.....meanwhile....!

Around the same time as the aforementioned colic attack, another little man was - in the far depths of France - saying goodbye to a part of his anatomy that he was (as most males are) particularly fond of. Anyone who has spent time around horses is most likely aware that a stallion appears in a different category of horse ownership and despite previous experience of handling them I felt it right to do the sensible thing and have him gelded. Stallions are unpredictable and may become dangerous if not handled properly so as it was the unknown arriving and he could be as big as Pilgrim it would have been foolhardy at best to risk it. I very much doubt he agreed with my decision but thankfully I wasnt there as the face of the betrayal so he doesnt hold it against me! He was officially named Souci (rather alarmingly means Concern in french) but that doesnt really roll with Blue and Pilgrim so I named him Oscar, much to the Mothers disgust. Horses shouldnt have human names apparently!



As it happens, we didnt get quite the second huge beast we were expecting. Although listed as 3 years old he was actually at most around 18months and as the transporter opened the ramp a tiny, folorn looking little boy stood blinking back at me. He had the worst respiratory infection I have ever seen and for the first few hours strangles was suspected. Thankfully, my vet was positive it wasnt as a case of strangles as severe as that would have rendered the horse unable to move. As it was, it took me half an hour to get him to follow me down the alleys and various paths to his stable and by the time we arrived there I was in love (again!!!). He was quiet, shy and looked like he needed a lot of love and attention, which considering he had just lost the aforementioned 'pom poms' as a friend has labelled them is hardly surprising. He was in a stable with a half wall so he could see Pilgrim but with an empty stable between the two of them and he proceeded to snuffle, whinny, snort and head shake in an attempt to gain Pilgrims attention. A more solitary horse than Pilgrim you never did see and Oscars attempts produced nothing more than a cursory glance. The ever-present vet administered a ridiculous amount of 4 weeks of anti-biotics (which were admittedly needed) and by the time he had finished them the endless stream of goo that was escaping his nostrils, eyes and various other orifices thankfully dried up. He eventually started to be aware of his surroundings and we were soon rewarded daily with a shout for breakfast. He has since that first snotty arrival never had a sick day and despite becoming (somewhat unfairly I might add) the Mothers Bete Noire due to a slight lack of manners and a tendency to barge he fits into our little family very well and looks better every day.