us for 10 years. Named after a family member’s pony, he’s not just any simulator—Pippin’s capable of doing everything from arena work (20 x 40 and 20 x 60 metres) to the RDA hacking programme, which offers excellent training on multiple levels. We’re excited to give his stable a fresh update! Pippin is great for those who need to build confidence, have never ridden before, and, of course, for those advanced dressage enthusiasts who need to practise their tests or work on other goals.

26/08/2024

Well done, Jamie! The pathway to the Dam is looking fantastic and feels great underfoot. This 11th-century Dam, which once supplied the mill, now graces our little corner of ‘Planet Horse’ here at Dam Head, nestled in the idyllic Shipden Valley—the Shangri-La of West Yorkshire. It’s a place so picturesque it could only exist in God’s own county.

As you settle on one of the benches, taking in the serene beauty, it’s the perfect spot to reflect on life’s big questions. Like, ‘Why didn’t anyone warn me that having a horse would be so, so, so expensive?’ But then again, can you really put a price on paradise?

08/08/2024

♥️♥️♥️

03/08/2024

Bee Moon Sketches

Her story was featured in a movie! 👀❤️

16/07/2024

I thought it might be fun to align the incumbent Labour government to characters from Animal Farm and ended up going down a kind of a rabbit hole. Please note I make no political statement, just hopefully a mildly amusing and maybe rhetorical one.

The Relevance of Animal Farm to Modern Politics

The allegorical novel Animal Farm by George Orwell remains a powerful commentary on modern politics. Published in 1945, it is a satirical fable that portrays the idea of equality before the law as a delusion. It highlights how political leaders contrive utopian ideals and hoodwink the ignorant masses to crave a supposed perfect state.

The Storyline

The novel centres around a group of domestic animals who rebel against their oppressive human owner, Mr. Jones, to form a self-governing society. The animals, led by the pigs Napoleon and Snowball, overthrow Jones and rename the farm “Animal Farm.” However, their pursuit of a utopian society is usurped by the pigs, who elevate themselves to a position of power and manipulate the other animals.

The Warning of Animal Farm Remains Relevant Today

Seventy-five years after its publication, Animal Farm remains a relevant warning about the dangers of totalitarianism and the corrupting influence of power. The novel depicts how those in power abuse it for personal gain and manipulate the masses to remain in control. It serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of vigilance and critical thinking in the face of propaganda and false promises.

The Characters and Their Modern Counterparts

• Napoleon (Keir Starmer): As the leader of the Labour Party, Starmer could be likened to Napoleon due to his leadership role and potential for authoritarianism.
• Snowball (Angela Rayner): As the Deputy Leader, Rayner could be seen as a rival to Starmer, similar to Snowball’s rivalry with Napoleon.
• Old Major (Jeremy Corbyn): Corbyn, a prominent figure in the Labour Party, can be likened to Old Major due to his influence on socialist ideals.
• Squealer (David Lammy): A skilled orator like Lammy could be compared to Squealer, who serves as Napoleon’s propagandist.
• Boxer (Lisa Nandy): A hardworking and dedicated politician like Nandy could be seen as Boxer, representing the working class.
• Clover (Yvette Cooper): A compassionate and caring figure like Cooper could be likened to Clover, who shows concern for the other animals.
• Benjamin (John McDonnell): A skeptical and pessimistic figure like McDonnell could be compared to Benjamin, who is skeptical of the revolution.
• Mollie (Jess Phillips): A politician who craves luxury and attention, like Phillips, could be seen as Mollie, representing the bourgeoisie.
• Mr. Jones (Boris Johnson): A careless and irresponsible leader like Johnson could be likened to Mr. Jones, the original farmer.
• Mr. Frederick (Rishi Sunak): A tough and shrewd politician like Sunak could be compared to Mr. Frederick, representing fascist governments.
• Mr. Pilkington (Joe Biden): An easygoing capitalist leader like Biden could be seen as Mr. Pilkington, representing capitalist governments.
• The Dogs (Labour Whips): The Labour Party’s enforcers or those who maintain discipline could be likened to the dogs, who serve as Napoleon’s private army.
• The Sheep (Party Loyalists): The masses who blindly follow the party line could be compared to the sheep, who show blind loyalty to Napoleon.
• Moses (Archbishop of Canterbury): A figure who uses organised religion to influence the masses, like the Archbishop of Canterbury, could be likened to Moses, who tells the animals about Sugarcandy Mountain.

