Sunday, 30 May 2010

30th May 2010





A busy day today.

Charlot is not lame. We left him alone for a few weeks to sort himself out and now he is fine and functioning well on all four legs.

He was easily caught and we did his feet (he minded a bit), harnessed him up and did some long-reining. We used the Shetland pony sized brollar for the first time and Charlot didn't mind in the slightest. It fitted fine! He was his usually bouncy self, if a little speedy and mad, having a fit at the slightest arm waving but putting up with things crashing around him.

We introduced Charlot to the cart too. Floss pulled it along behind him and he didn't care at all. So then we put it up to him, not attached, but so that he could feel the shafts along his sides. We walked about the indoor school like this with me leading and Jo holding the cart up so that it could be taken away quickly should Charlot react, which he didn't at all. He minds more about folk's body language. Such a sensitive soul.

We praised him for his good behaviour and told him to grow up or ignored the bad. When he reacted to someone moving their arm, we then flapped about like chickens so that he would stop bothering about it. To any onlooker, we would have looked completely mad!



Charlot was a good boy and tried his very best. We did not attach the cart as a) it is far too small for him and b) we have not reached that point yet.

As a reward and to try and calm him down abit, we did some free-schooling over a jump. Charlot loves to jump and had a great time trotting and cantering around the school, just jumping for fun.





So, we achieved alot today and he has gone out to join his friends!

Well done Charlot!




Tuesday, 11 May 2010

11th May 2010



We moved the herd back to their spring/summer field today with the help of some useful visitors. Charlot led very well but his friend didn't so I was busy arguing with a Shetland pony whilst being dragged along. Charlot, bless him, was helper and not a hinderer. He just pottered alongside me while I was having my fight with his friend.

Once in the school, I tied him up and had words with the "friend".

Charlot stood nicely, thought about biting the wooden boards, so I threw a little stone at his bum - one throw was all it took and he stopped immediately and stood quietly from then on.

Jo tried to lunge him but he was lame on his back left leg. Nothing too drastic, just a bit stiff. He has probably taken a bad step. We will assess him in a few days. He let Jo pick up his feet with absolutely no argument.

So we put them all out to eat the small amount of spring grass that has deigned to arrive. It is nearly mid-May and it is now snowing!

Having said that, no one is thin!