19th September, 2016 The Turner Prize

If I was to have a work of art, I would be hard pressed to decide between an Arabian Horse or something by Turner. Not J.M.W. Turner, you understand, but  Michael Turner, Stainless Steel Sculptor, from Lymington. You can see my dilemma.

Michael Turner

On the left we have Whifflegig the sculpture immortalising Whifflegig the horse. The one on the left is a lot more expensive than the one on the right!!!

Today's session with Whifflegig went exceedingly well. We started off as we left last week with Whifflegig happy to move up to the third strut on the ramp, but he wasn't prepared to go any further. With the panels in place he offered to put one hind foot on the ramp, then two, and then we were in.

He then loaded consistently, with the panels opened wide, time and time again.

His owner said it was wonderful to see him back to his old self rather than taking the 11 hours that it had taken him to load on the last occasion.

It was almost a case of blink and you'll miss it...

"Just loaded him, a slight hesitation then straight up, repeated 10 times!!! Xxxxxx yippeeee!!" NL 20.9.16

" Yesterday he had a slight hesitation to see what was different [panels removed] then in for five more goes! This evening he went in for three goes as yesterday, then we pushed the partition closed for the next seven goes and the last load as normal, all fine, I'm having to steady him going in as he's tending to rush." NL 23.9.16  

By the time I got back to the farm, it was chucking it down, and it would have been hopeless trying to work with Ivy out in the field. Instead we hid in the barn with the rain bouncing off the roof and practised our regular repertoire. It was still good practise for her since the noise amounted to a pressure of its own. I also managed to comb through her tail with my fingers for the first time, something that would have been impossible with how tightly she used to clamp it down; she almost went to sleep while I did it.