Anton with Lashly's help had completed the furnishing of the
stables. Neat stalls occupied the whole length of the 'lean to,' the
sides so boarded that sprawling legs could not be entangled beneath
and the front well covered with tin sheet to defeat the 'cribbers.' I
could but sigh again to think of the stalls that must now remain empty,
whilst appreciating that there was ample room for the safe harbourage
of the ten beasts that remain, be the winter never so cold or the
winds so wild.
Later we have been able to give double space to all but two or three
of our animals, in which they can lie down if they are so inclined.
The ponies look fairly fit considering the low diet on which they
have been kept; their coats were surprisingly long and woolly in
contrast with those of the animals I had left at Hut Point. At this
time they were being exercised by Lashly, Anton, Demetri, Hooper,
and Clissold, and as a rule were ridden, the sea having only recently
frozen. The exercise ground had lain on the boulder-strewn sand of
the home beach and extending towards the Skua lake; and across these
stretches I soon saw barebacked figures dashing at speed, and not
a few amusing incidents in which horse and rider parted with abrupt
lack of ceremony. I didn't think this quite the most desirable form
of exercise for the beasts, but decided to leave matters as they were
till our pony manager returned.
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