Today started with a lovely New Forest pony that has a bit of a phobia about injections. Apparently his strategy for avoiding it is to dash the perpetrator against the wall. Although he did shake his head a little to begin with he was persuaded to accept a little discomfort from the needle-less syringe in exchange for a click and a treat. In time he stopped giving his head a shake at all and just stood really quietly, off the lead rein, accepting his lot. His owner will practice over and over again well in advance of his annual appointment by which time hopefully he will think that the real needle was just a bad one.
Sampson is another terrific two year old with a really great attitude to life. Today he went for a slow tour in the trailer for thirty minutes on his own. He ate his haylage and didn't move around at all. He unloaded calmly and happily.
Back on the Forest at Fritham Nelly and Blue have come through the winter really well and are still having a daily feed or some hay; they are both 11 now. Petra (who is also available in black) had her 15th birthday this week.
Yet another completely out of control dog that came straight across the road to chase the duck that you can just see on the left of the picture.
