I spent yesterday morning back down at the Margaret Green Foundation Trust working with an aggressive horse that is facing a stark life or death decision. He did launch at me to bite me once but after I shook my little box of gravel at him he didn't do it again at all. Frankly we tried our best to wind him up so that I could address the behaviour again but even though we petted him, made a lot of noise, messed about with food around him and revved a car up behind his stable, he just put on a sweet face and polished his halo. Eventually we took him out for a walk - where he refused to rear and stomp as he would normally do - and then I picked his feet up while he was loose in the school. I had started off by massaging him (and he was very tense) so maybe this had chilled him out. Hopefully he will be having some physiotherapy in the near future and be spending more time out of his stable. I do think that benefits of box resting horses for physical welfare has to be weighed against the risk to mental welfare;this horse hates being kept in. There is no doubt that box rest can be enhanced by horse balls, branches to chew on, lots of interesting but quiet activity outside, mirrors and so on, but horses were meant to be on the move all day every day and some of them cannot cope with being in for long periods. Their mothers, God and extinct, will have told them not to get trapped in places where they can't hear and they can't see all the way round.
Pie has turned up at the yard looking like a burst pillow. Despite two lots of louse powder and a good wormer, he still looks disreputable but a lot more comfortable. There is no social stigma attached to lice in the Forest - it's just one of those things. His girlfriend still thinks he's beautiful.
On the way home from the yard yesterday, I was overtaken at astonishing speed by a grey convertable - DY55 LHR. It had disappeared from view in no time. Wouldn't fancy having a cow land on my lap in one of those. Tonight I was overtaken in the dark by a white saloon, G437 SAA.
Sarah Weston is a horse lover, and has been a horse owner and trainer for many years. Copies of her book, No Fear, No Force - A Guide to Handling the Semi-Feral Foal can be obtained direct through her website: www.sarahweston.co.uk
