sleepy horse and leaping youth

Right then! Top photo, baby boy and two mates putting Skipper's jump to good use. Second photo, Lincolnshire sartorial elegance modelled by a mate, who shall remain nameless for his own protection! This was not the outfit he wore to go clubbing.... Third and fourth photos: I got up at 6am on Sunday and we had quite a sharp frost on the ground briefly. I walked over to the mares in my dressing gown, with the horrible black dog, to enjoy the view, the stillness, the birdsong and the peace. It was lovely. A few moments of quiet and tranquility. There was a new foal born, but the mare wouldn't let me near enough to get a photo. It has now gone home with its mum and several other mares who looked fit to burst. Remaining mares off within the week before their foals arrive too.

Finally, the Skipper horse was very, very disobedient late last night. He refused to come in to his barn for Hugh. It was nearly midnight, and I was asleep, so Hugh kindly went to put the horse away, but he planted his hooves in the corner near the mares and would not move! All the excitement of mares and foal being moved/loaded/coralled/dispersed meant he needed to stake out the locale in case of more interesting action. Rather than a prolonged argument Hugh left him. It was the horse's first night out alone in the field. I think he regretted it! This morning he could hardly keep his eyes open, and when we went for a ride he could barely pick up his feet to do 3 miles. After the hack and back in the field the horse lay down for a long nap. Hugh sat with him for quite a long time, amused at Skipper's indifference. Horse too tired to even look up. As a result Skipper is going to have a few more nights out in the field. Certainly took the wind out of his sails. Have bought him a fly coat as he is attracting all the winged pests in the locality to land on his face and sheath (I'm afraid so) and also purchased some fly repellent to wipe all over him. Also some chemical fly traps. Hoping all this shopping will help keep the flying biters off his tender bits. Since the spring grass came horse has been a bit full of himself so its a happy change to see him tired and relaxed. Long may it continue.