Bailey's New Home

I’ve already told you that Bailey is part of the Gang, haven’t I?  Well today it was made very clear that he’s staying…


…..if any of the others had their doubts!

Why’s that you may ask?    Well the staff has been changing one of the stables so it’s the same as mine. Which means Bailey can look out his door through to the yard,  and his water drinker ad yummy salt lick are at the right height!!

Some of the staff getting Bailey's New Home ready for him

I’ve not told him about his ‘new’ stable yet………….he’s going to love it!  

Holiday wishes from Pilgrim

I have to agree with Bruno about the outdoor arena, it’s lovely out there, just a pity that we’ve not been able to use it very much this year!!

I’m really glad that he’s enjoying doing the blog – to be honest I wasn’t sure if he’d do more than the first one so of course he can do it again!

Bailey has been really excited about our holiday, I think all the shiny bits & pieces plus the talk of Christmas has gone to his head!  

Mind you I know that all the others are enjoying the break as well…….do you get a holiday as well?  If you do I hope you are all having a lovely time!!

Guest Blogger Bruno 2: Sitting on the Fence

Hello; it’s Bruno once again to let you know a little more about my role here at the Calvert Trust Exmoor.

I’ve already mentioned the work I do both ridden and in the carriage. Pilgrim asked me which I prefer doing, which was actually a difficult question for me to answer!

I enjoy both disciplines and I’ve heard the staff comment on how good I look in the carriage.  I think it would be fair to say that I’m rather good at both, so I’m going to ‘sit on the fence’ and not choose one over the other!

Whichever role I may do, ridden or in the carriage, my favourite time is when we work outside. The outdoor arena is bigger, which suits my length of stride much better, and the views across to Exmoor are delightful.   Even better is when we take our guests along the track beside the reservoir.    I am a very content horse on those days.

Teddy & Pilgrim in the outdoor arena

I’ve enjoyed our little chat this time; so much so I might speak to Pilgrim and offer my services once again.

Whatever the Weather...

I don’t know about you guys, but us horses here at the Calvert Trust Exmoor are a bit confused about what’s happening with the weather this year!

After the ‘summer of rain’ we hoped it might get ‘back to normal’ during the winter - it can’t possibly rain all winter too. Can it?  

We did have some bright frosty days, it got a bit chilly but Bailey & I were warm and toasty with our thick Shetland coats.

BUT then it started to rain again; ahh!!!!!!!!!!!  

At least I’ve got my rug to keep me dry, but spare a thought for Bailey as he’s not wearing one yet.  (I think he might be a bit young for a rug; maybe he’ll have one for next winter?)

What do you think of Bruno then?

Well, what do you think of Bruno then?    He’s quite ‘proper’ if you know what I mean – but can be a lot of fun when he lets his hair down!!! 
  
I’ve been having a quiet few days as the Centre doesn’t seem to have many guests at the moment; I’ve heard the staff talking about how Christmas and New Year are coming up soon.

That means it will soon be time for us horses to put our feet up & have our annual holiday, fantastic! We’ve been busy this year & this break lets us fully relax and charge us up for all the folks who will be staying with us next year.
   
I’m off to go and to tell Bailey all about this…

...catch up with you soon!

Guest Blogger Bruno

Hello everyone.  My name is Bruno.    Pilgrim asked me to contribute to his blog and as he asked me so nicely I said yes.   Let me tell you a little about myself.

I’m a black cob, standing a little over 15 hands tall and have a white star on my forehead plus white socks on each hind leg.   I’ve heard people comment that I look like ‘Black Beauty’: now I’m not aware of this horse, but I’m sure he is a dashing fellow whoever he is.

Me in my field

I’ve been at Calvert Trust Exmoor for seven years, so I am very experienced in helping our guests learn a little more about us horses. I’ve heard it said that I’m a comfortable horse to ride; but my skills don’t end there as I also work in the four wheeled carriage.

I started carriage driving somewhat later in my career, but this hasn’t stopped me becoming a useful member of the Calvert Driving Team.

I must end there today as duty calls, but I will ‘drop you a line or two’ again soon.

Sparkly Ropes & Shiny Things

As you might guess, I like to know what’s happening and who’s doing it, after all it’s my duty as Calvert Trust Stables Reporter!

