I do not consider myself to be a particularly “Horsey” person. I no longer ride, after a couple of hip replacements. But I do help Chrissy with looking after a couple of horses at her yard.
It started, soon after the early 2020 lockdown, with turning up and leading a horse from the box to the paddock. It was an opportunity to get out of shielding (in separate cars) and exercise Sparky. Then the job of washing out feed buckets was added.
As the seasons progressed, rugging became a normality. How many different fastenings can be put on one rug??? One year on, and the normal routine is:
Turn up. Play with Sparky in the paddock. Give half apple to “2nd horse”, give him his breakfast, check water trough (break ice, top up, etc.), de-rug or re-rug as needed.
In Winter it was more of a case of catching and leading-in or rugging up and leading out. In any case, it seems from feedback that I am more likely to catch and collar him than most, including his owner.
I have established a bond with this horse, which is why I get frustrated with his owner. Today the vet was due to trim the teeth of both horses.
Cesar’s owner not only “could not make it”, but did not even bother to inform Chrissy that the vet would be there one hour earlier than expected.
So, having rescheduled our morning, it would have been better to keep to our usual routine, but bring the lads in to the loose boxes after breakfast. But as it happened, the vet was there first and was kept waiting.
I am beginning to wonder if I do more work looking after this horse than its owner, and how much I could charge for my services.
General Whiskers' semi-historical wanderings 