6th October 2010

Charlot's last day in Shetland!

A few month's back a friend offered to take Charlot, so that I could concentrate on getting better.

Realistically, it is the best option and Jo and I have talked endlessly about what would happen this winter.

Charlot is the only one who wears a rug and I often find it undone with straps swinging. To ask Richard, my partner, to try and catch Charlot to put his rug right, is impossible. If Charlot doesn't want to be caught, he won't and he pisses around the field with straps everywhere being difficult. I would be told and could do nothing, lying in bed with my enforced post-op bedrest for 2 months. I would then worry about the cold getting in, Charlot being miserable and the rug getting more damaged. Not a very good plan imho.

So, when this offer was made, I casually thanked my friend but as the reality of back surgery arrived, my surgeon (and mother) made it very clear that they expected me to have no more dealings with my horses and ponies for a very long time. Grudgingly, this does make sense. How can I get better, how can the bones re-grow and the healing process happen if I am worrying, taking risks and trying to catch Charlot? I want to get better and get him back. I am no use to him like this.

So, I after seeing my surgeon and having the no-horse lecture, I rang my friend and said "you know this offer you made to have Charlot ....?" in a hopeful tone, and she sweetly said "send him when you want!"

Luckily a friend of hers has bought 2 of our ponies as well so Charlot will to start to live with them. She is a certified equine Sportsmassage Therapist and Rolfer (?) and I think Charlot will have landed on his hooves with someone who can understand his needs to trust and work totally with body language.

The more I think about this, the better I think it will be for Charlot to broaden his horizons. He tolerates other people but he trusts Jo, Daisy and me 100% which is all very well but he has to learn to talk to other people too and to work with them sensibly. He needs to see the world and to stop dining out on his "poor-me" life story.

So we loaded them all up (he marched straight in), and we drove slowly to the ferry terminal. We unloaded them and led them through into the byre. Charlot was very relaxed, didn't remember this place from when he arrived a few years back and happily munched on the hay provided, making friends with a very distressed foal next door.

I was happily surprised. It will be a smooth crossing. His new keepers are under strict instructions to photograph and tell me of his every movement. Let's see what this brings.

I have done this for Charlot first and foremost. Shetland can be harsh in winter. I cannot be there for him. Jo has the stallion and bebbies and lives 4 miles from me. The roads can be blocked for weeks. If I can't help Charlot, it is not good. We have cut back on our number of horses, selling many of our training stock. Those we have kept are all self-sufficient (read fat!) in the winter and hopefully will be fine in fields full of this year's ungrazed grass, with hay for emergencies.

It is hard not to feel that I have failed him now, just as we are beginning to see a light at the end of his tunnel (or is it through his ears?) but needs must when the Devil vomits in your kettle and there is no one to hold your hair back!

Make me proud, Charlot!

17th September 2010

A friend came to visit The Boy.

She knows him well and his "little ways".

So we went forth into the wind-blown field to have a chat. Charlot thought he might be able to manage to talk to this friend and was inquisitive but a bit stand-offish. He gave in after a few minutes and had a nice chat.

Then he decided enough was enough and ran off to join his friends declaring that he had never really met humans! Stupid boy (in the words of Captain Mainwaring).

8th September 2010

Today a friend came round to meet the boy himself.

I caught Charlot no problem, and took him out of his field alone.

While I was shutting the gate, I let him go and he walked off to get some long grass. He decided in the meantime that he was not going to be caught by me and started to walk away. But.... his long rope got stuck under a hoof and so he stopped, swiveled around and looked at me to sort it! I went over and caught him, pleased that I am considered a port in his stormy mind and led him into the shed!

One attempt to eat en route, a sharp "ahem" from me and he led very nicely.

Our friend, Sheena, wanted to learn "animal body language" and its interpretation with sensitive horses - who better to teach her than Charlot!

I took off his head-collar and let him go, asking Sheena to go up and catch him. Charlot would have none of it. She approached, he left, she approached, he left..... until Jo walked up to him and he let Sheena catch him if Jo stood beside him.

Sheena remarked that he completely trusted Jo and me. So Jo asked Sheena to pick up Charlot's front feet, which he did beautifully. Jo then picked up his backs and he was a good boy. Sheena commented that she wondered if Charlot had perhaps been hobbled as a foal which might explain the scars and lumps and bumps on his back legs. Also, she thought he had been hit around the face as he hates it if anyone raises their arms.

Next, we showed Sheena how the slightest body movement can cause a reaction, either good or bad in Charlot's mind. I lifted my shoulders and Charlot reversed speedily up to Jo. I lowered my shoulders and averted my gaze and he would let me catch him again.

After a session, we let Charlot go and play. He headed around the school, comfortable in his own environment and went to play with the cones!

Funny old thing!

1st September 2010

Did the same again today.

It was Daisy's last day at home - back to school in Scotland and not home until October.

Charlot and his friend, Floyd, came into the school. Charlot was harnessed up, did a spot of long-reining the log and then wore the cart, ie Jo supporting the shafts rather than putting them in the tugs.

After a few circuits, as things were looking good, they put to and Daisy led Charlot quietly round the school doing a 20m circle, figure of eight and change of rein. Jo deliberately kept everything to the minimum, hand movements, no whip and very quiet driving.

Charlot was a good boy again, never a flicker. So we unharnessed him, fed him an oatcake (run out of apples or carrots) and put him back into his field.

Job well done.

Onwards and maybe upwards?

31st August 2010

A day of days!

Caught, harnessed up, long-reined and then "wore" the green cart with Jo supporting it.

Then...... we put the shafts through the tugs and Charlot pulled it around the school.

Then..... Jo stood on a bucket as if she was the same height when sitting in the driving seat and waved her arms about.

Then...... we put a lunge line on Charlot, and attached the breeching and traces and he pulled the cart around the school.

Then ...... Jo got in the cart very slowly and sat there.

Charlot did nothing.

So, then ...... Daisy walked Charlot a few steps forward and stopped.

Charlot did nothing.

So, then ...... Daisy walked Charlot around the school and stopped. Jo got out.

Charlot was unharnessed and given an apple for his efforts.

So, then ...... we all breathed out!

WHAT A DAY!

Wooooo hooooooo!

PS. I cried!

30th August 2010

I give up! Well I don't.

I just don't understand.

Today, Charlot was his usual happy little self.

Is it me? Is it because I am ill and I give off vibes that I cannot trust him?

Is it because Daisy (eldest daughter) was in my place while I manned the camera?

What? What?

I dunno.

Jo caught him. He was harnessed up and Jo did some long-reining. Although a tad trotty, Charlot was much calmer and listening to instruction. He was far less bonkers and flighty.

So, Jo, with the help of Daisy, put the shafts of the little red cart (which we know doesn't fit) into the tugs and they led him around absolutely fine. No panic attacks and no bolting out of the shafts.

Then Charlot was led around the school with the green cart (slightly heavier and bigger and a better fit). The shafts were not put through the tugs but he could feel them against him and was pulling, with the help of Jo, if required.

The differences today:-

I was not handling him
We had a companion in the shape of a Shetland pony, Floyd in the school too
The radio was playing - Kylie and then Steps! Ugh!

I just don't know. Today was a completely new day and Charlot didn't put a hoof wrong, even lifting them up one at a time for Jo at the end.

She massaged his tense nervous bottom and we tied him up to work with Floyd.

So, Charlot knocked over the buckets to amuse himself without jumping 10 foot into the air.

Answers on a postcard.....