27 April 2008

Today, after a bit of an absence from Charlot, we wormed him with a nuclear wormer. In Shetland we find the usual ascarids and red worms, but it has been known for bots to appear in imported equines. They are not a frequent visitor or resident.

Charlot took it like a man and was very good about having 4 lots of worming solution shoved down him (we only had a small syringe!). A bit of mutual grooming later, he led perfectly like a pro back into his field. He seems relaxed and happy with the little 'uns. The big guys have been moved into the slimming field as they had got a bit too fat so Charlot is with 4 Shetland ponies and one old mad Icelandic!

He really is the most beautiful shade of red. Now we've wormed him, perhaps he'll grow up to be a Suffolk Punch - he's certainly got the knees!

19 April 2008

We caught Charlot easily and took him, with Fjord (Shetland gelding in training), into our arena. Jo went through the routine of picking up his feet and apart from a small kicking session with one back one, Charlot co-operated nicely.

I did some leading training and Charlot was happy to walk alongside stopping and starting, reading and following my body language. He wanted to stop at the entrance as he had decided that he had enough and I asked him to walk on. He took a few steps and then bit my elbow.

The minute Charlot did it, I turned around so we were face to face and, outraged, I made him back up and keep backing up until I said enough (a couple of yards). His little face was one of amazement. He knew exactly what he had done and he then started to lick and chew his apology.

Apology accepted, we went back to the exercise once more just to prove that I say when it is enough and not him. Charlot was contrite and I had his full attention.

So, as we say, the cheque has cleared!

It is obvious that Charlot has not been handled. We stroke, touch and groom him with our hands all over his body so he gets desensitized as much as possible. He doesn’t jump anymore and Jo laid over his back to see what he would do - he was completely mystified and a bit jumpy!

Sorry, no photos.

16 April 2008

Another go at feet today and working on our trust issues - Charlot with us and vice versa.

Charlot now lets us pick up all his feet without too much problem. It is getting easier though he is still not 100% yet on the back ones. He tends to object immediately and then remembers that he can do this fine. Charlot wanted to have a good look at what Jo was doing while I held the end of the rope and to try and take photos!

It was such a nice day, for a change, that while I was taking photos of everyone, Jo decided to lie on the ground to catch some sun. I don’t think Charlot has seen humans lie down and he was very interested. Perhaps not totally to be trusted (it was funny to watch the Icelandic herd leader (Hakon) - he was quite tense about the situation), Charlot wandered around Jo to investigate this new approach. It was a lesson for both of them in trust.

15 April 2008

Over the past week, we’ve been doing very little with Charlot. Saying hello, trying to teach him to lead nicely but mostly letting him relax and graze with the herd.

Charlot is leading better and will walk alongside but he doesn’t like enclosed gaps, like a small gateway. Funnily enough, he had a complete hissy fit at going through a gateway and then walked calmly over our building site, drains and all, without blinking, just following me calmly.

He is nervous about us touching his legs. Back ones are still an issue but he will pick them up eventually and the kicking is getting less. Pony nuts are ok, but when something stressful is happening (in his head), then no amount of bribery will work. You can almost see the thought processes at work. He just has to decide to do it and trust us. In a way this must be better, because Charlot’s compliance to different situations will be based on trust rather than food. Edward, of course, is always there to help, offer advice and generally get in the way.

I had a reading done for Charlot by animal communicator Linda Desoer-Forster from Animal Communicare. Here are some extracts:-

“What a wonderful charming young man Charlot is. He comes across as being very sweet natured and very genuine, but very bewildered by everything that has happened to him of late......Charlot firstly wants to point out that he gets confused with words, much of what he hears he doesn’t understand, but he can understand the emotions and thoughts behind them......In his few years of life Charlot shows he has become a very well travelled young man, it feels like he his showing that his life didn’t start in the same place in France that he ultimately came from, cannot be sure it was even France, as a very young horse he was sold at market and moved across the country......On the whole Charlot has a bit of a dim view of humans, in his past life all the humans he has come in to contact with have been hard and aggressive, handling him and others like him like inanimate objects rather than something that has a heart and a soul, its only recently that he is starting to understand that humans can have a milder streak. This sometimes makes him slightly anxious, is something bad going to happen? Can he trust people?.....Charlot, whilst it is obvious he is only a young man, is so worldly wise in many ways, almost like a child who has grown up on the streets or in a war torn country.”

8 April 2008

In the pouring rain, we decided to trim Charlot’s feet for the first time. The weather has been nothing but unhelpful in the last few days but his feet really do need trimming.

He was a very good boy and, with the help of Edward (of course), we managed to get the front ones done without any problems. He even let Jo put his hoof on the stand to have it rasped. Not bad for a pony who has been here a week.

Now the back feet were a totally different matter and we are going to have to work on this. Charlot tends to lash out rather than trust us and who can blame him. He had no idea what we were trying to achieve and was not co-operating.

Rather than force the issue, we will just continue at the speed we are going - little things every few days (more if the sun ever shines - the rain was dripping off us all).

Charlot is still very friendly and is learning to lead much better as long as “best friend Edward” comes too. He does not barge but reads your body language and walks alongside nicely. He has so much to learn and I am looking forwards to some nice weather so we can work with him properly. In this weather, you can only do the bare minimum.

5 April 2008

It is a “curate’s egg” of a day - sun then snow then wind then snow, all in short bursts.... ugh! A baptism of fire for poor Charlot but he is learning what to do, ie copy everyone else. So backs into the wind and wait for a break and then back to grazing.

