Tyr. A.K.A. Nick Carraway!

Old Sports--I have a friend!  His name is Tyr and he's a bossy Mustang.  I like having someone to be in charge of me though.  He doesn't seem to mean.  Just wants to keep me in line.

Tyr came home last night in the dark.  He was on a very, very long trail ride, so he didn't have the energy to chase me around.  We smelled each other and he went over to the fence and squealed at one of our neighbours.  I survived the night with only one scrape from my new friend.  Not too bad. As a baby, I have to expect to be kicked around a bit.  Such is the life of a horse.

I was happy to see Spode this morning. Took a while, but I eventually decided to leave the grass and come and see her.

Look! I'm in a field full of Daisies.  What more could a horse named Gatsby ask for?

Spode took me into the new barn.  I am not a fan.  It's scary in there.  There are noises from the stalls as they get mucked out, there are horses coming in and out, dogs, cats, doors.  It was completely overwhelming.  I pooped myself three times and dragged Spode around several times.  Oops.  She decided that it was hopeless to expect me to stand still to be groomed, so she put me back in the field while she cleaned up my mess. Then she brought me back out and suggested we go for a walk around the farm instead.  I agreed. 

We looked inside the arena but didn't go in today. Spode wants to save that for later when there are fewer people and horses around.  We walked all the way around it, checked out the horses in the gelding paddock (I'll be meeting each of them slowly over the next week.  So many friends! So many parties!!), and saw the babies from afar.  We walked over to the very overgrown roundpen, went through the barn on the opposite side, walked around some more paddocks, and then she let me loose in the sand ring. I like it in there! Spode says that's where we'll be doing most of our work in future.

 It's a lovely spot.  There was a whole bunch of stuff in the middle of the ring.  Stuff I've never seen before.  Including fake flowers.  I didn't realize they were fake until I tried to eat one and Spode had to chase after me to get it out of my mouth. Blech.  What a disappointment.  There was also a funny wooden bridge that Spode made me walk over.  Spode says it was a western thing, but a good thing to learn.  She had to convince me but I eventually followed.  If she hadn't said it was for western horses, I probably would have gone on it right away.  Just sayin'. I'm a dressage boy, aren't I?

Spode took me back in the barn afterwards, which went a little better.  I was a touch more settled and stood still for a while until another horse left.  I just kept whinnying and Spode decided it was time to leave again. The barn is too busy!

She decided to hang out with me and Tyr in our field to see how we acted.  Once she came in, Tyr wouldn't leave her alone.  I was upset by this because I couldn't get close to her without Tyr pinning his ears.  Spode eventually had to make him stay away from her just so she could get close to me.  

Tyr likes Spode!

Spode also met one of our neighbours who seems nice enough and isn't too mean to me either.  There's a black one who is quite mean who she has nicknamed Tom for now.  But another horse might become the real Tom Buchanan later, you never know!

I'm sure this guy gets all the ladies...

Spode eventually took me out for yet another walk, though this time it was mostly just to eat grass.  She let me eat just on the other side of the third gelding paddock so they could smell me and see me. I met another clyde/thoroughbred! He looks to be an older fellow, but perhaps not.  We clydes can have a look of age. I'm excited to buddy up with him, either way!

Brothers from another mother...and father.

An exciting day.  Spode is hoping that it's a little less exciting tomorrow though!

Until later, Old Sports.

Jay.