The little moments.
As a vet student, you’ll find everyone constantly questions you on why you do what you do.
“Why deal with the smell?” “Why do something with so much manual labour?” “Oh, you don’t get paid for your placements?”
Questions that are all too common. Everyone has a different answer, but when you ask me why? I say its for moments like these.
Connecting with these animals, each with their own charm no matter small or big. Moments where you’re holding a sleeping lamb or watching a piglet take its first breath. Moments where you’re nudged by a cow, or teased by a mischievous lemur. The moment where an ewe eats feed off from your palm and continues to nuzzle you to find more food.
The little moments.
Highfields Happy Hens - The Project
Have you ever heard of a farm that reared chickens with the intention of giving young “society failures” a second chance in life? If you haven’t, then I’ll introduce you to Highfields Happy Hens - a small establishment in Derbyshire, one with a cause.
Run by Roger and Beryl Hosking, they came up with an idea to use their farm to provide work, support, teaching and love for youngsters whose lives were in a mess. It was a simple idea, but it worked. Bringing these youngsters in to handle fragile eggs and chickens was a good method of anger management. One just couldn’t keep breaking eggs by being rough, or you’d get egg yolk all over you.
“I think its calming working with animals. You know you’ve got to be gentle or if they do something to you, you can’t shout at them or do something, they won’t understand” - Chante Smith (19 year old young offender)
http://www.highfieldshappyhens.co.uk/bm/project/index.shtml
A sketch of a foal from Animals Inside Out!
I wish I could’ve proportioned things better. Eurgh. Some of the muscles are attaching to all the wrong places, *but I guess it could fool a non-vet student yes? ^^*
I haven’t sketched in forever, so this is my best effort.
..I should get back into sketching sometime.
(Taken with Instagram)
Random animal sketches during my ethics lecture.
The bald eagle from yesterday!
Lovely majestic creature it is. Bald eagles have a huge wingspan, a nice white head which makes them “bald” and weighs just about 9 pounds. I love the way it moves its head, a bit creepy too if you ask me - which makes the bird look so sharp and fierce!
I took loads of videos too, to analyze its behaviour, now I really wish I had a camera with me…..
There’s something about large cats. Gorgeous creatures.
