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.

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.

The Herd

The horses live in a stable herd of five - two geldings and three mares. At the moment, there are also two donkeys out in the field with them.

J.B

Although he is the second youngest horse in the herd, J.B is a natural leader with his calm, authoritative air and his suave good looks. The mares love him. He has managed to control Cori's aggressive behaviour and he generally keeps things running in a friendly, orderly fashion.

Cori

Cori is second in command (although Sky as lead mare out ranks him) and J.B's right hand horse, as well as his best friend. If there is any heavy duty work to be done - like chasing, kicking, and generally running around madly - Cori will do it for J.B. His natural tendencies are to fight, but J.B has given him the strong leadership that he needs so he can relax and let someone else take care of things.

Sky

Sky is the lead mare of the herd and responsible for keeping the other mares in order. She is top over all the other horses, except J.B. She was used to being in charge of things before the geldings arrived, but she gladly let J.B take charge and is more relaxed now that she doesn't have to lead the whole herd.

Megan

Megan is Sky's best friend. She is low down in the herd, but because of Sky, she is allowed privileges above her station. She often operates as Sky's right hand horse, doing any heavy work that needs to be done. She also sneaks in and takes food from all the horses when they are being fed.

Cheyanna

The youngest member of the herd, Cheyanna has a lot to learn about horse etiquette. She doesn't have a pair bond and is often out on her own. Every few months she plays up and challenges the other horses, running madly around and having fun.

Day Two

Humphries went out to the field today with the rest of the horses. First of all Michele took Cori and J.B in and put them in the arena, and then put Humphries out with the mares. They chased him about for a bit, but then settled down. Then Michele put the two boys out in the field with the rest of the herd. J.B drove Humphries around the field, letting him know that he is boss, but he protected him from the others chasing him and he wasn't aggressive.

Cori grazing peacefully in the field

I visited the horses in the evening. Everything was peaceful when I arrived and Humphries was grazing with Sky (lead mare) and J.B. After a while, Cori and Cheyanna came up and ran to chase Humphries away, but J.B stepped in and protected him. Then they came running over to Michele and me, but when I went to say hello to Humphries, J.B drove him away. While J.B was busy talking to us, Cheyanna came up and stole Humphries away to the other side of the field.

Cheyanna steals Humphries away for herself

Michele and I tramped all the way down to the other end of the field to say hello to Humphries, but by that stage, J.B had realised what was going on and raced down to chase Humphries away from his mare.

Humphries and Cheyanna watch the rest of the herd

J.B and his ladies

After several more unsuccessful attempts to approach Humphries (J.B kept on driving him away just as we arrived at him!), we called it quits for the night. I hope the herd will settle down over the night and things will be more peaceful tomorrow.