So solid Max

Some days are remarkable because they are unremarkable.

Today, Max and I had a remarkably unremarkable day.

Lots of time during my morning yard shift to stop for a chat and a play with the boy. Also leisurely enough to spend some time fussing the others, particularly a fairly new mare who is not keen on sharing her space and is a little shy about sudden movements. I had just put her hay down and she snapped at me.

"Oi, Madam! Manners!" I declared, and pointed at her nose.

Poor girl. Although I had done nothing threatening, nor had I touched her, her eyes told me she was afraid.

"Hey you," I said softly. "Nobody will hurt you here. No need for that."

I started scratching along her neck, and she stuck her head way up, stretched very tall, and wibbled her lip at me. So on we went, big long scratch on both sides of her neck, and at the end of it, the mare who likes nobody in her space was very happy for me to forage for droppings and pick them out with my fork while she munched happily at her hay.

Love the little breakthroughs and honestly, it doesn't take much to show a horse you mean no harm. She'll remember, and I will, and we shall build from there.

Had a convenient break at eleven o'clock when I surprised Max by entering his domain with his grooming box, saddle and bridle.

"Eh? We went out already. We don't do Wednesdays."

"Today we do Wednesdays, beautiful boy, and I promise, short and sweet, no drama."

That was a big promise to make, but I was determined to have an uneventful, easy hack and blow me down, didn't we just go and do exactly that!

Up the lane he went willingly. Tried a sneaky turn around for home when we had to detour into a lay-by to let a car pass us. Well, it should have passed us, but eager driver, obviously horsey, and looking disarmingly like she descended rightfully from the House of Windsor, rolled down her window for a chat.

"He's gorgeous! Is he a Highland?"

"He looks it, doesn't he? Fjord/Arab, believe it or not."

"How extraordinary!" the driver declared, smiling. "He's very handsome. What an interesting mix. I see it now, the Fjord, anyway."

"Slightly more slender legs, I think!" I offered.

"Yes, yes, I see!" she agreed. "He's quite young?"

"Seven, but very low mileage."

"Ah. Young enough, then. Very beautiful. What a kind eye!"

Flattery will get you everywhere when it comes to Max, but that was honest flattery. He does have a kind eye and a kind nature to go with it.

We waved a cheery goodbye, and Max made a little attempt to scarper for home, but I was having none of it.

"Max, we've been out for two minutes! Didn't I say this is going to be short and sweet? Forward."

Snort reply, but forward, too.

Off we went again, up the lane, past the pigs and the new gate which makes Max have a huff and a nod, then past our usual two left or right bridleway turn-offs, up past the farmhouse, more pigs, and then left to do "the triangle".

"You've been here before, love, but not recently. Easy path. Home in no time! Nice to be off the road, isn't it?"

"Comfy soft, yes."

And there we have it. We continued on, Max snorting happily (such a lovely sound)feeling completely relaxed through his belly and neck. One hesitation at a big wadge of mud and bark in the middle of the lane which looked a teensy bit menacing for a couple of seconds, so we had to have a stop and stare. Then a determined stride forward to figure out what nature of beast this mass was.

'Twas nothing, and Max got a few pony nuts for being so brave and stomping right through the menace.

Rather than turn left back onto the path home, we deaked into the field on the other side of the path, and had a lovely, relaxed canter up the hill until we could join our path again and find our way home. I listened to his sturdy unshod hooves thumping the ground, looked at the beautiful blue sky, felt the relaxed belly of Max swinging along with every step, and was content.

I've started taking Max back into the yard through the back way. A tip I learned from my friend, the Baker. Go round the front way, and you hop down onto the cement of the yard; go the back way, and you land on soft earth and grass. Also ideal for a "head down" command to Max so he can snatch a bit of grass while I loosen off his girth and run the stirrups up.

Funny boy,though! We've only done this for a few weeks now, but he's learned this is a very good ending to his adventure and after climbing the slightly flinty slope, he sets off at an eager trot to the gate where I dismount and he gets the juicy grass.

A laugh from me, a pat on the neck and a pony nut for Max, and appreciation from both of us for days that are unremarkable.