The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Pets & Working Animals => Horses, ponies, donkeys & mules => Topic started by: sabrina on June 20, 2013, 02:29:00 pm
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Blacksmith was due this afternoon but turned up at 10am. Not a problem just meant the ponies were still out rather than inside ready for him. Teka and Pitstop were in the paddock next to the stable building so were easy to catch up and take in. The boys were on the hill and I went to see if they were in sight. Off coarse no ponies to be seen so I shouted as loud as I could and the next thing is what I would call my Black Beauty moment. The sight of my boys coming full pelt across the hill to see what I wanted. just filled my heart full of joy. They had been fed at 7am and its around 4pm that I see them this side of the hill again. Blacksmith was pleased as it saved him some waiting time.
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It never fails to swell the heart, does it? Ours are the same, usually ;)
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I used to lease a 20 acre hill field, quite steep with a burn at the bottom and a crossing over it into a 3 acre triangular paddock up to the single track road access. I had 12 ponies on there at one time and over the 9 years I had it they all learned the winter morning visits call that meant breakfast - some days you couldn't see a thing but just heard the splash and the cantering hooves til they were right up close. And as spring came you could see the scary rate of descent on the steep downhill paths, they'd disappear into the burn, come up over the wee hill in the triangle and thunder up to the gate, anything from 2 to all 12. Etched in my memory as one of my favourite ever parts of owning native ponies. It could bring a lump to my throat that, I'm pretty sure they'd do it without the hay or carrots or whatever I brought too, but I never called them down without it, they'd come just to see me anyway but pick a slower way down which suited me fine, or I'd quite enjoy the walk up to meet them, more so when I could see where they were before I set out of course - some misty days were quite nervewracking given the number of places they might be and a bush might look like a waiting pony in half dark too ::) And all at 5-6am before the ones at home or the work run, just out of bed into the car and away. I'm quite sure I remember some days I didn't enjoy it at all stumbling about in the dark on a rough hill looking for hiding ponies but it all seems good in hindsight!
They'll still come now if I call, I have a particular call for food and one to go to the gate for field moves to better grazing, most times now I would rather go to them otherwise, rather than have them milling about me - older and less nimble for ducking by if needed ;)