Reading the same book

Seems like 'Mr F' are back on the same page or at least back reading in the same book.

As I drive up to 'Farm hill' the next morning, I can see him grazing in the field with the others. In fact they are all quite evenly spread out in the field. On previous days he was hiding in the shelter. Mind you, on his first few days of being turned out it was hot  for April and already there were plenty of flies. 'Mr F' doesn't do flies ... at all.

He also could have a bit of a grass overdose although it's not a lush field. The downside of him currently not showing much interest in his food (he never did during the first week of full turnout) means I cannot feed him any help for his digestive system. I may have to resort to the syringe but am trying not to. It's going to be a cold week ahead. Let's see if that changes things.

Today 'Mr F' is certainly more upbeat about things.

I go get his feed in the hope he might at last eat it. It's not much, just a bit of a mash with his TB (Thunderbrook) base-mix. He comes willingly out of the field. I simply open the gate without even putting on his head-collar. It is highly unlikely for him  to go anywhere other than his food bucket. At last he eats it.

Once the morning routine is completed, all three go and lie down. 'Rookie' already flat out, 'Zac' joins at a bit of a distance. 'Zac' now very clearly 'above' 'Rookie' in terms of pecking order. 'Mr F' hovers around where I am for a while then goes and joins the others, picking a space very near 'Zac' to lie down.

I go and put the food bucket and other bits away (tackroom is on first level). As I come back after 15 minutes, 'Mr F' too is flat out on his side, sleeping. Not a care in the world.

'Zac' meanwhile looks grumpy a lot. I find that he is right now very desperately trying to find some kind of connection with something. He follows 'Mr F' a lot and stays near him. But he also watches me VERY closely and hovers around us at all times and studies everything we do. And I am only too aware of this. Very early on I realised that they learn something from us, desired or not, each time we are with them. 

I  need to leave for work.

As I return in the mid/late afternoon I again am pleased to see all three grazing the field at the very top.

There is no point in calling for 'Mr f' to come down. Why should he when he is having a simply wonderful time up there? 

I slowly walk up the field, examining the various heaps of poo on the way up, making note for tomorrow's poo picking exercise. Some poo is quite runny and right now it's hard to tell which who's horse's business it is. 

'Mr F' willingly lets me put on his head collar (no more running off) and follows me down the hill, 'Zac' close behind us, 'Rookie' galloping behind us with the odd stop for grass but never overtaking.

We spend some time out on the verge along the drive. Of course he now is not any longer desperate for grass and just picks some of the herbs that he hasn't got in the field. As we get halfway down the drive he begins to show more interest in his surroundings.  And as we approach the end of it, at the crossing onto a country lane, he wants to continue. He always does really. He also steps out much better now that his interest is up. OK. He may have some level of discomfort somewhere in his body / hinds but he wants to go and explore. He is BORED.

It's time to get a new pair of hoof boots, regardless of the size of my wallet. There was a pair of 2nd hand ones on eBay, exactly the size we needed. They shall be ours by the end of the day. The old set is too big now, but they are useful for turning out with a poultice. 

As we wander back, he looks at me quite often as we stand still. The expression in his eye becomes warm again, the muscles around the eyes are soft and wrinkly again rather than wide open or tense. His lower lip is floppy. It appears that he is satisfied that I got the message. In fact he can read me better than any other living being.

As we return I see 'Jake' is already in for the night so I take this as an opportune moment to begin with our solo stable training. 'Mr f' knows 'Jake', they spent the past weeks in the barn together, with 'Zac' in the middle.

'Mr f', seeing 'Jake' willingly follows into the stable. He looks intently at the middle stable where 'Zac' used to be, now empty.

He fidgets around a bit as I leave to make some tea and to get some feed and grooming mits.

I know he likes being in a stable, but he wants it done his way, with his mates next to him. Well I am afraid he cannot have that. His mates are not my horses. His mates are now going to be out till Autumn.

So 'Mr f' has to learn to be in the stable without mates. There are other horses around. Most are still coming in at night even now. Most others also are on restricted grazing. I groom 'Mr f' and every now and then leave the stable for a bit, chatting to other horse owners there. One has purchase a filly and it arrived today. 

A new voice to get used to (yet already loud), joining the others in their chorus of 'Where are you' - 'I'm here!'. 'Zac' is still shouting for 'Mr F' who now becomes fairly agitated upon not being with the others.

But he doesn't fidget about all that much. We do all our physio exercises including the carrot stretches. He is certainly more sore on one side. It all began with the first day turnout. He must have overdone it a little. I am glad they have a big shelter which also protects them from the wind to some extent (Yorkshire boarding).

 Although it being no longer hot like the past week, they all now spend time outside. It's going to be a very cold week ahead especially at night and I am aiming to be able to bring 'Mr f' in every now and then especially if there is a lot of rain.

We spend some 40 minutes in the stable, 'Jake' at the far side. 'Mr F' is becoming more relaxed and looks almost sleepy. This is a good moment to get him out. He has learnt he can be there without his mate and just one other horse. He also realises again that the stable even though also outside basically,  is yet still more comfortable than the field shelter. 

I didn't want to spoil the pleasant time we spent together. There was the possibility of  'Jake's owner coming and taking 'Jake' out work. 'Mr F' wouldn't cope well with that. As I have seen him fall inside the stable when he fractures his hip, it's just not something I want to happen again. I am wanting to keep him as calm as it's safe for him. I don't mind him circling for a little while or calling for the others but trying to beach himself on the partition as he had nearly done so is a no-no.