Immortal.

It seems that horses are not just on this planet to win a posh race like the derby. Lots of us equines are also eaten by humans especially ones that live in a country squashed between Spain and Germany. But, that's not the worst of it. From all over other parts of Europe there are humans who buy up unwanted equines. Although I don't understand why we are not wanted and cared for into our dotage, that’s another story. All these so called unwanted equines are bundled into lorries with no space left to stand comfortably, and then dragged thousands of miles with no hay and water and no stops for a rest, even though they are exhausted and stressed. Sometimes the lorries go through very cold places where the temperature drops to minus twenty and other times through places where the temperature is very hot. Some of these poor things do manage to survive only to find themselves in a killing station where the air is full of fear and the smell of blood. My heart weeps for their unnecessary suffering, both on that terrible journey and in the killing station. We are not immortal and I hope when my time comes Helen will make a good decision for me and not sell me or give me away to a nasty human. And, Gretel and I will be laid to rest in the vulture park which is near our house. Apparently, its been illegal to transport animals in this way for a long time but with the border controls very lax it's easy to cross from one European country to another with no paper work for each animal. This makes me very cross. SO, who are the lowest form of humans the ones who put us in the lorries or the people in high places that make the laws and then DON'T enforce them? If you care please look at http://www.worldhorsewelfare.org and see how you can help. Gretel tells me she as been to hall farm, home of WHW on a day visit, and it's a very happy place. Sounds just like A.R.C.H. A safe place for an equine to be.

My training is really good and I am going to tell you about it next week. And now I am 5 and ¾ I know everything and I am going to share it with you. Neigh 4 now.

Mirror, mirror on the wall.

We have put some nice pictures of us in the rain on my face-book page. Helen got it all wrong and put the same pictures on twice. She did wonder why it took all day. Silly moo. I just spotted that Gretel has a mirror in her stable it is so high up that I can't see myself. Helen says she will get me my own mirror. But, with a big sigh, adds that she hates looking in the mirror, 'cos all she sees is her mother, not just her mother, but her old mother. I don't care, I am young and beautiful everyone says so and I want my own mirror so I can see what my lovely new winter coat looks like.

Peter lets me out of the stable when Gretel and Helen go out for a ride. Last time I galloped round and round and Limon the cat next door asked “was I in training for the Derby”? Don’t think so, cos I don't know what the Derby is.

I have a new philosophy; you humans should never take for granted what we equines bring to you and do for you and the wholehearted trust we put in you. Even the smallest of things like standing still when you mount us should be rewarded with a kind word. Walking down a very steep hill with you on our backs needs much praise. Jumping down into the river of a newly formed bank deserves enthusiastic pats. Cantering up a steep and twisty track, well that definitely would warrant a white rock when we reach the top to catch our breath. So remember all mammals thrive on encouragement and to give is more satisfying than to receive.

Gretel says that’s a coincidence 'cos she did all those things today and even enjoyed the steep and twisty track. Neigh 4 now.

Rain and Cloud.

Rain and Cloud.

Helen is back from England and brought me some nice things, 'cos all girlies like nice things. A bridle with a diamanté brow band and a rain coat, not a pink one, but it's very pretty with blue binding and a flashy design on the main coat. Yesterday it was needed. It rained at last. Hooray!!!!! everything smells lovely and the trees all look washed, poor things. Gretel was in the stable when Helen put my new coat on, when she came out the saw me, she thought I was a new pony and chased me away; then ran around looking for the real me, I am the real me of course but even though I called to her, she still didn’t get it. I can't believe she is so dim. Peter and Helen had to sit down from laughing so hard. Helen says she wishes Gretel would do that trotting up and down on the spot when she is being ridden. Dear old Gretel, it still took a while for the centavo to drop that it was the real me and not a cardboard cut-out in a pretty coat.