Personal Reflections

I found it interesting to consider the parallels between the characters in Animal Farm and modern politicians. The ridiculous viewpoint of Mr. Lammy, who thinks men can grow cervixes, made it challenging to find a position for him in the allegory. I was surprised that Keir Starmer was able to find a position for David Lammy, but that’s not for me to decide. I don’t vote in his constituency.

Oink …

16/06/2024

Anna Magg. OMG Anna…Polish fans are on the rampage in Hamburg at the football! So far, reports indicate:

• 50 cars valeted
• 27 boilers repaired excellently
• 7 walls built and strengthened
• 30 bathrooms tiled smartly
• 42 living rooms plastered perfectly
• 20 hallways painted beautifully!

What is wrong with these Polish people coming to Germany and the United Kingdom, bringing all their hard work and delicious food? Honestly, they’re spoiling us with all this excellence and dedication.

30/05/2024

😇

23/04/2024

❤️❤️❤️🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽❤️❤️❤️

10/04/2024

Awesome 🤩…

01/04/2024

Please support ‘Equisafety’ after much lobbying horse people can now use the hard shoulders on motorways. This is a major breakthrough and I’m excited about it. For me, it means I can use the M62 to go shopping at the Trafford centre or even visit Blackpool…

✅NEW ROAD LAW❗
Riders are thrilled to know that the new ruling from The Highways Agency will allow riders to use the hard shoulders of Britain’s motorways from this summer onwards to reduce air pollution when commuting to work ….. Dont forget to wear your Equisafety hi vis❤

17/03/2024

100% Agreed

29/02/2024

26/02/2024

😎❤️👍🏼

A Georgian cloth hall and a huge flour mill are among the buildings to have been rescued in England.

25/01/2024

Rather fun.., Nietzche said ‘Without Music, life would be a mistake ‘. This is lovely 🥰

20/01/2024

🤣🤣🤣

This afternoon officers have seized the pictured car in the Mixenden area after it was reported driving around with no insurance, tax or MOT.

If its yours why not get in touch..........

17/01/2024

It’s really good when a plan comes together; when I say plan, what actually mean, is when local folk step up to the plate without really adequate notice. So this morning -4 our new arena topping arrived.

Simon and crew at Shibden Mill Inn -allowed us to use the car park to unload the topping. Kieran Tomlinson Plant Hire & Johnny organised, and Brook/ unloading and delivering 22,
500 kg bags to Dam Head.

Brilliant job well done

Thank you 🙏🏼

As ever I was official photographer. (It’s an important job… 😎

17/01/2024

❤️🙏🏼❤️

13/01/2024

Rebecca Marie Brook

Woof

24/10/2023

Indeed 😎❤️

24/10/2023

❤️

My 18-year-old daughter was at Starbucks, alone, the other night. A man came up to her and started talking to her. A barista handed her “an extra hot chocolate someone forgot to pick up.” How grateful I am for people who look out for other people!
Side note: She felt safe and did not remove the lid, but let them know. She said the whole team was watching over her the rest of the time she was there.💚 Thank you to the team at Starbucks on Staples and SPID in Corpus Christi.
Also read this story https://deephearting.com/disabled-fathers-dream-fulfilled-by-high-school-students-with-invention-the-wheel-stroll/

16/10/2023

❤️😎

23/09/2023

Wow 😯

23/09/2023

♥️😎🙏🏼 lovely to see …