Frosty Grassy Munchies all!

So, the most unexpected thing happened to me today.

After the usual half hearted de-mud rigmarole Kat put some contraptions on my feet! She said they were new boots and I looked very cute in them.

CUTE? Really! I’m one of the finest, hairiest Cobs in the area. Cute just doesn’t really cut it.

She also said I would need them when I was on the trail, all day every day. We need to talk about that.

Anyway, I was a bit unsettled about this boot business. I have NEVER in my whole 5 long years had anything put on my feet. My feet seem to work just fine as they are – as feet.

But, being the tolerant, good natured kind of a Cob I am, I decided to go along with it.

Not much harm has come to me since I’ve been with Kat so hopefully this was, at worst, just a bit more of her oddness. Nothing new there mind.

Off we went to meet Aunty Tills. First thing I noticed was I made this wonderful clip clop sound on the road. It made me feel quite the grown up.

I had a training session with my friend, Monkey, the other week and she made a fantastic clip clop sound. It was very impressive, so I asked her what her secret was. She told me it’s the metal they put on her feet and it stops them getting sore when she walks on the road. I asked her how did she feel the road and she told me she didn’t and that’s why it doesn’t hurt.

Well, this prompted a great deal of pondering on my part I can tell you.

I just love to feel the ground under my feet, but yes, sometimes it does hurt when you step on a stone in the wrong place. Perhaps this boot idea of Kat’s wasn’t so bad after all?

Tilly wasn’t impressed and asked what in the blazing green grasses did I have on my feet. Bit rude.

To be honest I still wasn’t really sure at that point so I just mumbled something about them making a nice clip clop sound and didn’t she like the black shiny strap that went round my foot?

We both caught Kat and Sara chattering about trying some out for Till. Over my dead body she whispered to me. Think they missed that bit.

As the training session went on I started to quite like them and found I could still feel the ground, but the stones didn’t hurt any more. Kat certainly seemed pleased with them and me, so there were a few hay cob treats and grassy munchies.

This is me and Tills being allowed to have some grassy munchies on route. Tills really is a master of this craft. She can grab a mouthful of grassy munchies without breaking a stride. I have been trying to copy her technique but I just still end up with fresh air in my mouth and a branch in my eye. More practise needed I think.

So back to the business of boots. All in all I think I would allow Kat to put these on me again. I loved the clip-clopping and no more ouchy stones. Between you and me though the black shiny strap was my favourite bit.

I wonder if Tills will be wearing them next time we meet? Good luck to her human that’s all I can say.

GMFN (Grassy Munchies for Now)

F x

Grassy Munchies all!

So this morning I had a trail riding training session with Aunty Tills and our humans. I say ‘this morning’, it was pitch black when Kat dragged me out of the field, away from my Grassy Munchies (well actually it was Hay Munchies..)

I was nicely plastered in mud, sleepily having a good old munch with my pals and all of a sudden there she was, blind siding me as usual with the old Hay Cob bribery trick.

Next thing I know my mud is being removed and my tack put on. Well, some of my mud. My bum hasn’t been clean for weeks. Doesn’t she realise I’m 15 years old in human years. I’m at a sensitive time in my life when I would really like to be making a different public statement other than ‘hey, check out my new bottom mud’. Still, Kat doesn’t seem to mind and I suppose the look could even catch on.

Kat and Sara call these early rides ‘Sparrow Fart’ rides. Apparently because it’s the time the Sparrows are waking up and letting out a little ’emission’ to announce their awakening… I simply call them ‘a right pain in the muddy bum’.

Teenagers need their rest. If she continually insists on dragging me away from my sleepy munchies time like this, then she is running the risk of conflict. Just saying…

I did feel a bit of conflict rising to the surface this morning when I realised we were taking the longer route home.

I mean we’re horses for gods sake; safety, companionship and food is at home. How does it make sense to go straight past the short route home in favour of the long one? So I offered up this suggestion – well actually I just decided to stop and not move until she listened to me. She didn’t. And we had to do the longer route. Harumph!

To be honest though, I did quite enjoy today’s Sparrow Fart ride. We had a nice fast blast along a grassy track. I really couldn’t keep up with Aunty Tills. Maybe that’s why they call her The Train?

Both Kat and Sara get very giggly when we have these fast blasts. I quite like them myself. Although I did gain a few extra layers of mud that Tills spattered my way from her back feet.

Once we finally got back home I was able to top up my mud levels with a lovely roll. I have seen some horses with strange blankets on their backs and wonder how they manage without being able to participate in this wonderful pastime. I really hope Kat doesn’t put a blanket on me.

I love feeling all the elements on my extremely hairy body and being allowed to let my own amazing physiology (yea, bet you didn’t know horses knew words like that did you!!) regulate my body temperature.

And, I do rather like to see Kat huffing and puffing over trying to de-mud me. Although I think she’s given up with my bum.

Until next time – Happy Grassy Munchies

F x