14th August, 2017 Old Friends

Recently I went to visit Anna and hold her for the farrier again. These days she comes up to me to ask me to put her head-collar on and I always give her a good groom and a lovely scratch. I will always keep her in my diary since her owners are elderly and can't manage her by themselves. I have a special affinity with this girl, even though she pulls some terrible faces at me and the farrier, her emotions are always close to the surface and she knows what she likes and what she doesn't like. She's all horse.

My ears can go forwards

I took the opportunity to go and see Chancer too. He's still living with all of his Welsh mates on a big hill and looking very well. I took his hat off to say hello and then put it back on again.

Juma was fed up with the flies and looking rather tired this afternoon.

13th August, 2017 Egg and Chips

It's a long time since I have ridden on a Sunday and reminds me that following a long ride my Mum and I would have egg and chips as our standard Sunday lunch.

Lorraine and I met this bold foal in the inclosure where he and his Mum were doing some secret snacking.

13th August, 2017 Show Off!

A relaxing afternoon at Ellingham Show thanks in part to the warm weather but also the alcohol intake at Spencers the Estate Agents and The Barn Equine Surgery stalls. Cheesy grins from Guy my farrier and Amy, his wife, and my vet. Always happy to be a groupie around the heavy horses too.

12th August, 2017 Car Wash!

Juma has delegated car washing duties to his tiny little sister while he concentrates on learning his Green Cross Code. Hard to watch as cars dash by between him and his mother on the other side of the road, or slow to take pictures of him as he sets off.

I doubt that foals have evolved to have more road sense, but because there are less foals and therefore less playing, there doesn't seem to be as much dashing about as there used to be. I really don't want to tempt fate.

Although Jack and Jack are in the same field as the other horses with access to all areas, they choose to be alone together and seem to have picked the best gaff.

10th August, 2017 A Spot of Lunch

Juma is now nine and a half weeks old and had his first visit home  He was intrigued by the buckets and had a mouthful of his mother's food. Straight back out again afterwards and hopefully will come in again just before the drift.

9th August, 2017 No Such Thing as a Joke

Someone once told me that there was no such things as a joke between a husband and a wife, and declarations that "I was only joking" after the event are really just a cover for the most cutting remarks and criticism.

Moon

With horses the words that someone uses to describe their horse, things like the word 'it', when the horse is obviously a male or a female,  'a madam', or swear words, often reveal the way they feel about or see their horse. Saying that those words were 'just a joke' doesn't wash with me. They represent the energy and attitude that someone takes into the field with them when they go to catch their horse. They suggest the mistaken view that horses have a moral code, that they do things to amuse us, frustrate us or annoy us. Why would any horse want to be caught by someone who feels like this? Is it any wonder that  they choose to leave instead?

8th August, 2017 I Do Like Mondays

Yesterday, one of those glorious days spent with a great friend. The weather was co-operative if not kind, the rain holding off til lunchtime when we were in the pub and then letting up again when we took Jack and Henry for a walk.

First on our list of things to do was a ride and it was great to see Juma and his family from just a short distance away.

Then we had a proper Juma visit with Rachael being honoured with just a little cuddle - I'm limiting him to one stranger contact a week.

Next we took Jack and Henry for a walk. Once again Henrietta did a disappearing act out on the Forest but soon rushed back when she could see we weren't going to wait for her. It's all slightly potty.