This is Colony Una

I visited the Suffolk Punch Trust in Hollesley (right next to the coast) this afternoon, a 200 acre farm dedicated to looking after the Suffolk Punch Horse. The horses used to be looked after by the inmates at Hollesley Bay Colony, an open prison, but the Prison Authorities decided it was unable to keep the horses so the site and animals were sold to the Suffolk Punch Trust who was also able to win Lottery Funding to help make the site into what it is today.

It was overcast and a bit cooler than of late but I had a marvellous time and took loads of photographs. There were 5 mares, 4 foals with their mothers (born this year), a stallion, some retired racehorses and two Shetland Ponies that they have rescued. They also have Suffolk Sheep and Pigs and a kiddies corner with rabbits and goats. There is also a small museum showing farming exhibits relating to the working horse era. A tenant farmer was there with her herd of Jersey cows which she milked and we were offered a taster, it seemed odd drinking the milk warm from the cow and I was surprised how sweet it was, but extremely good. To round off a very pleasant afternoon I simply couldn't leave without having a delicious cream tea of course!

The Suffolk Punch is probably the oldest breed of working horse in the world and is on the endangered list (rarer than the giant panda) with only about 250 left in the world so having 4 foals born is a boost to their survival.