The Button explanation.

Well mostly we bought him because we know he's just going to make us smile every time we see him. I mentioned to SH that I was thinking of buying a miniature, thinking that he would say "what the hell do you want to do that for?". I nearly fell off my chair when he got a wicked twinkle in his eye and was clearly tickled pink by the idea of having an ankle-nipper around the place.

There's a farm near me that I pass about once a week that breeds small Shetlands and I have always loved them. It's been obvious over the winter that Jazz has a real problem digesting sugars now that he is finished most of his growing. Every time we have had frost on the grass, which raises the fructan levels, he has had pulses in his fetlocks. This coming summer he will be a laminitis risk unless we keep him in during the day. So I was thinking of options for managing him, and I don't want him to have to live in on his own during the day, nor do I want Zippy in for no reason. I thought if I got a miniature then it would give me options for how to manage Jazz without the pressure of looking after a third horse.

So I browsed Horsemart, as you do, and came across Button (called Munro at the moment but I'll change it). He is an extremely unusual colour. You don't get that many dun horses and I have never in my life seen a dun Shetland. I love the colour and would have a big one that colour if I could have found one! I talked to his breeder on the phone and we agreed a deal without me going to see him, because they are a fair way away in Blackpool and she offered to drop him off while visiting relatives who live near here. It doesn't bother me if he has some conformation defects when he arrives, he won't be doing any affiliated events for a while :-)

Of course as soon as I told my friends at Spinal Research about him they were dead keen to have him as a mascot. I hadn't thought of using him for fundraising at all, it never crossed my mind, but of course it's a fantastic idea. I can go to events with him and meet a load of friends who are competing, and new people who will just want to talk to Button, and raise money for SaddleUp too. What a fantastic idea!

We are going to test him out at Bradwall in his hot pink saddle (and I got a bridle to match too) and if he raises enough money there, then SaddleUp will want him at Burleigh. Now wouldn't that be fun?!

He arrives on Monday evening, so pictures on Tuesday.

C.

ps Thank you so much to the people who have donated money to the research to get paralysed people out of their wheelchairs and back in a saddle. Having blackmailed you into getting me to carry on with the blog, I think it's only fair to offer you the option to keep Button "invitation only" if any of you want that. Just email me (in confidence) on cptrayes@btinternet.com