Last week when Helen and I where doing training, the motor bikes came down the track and I was very scared. They go so fast and make so much noise and as there are so many, it takes ages for them to go past. On my way to hide behind Gretel, I nearly ran into Helen on my blind side. Helen came and stood at our side and patted us; I was shaking so much we had to leave training for the day. Gretel is not scared 'cos she told me later she use to live near a road called the A14 and there were cars, motor bikes and lorries on it 24 hours a day. See what I mean about her being dim 'cos that can't be true. I have never seen a road THAT busy.

We had sad news from our lovely friend Gail. One of her mulas had a very bad accident and has died. Its a bad story and has wobbled the wets of our eyes, all five of them. Rest in peace Molly. Neigh 4 now.

Heat and Dust

Heat and Dust.

I have been very lazy about writing my blog. But, it's nice to give my hooves a rest. We have been very hot the last few weeks and it has not rained for 102 days. Everything is covered in dust including us. The trees look terrible and maybe some will die, I hope its not the fig trees 'cos we love figs. Last week Helen looked at my head which was covered in red juice and thought I had cut myself. She seemed very worried the silly moo. On closer inspection it turned out to be fig juice. I hope the rain comes soon then I will be able to go out with Gretel and Tring on a lead rain. The ground is much to hard for me to walk far with out any shoes and get my legs banged about and as the old expression goes ''never hammer hammer on the hard hard roads'' this is life shortening for horses and what ever discipline we are asked to train for, footing is everything.

When everyone goes out without me I go in the spring field. I like this better and on Saturday I helped Peter pick the almonds. We have lots this year.

Helen is off to the UK tomorrow and Gail is coming to look after us. We like Gail and this week Gail's friend Lilli May has been here. So now I have two small human friends. So I am kept very busy doing riding. Helen is going to bring me a coat for the wet weather, hope its a pink one. Neigh 4 now.

Meat eaters

Oh, deary me!! It seems I am not as bright as I thought; I just found out that humans eat animal flesh. Ugh, I don't know why I didn't know this before, I am 5 years old and a grown up. What is the matter with me? We are specialist feeders and only eat grass and grass products, if we are given anything else it can make us very ill. We should always be fed very carefully and because we live in a modern world where we don't graze 24/7 and don't share our grazing with other herbivores, we have to be given chemical wormers and have our teeth filed. I hate both of those things and so does Gretel. Gretel has a good trick for the horrible wormer. When Helen eventually gets it in her mouth she opens her mouth wide and and shakes her head and it all falls out. But she does not mind the teeth filing so much because she gets a happy pill before the work is done. Nice!!

Getting back to the meat eating, numpty Gretel says I should turn a blind eye. So long as the animals are well looked after and good animal husbandry is practised, what is the problem? Humans are evolved to eat meat. Peter's mother Joan, who I have not yet meet, is a very wise woman, and asks why does Helen become very upset when she sees animals being mistreated? Could the answer be that it is a evolutionary way for Helen to preserve herself and her offspring? So by caring for the animals they will never die out and humans will always have food to eat. This would have a good kick-back for us because there will always be lots of grass for us to eat. Anyway, Gretel thinks when we die, we will be fed to the vultures up in the park. She is going to take me there and show me; not too soon, I hope.

I have made two new friends this week. Limon who lives next door and assures me she is the purrrrfect cat and Maisy who is going to be my best human friend 'cos she would like to learn how to be kind to all equines and understand our needs. So I look forward to seeing you both again and this time I hope Limon will be able to find her way home unaided. Neigh 4 now.

Party time

I am late writing my blog this week 'cos we have been making merry. Saturday, Gretel and I went into the spring field and lots of people came to look at us and admired our shiny coats, neat manes and tails. We had music late into the night. We like music, Peter's music is the best; it's called opera and the sound's invoke all different emotions in us. Happy, sad, funny or calm. If we stand close to the wall in the spring field we can feel the vibration, its very soothing.

