The One Trick Pony

I had my camera yesterday when we were out hunting with Felix and Charlie  - a lovely cool, cloudy day and after a couple of weeks of sunshine the moor has dried up a bit, so its no longer the bottomless morass we've been traversing all winter!

Charlie always makes us smile when he is out because he is a totally transformed horse when he is hunting.  At home, if he has missed a day and has to go out exercising its clear its done under protest.  He will amble along if he is led but under saddle has a tendency to assess how far he feels he should go (usually no more than a mile or so, especically if its hot).  When he reaches that point he simply stops and looks at the view, ignoring any attempt to make him go further.  Exercising, in his opinion, is a Waste of Time.

Out hunting, he is a different horse: utterly committed - he has a job to do, and its one which he loves. No matter what, he never takes his eyes off the huntsman and hounds and he is happiest up at the front with the master all day, making sure he isn't missing anything.

After all, you never know when the huntsman or the master might need a spare horse, in which case Charlie is there!

Charlie may be a one trick pony, but he is very good at his one trick :-)