Kennedy: A visit from Aunty Lynne

I haven't seen that much of Aunty Lynne just recently so it was nice when I heard her voice on Monday morning.  Debbie has been ill so Rocky was busy teaching Holly to ride on the drive.  I quite wanted to join in as I'm pretty close with Rocky now so I wasn't too keen on having my feet picked out in the courtyard too much.  Anyway, I endured it and then I got a surprise when Rocky popped round to see me!  Apparently, Holly's boyfriend (who isn't a rider) had hopped on to Rocky to have a little go and Rocky had decided to take him on a visit to the stables to see me in the courtyard.  I gave him a little whinny of approval - "Well done Rocky!" I could hear Debbie's voice saying "just bring him back this way" from the drive.  Then, I heard another voice; Aunty Lynne!  She gave Rocky and I a big fuss and helped put my fly veil on.  She says it looks a bit silly and 'not very country' with it's little diamantes.  Sian agreed that she hadn't realised that it had these until it arrived in the post...  Hang on a minute everyone, what happened to "he looks really handsome in his matching fly veil and saddle cloth"?  Have you been riding me round looking like a fool?!  Sian agreed that something should be done and said that she was looking into getting me a matching 'Le Mieux' set except that Damien can't cope with them because he says it translates to rubbish in French, the best he could do to translate was 'The Bestest'.

Anyhow, despite agreeing that diamantes weren't really my style, the fly veil went on anyway.  And Sian said I'd be happier about it when it kept the flies off my ears.  I suppose she's right but do you think I could have something a little more manly?  Like a skull and cross bones?

So up to the woods we went again today.  We had a 'rest' the day before and just did the estate opposite the farm.  Except it wasn't really a rest because Sian decided to do transitions between lamposts and kept making me trot and walk and trot and stop.  Honestly, I didn't know if I was coming or going!  She did say I was a very good lad though and that I listened very carefully so I even gave me one of my special treats when I got back.

Back to the woods though.  So we had a nice quiet walk through there today.  I'm still not too keen on the footpath but OK if I walk on the mud down the side though Sian keeps worrying it's slippy!  So far I've managed to negotiate it if a little awkwardly because I keep having to cross the path for better mud patches.  On the way back, we met some nice people with a labrador that said I was a very sweet boy and liked watching me walking out of the forest as I have to step over a wooden pole.  I'm very good at it now!

Honestly, Sian had been busy telling Aunty Lynne how she had decided to give me her undivided attention at all times when riding so that we could 'focus' and 'work as a team' - I think she's been reading again (this is dangerous).  Anyway, I needn't have worried because she ended up looking at houses for sale the whole way back - there was one point where I feered she might walk me onto the drive to peer through the window (it's OK though - she didn't).  She has decided, having ridden round it quite a lot, that I live in a nicer place than she does and is all for moving (she found a nice 3 bed detatched for £150,000 - even I know that's a bargain and I'm a horse!)  Anyway, she says she wishes she hadn't looked because now she wants all the houses!  Meanwhile, I'm just being a sensible boy and walking us home the way I know to go.  I'm getting the hang of the route back from the woods now.  It's quite easy once you know...  And now I know where all the drains are so I can practise drain avoidance wherever possible.


When we got back to the farm I was kind of hoping that might be it but then Aunty Lynne decided to have a little ride up and down the drive.  Sian had to tell her about the stony part as the first thing she did was steer me onto the stones and then I stopped because I don't like walking on them too much!  At least it made a good photo opportunity before Sian redirected Aunty Lynne onto the concrete.  In the meantime the lady who lives at the farm turned up with a lawnmower and frowned at me.  Sian said I was fine if she wanted to mow the grass down the side of the drive and that it would take more than that to frighten me - she's right.  This made the lady smile.  I've heard she isn't very sure about horses and she does tend to keep her distance.





After she'd finished mowing, she said 'he's very mild mannered isn't he?' I assumed she meant me as I was the only boy there at the time.  Let's say we can be sure she wasn't talking about Syd who was in the field behind me...  Sian agreed and told her I was very calm.  She smiled and went off in the direction of the house.  When I got back to the courtyard with Aunty Lynne still on board, the lady and man who own the farm were sitting on a bench and watched me come past.  The man said "Woah - calm down a little bit there.  He's a bit excitable isn't he!" which I think must have been his idea of a joke because the lady said "if you could get me near a horse, I'd want to go on one like that!' So it looks like I'm starting to win them over!  I was even more sure when Jean (the lady who lives at the farm) turned up with some apples from her orchard and said I could have one.  Sian, the meanie, said that was very kind but unfortunately I wasn't allowed apples but that she would put them aside for Rocky and Prince if they were allowed them.  That is so mean!  Anyway, she did go and get me one of my special treats.  She must have felt bad about me missing out on the apples - so she should!  I must remind myself of that rhyme...."An apple a day...."  I'm sure I can convince her somehow...

Happy Tuesneigh everyone!
I'll write soon.
Mr K



Ps.  Syd says "Hi!" - being my new bestest mate, I promised him a spot on my blog...

As you can see, he shares my fondness of food...