Day 27

It was a lovely sunny day today. Michele and I went over to the horses in the afternoon. I was feeling really stressed and that translated into fear when I arrived at the yard. J.B was in the yard and he whickered hello when we went in. Michele offered to put him in the arena, but I said he was fine. I got the head collar and went out to the field. Cori, Megan and Sky were all grazing in the lower field and Cheyanna and Humphries were in the upper field on the furthest side from the gate. Humphries walked a little towards us when I called, and then stood watching us, so we had to troop into the field to get him, but he led out well after that.

Leading Humphries in from the field

I led Humphries into the stable and he didn't try to rush out or anything, and behaved very well. Michele took J.B into the arena to lunge and ride, so I let Humphries out of the stable to wander about the yard.

Even though free to wander, Humphries goes back into the stable!

I watched Humphries nosing around the yard, poking his head into everything and sniffing around the goats and dogs. He kept on coming back to me to nuzzle my pockets for treats, and then he would use the gate into the arena as a scratching post, while watching Michele ride. I wandered around with him and he followed me for a while. He was so sweet, it was hard to be afraid of him. Especially when all the animals came and crowded around me and followed me around, with the sun shining and the swallows flying, it was so peaceful.

Humphries and Tom

I did some filming of Humphries in the yard and then I put away the camera and stood leaning against him. He stood perfectly still, just sharing the moment with me. He is so good. After that I went into the arena to see how Michele and J.B were getting on.

J.B trotting

Michele was warming up J.B on the flat. Things were going well. J.B was behaving well but not going forward with a lot of impulsion. He twists his head to the side, evading the bit, which makes riding him really hard work. Michele gets energy from him, and then it fizzles out because he is blocking the rein.

Taking a breather

After she had warmed up on the flat and put him through his paces, she did some jumping. J.B is still quite new to jumping and only beginning to enjoy it, but he has oodles of ability.

Then on to canter work
And popping over some jumps

The jumping went well, but I didn't get to see it all as Humphries started to kick the wheelbarrow at the gate into the arena to get some attention. I went back into the yard and decided to groom him. I didn't tie him up or put him back into the stable, but tried to groom him outside. He behaved really well, standing still while I brushed him and picked out his hooves. He even followed me up to the water trough when I wet the sponges for his face and dock. I cleaned around his right nostril and he tilted his head so that I could clean around his right. By the time I had finished grooming him, Michele had finished riding, so I led Humphries into the arena while Michele looked after J.B. Humphries walked really happily into the arena and then stopped just short of the gate and wouldn't walk all the way in. He stood on the threshold sniffing the air for a while and then pottered into the arena. I walked around the arena for a bit and Humphries followed me. It was nice. Then I decided to lead him back into the field. I didn't have a lead rope or anything, but Humphries was being so good I didn't think I would need one. However, as soon as we left the arena, Sky and Cori cantered up to the gate, followed by Megan and Cheyanna, and Humphries walked briskly off into the bull field. It was a tricky situation, but I felt I had to do something to resolve it rather than running for help, or lose control of Humphries completely. Using my trusty buff head covering, I ran along the fence chasing Cori and the other horses away from the gate. Then I waded into the bull field and took hold of Humphries head collar. He was quite happy grazing there, so pulling on the headcollar wasn't enough to get him moving (but it did pull off the headcollar). Once again employing my buff, I used it as a rudimentary lead rope and led Humphries back to the gate and into the field. Feeling pleased that I had managed to do this, and also discovered two new uses for my buff, I rejoined Michele in the yard and helped her fix up the stable before we left for home.

Day 25

Me and Humphries on Monday

Went over to Dromiskin to see Humphries yesterday afternoon. Things looked very peaceful in the field as I drove up. Megan, Cheyanna and Cori were walking quietly down to the lower field and Sky was walking over to Humphries. He seemed a little wary of her, but she was very affectionate towards him. Michele was riding J.B in the arena, so I popped in to say hello to her and watch her riding. J.B was very fresh from all the box rest, but he looked really smart in his lovely new black saddle and black bridle. He was giving Michele a lot of trouble, pulling on the rein and holding his head crooked. Humphries came up to the gate and looked over at the arena, so I went into the field and said hello to him and gave him some carrots. Harry was over in the yard as well. Eithne had left her over for her lesson, but she didn't have a riding lesson this morning and she hadn't collected her. I put up some cross poles for Michele and she got J.B going beautifully over the jumps. Then I helped her fix up the stable for J.B and held him while she saw to his cuts and then we went home. Ruffles, the peacock, was displaying to the goats in the yard and it was beautiful to see his magnificent tail in full display, and to hear the rustling sound that his feathers make when he vibrates them. It is a pity he doesn't have a peahen to see all the display. I forgot to take my camera over today, which was a shame. After the horses, Michele and I went into Horseware and she bought me a lovely bag for my grooming kit and a really cool buff scarf, which is very versatile, as well as a cool green rain jacket for herself and some nifty leather cleaning goodies.

