Departures

[glenatron]

Today was a day of goodbyes - this morning the little pony belonging to our yard owner, who was a little older than me and had taught generations of kids to ride, fell hard on the ice outside his stable and landed on his hip. When we arrived he was on three legs and the vet had already been called. Barnaby was a great character, a really good teacher and a classic pony, although he was pretty sure he was seven and 17.2hh rather than thirty four and about 12hh. The other evening he stopped on his way to his stable and stole a bunch of Small's dinner as he was passing, yesterday he took the little girl he was teaching for a ride and was a proper well behaved riding horse and today we said goodbye to him. He'll be sadly missed, but he had done well in a long life and been loved by many small children as he showed them what a good friend a pony could be.

This afternoon we took Donk off to a new home- he's been with us for six months or so now and the last month or two have been a lot of work in terms of mucking out and - naturally enough - he eats like a horse. A big horse at that, so it's been expensive to keep weight on him and now Small is coming back into work and daylight hours are few and valuable there hasn't been a lot of benefit for us in having Donk around and really not a lot for Donk either. He's gone over to a dealer friend of his owner to be sold on in spring and I think the full time work will really help him and he'll make for an excellent schoolmaster for somebody. That would be really great- he's such a sweet horse and he really deserves a person of his own to love on him and to appreciate his safe, good natured, schoolmasterly skills. He got quite sweaty in the lorry, but as soon as he arrived and had a haynet, he seemed settled and content and didn't really want to talk to us again, which was good in a way. He was a nice horse but I think part of what we've learned is that we like a bit more spark and a bit more intelligence to work with.

Comments

[gnapp.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry to hear about Barnaby. Those ponies, how many kids have they taught to ride through the years, all over the world. (We have one of those at our stable too; just 30 years old, but otherwise the same kind.)

I hope Donk will find a new home, with the right persons for him!

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

I think anyone who grew up with a pony like that will really appreciate how special a good one is. He was so good at his job- watching one of the kids taking him out to the field, sitting on him bareback on top of his rug the other morning was exactly the thing that children and ponies should be doing.

[http://users.livejournal.com/blitzen_/]

*hugs*

big day for you guys. that's very sad about the pony.

[harnessphoto.livejournal.com]

Aww. Sounds like the pony lived a fantastic life. I'm sorry to hear he's gone. As for Donk... sounds like a reasonable and well thought out decision all around.

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

We weren't planning to keep Donk in the long term, so this is a good solution for everyone and will certainly be good news for us financially...

[penella22.livejournal.com]

Hoping Barnaby is in the land of Tir Na Nog now where all trusty ponies should go when they die. We miss them here.

So long to Donk too; sounds like a good lesson and hopefully he ends up with a human being who is more into that sort of horsenality and can really appreciate him.

[life-of-tom.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure I know who Barnaby was, but that's obviously a sad thing.

I quite liked Donk. Primarily because of his name, to be honest, but he seemed nice enough, hope he finds a good home. It's good to know Small is faring well, too.

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

Barnaby was the small white pony who tended to stare at you in a way that suggested he might be possessed but was actually as sweet as anything.

[life-of-tom.livejournal.com]

Oh, him. He used to freak me out a bit doing that, but then I worked out he was being friendly.

[skiesfirepaved.livejournal.com]

Oh no. That's awful about Barnaby. I know you said he'd led a good life, but I can't help but feel horrid when I hear a horse has had to be put down due to an accident. :( Poor little pony, it sounds like he was dearly loved though.

And no more Donk, either? Gah. :( I hope he gets the best of good homes.

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

I really hope Donk does well too. He's such a sweet pony.

[evil-c.livejournal.com]

:( So sorry that Barnaby has gone, poor little boy, but what a good age for a pony and active to the end.

Its good to hear Small is coming back into work again. I've missed seeing photos and reading about his rides. I hope Donk finds a good home.