5th May, 2015 The Life of Riley

Meeting up with a complete stranger off the ferry at Yarmouth this morning. How will we recognise each other? I'll be the short woman with grey hair and a purple feather duster. I had been contacted to help with 17.3 hh Clydesdale, Riley, who was sadly seized by the RSPCA from Osbourne House at the end of last year: RSPCA Seizure  Riley wasn't allowing anyone to touch him from his shoulder to his hindquarters and was biting and kicking anyone who tried. By the time we had been driven to his current home, I was convinced that I was about to be kicked into the middle of next week!

The boys are busy putting weight on again and already looking far better

I caught Claude and Clare caught Riley

With Claude looking on, Riley isn't convinced that he wants to be touched. 

I was warned that he didn't like anything that looked like a stick but astonishingly he accepted the feather duster straight away.

Soon I was giving him a deep rub from base camp one at his withers to base camp two at his rump.

And all the way down his back legs.

He was relaxed enough for me to touch his tummy providing I kept the same pressure on.

Then I did it all again but with my hand.

I massaged the root of his forelock which he seemed to love. 

Later he let me pick his feet up really easily and he didn't lean on me at all.

Back out to the fields...

...where I was reminded of just how short I am!

Just time for a quick visit to see Jane and her Shetlands at the other end of the size scale to Riley.

Being mock farrier, Mollie is so good about her feet since we began to clicker train her.

She also accepted a mock injection - normally she rears and climbs the walls. 

We introduced Marie to her new rider, Monty the teddy bear.