New Shoes

Me and Humphries

Humphries was shod today. It was a while since his last set of shoes (probably March) and his hooves were quite overgrown. Michele said he was hesitant to lift his feet for the farrier, so that is something more to add on our list of possible rough treatment -

1. Rough farrier

2. Hardly exercised

3. Treated badly in the stable

4. Left for ages on his own in the horse box

Michele also lunged him, which was wonderful of her. He went ok. Three days in a row being lunged is probably more work than he has done in months! She also lunged J.B and rode Cori. Cori was challenging but went very well. He is in full stallion mode at the moment and showing off his flashy paces as a result.

The newcomer - Toffee

I couldn't go over to see Humphries today because I was helping Madeline collect her new Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Toffee. The funny thing is, her breeder lives just beside the place we collected Humphries from! When I told Michele about it, she said I could have picked up Humphries' saddle while I was there! I wish I had thought of it when I was there.

Day 20

Went out to the horses this evening. It was a lovely evening. Poor J.B is still on box rest and is really getting fed up (as is Michele). We headed out to the field to get Humphries and Rags came with us. Humphries and Cheyanna were in the upper field having a drink when we went out. He started to come towards us, but Cori was looking and as he doesn't trust us to look after him yet, he headed out of Cori's way down to the lower field. Michele, Rags and I tramped down to the lower field to get Humphries. Once more he came towards us, but Sky, Cori and Megan headed down to the lower field and Humphries and Cheyanna headed off in the opposite direction. Michele went to bravely get rid of the other horses, but Humphries was still slowly walking away. I didn't see the point in going after him as long as Cori was hanging around to intimidate him, so I went to help Michele drive the horses back up to the upper field. As soon as we started to drive the horses up, Rags gave us a hand and started to chase and bark at them (although she left Humphries and Cheyanna alone). Cori didn't like getting a taste of his own medicine, but they ran back up to the upper field. Cheyanna and Humphries came back to us once the other horses went away. I put the head collar on Humphries and asked Michele to lead him up the avenue. Cheyanna kept pace on the other side of the field as we went back to the yard. Humphries didn't want to walk past Cori, even though the fence separated us and he wasn't even that near to the fence. Michele tried to shoo Cori away and immediately Rags ran into the field and started to bark at Cori. He turned in tiny circles, kicking out at Rags with both his hind and fore legs. It was amazing to watch, because he was so supple, but also really frightening because I was sure Rags would get injured. Avoiding harm, she followed us into the yard. Michele led Humphries into the stable. I groomed him and he was really good, the best yet. I bought sponges for him last Wednesday to clean his eyes, nose and dock and I forgot to bring them over again today! After I had groomed him I put on the bride and lunge rope, grabbed the lunge whip and headed into the arena.

I try my hand at lunging...

... in trot...
... and then a walk around the arena

Michele helped me with the gates and was on hand with advice. I was really nervous lunging him. I had never lunged before, but I had memories of Cori bucking and taking off on the lunge and I was afraid Humphries would do the same. He was very good though, and I soon relaxed and enjoyed doing it. He didn't move very well, but he was watching me the whole time and was relaxed and communicating. Towards the end of the session I imagined driving him forward and he went a lot better, but Michele said it was more like long reining than lunging but that it worked. Then we walked him around the arena (driving him from behind) and took him back into the stable to put on the head collar. I didn't want to lead him back straight from the field because he might get into the habit of going straight back after work. He was perfect in the stable after lunging and he didn't try to get out the door once, he stood nice and quietly while I took off the bridle and put on the head collar. Then we led him down to the lower field, and I managed to lead him back. Cheyanna came over to say hi and he got some pony nuts for being so good. When we got back to the yard, Sky and Cori headed down to the lower field and drove them on, but it was quite gentle. Then Michele got J.B settled for the night and we went home.

