hasty: babysitter or racehorse?

[eeek]

I think Hasty is in the wrong job!

Took Hasty racing today after a few weeks off due to an abcess in his foot. He didn't get placed but I wasn't expecting much so soon after 2 weeks box rest. The main thing is that he really tried, so I'm pleased.

It wasn't until after his race that he really came into his own. A friend of mine turned up with her 3 kids and 3 spare kids dumped on her for the day. By mid afternoon I could see she was waning a bit, so Hasty was recruited. He spent at least an hour being ridden by a succession of children between 7 and 14, initially bareback with me leading them. But the 11-year-old fell in love with him, and was feeling confident, so I put his saddle and bridle on and let her ride him around the horseboxes on her own.

It was the sweetest thing you can imagine: a little tiny 11-year-old perched on top of a huge muscly racehorse (he is closer to 16.2 than 16hh these days). He was SO GOOD, did exactly what he was told, and when she asked him to trot he obliged with an almost stationary jog (not bad considering he can comfortably sustain a 25mph trot). The hardest part was peeling her off him at the end. He was a model citizen.

Then my hero's 15-year-old grandson asked me if he could ride him in the saddle race . Poor kid had a tumble earlier in the day when his horse slipped, and his granddad (who is the champion driver, my all-time hero) told him to find as many safe horses as possible to race before the day was over, otherwise he'd lose his nerve, and recommended Hasty (he's driven him quite a few times and knows what he's like). I think a lot of the young lad - he rides really nicely and has the makings of a very good driver. He's also one of those truly lovely kids that one meets occasionally. Would be a real shame for him to lose his bottle. So I said yes, as long as his family agreed that he could.

First I asked his granddad. His response was a long, thoughtful puff on his fag, and a barely perceptible nod of the head. So then I asked his grandma, who is in charge. She said 'don't ask me! Ask his mum, she's the boss'. His mum smoked an entire cigarette with one breath and agreed he could ride. Kid punched the air and ran to get his saddle. Mum settled down for an afternoon of heavy cigarette abuse with her father. I felt like joining her. The track was hideously slippery and I really didn't fancy scraping this beautiful child - or my horse - off the floor.

Fortunately the races were called off before the Saddle race, due to too many horses falling (none hurt, fortunately). So everybody came home in one piece. Just hope the young lad doesn't lose his nerve - he was quite shaken up. You have to get back on that day before the adrenaline wears off otherwise the damage is much worse.

Just a very long and rambly way of saying that my horse is golden

[CautionToTheWind]

I truly think Hasty is worth his weight in gold!

He's a brilliant horse and he's not alone in the horse babysitting role. Both Abbi and Holly act ridiculously differently when there's kids about. They sort of know that kids are delicate and so try their upmost to be careful and safe - it's cute!

[fairyfeet]

What a good boy he is!
It always amazes me how they seem to know that kids are far more delicate ad so easier to hurt.
I bought Max whe he was going to be shot as he was so dangerous on and off the ground.
4months later, after being on box rest, he was tied up outside his stable and the owner of the stable we were using let her 4 young kids out to play.
They swarmed around Max, and he was a star..He never moved a inch, watched where they all were and allowed them to pat, brush, and sit on him. I was on pins, but at no time was he at all bothered about the kids and they were never in any danger

[lil_legs]

My stepmum has got a section a she got him because the 6ft built like a brick outshouse traveller that owned him was frightened of him. He's a ***, much better than he was but would rather rear up and box than be nice cute pony lol.

With Chloe though he is an absolute lamb, she calls him doggy and when she goes in the field with my stepmum he won't let any of the others near her, she sits on him and brushes him, they get on brilliantly. Have a feeling she's going to be the one to ride and drive him when she's older.