Trotting tarpaulin

Zippy and I were put through our paces yesterday. Mum decided to cover the back paddock in lots of different things, blue tarpaulin, black tarpaulin and even a red carpet - now that's more like it.

Zippy was not impressed.

 She stood looking at the tarpaulin going I'm too old to learn new tricks. Sally had come to play with Zippy and she got her walking around and through the poles but Zippy didn't really want to go anywhere near the tarpaulin. So while Zippy stood her ground I thought I had better play ball and demonstrate how it's all done.

Well I'm a highly experienced tarpaulin walker by now.  We started by just walking over the edges and it wasn't long before I was walking over everything, and prancing along the red carpet. Mum had me on a long lead rope so we started doing circles in trot and then Mum asked me so nicely that I though I'd show off and trot over the tarpaulins and carpet all on my own.

Hey, how shiny am I? You can see Mum's shadow of her taking the photo of me on my bottom, how clever is that!

I even stood very still on the carpet so Mum could get the photo evidence.

I need to understand this brownie point concept because I seem to have a lot of them, but they don't seem much use to me, I wonder if I can sell them on eBay for carrots?

I was released from duty and allowed to wander around on my own while Mum took Zippy to task.  Zippy had being trying the old pony trick which had fooled Sally but Mums not quiet so easy to fool especially when Zippy takes exception to the tarpaulin and manges to canter off and give Mum rope burns - classic mistake Zippy, now Mums got no old pony sympathy for you any more.

So it wasn't long before Mum was using the stamping on the tarpaulin and the swinging rope to put some 'pressure' on Zippy and she soon was quick stepping over the tarpaulin, I was helping Zippy with avoidance tactics by standing loose in the middle, so Mum had to chase me off before she could get Zippy to go over.  

It was then Sally's turn and Zippy and given in by now so obediently walked over when Sally asked, knowing if she did this it would mean we could both have tea sooner - thank goodness.  One bonus though we have been moved back to the big field so at long last we have more grass to eat - hurrah!

Don't know about you ponies but I think it's getting a bit chilly at night, are you wearing rugs yet?  Mum can't decide whether Zippy should be rugged yet, we usually use the 10c rule but the iPad keeps saying it's going to be mild overnight and each morning we wake up it seems to be much colder than that.

Still running around keeps us nice and warm.