Day 19

I couldn't get out to the horses any day this week so, even though I was really tired today, I made sure that I went over this afternoon to say hello to Humphries. J.B is still on box rest because of his hurt foot (he is allowed out into the yard during the day) so, when we arrived at the yard, he came over to the gate whickering softly. I think he is very bored, so he followed us around, nosing in our pockets and generally seeing what we were up to. It was a lovely warm afternoon and Tom and Gerry were stretched out against the stables, chewing the cud. They looked so cute. We collected the head collar and lead rope and headed out to the field to get Humphries. Things are tense in the field now that J.B is no longer there to keep the herd together. Cori, Sky and Megan were grazing in the upper field while Humphries and Cheyanna were grazing in the lower field. It was more than Humphries life was worth to walk up to the top gate, so Michele and I headed down to the bottom gate. He was watching us as we walked, but by the time we got to the gate, he was lying down! I don't know if this was to encourage me to hop on his back or an evasion tactic to prevent from being taken in, but he seemed totally relaxed and at home lying down in the field grazing. I put on his head collar and and gave him a carrot and he just lay there placidly. Then Sky came down from the top field to investigate, so we got Humphries up and led him out of the field. I got a bit spooked because of the tension in the herd and asked Michele to lead him for me. Cori and Megan trotted along the other side of the fence, intimidating poor Humphries. Michele put J.B into the arena when we got to the yard and I held Humphries at the gate, waiting for her. He was tense and I was afraid he would try to get away from me to run back to the field with his pal Cheyanna, but I think it was my nervousness that was unnerving him. Michele led him into the stable for me. I gave him a thorough groom and he was OK, although he barged a bit towards the door. Michele lunged J.B in the arena while I groomed. My nerves settled a bit while I worked with Humphries. When I had finished grooming him, I started to wash his tail. It was the first time I've washed a horse's tail, so it was quite exciting.

My very first tail washing!

Rags finds tail washing boring

Humphries fidgets while his tail is washed

His tail wasn't too bad, because Michele washed it last week, but it was still quite dirty. When Michele was finished with J.B she came back into the stable and gave me a hand. She was invaluable with advice and refilled the buckets of water for me. Humphries stood very well until Fiona and a hoard of kids and dogs came into the yard and then he started to fidget and stepped back, almost upsetting the bucket. After washing his tail, Michele took him into the arena and lunged him for about 12 minutes.

Michele lunging Humphries...
...in trot...
...and halt...
...then canter...

...and then changes rein

He was good, and worked nicely, but he is very unfit and found it hard to canter. It also took him a few minutes to tune into Michele, but he was eager to work. After lunging, Michele hopped on his back and rode him around for a few minutes.

Some bareback riding......trotting...
... around the arena

We left him back into the field at the top gate. Keeping a wide berth of Cori, Sky and Megan, he walked slowly to collect his pal Cheyanna.

Humphries went to collect Cheyanna

Cori keeps a close eye on Cheyanna, while Harvey rolls

Cori waited until he was in the corner of the field and then he went tearing off after Humphries. Humphries, loosened up from his lunging, galloped away with Cori barely cantering behind him, his teeth locked onto Humphries' haunches. Once he had chased him out of the upper field, Cori gave up and went back grazing, but Humphries sneaked back and Cori chased him down to the lower field.

The chase begins...

... and continues...

... and continues

Determined to get Cheyanna, Humprhies trotted back up to the upper field, collected his friend and the two of them walked down to the lower field without further hassle. It was very sweet.

The young lovers reunited

After that, Michele washed J.B's tail. He wasn't as good as normal and fidgeted a lot.

Michele wets J.B's tail...

... goes to get the shampoo...

... and then rinses

I think it was because there were a lot of flies annoying him and he is bored. Then we brushed out the stable, gave hay to J.B and some feed, settled him down for the night and went home.

Get well soon J.B

J.B was taken in from the field today to see the physiotherapist and it was noticed that he had a large, very nasty cut on his off front fetlock.

J.B's sore foot

It is very deep and infected. Fiona helped Michele poultice it up, to draw out the infection, and he will be on box rest for at least a week. Poor J.B, he is very accident prone. It is a mystery how he managed to injure himself. Fiona went through the field but couldn't find any wire or sharp implements that might have done the damage. I have a sneaky suspicion that the disturbance in the herd (because of Humphries) might have caused it.

J.B noses around the yard

Michele says J.B likes to get his holiday every May and December, because that is when he either develops back or hoof problems. I wish he would think up less painful ways to get some time off. Poor Michele has to go over twice a day to muck out and see to him in the stable. It is a lot of work to do and hold down a full time job. He will be on box rest for at least a week. I hope he gets better quickly.

