Pics and dry ground....

How about the pic above for cracked dry ground!! yes that is my hand down there next to the carrot stick. Normally it isn't even that bad at the ened of summer and here we are barely out of spring. If the cracks get much bigger Shiraz will get her feet down them...but because this is the paddock saved for the calves she won't be in here.

I thought I'd take a pic of each horse to see how their condition changes as a result of being on the track. You can see they aren't very fit or toned... Rafiki has a lot of muscle at the front from pulling herself along - at the end of a play session she looks so much better than at the beginning, which I am pleased with. at the end she is much more uphill and hasn't got all her weight dumped on her forehand as she has normally when in 'paddock potato' mode - ie here. her feet are feeling better so thats good.

here is Mt Merlot - not a great pic. Also the camera doesn't do the shine on his, Shiraz's and Cameo's coats justice. he is also dirty here of course! we had a very quick play today - short a\with lots of variet as I haven't really played since July. I was going to ask him to squeeze between the barrels and made a gap, but he carefully jumped over the single barrel and then stopped and turned expecting a treat!! I'm going so carefully with him - need to keep it really quick short and interesting or he goes introverted..but when he is extroverted he is AMAZING!!!

Princes Shiraz showing off her tummy and unbrushed silver mane. Merlot (in the back ground) has just been trying to undress me - he loves playing with any loose clothing, or anything else. he is now picking up his bucket and offering it to me - his idea, one step on from the halter!!

Cam is such a sweetie - you can see she has done NOTHING since May... we had a very short play today at liberty as I knew she wanted to play...warmed up in a minute (literally!), then we did jump a single barrle towards me (at liberty!) and sideways over another barrel, and I stopped there after about 2 minutes, as she was so engaged and LB... what a star - wish I'd had the camera!!