Bjørn, Taktur’s trainer, came over this morning.  The rain has almost stopped and gone now and the fields quickly drained back to their normal state of winter sogginess.

Of course, the minute Bjørn mounted Taktur, it started to rain a bit so he warmed him up in the indoor school while waiting for it to stop.

Then Bjørn and Taktur went outside as it was more fun for them both.  So I sent them out wearing the correct gear (and if you still seriously think that this is a policeman on his horse, then you need your eyes testing).

Taktur’s fan club watched in envy.  Most of the envy was for the fact that Taktur lives in a field with muchos grass and this lot are fatty fat fat fat or blimpy blimp blimp blimp.

While I was waiting for horse and rider to return, I mooched about with Loki and BeAnne.

Loki practiced his coming when called.  This if the first time I have been able use my big camera and it was great fun (look? one leg!) watching him run.  Poetry, not like BeAnne who resembles a baked bean fired from a canon.

Eventually, there was the sound of “Black and Decker, Black and Decker” (the four beat noise of tölt) and Bjørn, Amina and Taktur came into view.

I took photos of them all going up and down the track trying to capture just how far Taktur has come in his training.  This is a very useful tool to look at later.  (I just love his happy little enthusiastic face with ears pricked as he bounces along!)

He is a horse in a million and only 4 years old.

We untacked Taktur, rugged him with his Thermatex and I held his food up for him as he tends to tip it up everywhere otherwise.  BeAnne acted as his own private Hoover and he dribbled the remainder onto her back so it looked like an appalling skin disease!

Having dribbled his food, Taktur then stood in his bowl.  (He is tied with two ropes because I could not work out how to undo the tape-like one so gave up and attached a rope instead because it tied better and he has his Houdini moments.)

Only a mother could love him, which is lucky because I adore him.