Day Ten

Humphries and me

It was a beautiful day today; dry, with lots of sunny spells. It was quite cold as well though. Michele and I headed out to the horses in the morning, to make the most of the day. Cori and the mares were grazing in the near field and Humphries and JB were in the far end of the field. Humphries was lying down dozing when we walked up. He stayed lying down when I approached and I stroked his back and everything. I was really tempted to sit on his back, but I wasn't brave enough to try sitting on him with no tack, in the field, when he decided to get up. I think it is a good sign though, he must feel at home in the field to be so relaxed. I wish I had taken a photo of him, as he looked really really cute.

Humphries goes for a stroll around the arena

I led Humphries in from the field. He was excellent until I got to the stable, and then he barged right through me out the door. Michele was calling Cori and JB in from the field by shaking a bucket of horse nuts, and Humphries was distracted by this and didn't want to go back into the stable. It was a deciding moment for me. Should I give up and wave my arms in the air, blubbering like a baby, until Michele came into the yard to help me - or should I keep calm and get Humphries into the stable. It was a challenge, but I stepped up to it and managed to get Humphries into the stable - and keep him in this time!

JB grazing in the field

Michele then took in Cori and JB. They led in together beautifully. JB was groomed, fed and left back into the field. Cori was groomed and tacked up to be ridden. He gave trouble at first when Michele started to ride him - spooking and head shaking - but then he did some lovely work. Michele had to work hard, pressing all the right buttons, to produce good results.

Michele riding Cori...

... in trot...

... around the arena

After Michele was finished riding Cori, I took Humphries into the arena. He stood looking at the horses in the field for a little while, then marched purposefully around on the outside track, before coming over to see what Michele and I were up to. I put him back into the field after that. Michele washed Cori's tail after riding him, and it was in an even worse state than Humphries'. When she was finished, Cori looked fantastic, and she led him out to the field. He was a bit stroppy at the gate, so she did some leading with him to get him back under control. Things seemed to have settled down nicely in the herd, as all the horses were spread out in their grazing and seemed very content. JB came up to the gate to say hi when Cori was put back into the field.

His tail is so clean, it sparkles

Day Nine

It was a beautiful morning this morning, but as I headed over to the horses with Michele, it started to pour with rain. I was feeling really nervous going over to the stables. It was my first visit after my unsuccessful attempt at mounting, and my stomach was like an angry wasp nest. Eithne and Fiona had both had riding lessons in the morning, so Eithne's horse - Harry - was in the yard when we arrived.

Harry says hello to Humphries

I took Humphries in. He was down in the far end of the field on his own, and it was a long walk there and back to get him, but he led very well. He was too wet to groom, so I picked out his hooves and then sat with him in the stable for a while. Harry came over and nibbled him and squealed for a little while. Tom and Gerry, the goats, kept running into the stable to shelter from the rain, and also for some company. They are very curious, friendly animals and I think they are lonely now that the donkeys are out in the field with the horses, rather than in the yard with them. Harvey used to let Tom scratch his horns against his head, which is rather sweet.

Tom decides to eat some plastic

Rags shelters from the rain

After sitting with Humphries for a little while, I started to clean the tack in the stable. I cleaned two leather head collars, two bridles, one pair of half chaps, the saddle and girth and both my boots and Michele's.

Nice shiny clean bridles

While I cleaned the tack, Michele tackled Humphries' tail. It was in a terrible state, really filthy and all chopped up by the people who had hired him last.

Michele washing Humphries' tail

When Michele had finished with his tail (she did a fantastic job, it looks great now) I led Humphries back out to the field and helped Michele bring in Cori and JB. Cori was hesitant to come in at first (all the horses were sheltering from the rain under the trees at the far end of the field) but with Michele's gentle coaxing and me leading JB, we got them both safely into the stables. JB kept on walking after Michele rather than following me. It was very sweet. I'm not surprised that he preferred to follow her, as he knows her a lot better than he does me.

JB potters about the yard

Michele wormed and fed JB and then wormed Cori. Cori put up a big fight about the worming. It was not so much that he objected to the wormer or the easy wormer bit, it was more a matter of principle to him that he couldn't do it easily, so of course it took three times longer than it should have. It was funny, because he would spin away from Michele and then come over to me and lick my hand. Then Michele would come up to him and he would spin away again. We also noticed that he had a swelling between his front legs.

Lumpy Cori

Close up of the swelling

Michele fed Cori and then we led Cori and JB back to the field. Humphries was grazing with the mares and the two boys went racing down to chase him off. Cori stopped before he even reached Humphries, and started grazing, while JB chased Humphries away from Cheyanna and then started to graze. His chasing was half hearted and not at all hostile.

Practising my riding position on a barrel