Well, I have a mystery on my hooves; someone has put up lots of sparkly ropes & other shiny things around the yard. They’ve even put some in the indoor arena! It happened overnight…

Sparkly Ropes & Shiny Things (and Maxwell!)

….we went out in our fields for the night and when we came back into our stables the place had been changed – as if by magic!

Now I do like what’s been done, it’s bright & cheerful, but maybe I could have given them a bit of advice.  For a start I’ve not got any shiny things round my stable…

…surely that’s a mistake?

My Next Guest Blogger: Bruno

I’ve asked Bruno if he’ll do the blog for me – after a bit of thought he said yes BUT on the understanding that he only does one or two!

Apparently he’s very busy & ‘just won’t have the time to write the blog for a whole week’!! I didn’t like to ask him what else he had to do that’s so important…

... what can be MORE important than chatting to you guys & keeping you up to date on all the gossip?!?!

I hope he does a good job!

The Little Man is staying! yay!

Hi everyone!

I’ve got some fantastic news for you; the Little Man (aka Bailey) is staying!!  How great is that?!!

The Little Man (& Me!)

I knew he would be OK as he’s settled in so well, plus he & I get on really well.  He’s so pleased to be passed as OK for the Calvert Trust: it’s quite a thing for such a young man as he is.  But don’t worry; I’ll make sure he doesn’t get too full of himself!!

I can’t wait to tell the others; I think they are a bit jealous of me as I’ll the only one who’s  got to know Bailey…

…Now he’s ‘one of the Gang’ it won’t be long before the Little Man gets to say hi to everyone else.

foot perfect!

Just a quick update……..

Did some more driving again and I was just about foot perfect!! We worked in the indoor arena – too wet to go outside I reckon - I went through my warm up and then worked on my turns and trotting.   It felt like I’ve been doing it forever!!

Our Indoor Arena

I Told Bailey all about it later on…

…he’s quite keen to have ago himself!!! I did tell him that he’s a bit too young to drive a carriage yet; but I’m sure he’d have a chance when he’s older (& a bit stronger).

Bruno's Creature Comforts!

Managed to grab a word with Bruno today; I asked him if he liked being in and just as I though, he’s loving it!!
Although he didn’t quite put it like that, said something about how "someone had to keep an eye on Maxwell in case he got worried & I’m just ideal for the job!" He’s such a character; he loves attention and any ‘creature comforts’ on offer!!

Lazy old Bruno!

He then told me how he’d done some long-reining the day before. That’s when the staff are working with us from the ground using very long reins to let us know what they want us to do.   Bruno said it was to "keep me nice & flexible for my riding & carriage driving work".  

I’ve had a thought…

…I might ask Bruno to be my next ‘guest blogger’ – he’s certainly got a lot to say & plenty of stories to tell!!!!

Bruno's slacking off!

I’ve heard that Maxwell is off work, something about having a sore leg. Anyway, he’s staying in his stable overnight rather than going in the field & Bruno is also staying in to keep him company.
Teddy reckoned that Bruno is loving this; he hates getting muddy & wet plus he just loves getting any attention that’s going!!!

I hope Maxwell gets better soon…

….but I bet Bruno doesn’t think so!!

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Me and the Little Man (Bailey!)

Guess what, we all stayed in the other night; it was really windy & raining like mad!  I think the staff felt they couldn’t put us out in such bad weather so we all had a relaxing night in. Cosy! Don’t get me wrong, I love being out in my field BUT even a tough mini Shetland like me has his limits!!!!

Bailey told me that he quite liked being in with the others……..he felt ‘quite grown up & one of the gang’.  

Reservoir Ride

Just been catching up with Brin; he’d just come back from a ride with some of the others; they were Bruno, Bertie & Duke. 

They went by the reservoir: do you remember I did some driving along the tracks that way a while back? He said It was a bit blowy but it didn’t rain & they had a couple of nice trots.  He said the best bit was checking out the scenery as he doesn’t know the route very well.

Our reservoir: its a lovely place for a drive!

I wish I could do that again sometime……….I wonder who I have to ask?

Questions, Questions and more Questions!

I’ve been asked loads of questions by the others about my new friend, everyone wants to know all there is to know about Bailey!

It will be a while before he can go in with the others; once we know he’s staying here at Calvert Trust Exmoor the others will get a change to say Hi!

I can’t wait to see their faces!

