Just
returned from a week away in Suffolk where we stayed in a cottage on a farm. In
the fields outside there was a band of Thoroughbred/Arab mares, some a little old
and creaky, but all enjoying the long grass and the warm Indian summer. They live with a Suffolk Black pig and swans.
We went
to see Moon a couple of times. Karen can now put a headcollar on her from the
right hand side and we began some leading work concentrating on body language
that didn't block her movement.
As
well as Karen turning her head in the direction that she wanted to go, she needed
to move her legs. As soon as she made this tiny subtle change, Moon was
following her with no pressure on the headcollar at all.
We
went to visit the Suffolk Punch horses at the Suffolk Horse Trust who took over
the care and management of the Colony herd from the prison some fifteen years
ago. I would love to know if this was a good or bad thing for the prisoners and
for the horses given that horses are known for their therapeutic effect on all
kinds of people these days.
Every
day we went out for a long walk enjoying the countryside, which smells strongly
of earth at this time of year, and the wide river and special light right by
the coast.
Most
of all we enjoyed the company of friends, Karen, Tasha and John, and fellow IH
trainer Bridget Colston who I bump into far too infrequently. With our new love
of cooking it was great to invite them round for a Sri Lankan curry and
chocolate mint cheesecake with Bourbon biscuit base!
On our way home we stopped off at Auntie Kelly's
to drop off some books and a couple of Bar Buffers to sell through the IH shop, and to meet her sister's young horse, Jack.
