19th April, 2007

Well at last I can breathe (and sleeping might be quite good too). Piper came out of his operation okay and is staying at the vet's overnight so that they can check his undercarriage in the morning. I have rarely felt such an immense sense of responsibility for the suffering of an animal - if he had died on the operating table would I have regretted ever taking him off the moor in the first place? It was a condition of his purchase that I must have him castrated but I did feel a huge sense of sadness that he would not be able to breed anymore. Having said that, he has hardly looked at a mare since he arrived and he is was very passive for a stallion - not a hint of biting or rearing. Of course I have become far too emotionally involved with him and I doubt that he will ever be going anywhere away from here.
I defy anyone not to fall in love with this pony.
I have the luxury of a Work Experience student for a fortnight. Frances is already very experienced with horses and has a lovely attitude towards them. She picks up concepts and techniques really quickly and I am able to really get on with my work without worrying that she will go off on a frolic of her own.