I bet Bailey will find it a bit strange too, He’s used to being round horses his own size, so Teddy, Brin & Co will probably come as a bit of a shock!!!! I’d best be around when he meets them for the first time to make sure all’s OK; that’s if he stays. I hope he does…

...I’m keeping my hooves crossed!!

Shetland's coats are so cool!

I felt a bit sorry for Bailey (or the little man, as I call him) last night.  It poured with rain for ages & ages; now I’m OK with my nice warm rug but Bailey just stood there & got soaked!!

He said he was OK & doesn’t mind; he looked wet but not cold & there’s probably a good reason for that…

...you see us Mini Shetlands grow a ‘double coat’ in the winter, which means even if the top coat is soaking wet, underneath we are warm & dry!!   Pretty good, huh?

Our cousins in the North are really tough & stay out in the coldest & wettest weather you could think of. Not even Exmoor can be that bad (I hope!!)

My new friend Bailey

You’ll NEVER guess what’s happened!!!! I’ve got a new friend…

…..AND he’s just my size!!!!    


The best thing is that I already know him; we’ve both come from the same herd & he knows my mum, How cool is that!  
His name is Bailey; he’s much younger than me and a totally different colour and doesn’t yet wear a rug! 

I think the plan might be for me to help with his training so he can be as good at agility & driving as me one day!  I heard that he’s on trial for a bit to see if he fits in with us, so I best make sure all goes well!

As you might guess we are in the same field…it’s great being able to run with a horse that’s goes at my speed (which is pretty fast!) plus I don’t have to stick my nose right up in the air whenever I what to have a chat!

I’ll keep you posted as to how he gets on, and try and get a photo of him soon!

I've had a great day

I’ve just had a great day – it’s cheered me up no end!
What did I do?  Well, I drove again & the best bit was that I had a few guests working with me today.  How cool is that?
None of them had driven before, so they had a practice on ‘Neddy’ before they sat in my carriage & did some driving with me. I had help from the staff, who made sure that all was OK.

I love hearing how much each of them enjoyed driving me……..I think the best bit was when I trotted – no surprise there!

P.S. Have I told you how much I love my job?   Well, on days like today there’s nothing I’d rather be doing in the whole wide world………

I'm Back!

I’m back!!  

I thought Hendrix did a pretty good job on the blog for me, didn’t you? I’m sure he’ll do it again if I asked him to...

...but not for a while though!   

The trouble is he went on a bit about writing the blog, he even started to make ‘suggestions’ of what I should put in when I ‘take it over’!! Whose blog does he think it is anyway!

I like Hendrix & we get on really well, BUT he can get a bit full of himself at times! I think I’ll ask one of the others to write for me next time, but not just yet!

__________________________________

I drove today & it was brill!!

It’s been a few weeks since I last worked in my carriage – been so busy with my agility work, I’ve just not had the time.
I worked in the indoor arena & had it all to myself, great fun!  I got warmed up by doing the ‘3 S’s’ (remember that’s Stop, Start & Steering) then had a wiz round in trot; fantastic!

I also got a chance to practice my turns in trot. I did a line of cones to finish with; I was weaving in & out of them in trot at a really good pace; great fun!

I love driving (& I’m getting pretty good at it too!!)

Bye Bye Pixie

I’ve just had a bit of a shock; my best friend Pixie has retired & gone back home to her owners who live somewhere called ‘Somerset’!

Pixie

I knew she was older than me, in fact she’s older than all of us horses here at Calvert Trust.  I remember her saying something a while back about looking forward to ‘putting her feet up’ – but I had no idea that she wouldn’t be doing that here!

I think Pixie knows me better than any of the others & I will miss her a lot.   Teddy said he’d make sure I’m OK & to let him know if he can help in anyway – how nice was that!  It won’t be the same without her but as long as Pixie is happy it’s OK with me.

Well, sort of…..ask me later.

Guest Blogger Hendrix 7: Bye for now

Had my shoes done today. I don’t always need new shoes each time, but they do need to come off & my feet are trimmed to look neat & tidy.

When I first had them done I didn’t like it at all – but the guys who do our shoes are very good & make sure I’m happy with what they are doing. In fact I heard them say how much better I am & that I was ‘as good as gold’ – cool huh? 

Pilgrim told me that he’s doing the blog again – I wonder if he’s worried that I’m doing too good a job!  Anyway, it’s been great chatting to you all – I might get the chance to do this again sometime, if I talk to Pilgrim nicely!  Bye for now.

