No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow

A week of dry weather and I have finally managed to wash and re-proof 3 of Wolfie's turnouts and wash a couple of his fleeces.  The rugs have taken an absolute hammering over the last year and I'll probably have to think about replacing a few of them this year.  I also need to get him a fly rug.  He does have one, but he's never actually worn it, as it has an attached neck which is far too big for him.  He wouldn't be able to see if he was wearing it.  The vet is up today for Honey's blood test and he will have another look at Wolfie's skin.  It seems to start clearing up and then flares up again.  I am getting quite frustrated with it and am desperate to sort it out before the flies appear.  He is totally fine within himself apart from getting himself into some amazing positions to scratch.  He's very flexible!

He has a new brow band.  Very bling!

A couple of weeks ago, I took him for a quiet ride around the fields.  We were wandering along when I noticed all the gates were open between the fields and I wondered where the sheep were.  5 seconds later I realised as I turned around and about 200 sheep were running towards us folowed by the sheep dogs and further behind the farmer on his quad bike.  It turns out, ironically, that they were being taken up to the sheep pens to be drenched (they belong to a different farmer).  Wolfie bolted and began galloping flat out across the field with the sheep.  The sheep began to pile up at the gateway to get through, Wolfie jumped the wall.  Heading across the next field, the next fence was a huge sheep fence covered by a solid hedge.  All I could think was 'he'll stop at that fence, he'll stop at that fence'.  No, he didn't.  The sheep were blocking the gateway again, he took off around 2 strides away and soared over it.  I managed to turn him up a steeper hill in the opposite direction from the sheep and pulled him up.  He then stuck his head between his knees and started doing his best rodeo horse impersonation.  I was hanging on by a thread and it was getting to that point where I just wished I would fall off, so that it would be over when Wolfie heard the quad bike and stopped.  The farmer was so apologetic, it wasn't his fault, he hadn't seen us.  He showed me his phone, which he had in his hand.  He'd already enetered 999 into it and was already to phone me an ambulance once he'd found me (obviously expecting to find me on the ground somewhere having fallen  off and been trampled by sheep :-)).   Once he realised I was still in one piece, he said he wished he had filmed it as he would have made a fortune on You Have Been Framed.  He then asked what Wolfie was wearing on his head.  He had his new browband on :-).  Give Wolfie his due, he walked calmly back down the hill, home.  I take great pride in the fact that Wolfie is the only horse at the yard that can open and close every gate within a 10 mile radius of the stables ridden.  Next time we are up there Wolfie, we will be going through the gate.

                                                      Hmmm, wonder where the sheep are

                                                                           Behind you!

Wolfie's hedge.  He jumped it to the left hand side of the gate.  It doesn't look too big in the photo, but when I standnext to the gate, it's level with my forearm.  One thing I really need to do,is get a new riding hat.  My hat really doesn't fit and would probably cause me additional damage if I fell on my head.  Nothing like waiting until the horse has bolted!

Zoe came up on Sunday and she had a little sit on Wolfie.  I don't give her the reins on him, o she held onto the latigo around his neck and I led her around the school.  Interesting to see how responsive he is to the slightest pressure on the latigo as she managed to halt him, straight into rein back and gave him sort of aid which he interpreted as turn on the forehand.  He was a very good boy.