my baby blue eyes

My new horse is a yearling colt called Harvey, he's skewbald with blue eyes and such a wonderful little guy. I'm already head over heels in love with him, he's sweet as can be and so quiet. This is him taking mints from me, he's suddenly learned just *how* good mints taste and wanted them all :-D

Please ignore the fact I look like hell in this photograph. I had no idea I'd be in the photographs, given I thought *I'd* be the one taking pictures, thus, I look like hell. I've no bra on (because it hurts my gall bladder to wear one), my stomach/side is swollen and my hair is scraped back and my huge grey streaks show horridly. I'd say I look like a sack of potatoes, but that would be an insult to potatoes.

Harvey came from the same dealer that I got Baileigh from. He'd been running wild on 250 acres with 90 other boys (mixed colts, geldings and stallions) on a hill in Kinross and had been there since spring this year. The dealer said he was quiet and halter-broke when he got him, and he sure is. In fact, given the way he is - you'd never think this boy had been without human contact for months on end.

It's a bittersweet time, having such a wonderful little baby to play with and cuddle, and know at the same time that the only reason this baby is here is because Baileigh is gone. Baileigh who was my big slobbery baby. I still miss Baileigh like hell, and even idle mentioning of him (like here) brings tears to my eyes. He was perhaps the best horse I've ever owned, gentle and sweet and honest. I know there won't be another like him, but I hope Harvey can be amazing in his own way.

In many ways, Harvey reminds me of my shetland pony, Pepi, who died in 1999. Pepi also had blue eyes and had the same very quiet and gentle nature that Harvey is showing. It's a bit eerie as they are so similar, and it took me years to get over Pepi's death. It seems when it comes to my horses, it's the boys that really make their mark on me. I love my girls, but the boys are always my babies - girls are bitches and can look out for themselves!

Speaking of girls, Rowen is taking to Harvey like a mother hen. She loves him, probably because he's willing to run about with her and do as he's told - because he's so young. Baileigh being that bit older when we got him, he was opinionated and wasn't as willing to run about, why run when you can walk? - that was Baileigh's motto. But Harvey delights in running at her side, infact, if you didn't know better and saw them, you'd probably think they are mother and foal. I'm happy to see Rowen happy, one of the most heartbreaking things about losing Baileigh was seeing the effect on her. Hell, she was NICE to us. And we can't be having that ;-) Rowen is just very needy when it comes to company, she needs a friend. And Harvey seems to have wanted his mother back, and literally within an hour of meeting, they cemented a relationship.

I'm hoping - pain and weather being well - tomorrow to spend most of the afternoon with Harvey. Take a book and my puzzle book (I'm so exciting, I know) - and relax with him. I used to do this with Baileigh, just sit with him, tell him stories and pet him. In a time of my life when I have pretty much no friends to do things with (I have friends, just none of them ever seem to realise I exist when it comes to doing things, that's what happens when you are longterm sick) - spending quality time with my horses matter, so fingers crossed, tomorrow will be a good day and I'll be able to enjoy it.