Bye For Now!

Guest Blogger Hendrix 6: Look at my Lovely Legs!

We’ve got lots of folks around the centre this week, so we’re all keeping busy – suits me as I’m not good at doing nothing at all!

Pilgrim’s had to do his agility course in the indoor yard a few times. This means only one thing: it’s been raining!! 
He told me he quite likes working inside; 
no:1 he doesn’t get wet, and 
no:2 he often does some tighter turns which is good practice for him.   

He keeps saying things like "any chance I get to improve my turns is great. It might make all the difference to my time"; I'm not sure what he’s talking about, do you know?

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It’s got much colder, so we’re all glad to have our rugs on!    The fields have also got muddier, which means we have our legs washed off before we go into our stables.  
That’s not as bad as it sounds; the staff put something called ‘liquid paraffin’ on our legs every few weeks, which Teddy says protects them.   It feels a bit funny at first but I don’t mind that if it keeps my legs looking good!

Guest Blogger Hendix 5: Sharing with Pilgrim

Pilgrim said I could do the blog for a bit longer when I told him how much fun I’ve had talking to you guys.

He & I get on really well as we're about the same age.  We both love messing about & having fun (if you’ve watched us when we are loose in the school you will have seen us in action!!)

Big news this week – Pilgrim & I are in the same field!!   I bet they’ve put us together because the staff know how well we get on with each other. The best bit is that we’ve got the field to ourselves!  So no one’s moaning at me to stop messing about & ‘act your age’! the point is that’s exactly what I am doing – surely they must have been young once!

Guest Blogger Hendrix 4: Just a Quickie!

Bruno & Duke’s shoes have been put back on – so are they back to work. I’m sure I should be having my shoes done soon; better keep a tight hold of them until I do!

Guest Blogger Hendrix 3: Scrummy!

Big news!!  The fencing in my field got moved yesterday, which meant that me & the lads had more grass last night – scrummy!

There was a ’down side’ to it though. Part of this extra munching area can be a bit soft especially when it’s been raining! It’s a place where us boys can lose a shoe if we’ve not careful – I kept well away but both Duke & Bruno managed to lose a front shoe! I call that being a bit careless; though I wouldn’t say that to their faces (I don’t want to upset them now, do I?)

This meant they couldn’t work today but I don’t think either of them minded too much. I get bored if I’m not doing anything so I’ll keep away from the ‘boggy’ bit!

Guest Blogger Hendrix 2: My Thing

Things are pretty good here at Calvert Trust Exmoor; I’ve had my breakfast & a good groom so I’m now ready to do my thing!

What is my ‘thing’ you might ask? Well, my number one job is carriage driving, I’m usually the first horse the staff think of using when a carriage is needed. I do also get ridden which is fun, but I’m best at driving plus it’s what I’ve done the most.

What you might not realise is that to ‘pull’ the carriage I’m really ‘pushing’ into my collar & when I’m going downhill I have to hold it back with my strong ‘bottom’ muscles! It won’t surprise you to know that I’ve built up a few extra muscles in the last year or so. I’ve even gone up a rug size!!

People are also surprised how much weight I can ‘pull’ – in fact I can pull much more weight than I can carry!!! I Bet you didn’t know that!  

Will tell you more next time - bye for now!

Guest Blogger Hendrix

Hi – it’s Hendrix speaking to you from the stables at Calvert Trust Exmoor.  My mate Pilgrim said he’d like me to chat with you guys out there via his blog.  Not done anything like this before, but I’m up for any challenge…..if the little man can do it, so can I!

He said to tell you all about my job in the stables & keep you informed on ‘all the gossip as it happens!’ – No problem as nothing happens here without me knowing all about it!
I Will tell you more another time as I’ve got to go; it’s lunchtime &there’s pile of hay with my name on it waiting for me!!   

Me keeping an eye on everything that happens!

My next guest blogger will be [drum roll please!]...

I’ve made my choice for my next ‘guest blogger’…

It's Hendrix!

he’s very keen & we both have a lot in common;we’re both young, good looking, full of energy & love driving!!! What more could you ask for! Watch this space!

Who's Neddy?

I’ve realised when I was telling you all about my carriage driving yesterday (The 3 S's) I mentioned ‘Neddy’ but didn’t explain who (or what) he is!!

