Photo-a-Day  (Wednesday, 9th February, 2022)

She looks how I feel, used worked to death , now surplus to requirement’s, now in the knackers yard.
Nice of the farmer to give her a coat for the weather,I wonder if they are any good for the horses or a hinderance after all they are a hardy breed.
A thoughtful photo Dennis.

It's Withington Lane, ASPULL.

Dear Dobbin don't despair - you shall go to the Ball....

Dennis - I haven't been down there in donkeys years but it still looks the same.
Unlike Mill Lane/Court, the old Dicconson Mill area, where the place I knew has completely gone.
Good, authentic photo.

A lot of these horses stood in boggy fields around Wigan look to be neglected to me.
Just look at that fence, it wouldn't take much for the horse to get out, and then it could end up on the road or in the canal.

George. Does New Springs not exist anymore, because Withington Lane was in New Springs when I was growing up there?

Good one this Dennis.I love it. Like the comment as well. Yours too Veronica. It's about time someone made us smile.

I like this scene. It's Wintry but with a hint of Spring.

Technically, Aspull incorporated New Springs.
But in my day, tha cum fer Springs, Fingerpost, up Haigh, daen Hindley Loan or up t' Dickie Loan. "Aspuh" was everything in between.
Withington Lane was quite definitely i' Springs.

Mick, my comment is just a bit of fun. I’m not suggesting that this horse is being neglected in any way, indeed, he/she looked no more miserable than I probably looked myself on a cold, wet and windy day in the middle of Winter.

here he goes again moaning mick never a good word to say about anyones P A D unless its one of his own

Another day of disagreements.. Nowt new there then. If it's not Council House residents at fault it's 'neglected' horses in fields! Then if the districts aren't where they should be....Maybe Alice in Wonderland wasn't really from Wonderland.... Or did Peter Pan never come from Never Land!? What's more is it true does Mick come from Shangri La down Shevington Way? Is Shangri La even on the map? Ask George and Jim.... they'll know ...

Give it a rest, Mick.

Veronica, your mention of ‘Dobbin’ brought back memories of long ago when my brothers and I lived on Scot Lane, Aspull. At the bottom of Sumner Street there was a wall and behind the wall was where Dobbin lived. Dobbin belonged to the Winrows who had the farm at the top of Scot Lane.
We used to sit on the wall there and feed Dobbin with little treats (Something that is frowned upon now) and, one day my brother, being a generous soul, decided to share his apple with Dobbin. Unfortunately, Dobbin, whilst attempting to take a bite out of the apple, took a bite out of my brother instead. This caused much merriment among all present except my brother who had to be taken home to have his wounds treated.
This event came as no surprise to our Mam because my brother had a habit of presenting himself as food for anything with teeth.
Dogs, cats, rabbits, he had been bitten by all of them before. Surprising really because he loved animals but they didn’t like him. Although they seemed to be partial to snacking on him!

The field looks like a mud bath. On our travels we have noticed how many horses are now stabled

Most of the fields around Wigan are mud baths I feel sorry for the poor cows and horses who are stood in them all day.
And Mick is right that fence is not strong enough to keep a frisky horse in, and if it ends up on the road it could cause a devastating accident.

He must have built up immunity Dtease. But how nice to be near fields to play out all day long. When I got bitten with Cocoa, a dog who lived around the corner, as I was roller skating past him he bit me on the ankle. He wasn't even a Corgi ! My mam took me to the Infirmary on the bus as I needed a tetanus injection. All part and parcel of growing up, nowadays they might put the dog down!

I know what you mean about the Diccoson Mill area Gary. The last time I was down there I came in from Borsdane Wood. If I hadn’t stumbled on The Gerrard Arms I wouldn’t have found the way home!

Syd, if that horse was going to escape it would have done it long before this photo was taken, and let’s face it, it’s Winter, most of the fields are potential mud-baths at this time of year. How is the owner supposed to dry the field out?

This is a lovely pic of a lovely area.Walk here very regularly.

Well said Dennis !

Drainage that's how.

Our first little house was near a canal..each morning I took my two young ones and our dog for a walk and each time taking some bread for a horse that used to just walk up and down..I never knew who he belonged to..anyway one particular morning I had no bread left but he wasn't happy so he would walk at the back of us,then the walking was a bit more of a trot,so I finished up a child in one hand and a another child and a dog in the other..he finished up running at the back of us..I was terrified until a man appeared and shouted "Prince" go home which he did..

Another tale to bore you with is me and hubby paid a visit to 'Botany Bay',on our way out two women stood outside with two donkeys a bag of carrots and a tray with money in,told us because it was Winter the donkeys couldn't make any money on the cold beach so the cash paid for their feed,we put money in and got a couple of carrots,fed them and while we were talking to the women I felt something on my finger.....the donkey had it and was chewing away, one of the women got him off my finger and was horrified to see blood on the said finger..she was so worried..as soon as we got home I rang the staff and told them to pass a message on please to tell the ladies not to worry,after all it was my own fault,he just thought my finger was a carrot..my finger is now bent lol.

I ve always enjoyed rural life as I was Shevington born and bread so I am no stranger to horses looking over fences in countryside outskirts of the village

I think Mick misspells on porpoise .

Poet, sometimes your comments are like precious jewels in a barren wasteland.

Agreed, DTease, and yours are too, xx

I don't think he mis spells on 'porpoise' ( is this the Bronx coming out?)...it just comes natural..he makes it easy for imposters! Even they don't always get it right how he gets it wrong!

I cant understand why people are always criticising Micks comments and misspellings.
I know for a fact that he rides miles on his bike taking photos for Wiganworld