Apologies!

I'm really sorry I've neglected the blog recently. I've drastically cut down my internet time so I can concentrate on some artwork, it's amazing how much time you can spend on the computer without realising it lol!

Anyway Star is fine, unfortunately the weather is being less helpful when it comes to training. It's been dry, in fact my pasture looks like the Sahara desert, but the strong winds have been such a pain. Star tends not to concentrate so well when it's very windy, and also if I'm using any objects with her they blow off!! Really we've just been fiddling about reminding ourselves of some of the things we learnt last year. She is now ringing her bell pretty consistently now. I'm looking for a way to mount it so I can send her away to ring it, then she has to come back to me for reinforcement. Needs to be a temporary mount though as I can well imagine her out there ringing it all day trying to get my attention!

I've been managing to get her out for walks a few times a week so I can graze her in hand a bit. Something really weird happened last week. I haltered her up ready to go out and a farmer came past with a trailer of muck, thought he'd knocked off for the day as I wanted to go up that track. Since Star was raring to go I bought her to the front of the house instead to trim the lawn. When he came back past the house I thought well we can go up the track a bit, I'll keep an eye out for him coming down the lane with another load and get her back to the gate before he has to come past. So we were out for about three quarters of an hour, no sign of him, when Star suddenly started marching off for home. This is very unlike her, normally once she's grazing she wants to stay out. I got her back in the field, was just putting away her halter when the farmer comes past with another trailer load. I wonder if Star could actually hear his trailer when he was way off down the lane before I could see him. I'm pretty sure she recognises individual vehicles as she seems to know which cars coming up our track contain people who give her treats!

Also had a bit of a worrying incident yesterday where a guy appeared at the property poking about looking in outbuildings. When questioned he said he was looking for scrap, but then started asking a lot of questions about Star, breeding her, was she for sale. He's calling himself James, driving a newish Ford Transit, dark red with a silver Ford sticker on the door, reg MV53. this is on the Norfolk/Lincs/Cambs border. obviously I'm pretty wary because of the number of thefts of horses and tack that's occurred recently so if you are in this area keep your eyes peeled.