Neddy is what the staff call the ‘training’ aid that looks like a horse’s head – (mind you I saw it a while back & it doesn’t look like any horse I know!!!)

Neddy!

Anyway, ‘Neddy’ lets people get an idea of how to steer a horse for riding or driving before they do it for real.   Sounds like a good idea to me…….BUT not as good as the real thing of course!!

Who should I choose?

I’ve been thinking…

...it might be about time to ask one of the others to do my blog again. Several of the guys have said they would ‘like a go’, it’s just a case of making sure they do a good enough job!

I’ll have to make sure they keep up the high standard set by yours truly so I must choose carefully!!!

Or why not drop me an email to help me choose, by letting me know which one is your favorite?: pilgrim@calvert-trust.org.uk  

The 3 S's

I’ve just had a really great day helping some young people learn all about carriage driving!!
To start they had a practice on ‘Neddy’ then watched my harness being put on; they were quite good at remembering what each bit is called, like the breast collar, driving pad & breaching. (I'm not sure I know which is which, but then I've never had to put my own harness on!!)

We worked outside, which was really cool, and once they knew the 3 S’s (that’s stop, start & steer) they took me round a course of cones & had a feel of trot. It was great to give them their first experience of carriage driving. Must tell Hendrix all about it tonight!

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Good news…Pixie is back in my field!!!!

Although I really like Teddy & Bruno, Pixie is my very best friend & I’m sure she thinks the same about me!  Had a great time catching up with all the gossip then we chilled out over some tasty grass.   

Indoor Agility

I did more agility work today; nothing unusual in that I hear you say.

BUT what was different is that my agility course was set up in the indoor school. how cool is that!

It was great fun, the folks working with me did really well & I think they enjoyed themselves.    A few had never done anything like horse agility before but picked it up very well.   

Job well done by yours truly…..  :-)

A perfect day for a drive!

Another fantastic day for me here at Calvert Trust Exmoor - I drove along the track beside the reservoir again & it was brill!!

I found it easier too; the hills didn’t seem quite so steep & I loved trotting along the track.  Plus it wasn’t raining, a perfect day for a drive!

I love my job!!

Being clipped for go faster stripes!

I’ve noticed some of the others have had part of their winter coat taken off, mainly from under their necks & belly. It looks very smart & no one has complained of being cold – but it got me wondering why?

I thought the best one to ask was my mate Teddy…
…he seems to know the answer to just about everything!
He’s also had some of his winter coat removed; it’s called being ‘clipped’. He said "with some of my coat clipped off I can work so much better & my big warm rug keeps me toasty in the field".  He then added, "I think I look rather smart; I call it my go faster stripe!"

Teddy having his belly clipped!

This has got me thinking; I wonder if I will be clipped as I’m doing more work now? I quite like the idea of having a go faster stripe; it might help me when I have my ‘race’ with Hendrix’!

Photo Shoot

Yours truly has been very busy…

I had a ‘photo shoot’ this afternoon; well not just me as some of the others got involved too! It’s nice to have a few new photos for my blog & the Calvert Trust Exmoor website.

 

Over the tyre

Perfect Parking (even if I say so myself!)

It was too wet to use the seesaw, but I had lots of photos on all the other bits of my agility course. I did some driving as well; it’s important that I keep practising especially if I am to stand any chance against Hendrix if we have a driving completion.

 We’ve not set a date yet...

...I think I’ll keep quiet for now & keep working on my turns!!

Working on my turns!

Rug Magic

Saw Brin coming in from his field………just as I thought his rug is now covered in mud & lost all its shine!!
Mind you he doesn’t care…….he told me that he’s quite happy; his rug’s keeping the rain off his back without him getting too hot!

Big Brin in the Arena

I’ll tell you something quite puzzling about our rugs;  Whenever we come in with wet rugs in the morning, they are always nice & dry when we go back out into the field!!

I don’t know how they do it, but I can tell you we are all very pleased that they do!

In praise of good teeth!

The vet checked my teeth today: not the most fun I’ve ever had, but the he was very good & took the time to make sure I was all right. One of the staff was with me too, so I got plenty of praise while my teeth were being done & when he’d finished. 

I Told Teddy about it and he said that all the horses at Calvert Trust Exmoor have their teeth checked regularly.  He said it’s ‘an important part of keeping us horses healthy as our teeth are growing all the time’. 

