I remember when we first moved to France and I was in the bank. The manager said to me so you will have horses. My reply was, we will see. I always wanted one but the years rolled on, with all the work here and me going back and forth to the UK working. Well it just would have been crazy at that time. I wanted to go through our local country side on horse back. Know I am that much older ( with a very dodgy hip ) I would rather that was in some kind of carriage. We have one to resort and at some point I hope it will happen. The horse however became a reality a year ago, just over and oh what fun she has been. She's also been a bit of a worry at times. Like the day I found a great chunk out of her hoof. Or the summer flies that drove her mad and rain scaled. The joy she has given us, so out weighs all of that.
So the day Flo arrived.........
Well the people that had, had her kindly gave her to us, along with a few bits. They got a very kind farmer to load her in to his wagon and drive her, just the short distance from ware she had been. Sadly her owner had gone off to university and Flow was missing all the love, she had been given to the point that she had lost quite a bit of weight. The vet just said she was sad which lets be honest, we all are if we loose some one that is close.
So we unloaded her and put her in to the top field. Then we all came down, had a cuppa with the old owners and thanked them. I am pleased to say they have called in since from time to time and we do keep in contact.
So after they went we headed in and had lunch, saying once we were done I would go up and spend some time with her. May be put her on a lead rain so she got used to me handling her etc.
Oh by the way I should say Flo is BIG shes not a Shetland pony. She's a cross percheron / normandy cob. She's a big girl which at times I forget, as she is such a darling and we are around her all the time. I am very greatful she is easy to handle.
So I went out after lunch to see her and have a chat take a carrot up to her and well. NO HORSE. The gate was open and there really should have been the hint. Looking back I am not sure it was the shock of no horse in the field or what it was. I actually walked round the hole field before it sank in that she was not there. She WAS gone and when you think the gate WAS OPEN well you would have thought that it would have registered with me that she had taken herself for a walk and animals do seem to like to do that. When I had found the gate open. She being the size she is just pushed the lock off and walked straight out. I know use electric across all the gates.
So after a bit of a panic we all went off in different directions John off up the hill to Montague and Ali and I off down the road with a head collar and lead rain in hand.
We did not have to walk far to the end of our road. Ware there is a small field on one said, when Alister said is that her. Honestly and this is mad, I was not sure. I had as such only seen her twice. So I called her name and she looked up at me, as if to say. Oh your here then, the relief. Ali crossed the road and talked to our neighbour who said she had turned up at the junction and just stood there looking both ways as if to say well ware do I go know. She was obviously very confused about the hole thing but he was very impressed with her and the fact he was able to just walk her in to his small field using nothing. I walked in to the field walked up to her put the head collar on and she happily walked up the road with me. After quite a bit of attention and yes, she has us rapped round her hoof, she settled in. But she well and truly has a mind of her own. Low and behold any other animal on the farm that thinks they can eat her food. Baby's however are another matter and she will stand and wait for them to eat and then step in at the end of the hay rick and have a bite to eat. However you have never seen anything quite so alarming or funny as a fully grown sheep being picked up by a horse and dangling in the air.
At one point when she arrived she was in a very large field that also had some sheep in. She also became firm friends we our neighbours horses and they talk to each other all the time. So John would feed them and her all at the same time. However sheep being sheep thought that her big bucket looked even nicer and decided to get in there first. Flo however showed them who it belonged to. She promptly picked up a sheep by it's winter coat, dangled it in mid air and moved it to one side. After this the sheep worked out it's best not to mess with her and she know knows not to hang about and get her head down before they show up and try and pinch dinner.
She is just such a wonderful animal to have here and gives us far more love than you can imagine. When she hears the car arrive after we have been out for a while she will call to us.
A far cry from when she went off that first day and no I will never live it down with our neighbours they thought it hilarious. It was the talk of the hamlet for weeks.