That will teach me!

Eastar likes to come in by 8pm or well before dark (which ever is first), but tonight I was busy so thought he’d be fine if I was a little late. Sadly time ran away with me & it was v dark & 8.45 by the time I remembered :O I know.... what an evil woman forgetting/making “Lord Fontaroy” wait!

I went round to finding a worked-up Eastar (nothing like the rocking horse from the first few weeks tho..) prancing about all sweated up & anxious, yet clearly not wanting/standing still long enough to be caught..
I however couldn't help myself & had to stand there for a bit to simply admire him as his paces looked  fantastic! I guess this must be his extended trot that I’ve heard about *WOW*!! 
He was jogging around with fantastic long strides & declaring his objection to his obvious abandonment =’(  I couldn't keep him still long enough to get the head collar on & Martin wasn't helping the situation by waving the torch around like a flippin disco light bugging the hell out of both Eastar & me *gggrrr*.... After a bit I had a thought that Eastar might make his way back to the stable if the gate was open, but to be safe Martin should block the route to big house... Martin... Mart? Ummm seems my thought was vocal (nasty habit). Before I could ask his opinion Martin had opened the gate & was gone.. Eastar opted for the open gate but decided the main lawn was the place to be, so headed that way :O ......

The perfect lawn with its ohhh so straight stripes & immaculate edges, now has whopping hoof prints everywhere complete with churned up bits for good measure!! Not content with that (why would he be)... Eastar makes his way along every strip of grass that surrounds the big house & while passing snacks on a few  baby trees (cutting them by half I suspect)!!! Each special one planted by the various grandchildren as they come of age, each with it's own wee plaque & each gonna carry a darn fine ear-bashing for me I bet! *hugee gggggroan* Do I want daylight to come?

I got the leadline around Eastars neck on a couple of occasions but he wasn’t standing still for anyone just yet, so I admitted defeat & after a little "drag" around I opted to let go....
If you're not reaching for the tenna lady/wet with laughter already, let me help with a bit of visual... 
Drag = me jogging/being pulled a bit too fast for my little legs to handle on wet grass while slipping around in squelchy fucking stupid CROCS!
Need more? Surely not! Luckily I can help anyway...
In my seemingly "new found wisdom" not only was I wearing Crocs that turn into "fucking ice-skates" on wet grass, but also a rather lovely “long traditional nightie that had to be tucked into my knickers" to stop me tripping over it! Ummm I hear ya, it is a good job I'm so far from civilization!


Anyway visuals aside & "The Shenanigan Continues"... By this point (as I'm sure you can appreciate) my patience for Martins "disco light torch" is wearing a tad thin *putting it mild*, meaning my request changed from “honey could you keep the light low please & maybe a bit steadier?”.. To “KEEP the fucking light low & still.. Am I speaking English? Do you understand that LOW means the bloody ground & NOT my fucking eyes!!"... Umm (hindsight n all that).. Thankfully I have a husband that's 1 in a zillion & makes allowances for my "Leo" temper. On the other-hand of course, he could have been  laughing too much inside to register/care what I was saying?.. Either way I'm darn lucky me finks =)

Thankfully not long after that the chase was over (total of 35minutes, but who's counting :D) & although still a wee prancy Eastar followed me to his bed.

If you're wondering;

1. Yes my boss is home. 
2. No I'm not sure if she saw "a slightly crazed horse trampling & devouring her gardens" or "the ghostly figure" chasing him. However I would hazard a guess that if her attention was not grabbed by those facts, it MUST have been drawn by the tourch darting here there & everywhere! 

 I haven't had a call ((yet)) & thank gaud tomorrow is Sunday & my day off!

Tales from Eastar-Ville =)

Eastar got a new toy yesterday: D  “Likit Snak Ball” which he wasn’t fazed by at all, in fact I think he may have had one before. He rolled it around for a minute or two but didn’t seem very impressed; maybe we’ll have to try some treats rather than Dengie mix. I left Eastar to his dinner (in manger) & sat the ball on the clear patch by the door. Within seconds of me leaving all I could hear was the banging as he whacked his ball around (meaning he chose the ball over his carrot, apples & hay!). This morning his stable was a mess, so the first thing was hunt the water bucket that had been shoved & buried. The ball was buried over in the far corner & his hay was only half eaten! Normally Eastar will eat all his hay then clear up any mess (fallen hay), but it was all still there today. Umm so I think the ball is a success after all :)

Teehee - I must remember to make sure he doesn’t have it if we have friends staying as his stable is below the flat. I’m told it’s bad enough with the Jackdaws that live in the roof, owls hooting & the odd cough or sneeze from the sheep. We’ve only had one person (Louise) stay there since Eastar moved in & she said there was the odd bit of knocking but nothing major. However Louise is a sweet girl who possibly wouldn’t say if he had kept her awake all night. Heather on the other hand isn’t one to flower things up…. and is coming to stay at the end of the month, so I’ll soon know for sure :D

Talking of Heather’s visit, I can’t flippin wait! It will be so great to see her as I miss her so much, plus it means I get to see my yummy god daughter too *yay* Poor Hebs though doesn’t know what she’s in for =) I lured her here with a free ticket to see Monty Roberts but plan to extract every hint & tip I can, while cramming in as much riding as possible.

