Quelle ‘orreur, today a most ‘orrible thing ‘appen.
Muzzer and Le Uncle ‘ave absconded to le paddock next door leaving me be’ind to look after le senile Monsieur Patterson.
Ah call out to Muzzerr. ‘Muzzerr,’ ah say, ‘you seem to ‘ave forgotten me, your only son’.
But she ignore me and continue with ‘er ‘oovering.
Ah am very upset. Ah decide that ah will die now, then she will be sorry and come back.
Ah collapse to le ground.
‘Look Muzzerr’ ah yell, ‘ah am dead now so you ‘ad better come back’.
And ah roll about a bit groaning and moaning before lying still.
Then ah try anuzzerr position to be dead in.
It ees not very comfortable being dead.
Beside ah notice, Muzzerr, she ees taking no notice at all!
So ah get up and ah gallop off and throw what Le Uncle call ‘a right wobbly’.
Ah can not believe they ‘ave forgotten me already.
Ah will show them. Ah am a war ‘orze and a war ‘orze need ‘is milk.
Ah stomp up and down le fence line.
Ah am a very impressive ‘orze.
Then ah see Monsieur Paterson, ‘e ‘as decided to try being dead.
Ah go over and tell ‘im ‘ow to do eet properly.
But ‘e ees ‘opeless at eet. ‘e ‘as no idea ‘ow to be dead.
‘You can not sit up eef you are being dead’ ah say helpfully.
‘e get to ‘is ‘oofs and ‘e tell me to buggeur off.
‘Can you do le spinach walk‘ ah yell.
The ah show ‘im mah peooff. Ah think ‘e ‘as a very impressed look on ‘is face.
‘Now listen here,’ ‘e say, ‘dat is a simply brilliant piaffe, a horse like you should be in da Olympics no doubt about it’.
(at least ah think that what ‘e say – ah do not understand le Irish and ‘e ‘ad a ‘ole lot more to say about ‘ow brilliant, ‘andsome and clever ah am)
But ah am too busy practicing le Spinach Walk again to listen to ‘im.
‘ah can also do le passage’ ah yell. Ah ‘ave been reading up on le dressage and ah know eet all. But Monsieur Paterson stick ‘is nose in le air.
‘Dats all a load of old bollocks’ he say, and ‘e stamp ‘is ‘oof.
‘What Oi tink is important’, ‘e say, ‘is how fast you can get to da watering hole’.
So ah then demonstrate mah turbo powered gallop.
Before slowing to a dignified canter in front of Uzzerr Muzzerr ‘oo ‘as been watching also.
‘Oh my poor little man’ she say, ‘are you OK?’
But ah ‘ave forgotten what ah am supposed to be not OK about.
Never mind, I just went to the front of the blog and found out he’s almost a year. That’s great he was able to be with his momma so long! I left my foal on for 7 months (nursing that is) but he and his mom never were really separated. Even for weaning I did similar to you and had a fence between them but they were never out of sight of each other. So no stress at all, and a couple months later I put them back together and they’ve been living together ever since (except when the youngster was sent out for saddle training.)
So many foals are weaned so young and in a stressful way, that it’s great to see some that don’t have to be pulled from their mommas so young.
My youngster is 3 years now and being ridden and when I bring him back (or take his momma for a ride and bring her back) she still nickers to him like a long lost friend. They really love each other. I enjoy knowing that she finally got to “keep” one of her foals (before I bought her she was a broodmare).
Anyway, I really love your blog!
Are there photos of Zephyr’s daddy anywhere? I am curious where he got his color!
So glad you love the blog 🙂 And yes I agree totally about weaning. I think may foals are weaned far too young (anything under 8 months is, in my book too young) and I can’t bare hearing about foals who get an abrupt separation at weaning. I’ve been leading Zephyr away from his Mother for short periods since he was 4 months and the last few weeks, she grazed next to him for about an hour a day in another paddock so it has not been at all stressful for him though I did laugh tonight 24 hours on when he looked very forlorn for the first time as I think it has just dawned on him that this is not a scout camp 🙂
He will stay with us for the rest of his life so will also end up back with his mother. (and Le Uncle)
Zephyr’s dad is a beautiful golden buckskin. There are some pics of him here http://www.horseforum.com/horse-breeding/merlots-foaling-thread-137414/
Cheers
And who can forget the spinach walk, lol!
Yes, there are some beautiful action shots here! I love the war horse photos with his mane sticking straight up. And of course the bucking photos! Wow, can he buck!
How old is he now?
HI Kim, he is 11 Months old now 🙂 and yes he can buck! LOL
Just lovely – photos – my word he’s growing up.