general update

There's been a vicious east wind today so I haven't ridden, so I'll take time for an update on various things.

The Equidawg - now follows me around everywhere wanting me to scratch his neck, just like a dog. Also just like a dog he now lies flat out on the yard and we walk around him saying "don't let us disturb you Butkins" and he says, sleepily half-opening one eye "OK, I won't". His winter coat is mostly replaced with a summer coat which is twice as long as any other horse's normal winter coat! He's still terribly patchy where I clipped him, the fur just does not seem to want to drop out.

Radar - since his teeth were done he has stopped walking away from me when he sees the bridle. It only took one day for him to learn that the pain was gone, on the second day he let me put the bridle on easily. He also finally learnt to go into his stable to eat his food when he comes in. Funnily enough, since the day when he wouldn't go right in and then backed out when I tried to make him, and then shut the door so he couldn't get to his food at all to show him that he couldn't choose when HE was ready to go into his stable, he has gone straight in every day. I wonder why??? And lastly, he never walks away from the mounting block any more.

Jazz is a shiny bundle of pure muscle. He has matured into such a handsome horse. Bulging muscle everywhere, like a real sportsman. He has worrisome pulses in his feet if he gets too much grass, but so far it hasn't made him too sensitive to stones so I try not to worry too much about it.

Zippy is finally growing into himself physically and beginning to look quite grown up. His stance has widened in the last couple of weeks and I'm hopeful that will feed into his movement, which was a little on the narrow side if we are being picky. I have just placed an advert for him in Horse and Hound next week, because both the people who were supposed to be coming to see him this week have backed out. One I haven't heard from but the other has just sent an email apologising because she has had terrible news about her Mum. It was so good of her to even think of letting me know at a time like that.

C