It has been a while since last message, purely because life is so busy and so good with the ponies each morning that I only fly into the house to get clean for work and then off out again in the afternoon. I have had a young friend working the ponies for the last few weeks too. He is eleven and not in school at the moment so he has become my little helper. He has bonded with the Shetland so well that he can pick up feet and lead the pony around. Sheltie seems to recognise a kindred scallywag as he responds well to Conner's control. When I think back to how wild Sheltie was it is heartwarming to see a young boy leading him about confidently, this is the first time I have been able to trust Sheltie with a child entering his stable to feed and collar him, it shows how much the pony is developing.
I bought a cavesson head collar for the wee man so that when I attempt proper lunge work and long reins I will be organised. I am able to walk behind Sheltie quite confidently now, he shows no inclination to pick up the heels and when he does turn his back end towards you it is for a rub on his bottom rather than a life threatening gesture!
I also had a new stable door fitted as Sheltie had booted the bottom panel out of the old one in retaliation for Sophia the Arab mare chewing on the outside of the door while he was inside. I had a galvanised metal grid gate made so it is unchewable, small enough to not get nose or feet in, non rusting and he can see through it and not feel left out. I don't know if I am the first person to go metal, draughts are not an issue in the barn, but PREDOMINANT ENGINEERING MOSSLEY made it for me and although it cost around the £100 mark it will never (!) need replacing or painting so it could be a good thing.
