Elentári update.....

My little fat baby horse was a total star today. She's been going out in hand and doing ride and lead with Gandalf for a while now, and as she's 3 already, we started her long-reining. She was fine with the equipment, although she looked a the white saddle blanket a bit funny, but didn't mind the surcingle being done up round her rather large belly, or the long reins flapping about. We went off down the quiet little lane along with our friends riding the other 2 horses.

Ali was at her head to start with, but it soon became apparent that she didn't really need her there. She was fine with me walking behind her. Took her a little while to work out the brakes, she was in her new sidepull rather than the rope headcollar she's used to, but she picks things up quickly and although it took a while to respond to pressure on her nose the first time, after a few stops and starts she hardly needed a touch on the reins. When the other two trotted off, she listened when I asked her to stay with me.

In fact, the only problem, inevitably, was the temptation of the grass to either side of her, so I had to make sure she didn't start zigzagging along from verge to verge for a snack! She's been wearing a grazing muzzle all the time since the herd went onto the new grazing for the spring and she's still putting on weight. She's figured out how to eat pretty efficiently with it on, but at least this way she can be out with the others getting plenty of exercise.......

I grabbed a branch on the way back to drag it along behind her and see how she'd react to the noise - she just tried to turn round and eat it......I can see if we ever do any logging, the young hazel shoots won't stand a chance ;-)

When we got back, I decided to try something, so I summoned my crash test dummy and we did this:

She really doesn't worry about the strange stuff we do - as long as she's getting bits of carrot! Good girl :-)