He also reckoned that if we didn’t have our teeth checked we could have problems eating! That got me thinking, if having my teeth checked means that I can eat what I want when I want, it’s ok by me!

Stop Press: I'm In Print!

Stop press!

Do you remember my blog post about becoming an author? (I'm an author!)

My article is now out, in the October /November issue of PosAbility magazine! (http://posabilitymagazine.co.uk/)

It looks like this!

Why not rush out and get one now, and turn to page 51 to read my story!

Driving me round the bend

I had a chat with Hendrix…….do you remember me saying that his main job is driving?   He told me that this year has been great as he’s done a lot more driving; I know he loves his job & I have heard the staff say how good he is (although I haven’t told him that!)

One of the things he likes is driving round a course of cones, especially when the turns are tight & the gap just wide enough for him to get through!!

He said it’s even more exciting now as there are different coloured balls on each set of cones………he has to get round the course without knocking them off!!!!

Sounds really cool & great fun; I can’t wait to have a go at this too! Maybe Hendrix & I can have a competition sometime…….but I will need to practice a bit first!

Me practising to beat Hendrix!

My New Rug

Hurray!!

As I hoped in my last blog, (Replacing my Mini Skirt!), I've now got a picture of me in my new rug:

Handsome fellow, aren't I!

Replacing my mini skirt!

Brin got his new rug today & I know he’s very pleased despite what he might say about not feeling the cold!    He looks pretty cool in it too…

….it’s all clean & shiny at the moment, but I bet it doesn’t stay like that for long!

BUT the best news is that I got a NEW RUG too! whoopee!!!!!

I did hear a while ago the staff say something about my rug being a bit short for me; I think they said something about it looking a bit like a ‘mini skirt’.  I don’t know about anything about a skirt, but my tum did get a bit chilly at times!  

I’ve definitely got bigger muscles from driving and I’m a year older, so maybe that’s why the other rug seems smaller. Anyway, my new rug is great!

I look rather dashing in black with a touch of colour round the edges; so the weather can do what it likes as this ‘mighty atom’ will stay warm & dry!

Hopefully I will have a photo soon to show you!

I’ve just had the best day ever!!

I’ve just had the best day ever!!!

As you may guess, I did some more driving. BUT the best bit is that I drove on the track by the reservoir!!!!!
Of course I’ve done this before, but not for ages and ages. It was great to go somewhere a bit different; and having the challenge of going up & down some pretty steep hills! 

In fact it felt a bit easier this time, of course I’m stronger than I was & much more experienced too!  Must tell Bruno all about it tonight!

Update……I asked Teddy what a ‘heavy weight’ rug was (Teddy knows everything of course!).  He told me it’s just a thicker rug for when it gets really cold; let’s hope Brin doesn’t need it anytime soon!!

The last shoes post for a while ...(I hope!)

I’ve got new shoes!!!!!  They feel great and now I’m ready for anything…..let’s hope I do some more driving so I can test them out!

Bruno told me that he and some of the others (including Teddy) went for a ride by the reservoir. He really enjoyed himself and I could see how it had put him in a really good mood, so much so that he let me share the same bit of grass while we chatted!

As it’s got a bit colder all of us are wearing our rugs in the field…..well everyone that is except Brin!   

He reckons it’s because he doesn’t feel the cold; but I heard the staff talking about getting him a new rug…….something about his other rug being a heavy weight?   Not quite sure what that means!

I wish I could have a new rug……..

Shoes (again!)

Have you noticed how the subject of shoes has come up in my blog a lot in the last few weeks? Not sure if it’s something to do with the weather or just ‘one of those things’ as Teddy put it.

Anyway……guess who’s the latest horse to have ‘shoe trouble’?  Yes, you’ve guessed it – yours truly!!!!

Being plastic my shoes are very quiet so they don’t make a ‘clonk’ sound when they are loose; (Bruno told me that’s how his sound when they’re loose!)

Anyway, I knew something wasn’t quite right & I expect the staff have booked me in to have new ones very soon – can’t wait!

Brr, its starting to get chilly....

Hurrah! I did some more driving & I was brilliant!

What I really enjoyed today was that we went outside rather than in the arena.  Don’t get me wrong, I love it when I’m whizzing round the cones and seeing how well I can turn; but you can’t beat being outside when it’s nice & sunny.