I was only down in their field for a short while as it was so cold. I had to take off my gloves so that I could stroke Charlot but that was all I could do today.

In between the snowy weather, Charlot was still eating and seemed happy and chilled (not literally, he has his lovely rug for protection and warmth).

I think this blog might go weekly now or if something out of the ordinary happens. Suffice it to say, Charlot is here and is happy.

4 April 2008

Everyone got de-loused today and Charlot was happy to cooperate! He likes meeting new folk and has no problems with his rug, which is keeping him nice and warm.

Remember on Day 1 when I wrote that Charlot chased dogs. Jo was already in the field and had forgotten my warning. She had let her two collies out. Today Charlot didn’t care at all about dogs. He wasn’t chasing them and was totally unconcerned even when they were nearby. Such a huge change and so quickly.

So, we took the Icelandics out of the field to be ridden and Charlot watched at the edge of our arena utterly gob-smacked. He was bemused and just stood and stared in amazement that anyone would possibly want to do this, let alone enjoy it. Funny little boy! His learning curve must be vertical.

He is well and truly part of the herd. I think he sees himself more in the Shetland pony camp and is playing, both instigating and being part of the gang. He likes a good game with the lads. The Shetland mares are secretly quite impressed with him too!

The weather is deteriorating at the moment, so I hope Charlot copes with Shetland at its worst.

3 April 2008

I went to see the ponies this morning and fed Charlot a carrot - he likes them and knows what they are! I took off his head-collar as he appeared very tame and helpful. Charlie is his best friend and they are nearly always together.

Later on, I decided that we ought to put a rug on him as snow is forecast over the weekend. Easier said than done.

Jo came over and we replaced the head-collar. This was a bit of a performance and I think it will have to stay on for the time being. Then we “led” him into a small planticrub.

Jo had hold of Charlot while I introduced the giant rustling red bat that was obviously going to eat him. Edward, another helpful Shetland pony, was with him and offering to wear it, do it up and generally get in the way. This calmed Charlot down and we eventually placed the rug on his back and did up all the numerous buckles and straps.

Once we had released Charlot back into the herd, everyone came and laughed at him but he seems at ease with them all and is playing and interacting far more.

There is no malice in the boy, just nervousness and trust issues. He genuinely likes folk and you can touch his ears and tickle his belly but everything is new and you can see how brave he is being by accepting us.

2 April 2008

A small terrified chestnut pony was standing rigid in the trailer on the pier in Lerwick at 8am this morning. Jo went in and put a headcollar on Charlot. He wouldn’t lead and we ended up putting a rope around his bottom and unceremoniously shoving him into the animal shed to wait for our handsome, dashing, balding, stressed and caffeine dependent vet, Jim Tait from Lerwick Veterinary Practice. Refusing all food and jumping if we went near, Jim (handsome, dashing, balding, stressed and caffeine dependent) managed to give Charlot a check-up before we took him back to Thordale (a one hour drive).

Charlot has no manners, no concept of being led and has barely been handled but inside is a small pony desperate to be friends.

We threw him in at the deep end and put him in a large field with 12 other ponies - Icelandics and Shetlands - and then left him to it! There was the usual running around, the odd squeal and then everyone settled down to the usual job of eating.

Later in the afternoon, I took the dogs for a walk down to the field. Charlot doesn’t like dogs and will go from one end of the field to the other to tell them. We will keep the dogs away for a while.

Having initially thought Charlot would be difficult to catch again (we left his headcollar on), I was surprised when he was the first one up to say hello. He has made friends with the Shetlands and most of the Icelandics but his place in the herd is at the bottom at the moment. He instigates playing with his equine friends and likes people. I talked to him, coming and going between the others and he was easy and kind.

Early days, I know, but I hope this is going to work out. He has a lovely nature, movement and is strong. Once his feet are sorted out and he has put on some weight, I think there is a superb little pony who will show everyone what he can do.

Here is Charlot’s film on You Tube - Day 1 - it shows his arrival in Shetland just off the ferry and then meeting the gang. 7:25m long with beautiful traditional Shetland music - Enjoy.

Introduction

1 April 2008
One night, I was going through the death-row photos on www.equinsection.com, a heart-wrenching website when suddenly two little black button eyes looked back at me. Well, that was it, I had to save Charlot.

I’d been watching www.equinsection.com for some weeks as I had always wanted a donkey or two at Thordale. Since the resident three goats live in my potential donkey shed, I came to the conclusion that I will have to wait a while for my donks!

So I contacted Debbie, the organiser, to find Charlot was still available and desperately needing a home. After a bit of to-ing and fro-ing with emails, I paid the transporter (Robert Wood of Euro Sports) to fetch him from France and bring him to Aberdeen harbour for the ferry to Lerwick, Shetland. He made the long journey in stages and was put on the passenger ferry in a horsebox with half a bale of hay and a bucket of water to himself.

I have been told that Charlot is very timid but getting braver. He is thin and been through a lot in the last few weeks. On his arrival, our handsome, dashing, balding, stressed and caffeine dependent vet, Jim Tait from Lerwick Veterinary Practice, will give him a check-up and then we’ll put him (the pony, not handsome, dashing, balding, stressed and caffeine dependent Jim!) into a field with last year’s Shetland colts to chill for a while and find his feet.

To date, all we know is:-

Charlot, 4 year old chestnut gelding
Height approximately 1.5m (43 inches)
Microchipped
Is friendly, but nervous

At worst he will be a very expensive lawn-mower. At best, he will drive our beautiful Barry Wheelwright Spindle Back gig at the Royal Highland Show some day!

Wish him luck (and us)!