Our donkeys used to live in a paddock behind our house and came onto the lawn and into the house. Found Mouse watching tv one day.R rode Sid yesterday and today, but this afternoon I brought him up to the house for a munch in the front garden. I sat on the terrace and read a book and watched him.
He ate steadily for half an hour, then got nosey and hopped up onto the terrace to investigate the bedroom window, the front door, the dogs' water buckets and the table and chairs.
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Curiosity satisfied, he hopped back down and carried on eating. I called him a couple of times and he came over straight away to see what I wanted.
After an hour I went and opened the gates and called. He was finding out where the path beyond the pond goes, but backed out tidily and hastened over. I clipped on his lead rope and took him back to the field. We were both very chilled!
what a good boy.I was shattered today after a very busy tough week at work, so I didn't take Sid out. He is fresh and would have been sportive and I didn't feel like it.
Instead I gave him a haynet and groomed him for an hour - long overdue, I must say. Then I took him across to the house for an adventure.
Sid knows the front garden well and has browsed every corner of it, but he has never been to the back garden. The access is difficult. However, we are going to do another No Mow summer and Steve enquired about the possibility of Sid contracting as our lawn manager. So I thought I would see if I could get him past the pond, round the 90 degree bend of a 2ft wide path, along the narrow gap by the hedge and through the gate.
I didn't film him doing it because I wanted to focus on him. But he was very very good. Here is a little video of what he encountered:
He hesitated just before the gate, where there were many unusual things to look at and sniff. I just waited until he had looked enough, then asked him to go through the little gate. He came without a hesitation. I thought he might baulk at the 3 stone steps that go up to the lawn, but that grass was calling him - he just rocked back a little and jumped straight up to the top step!
He didn't graze for long - the grass is very lush and I don't want him to explode. I didn't fancy him jumping down the steps, as there's not really anywhere non-slippy to land, so I walked him down through the veggie beds, which are mostly fallow at the moment. He was as chilled as can be.
The next time we do TREC exercises I will have high expectations!
I wish I could, I would make a mint! Everybody needs a Sid.I am so glad you bought Sid as at first you weren't sure. Can you clone him for me please
curate's egg but as good as you can hope for if she has to sellThat is good, I mean not all great news but it is always good to know where you stand I think. And nice to know that Sid has a home even if things go south.
he is such a sweet horse, you are very luckyI missed Trevor coming because I was in hospital with a broken leg! I am so lucky, though, Christine is looking after both the horses and my sharer is riding Sid practically every day so that's one thing I don't have to worry about.
Christine brought Sid to visit me yesterday. It was very muggy and humid after a night of colossal thunderstorms and he looked droopy and woebegone, sweating with just the walk up the lane. But he saw me, pricked his ears and came over.
He ate the bits of apple I had for him, sniffed my hands to check there wasn't any more, sniffed my hair, knocked over my walker and shrugged, then spent a long couple of minutes sniffing each dressing on my leg. Then he rested his forehead on my forehead and sighed.
It was hard to get outside to see him and back inside afterwards, but so, so worth it...