Glorious

It was stunningly beautiful first thing this morning. The birds were still singing their songs and a woodpecker continued his tapping on a tree in the nearby coppice. The sun was warm on Dudley`s back as he stood waiting for me to take him down to the field and Simba, resident mouser, sat languidly leaning on the warm wall, just enjoying the warmth of the day after a cold night out.

Down to the field with Tonto the tall and elegant DWB and Sarah warns that he`ll take off so be careful. Boy, did he ever take off! Too fast and too strong for Sarah to hold he flew down the field, leadrope still attached and flying also, he galloped in elevated action and sheer joie de vie. Dudley, this side of the gate to prevent him joining in, took advantage of the lush, green grass that was growing around the posts. Without his partner in crime Tonto spun round to the gate a few times with Sarah in quiet approach before turning tail and shooting off again in the opposite direction. It`s interesting to watch Sarah`s manner and her patience with the big, grey miscreant, so diametrically opposed to the manner employed by our previous YO. Eventually her patience paid off and the little orange bribes effected the removal of the lead rope and with a kick and a spin, off he set again.

Dudley followed me into the field and obeyed his `round and do the gate` command, then off with the head collar and down with the head - not for a Highland to waste energy careering down the field when there`s grass to be had a warm sun to enjoy! Passing him in the field on my way down the drive he had clearly found a patch of very muddy mud - and rolled! Bless him!