Accompanied

Dudley doesn`t do hills, or downhills at least - unless of course there`s a mare in front or something he wants to show off to.  He doesn`t seem to appreciate that, like his owner, he is possessed of short, fat, hairy legs which constricts the amount of ground covered and the speed at which it is traversed.  No, Dudley imagines himself to be fleet of foot and long of limb.  If only . . .

Today we were out with Sarah and her horse Jasper who lives in the next door stable.  He`s a big, bay 17hh horse with a long body and even longer limbs.  Dudley and I, riding alongside, must have looked like the opposing twin being short and grey with little sturdy limbs.  I wish someone had taken a picture as we must have looked quite a sight!  I know Sarah from a previous yard and wondered if Duds remembered her too.

Woolly boy!  Tired after ride.

Sarah is bringing Jas back into work after a period off due to injury so she wanted to keep it short and sweet.  That suited us as Dudley is still building up his fitness and in any case is never in a hurry to get anywhere - usually.   The ride was very uneventful and even paced though Jas looked to be a bit strong at times and was tossing his head quite a lot, a trait I`m more used to seeing in Duds.  On the turn for home both were strong and clearly raring to go and I mentioned as much to Sarah who replied in a worried way to ask `he won`t, will he?`  clearly imagining the pair of them bolting along the Kirkby road to be first one back at the gate! It was good to reassure her that he wouldn`t though if I asked him to he absolutely would.  He might have control of me in the school, scene of his routine humiliation of me, but on the road and on the ground, I am the boss and he seems to respect that.

Back to the yard and out in the field and Jas is the first one down.  Whilst Duds trundled sedately off to the higher ground where the grass is greener and full, Jasper was on his knees and rolling in the thickest mud within seconds of us turning for the gate.  Not content with rolling one side, he then turned over and rolled on the other sending mud flying everywhere as his hooves dug in as he spun.  Still wallowing, he buried his muzzle in the mud and ground his ears to ensure maximum coverage.  Even with a rug on he still managed to clart himself!  The sound of Sarah`s despairing wails had me howling with laughter, the more because she`d spent ages before we rode brushing and grooming and getting him ready for his owner to view this afternoon.  Never again will I accuse Duds of being the muckiest pony ever!  At least he had the commonsense to keep out of the way!

The cats were around again today, as usual.  They are such a sweet little pair who today were curled up on my hay.  The chicken who has made a nest at the back of the bales was also back, still chiding, though now displaced because of the cats.  Not for long, however, as when I returned she had lodged herself behind Bubble and Squeak obviously preparing to sit again.  That cockerel has a lot to answer for!