Hungry Humphries

It rained all day today but cleared up this evening so Michele and I were able to go over to the horses. It actually turned out quite nice - warmish, sunny and dry. Who could ask for anything more? (I feel a song coming on). Humphries and Cheyanna were waiting in the yard when we arrived. Michele took J.B in, put him in the stable, groomed him, tacked him up and took him into the arena to ride. I got a handful of nuts from the feed room. Humphries, Cheyanna, Harvey, Nellie, Tom and Gerry all gathered around for some food. Humphries got some nuts, which he ate greedily - unlike his usual gentle self - and Harvey got some too, because he came up really close to me and he usually doesn't do that. Humphries followed me around the yard, all the time nudging me for treats and being quite bossy about it. Now, I know I give him food, but not enough to encourage this sort of behaviour. Harvey came up to me again and I gave him some nuts and Humphries put his ears back and drove him away, which is very unlike him. All of this led me to believe that Humphries was VERY hungry. However, it wasn't until I was sitting on the oil barrels, the goats nibbling me, Humphries demanding food and Cheyanna sniffing my boots that I realised the door into the garden was shut. No wonder Humphries was so hungry! I had forgotten to secure it open on Tuesday, and the wind probably blew it closed, so they had all been locked out of their grazing for almost two days. The poor things. I opened the door and Cheyanna and the donkeys hurried happily in. Humphries stayed inside with me. He followed me around the yard and into the stable, where he licked up the crumbs from J.B's apple. I got him some hay, but he wasn't interested, and eventually he wandered off into the garden. I sat on the barrels again for a while with Oscar and Bilbo (a hairier, chubbier, friendlier version of Rocky) giving them some attention. Oscar jumped up and smeared me with his big muddy paws. He is such a big heavy dog. He made Janna look tiny and delicate when I got home. They are lovely dogs though. Then I went into the garden to see what the horses were up to. Oscar and Bilbo came with me and started to play with Rocky, who was hiding in the garden. Tommy and Gerry, who had been in the barn, followed me into the garden as well. The next thing I heard thundering hooves and Humphries, Harvey and Cheyanna were racing towards me. A few minutes later, Nelly joined the gang. I went for a walk around the garden, and Humphries followed me for a while and then started grazing again. As I made my way back to the door, Humphries walked over to meet me and then Cheyanna and the goats. I said goodbye to them and went over to Harvey. I didn't want Humphries to chase Harvey away while I gave him some treats, so I had to wait til Humphries wasn't following me. Harvey is usually so nervous, but today he was being really friendly and confident (I don't think it was just because of the food either). I gave him some nuts and made my way to the door. I realised someone was following me and I turned around (thinking it was Humphries) and it was Harvey! So he got my last few nuts (which had been saved for Cori) and I got an extra nuzzle from his lovely velvety nose. I looked back at them in the doorway out of the garden and Humphries started to walk towards me, but I left the garden and went into the arena to watch Michele riding J.B. She was almost finished riding. Today was flat work. J.B had mouthed up nicely and he seemed more accepting of the bit. I watched Michele finish up, then she took J.B back to the stable and untacked him. She led him out to the field and gave him something to eat, and I grabbed a few nuts for Cori, so he got his treat from me in the end. Then we went home.