It’s been getting a bit colder at night, so I’m having my rug on most of the time now. It won’t be long before all the other horses start having their rugs on too.

I don’t mind if it gets colder as long as I’m warm & I’ve got grass or hay to eat! If it gets really bad the staff will keep us in our stables overnight.  That means a nice soft warm bed, lots of hay & friends to chat to…cosy!

Hot off the Hoof!

Not much goes on in the stables at Calvert Trust Exmoor without yours truly finding out about it.Here’s the latest news, hot off the hoof!

A little bird told me the guys in the other field, including Brin, broke through some of that ‘buzzy’ fence into a different part of their field.   Apparently they all had a great time munching the long grass until they were discovered in the morning.

My Big Friend Brin

I wouldn’t be surprised if my big friend lost his shoe when he escaped; no wonder he was a bit ‘forgetful’!

My mate Brin

Although Brin is no longer in my field we still manage to catch up every day as his stable is right next door to mine.  As your trusty reporter, it means that he can ‘fill me in’ on all the goings on in his field, so I don’t miss any of the action!!
Brilliant!!!

You won’t believe this; but Brin has lost a shoe! He says he doesn’t know how it happened – one minute it was on his foot, the next thing he knew it was missing!!

I’m not sure if I believe that; how can you not know when a metal shoe comes off?  Especially when they are as big as Brin’s!!!   I’m sure there’s something he’s not telling me & I plan to find out…

...I will keep you posted.

Back to driving, Yay!

I did some driving today, first time in what seems like ages!
I was a bit rusty to start, but it didn’t take long for me to get back into the swing of things and I was very pleased with how my driving went.

Also, I worked outside in the BIG arena. I heard the staff say that it’s Olympic size…

…. Not quite sure what that means but it sounds good!

Quick update on our Exmoor weather; been mostly dry but with occasional showers; which means that I’ve had my rug on a few times.   I don’t mind though – its great being out in the field, munching on my favourite patch of grass & feeling all toasty and warm. You can’t beat it!

I’m back!

Hi there everyone, I’m back!!   I’ve finished my article for Pos-ability magazine & it’s been sent off for approval - I just hope it’s alright!  There was so much I wanted to say about the great things we do here at the Calvert Trust Exmoor…

..the trouble was I was only allowed to use 500 words!!!!!     
Now that was tough for yours truly, as I’m sure you can imagine.   You never know if I’ve done a good job they may ask me to write another article…
….hooves crossed!

Teddy did a good job with my blog while I was busy; in fact he even offered to ‘take it over’ again if I needed a break!  That doesn’t surprise me; he loves to chat and keep up with all gossip round the yard!

That’s why I ended up telling him about my ‘something of great importance’ as Teddy put it.  I think he was rather impressed & quickly told the others all about it; he just can’t keep a secret!

Me & The Princess, and my new friend Sarah

Hi again everyone, its me again, Pilgrim!

My new friend Sarah has sent me some lovely photos from the day the HRH Princess Alexandra came to visit me last week, I just had to share them with you!

The Princess, Me, and Sarah

It was a great day we had, I especially liked it when the princess gave me polos - I like them almost as much as I like clover!

I love it when visitors share their photos with me, and you can too! email me on pilgrim@calvert-trust.org.uk, just like Sarah did. Thank you Sarah for the brilliant photos.

Guest Blogger Teddy 4: Oops, sorry Bruno!

Good news, the farrier came yesterday and put a new shoe on Bruno!  Hopefully he should get back to work ASAP!
Bruno and I are in the same field so I asked him why he kept losing his shoes. He said something about having soft feet and that the wet weather made it harder to keep his shoes on.

I know not all horses have strong feet like yours truly, so it makes sense that he might just have a job to keep his shoes on. My feet are so good that I don’t wear shoes at all; in fact I’m the only one in this yard that can go ‘barefoot’.    

I found myself feeling a bit sorry for Bruno and his soft feet – but don’t let him know that will you!

______________________

I've had just a fantastic day! We were able to go out into the outside arena and work in the sunshine! It seems ages since we’ve been able to do that and you can sense the difference a bit of sun makes to everyone, both horses and people.

Hope it lasts for a bit longer than a few days; I know the sun makes our grass grow a bit quicker and we could do with a top up!  Not that I’m complaining you understand, but I do need to keep my strength up.