I have had lots of people tell me how upset they are with last weeks blog; Sengra and Serreta, Thank you all for speaking up. Aida came and we talked to her about what to do. She says there is no law in Spain about animal abuse but things are changing and it's the young people we need to talk to. I am going to do a demo of my own for the school as soon possible. I think Helen should write to the town hall and tell them what we think of horse abuse and riding displays.

Aida says Gretel is not having a potro. She is not too sad and will be having some tests later in September to see why not. In English human speak, a baby horse is a foal and it nearly means a very dim person, just as well that she's not having a fool. Another one like Gretel would need a lot of patience.

All this blog writing is very tiring and I think I will get a raspberry so I can communicate from anywhere, or I might get an I-pod instead because that sounds quite tasty. Neigh 4 now.

Sangre and serreta.

Over last weekend it got even hotter, 37ºC, so we did not do anything all day but stand as still as statues in the shade. Peter has picked the first new algarrobo pods; I am mad for them; even nicer then the white rocks. Thank you Peter.

When its not too hot, Helen sits in the manège and talks to us; she has been a bit upset because of a riding display she went to. She said some of it was good, particularly the Doma vaquera. Doma Vaquera is training a horse to herd cattle. The rider has a long pole [the garrocha] which the horse dances around. The horse doing this, Helen said, was very relaxed and understood his job, which always makes for a happy horse. I know what Doma Vaquera is because I am Spanish. But then we have to spend half an hour explaining it to Gretel and Tring. Gretel, because she is daft and Tring 'cos she is young. Tring said she would love to do that, herding being in her blood, and would like her own herd of goats. But sadly, one of the horses was not being treated so well and by the end of the demo-display his sides where bleeding from repeated use of the spurs and the front of his nose was bleeding from a much too tight serreta. Worst of all, at the end the girl rider whipped and whipped him 'til he laid down. Helen wanted to rush into the ring and whip her, but realized that the rider may well be just as abused as the horse and only doing what some controlling person is telling her. Just like Monty Roberts' childhood with his dad. We stood about quiet and thought about this. I was thinking of some of the horses I meet during my time at ARCH, they talked of having their spirit broken, but what does that really mean??? Is it a total loss of will because you are subjected to repeated painful or unpleasant circumstances? A nice old boy in Canada calls this ''learned helplessness'' which is basically like giving up, throwing in the towel before even trying and even if the chance to escape is presented, it is not taken. Is this true both for people and animals??? This young rider in her heart of hearts maybe knows what she is doing to this horse is not right and, like Monty, when she gets older, she will walk away and take the lovely horse with her. I believe part of the human spirit identifies with that of the horse. And when the human understands and realizes that, he becomes a better person. Neigh 4 now.

Gretel January 2009

Bangs, fireworks and snow

All hell broke loose in Salares on Saturday and I thought the Americans had invaded. But no; it was just the annual fiesta. Our stable looks down on the village, Gretel and I enjoyed the fireworks and as they say in America they were ''awesome'' or is it horsome? Gretel said no need to be scared of the bombers or make rude comments about Americans.

I have been learning to canter which means moving in a three time rhythm without rushing, falling over or leaning on the circle like a motorbike. It's difficult and takes all my strength. Once I found my balance and did a few strides it was time to stop and to get a ''goooood geeerl'' and of course a minty white rock. It's all good fun.

I am reading a blog which tells me about a book called Moorland Mouse and the Moorland Mouse trust and it makes me think I am well off here because I just looked at picture of some poor Exmoor ponies standing about in something called snow. Gretel says it is so cold it freezes your hoofs off and sometimes it will snow here in the mountains where we live. There are some nice pony pictures as well. I liked Kate because, just like me, she is not keen on being left behind when everyone goes out. So take a look. www.moorlandmousietrust.org.uk.

Here is a picture of Gretel in the snow.

I am off to find some shade as it is very hot today. Neigh 4 now.