Riding…. Yup we went for a ride today & it was great! :D I dropped the stirrups another two holes and although I felt “wobbly footed” (need to work on that) overall I felt a lot more stable/ not so tilted forward. We only went down to the road & back (about 2 miles) but by that time Martin was back from the school run & could film us for me to see how my position is these days.
I'm feeling brave click here  if you want to watch.

There is a funny bit at the end of the film... Once untacked Eastar decided it was "stable" time & as I turned to put something down he was halfway in the stable! I made him back out & also around a wheelbarrow for punishment, so he then sulked a bit & refused to follow me to the field, he could only keep it up a minute mind :D

A Good Start

Today started very well with the sun coming through my curtains & the birds signing so happily, as if summer had finally found its way to Scotland *I've seen the weather forecast for tomorrow & sadly not*. 

Although my day off I decided to get up anyway (desperation for tea) & hopefully be the first into Eastar stable. Still a little bleary eyed I went down stairs & thought I must be dreaming as there she was, Tweets my missing cat!  As I walked through the living room she jumped onto the outside of the window with a meow, I was so please to see her as she’d been missing for 6 days but there she was large as life & looking very well on it too. Her coat has thickened up a treat & she seems fatter/ sturdier & unlike the waif thing she normally is. Tweets is only 15months & we think she’s part wild cat & her litter mates certainly confirm that suspicion with their vicious ways, although tweets thankfully is the most loving cat ever. Her fur is black, but underneath it’s white or a gingery colour (depending on time of year). She also has faint tabby stripes showing through her coat (in the right light) & a chunky fluffy tail.

Anyway Tweets came home safe & sound but I think now she’s coming of age we’ll have to accept she’s a cat that likes to be up the hill hunting. She was very reluctant to come in & then only really stopped by for some food & some fuss off Scooby-Doo (her best friend), before taking off again into the trees :'(
At least she was spayed as a kitten & as we have no neighbours I know she’s only not here because she’s a true free spirit, just as she should be!

Now I must drag my arse to the shower/get myself sorted & then show my face at work to check that Sue knows what she’s doing, then……. Who knows :D

Do you know where my pants are

It’s been 3 days since my last blog therapy session & the last post (cloud nine) is a hard one to follow since that was such a brilliant day.

Not much has happened at “Bonkers Towers” just the odd guest (in every sense of the word). Although a slightly funny story…. I go into work Tuesday morning to find a Lord wearing a long white *feminine* dressing gown (spare we leave in rooms) down the far end of the laundry room in the dark (clearly trying to hide/panicking as to what to do now staff had arrived). I simply say good morning switch on the light & ask if I can help, to which he replies do you know where my underwear is please Sally, I can't find them? Well it was hard to keep a straight face, but I managed it. I looked but couldn’t find them so off he went. I then called the bosses bedroom & asked “Do you know where the Lords pants are *with a slight snigger*”? With a less than amused tone she replied “why would I know where his pants are, Sue ironed them call her”! Still laughing I remembered now Sue saying she was putting some bits in the airing cupboard as they were still a little damp, so dash off to look. There they were & at that moment my boss came out of her room so we met on the landing. I’ve found his Lordships pants I said, but couldn’t help myself & burst out laughing to which in the end she did also (I do love to start the day with a giggle).

The bosses good mood continued so when the time arose, I decided to have a wee bit of a moan about my days off not really being days off. I was given today (my day off anyway) along with tomorrow & Friday to make up :D not so bad huh, but….. Always a god dammed but *ggrrr* I must pop in on Thursday & Friday morning to sort staff out.  How do I always end up back at the same place? Ooh well it is what it is & I’m still a happy bunny with the few extra hours I’ve got back.

On the plus side you may have noticed the words “sort staff out" & previous to that "Sue had ironed”… Yay I have a member of staff called Sue who started this week & her first shift seemed to go well.

So that must bring me on to Eastar! We haven’t really done much “work”, but have been for a stroll & had some good grooming too :D

It rained so hard yesterday morning that Martin came to me at work asking if Eastar should come in. I said he might have to if it continues but his stable needs sorting & time to dry first. Like the fantastic husband he can be, he said he’d quickly muck out so at least that would be done before I finished work (YAY). Next thing I know Martin has come back saying Eastar looked all sad & wet standing by the gate almost begging to come in, so he did. Seems Eastar has Martin right where he wants him. :D

I did a massive clean out of the stable this morning. It gets a rinse out almost everyday, but at least once a week it has a huge haul out so everything can be scrubbed down with jeys & water. Then comes the essential oils (yer you can mock) a few sprinkles of tea-tree, cedar & lavender. This helps keep the flies & bugs etc out, plus after the stable has dried out there is the faintest smell of lavender when the straw is disturbed that I hope Eastar will find relaxing. Maybe it’s all pointless? I do keep it down to just a drop or two & air it well/leave to dry, as I know his sense of smell is so much greater than mine.

On Cloud Nine

What a fantastic end to the day!