Guest Blogger Teddy 3: Work Shy Bruno

Pilgrim has asked that I continue as ‘guest blogger’ for a bit longer as he is still rather wrapped up in whatever it is he’s doing! I’ve tried asking politely without any success; it’s very unusual for Pilgrim to stay quiet, he’s normally bursting to tell anyone who’ll listen what he’s up to! 

I will find out somehow – I shall put my thinking cap on and come up with a plan.

We’ve been busy today – Well, all of us except Bruno that is! He’s managed to lose a front shoe (again) and his foot ‘is much too sore to work’.  

I wouldn’t mind too much; indeed losing a shoe can happen to the best of us.  BUT it seems to happen quite a lot to Bruno! He is either extremely clumsy or very clever, I haven’t decided which yet!! 

Clumsy Bruno or Clever Bruno?

It’s certainly a good way to have a few days off work; I only hope that the farrier comes sooner rather than later so Bruno can get back to work!

The Princess Visits Me!

Hey it's me, Pilgrim, the Mighty Atom!

I've been really busy and Teddy is doing a brilliant job of blogging for me, but I had to give you some exciting news!

Yesterday HRH Princess Alexandra came to visit me, and not only that, she gave me polos!

HRH Princess Alexandra

Apparently she had to do something with the new building as well, but I was definitely the highlight of her visit. I think someone got a photo of me with her, hopefully I can get hold of it soon and put it on here for you to see.

Bye for now!

Guest Blogger Teddy 2: Grooming

It’s busy as usual here at the Calvert Trust Exmoor. I regularly get to work with our guests on the yard as well as in the arena. I’m a bit of a softy at heart and love getting lots of attention, especially when it involves me being groomed!  
For us horses, grooming is quite relaxing and helps to keep us in good condition. I’ve heard the staff refer to it being the equivalent of having a shower – I know which one I’d  prefer!

My friend Bruno enjoying a grooming session - lovely!

I would like to clear up a misunderstanding regarding the incident a few weeks ago with a broken fence and a midnight stroll. Pilgrim seems to think that Brin, Bruno and I left him in the field, with no concern for his welfare or feelings.

I can honestly say that we all thought he had followed us out and was also enjoying the lush grass and sense of freedom.   We didn’t think that what was a small step over the bottom rail for us would be a big leap for Pilgrim! I did apologise to him, and so did the others; but he does have a habit of bringing the subject up from time to time to make us feel guilty!

Needless to say we are not planning any midnight adventures in the near future – and if we do you can guarantee a certain ‘mighty atom’ will be the first to know!

Guest Blogger: Teddy

Hello, its Teddy here. I’ve taken over Pilgrim’s blog while he’s doing ‘something of great importance’.   

Pilgrim has asked that I keep you ‘up to date’ on all that goes on this week while he is doing other things – and so I shall!
  
Firstly let me tell you a little about myself. I am an experienced and quite dapper piebald and I have been working at Calvert Trust Exmoor for 5 years. I am 15.2 hands tall; built for strength rather than speed.   

Teddy

My main role here is as a riding horse; with my calm manner and smooth paces I am ideally suited to working with guests that need extra support. However it’s nice when I carry a more experienced rider and I love being taken along the track by the reservoir for a bit of a run, as long as it’s not too far!

After a few weeks off with a minor injury, I am back in work and without any problems, at least so far! I feel great and my work load is back to normal; I even took a young person in my tandem saddle last week, so I must be back to peak fitness. I think the staff and I are both relieved about this, to say the least!   

I'm an author!

I’ve got a bit of news for you! you’ll never guess what it is, so I’ll have to tell you…..

Yours truly has been asked to write an article for Posability magazine!  It seems that they’ve read my blog and would like me to report on what we do with our guests at Calvert Trust Exmoor!

This means I’m going to have a busy week; I will still be working while I work on my article, not sure I can do my blog as well. 

I’ve decided to leave the blog in the capable hands of my friend Teddy. He’s not done a blog before but he assures me that he has a ‘wealth of experience’ and ‘just how difficult can writing a blog be?’  

I’m sure he’ll do a great job; but I’ve asked Pixie just to keep an eye on him just in case! It should be fine as he’s got lots of stories to tell and knows all there is to know about what goes on! I'll keep my hooves crossed just in case...