Well, the most important thing is Ruby is blooming! You can really tell she's in foal and not just f-a-t (shhhh. we don't use the f. word)Zorya's staying with friends putting on a bit of condition. Not that she's been unwell exactly, just not as bright and perky, but she's picking up well with lots of tlc. I go over after work one day each week to bring her in, rug her up and give her her tea. She actually seems to be getting a bit friendly. I think she enjoys being an only horse. But the woman who is looking after her has a bit of trouble if she leaves her in the field a bit longer than Zorya thinks she should (rearing, galloping off in the dark, kicking etc). Fortunately she's a very experienced horsewoman and isn't phased by Zorya's strops!
And the newbie, Jack, has arrived. On loan for the time being. He's a big lad, bigger even than Ruby, but lighter weight. Bless him, he's rising 10, going on 5! If he had a thumb, he'd suck it. Life's just one big scary adventure but, day by day, he's getting better. The first two times he didn't want to go in the trailer but now he walks in (and, more importantly, stays in) like a little lamb! And the first time he didn't want to walk out. It's got a front ramp and he seemed to think it was safer to be in than out, but he backed into the rear bar and shot out forward! Silly boy. Now he walks in and out no sweat (fingers crossed). He doesn't like having his bridle on (bribery seems to be working its magic here) or his ears touched (more problematic). But Em's managed to clip him. And very smart he looks too. He's much more bouncy now than when she tried him out and he absolutely loves jumping. They're even managing to go over the fences together now. Given that they have done very little due to a nasty fall 10 days after she got him, and not being able to ride during the week cos it's dark when she gets home from school, I hope it's not too soon to say they are getting on very well together.
Photos show Jack on his first outing to a friend's school. The top one is after his work-out, the bottom one, before. He behaved extremely well, given that there were mares and foals in the next field and two of Em's friends were squealing and setting off their mobile phones at every available opportunity!
