This story would not be compete without a word about the girls who adore taking care of Scipion and Blanchette. It started with Awen, 9 years old and passionate about horses. In September 2019 I met Awen walking with her parents, expressly to pass by and visit Blanchette and Scipion. We became friends and Awen started coming to give me a hand with the various tasks of horse care. Later Linsday, also 9 years old and crazy about horses, came on the scene. Lindsay's family moved into the house next to the pasture, so it was easy for her to come give a helping hand. Often it was Awen and Lindsay together so the two girls soon became friends.
But these girls aren't only interested in horse care , they are also very interesed in horses riding. Both of them have taken lessons and are serious horseback riding students. They were both anxious to mount Scipion who had already been saddle trained, and so this presented an opportunity for Scipion to keep current his saddle training, and to keep in shape thanks to the exercise that would provide. I have little ridiing experience and not much desire to get in the saddle, so here was really an opportunity.
For this reason and for Scipion's well being I decided to make the expenditure for the association of buying a used inexpensive saddle and the other various related equipment. We had already put in place a round fenced training area for working/exercising the horses. This was during the Winter/Spring period when Scipion was in excellent form and Awen succeeded in having him trotting and galloping on command. Blanchette also was showing her potential with this kind of training.
Eventually Awen started slowly by mounting Scipion bareback, and then with the saddle and we did small walks with safety foremost in mind. Lindsay wouldn't be left out and she also got in the saddle. It was a success story in the making until Scipion had a laminitis attack in July from eating too much rich grass, and he started limping. So that is where we are at present, treating Scipion for laminitis and letting him take it easy to help the healing process. I am hoping that soon, when the summer grass makes the transition to become less rich, that Scipion will get into good form again. Then we can continue with the work we started to keep up the saddle training, even with Blanchette given the time. In any case all the exercise and training work is excellent for their health, both physically and mentally.
