Promise!

Today was the day that Promise was taken to her trainer, Cathy. In fact, the cattle mover was supposed to have picked her up yesterday, but seeing as there was no cattle ramp at Donna and Craig's place (where she was agisted), he refused to load. Traipsing around the properties around Craig's at 8 in the morning (most residents still fast asleep....) I had no luck in spotting another 'race' or 'ramp' - apparently most of them around this area are 'hobby races' and most of them have rotted away over time. Also, I found out (much to my surprise) that there are in fact no horse movers in the area, at all: there were three in the Yellow Pages and they had either stopped trading or moved away... Realizing that my only option was the cattle mover, Tony, whom I had contracted to to the job and the only professional ramp was my neighbour Peter's, I had to walk (yes, walk!) Promise (and Samson!) from D & C's to home in the pelting rain. Two walks, clothes change in between, soaked on both accounts. Both Samson and Promise were angels, though - this was Promise's first long walk along a road, but she was not phased by cars, trucks, rain, a big slasher tractor, splashing puddles, other horses and assorted distractions which gave me hope for her training. She just ambled along on a loose rope behind me.

Having arranged a new time with Tony, which he couldn't keep, and after further subsequent delay this morning the horses were finally picked up at 12.30. Samson was dropped at Cedar Creek where Fiona will re-train him; and Promise was introduced to Cathy, in Spring Grove, and her dog Cowboy (a true blue Red Dog!). Already this evening, Cathy sent us this beautiful picture of Promise under saddle!