My husband Charles riding Danni
Well Sootty certainly new how to pull my leg on Thursday and i was poised between exasperation at his antics and pleasure that the old fool could still jink and fuss for the entire ride. Always a gassy horse in his youth age has not mellowed him but with a chest infection I was hoping for a few quiet outings. So on Friday the balance of energy or should I say reserves, just wasn't there for me and so Charles schooled Danni. Working through his regular regime of shoulder in at trot and then on to canter, counter counter and simple changes and finishing with those wretched half passes. Look at the photo carefully and you will see "one of the wives of Danilon" - April, happily grazing in her field below our house. Actually I think both Lizzie and April would like a word with Danilon about the state of their waist lines.
Dolly, Diva and Belle have now moved out of the main stable block beside the house to make room for April and Lizzie to come in to foal. At least Lizzie gets the big foaling box and poor April gets the box room next door to keep her company but there is a chatter box in. They'll probably not think it's not as good as their big roomy field shelter with just a rail to converse over.
Laid back Diva settled into her nice new stable without any fuss and started to eat straight away, although the back of the box bowed alarmingly, when she discovered the perfect shelf to scratch her not inconsiderable derriere. Belle on the other hand could see rather too far across a new field and stood mesmerised for sometime and of course Dolly was mortified to loose her mum evan if she was weaned. We'd splurged on big chatterboxes between each box but that just wasn't close enough for Dolly - strange really as she ranges far apart from the two older mares through the day to graze. The paddy that followed saw the rubber mats fly in the air, followed by the bedding, as Diva looked serene in her very own private stable, next door "Sorry dear time to be independent and have your own stable" you could almost hear her say.
The second night proved much quieter and so I'm hoping in a few days to be able to open Dolly's top door without Dolly sailing past me through the air!
? chatterbox?
ReplyDeletedo you mean like a gap in the wall so they can see each other? ?
Yes Claire - it is an opening in each stable wall filled with bars, so tht each horse can see his or her neighbour but not bite them. Very useful, in a general yard as you can easily check the behaviour of each horse by glancing along the line as you work and of course the horses get some semblance of herd life ........although diva thinks feilds are very over rated!
ReplyDelete