Minty white rock

I have had lots to do this week. Lots of practice doing my following, stopping, walking the plank, long reining up to the tank, AND Helen sat on me for the first time she is not to heavy and we just walked round for five minutes. I did not understand why she flaps her legs at my sides and had to keep stopping and looking round to see what it was all about. When I do something correctly Helen says “goooood geeerl” in a soft voice and at the end of the five minutes she put her legs on my side and I walked forward. I think there maybe a connection there as I got a very enthusiastic “goooood geeerl” . I have a sore leg so we are not doing more training 'til Monday, pity; I was enjoying using my clever brain to sort out what it is I am expected to do.

We don't see Peter much in the week days. Gretel says he is busy in the house being Professor Caractacus Potts which makes money to keep us in horse muesli and forrage and Helen in ice cream. Hope she does not eat to much or she will be too heavy to ride me. Gretel says if the muesli was for cows it would be called mooooosli. What got into her? - she never makes a joke; she is usually a grumpy old mare.

I have a very strong sense of smell and always know when Helen has a minty white rock in her pocket. I try and push her about to get it; the poor old dear is very patient and pushes me back 'til I stand still and quiet; this still does to get the rock; I always have to wait until the end of training. Gretel says the only way to be sure of getting the rock is to lift up your front leg and hold it in the air for a few seconds then do the other front leg. Works every time. Might have to practice that. Neigh 4 now.

One good eye

When it is very hot; like this week, I do a lot of thinking. I think it would be fun if the vet came and gave me an injection to make me very small. Then I could be picked up in the hands of any human and put down on the kitchen table. I would shut my one good eye the first couple of times because maybe I would be scared of the height. I would steal the apples out of the fruit bowl but as the apples are bigger then me, I would only take one bite at a time and no-one would notice. Cantering round the kitchen floor would be fun because it would make such a pretty sound. I would jump up on the sofa and take my nightly three hours sleep there. I could watch saddle club on horse and country TV and then watch channel four racing and eye up all those gorgeous stallions. And of course I would watch my favourite film ''true grit'' I like the part wear little blacky swims the river; I could do that if we had a river deep enough. The hero in true grit has only one eye just like me that’s why I really love this movie. Getting back to living in the human house, Helen would be able to wash my mane and tail in the kitchen sink. And very quickly dry me with the hair dryer. But I do think I would miss my equine friends and living that close to the humans may be difficult at night as I only need a little sleep time and humans need at least eight hours. What would I do for the other five? This is all speculation and no such injection has been invented.

I seam to have lots of new friends around the world. I got a very nice email from an old dog in Suffolk in England he cheered me up telling me I will one day find my sire and dam and not give up hope. And another from Denmark this one is from a human and she sounds very cheery and it is always good to meet a human who really does love us and have a true understanding of the way we think, so I am looking forward to meeting her in September. Neigh 4 now.

This is my most resent blog @ www.salares.net

To catch up on my story click on ''view my complete profile'' and go to ''my web page''

I was a bit sad last Tuesday cos Gretel went away in a trailer. When the trailer arrived, I thought it was for me and ran around it like a silly thing. I am learning not to get angry when I am left on my own, in fact I am very confident and spent lots of time looking round the field on my own; I went to places no pony has been before. Gretel was soon back and had lots to tell. She says the journey was not too bad as Antonio drove very well 'cos he knows to try and give a horse a good experience in the trailer. When she arrived at Aida's she was put in a box with such a deep bed of wood shavings she had to try it out for softness and then her mane and tail was all stuck up with wood shaving and she did not look her best when 10 minutes later she had to meet ''Ingenioso'', the bloke who's going to be her husband. Poor Gretel. I think she did not understand what was going to happen and tried to kick Ingenioso; even though he has been sending her presents for 3 mouths; did no-one tell her the facts of life? Gretel had to check that I had kept everything in order while she was gone and ran around the arena and fields. Tonight I am going explain to her what life, love and the number 42 really mean; bless her. Oh and I have discovered I like those little flat white rocks that Peter brings for Gretel, they are so scrummy, they taste like mint. Hope he brings me some too. Neigh 4 now.