After tea I decided to spend some more time with Eastar practising some of our homework/Parelli games, so went around to his field. I wanted to do a recording of our session, not because I’m good (far from it) but so friends could see & offer opinions/tips.  Martin was playing (saddo) army gaming poo so that left only the children! Heyho worth a go.

Anyway the session wasn’t our best, but with giggling children & 2 dogs bounding around it wasn’t so surprising. If you are curious enough to watch our first attempt I apologies in advance for the seasickness you’ll be left with. Truly I may as well have tied the camera to a chicken!

Wobbly out of focus film aside, I was happy with the vibes after our session so decided to go for a ride. I decided we’d ventured down the drive since that’s where our riding issue started & we easily made our way right to the very bottom & down the road too. I was so proud of us both as this can only mean we are both more relaxed/trusting each other.

I could have gone for miles but could sense Eastar becoming a little tense & I really wanted to end on a good note/not push him too far, as he’d done so well & gone at least 3 or 4 times as far without a panic (a few worry moments easily calmed with a hand on the neck & gentle words). I also knew the children were waiting at the top of the drive to film us coming back up & we’d been at least 20 minutes already, so we made our way home.

If you want to watch our slightly embarrassing film you can do so Here...., but you have been warned about my Parelli noviceness & also the children’s wobbly filming.

Two months since Eastar Sunday & a huge waffle :D

Eastar Sunday /4th July was when my honeybear arrived & I can’t believe I’ve had the big guy for 2 months! It’s gone so bloody fast & has been a little bit of a rollercoaster at times… Through a horses eyes fecking unsettling to say the least I'd bet! Looking back I guess my emotions have been all over the place with not only Eastar’s arrival/my unexpected lack of confidence, but also my Grandads death. The poor dumpling was left with a carer who wasn't so sure of herself in those first couple of weeks & then just as he thought he could rely on her, she turned into a sobbing mess who vanished completely for 3 days then only reappeared here & there for the next few weeks. Thankfully for me although a bit of a “Fretful Fred” at times, Eastar’s also a very forgiving & loving chap who’s a HUGE bright star in my life. The last 2/3 weeks have been totally fabulous & I couldn't have asked for more! Eastar last threw a paddy in my presents 11th Aug/ the day after I returned from my trip south & it was the worst I'd ever seen him (almost called Shelley for help). He last threw a paddy for Martin almost two weeks ago & settled as soon as he saw me, before I even got into his field.
Our time so far has been restricted but as my work load eases, our relationship continues to grow & he certainly has my heart for keeps (I know, in reality *vegetarian or not* he'd have a go at eating it).

Today we chilled a bit on the forecourt & had fun with the kids & Scooby-Doo, although Elle found it less funny when Eastar took out half the “blue grass” plant she’d brought Martin *oops*. Eastar then decided he was being left out & wanted a cup of tea too, so progressed to steal mine which in the end I gave over as it was so funny to see him pulling faces at the unfamiliar taste :D
I thought we'd try some games but Eastar wasn't really into it & seemed as if he just wanted to go out/EAT after being shut up all night. We managed a pretty good yoyo until a stone found it’s way into his hoof & was clearly uncomfortable (poor baby), I noticed it instantly & picked his feet before ending our time together with a little walk around & nibble at his favourite spots :D Then he got what he wanted & was given his field, or was it what he wanted?..

On the way to the field Eastar the eager beaver wanted to dictate the speed which I corrected by making him do a circle & follow my lead. He also wanted to snack (or attempt too) at every possible opportunity which I wasn't up for either. At the gate he was a complete gent & gave a nice entrance, head collar removed I gave him his normal forward rub & said goo-on then, he stood there :( no sheep still today just those in the distance! He then walks a few paces & begins to graze. Is Eastar lonely?
The companion issue is a big thing for me & something I'm not sure about at all!
We all know that horses are herd animals & a massive part of me thinks I'm neglecting his needs by not having a companion for him (in some books I've even read it's classed as abuse *eekks*!). Yet there are those who say "some can manage without & it's so much easier in the long run (not to mention cheaper)". So what's right? From Eastar's history I know he's not one for herd politics & was often picked upon/ more a lover (of food mostly) than a fighter.
Ask me if Eastar is lonely & I'd say no, but when the sheep get taken in for a dose I'm not so sure. He doesn't call or anything like that & overall doesn't seem that fussed, but there is something *incy niggle I can't put my finger on* like today when I turned him out.. Maybe it's just him seeing if they're around/other more vulnerable prey on the hill? There are other sheep & cattle in the next fields over which he can hear, but I'm not sure about see?

I'm pretty sure the sheep coming & going isn't good but I have no control over that. I do know that by the end of the year there will be none for sometime /if ever. Do I just carry on playing it by ear until November & see how he is then, or do I need to sort something now?


Can you answer any of the questions above or do you have opinions /comments? (be gentle)
I get hardly any comments & I wants some (two to-date & both from the same person *btw thank you*). I know I get views as I've checked my stats (two different counters) & have a couple of loyal friends who for some reason seem to find my rants amusing, but not even they leave COMMENTS!