On Top of the World

A long while ago I promised Ruth that we would help to move Prince if she ever felt the need to. Today all of her work and skills bore fruit, and together with our safe method of moving semi-feral ponies, Ruth, Julie, David, Carrie, and I were able to move him from one yard to another without any drama.

Ruth took the opportunity to give him a little practice at at least looking at a trailer before we moved him.

Step one was to put him in a stable with a nice feed and the top door closed.

Then we quietly backed the trailer up towards the door and set up panels between the door and the open ramp. Ruth reassured him with clickered treats and we closed the panels down a little so that he was encouraged to take a good look at the ramp ..

He loaded himself and then David calmly closed the gates and put the safety gate across the top. Prince ate his second feed while David closed up the ramp.

A sedate journey around Salisbury and towards Pepper Box Hill led to a farm right on the very very top.

Ruth led him up to the field where three horses were waiting to meet him. 

He soon looked completely at home and the other three treated him like the return of the prodigal son.

Jackpot!

We had a secret mission to perform today which meant going back to the yard where Prince and Jack are kept. Unfortunately Jack's owners weren't able to make our last appointment but it appears that it wasn't needed! While we were making arrangements for Prince I came across this little scene in the stable block - Jack having his legs washed with gentle shampoo and hardly a burr to be seen on him. Only a few weeks ago he would have been kicking away any attention to his legs. (Incidentally I would advise hats for this sort of activity.)