Dom completes our string of 5, YIKES! 5 horses.

I sat in the paddock and cried. Five horses, how on earth are we going to cope with five horses? The responsibility weighed me down and crumpled me into a heap. While Noel had had previous experience with horses and was now turning into a horse whisperer, with more experience I felt more responsibility. (It had been an emotional time one way or another!)

Yesterday we’d picked up Dom, number five of our string. The episode was emotional in itself, we’d gone to collect Beach Buggy, supposedly a 15.1hh bay. He was 16.2 – far too big for us. I would bring them all home but I had to really urge my governer (my head) into action and still my heart.

We now have five Standard Breds (ex trotters/pacers):

Charlie: too big at 16hh and underweight and quite stubborn

Ned: Nervous, jumps at leaves let alone saddle packs

Spirit: So cool and laid back we can hardly wake him to make him move

Stevie: Who’s great at everything, but detests leg aids and gets really grumpy if you urge him on

Dom: around 3.5 years old, incredibly young and silly and has not yet been backed.

With these thoughts I cried a bit harder and hoped Charlie, who was watching me, would come and give me a hoof hug. Charlie’s stomach is more important so he carried on munching the grass. I stood up and mentally and physically dusted myself off and tidied the tack room. This job is good for the soul, it helps sort out the days muddle in the room and in my head. Lunging and schooling Dom was all I could think of. Dom was going to have a surprise in the morning.

PHOTOS TO FOLLOW SOON!