In Iceland during the Autumn, after the horses have been used to round up the sheep and horses bringing them home from their summer pasture, they are given a holiday for a few months.
Taktur is officially on his holidays.
He has worked hard for Daisy, training for a variety of shows.
Now Taktur’s day consists of standing by the gate at 10.00 (he has seen me feed the sheep), then wandering up and having his bucket of grub. Then he stays in the field to eat or sleep – whatever grabs him.
Taktur’s shoes are off. No one rides him and he has very little human input apart from the food and being put back in his other field in the afternoon.
A holiday is a holiday. 
Taktur has been ridden regularly all year – at least five times a week
And Taktur has always done his best for Daisy (and Bjørn).
This is Taktur’s time now to enjoy watching others do the work.
We are great believers in giving our horses a rest from work. They don’t have to be ridden or trained or shown every minute. That is not fair. They need some peace from us too. 
We have always done this. It is very good for their mental and physical development.
So Taktur sits by his favourite rock like Ferdinand, the bull in The Story of Ferdinand, sniffing the flowers in the lovely ladies’ hair (if we wore flowers in our hair, believe me Taktur would be sniffing – but not in a pervy way!)
Taktur is enjoying his holiday.
Bless him!
What a lovely holiday for Taktur! I wish more people would adopt this “work then rest” mentality with their animals. They would get a much higher caliber of effort from the animals. Now the Maine Coons job IS to be warm, floofy and adorables. No rest for them!
The Minion job is to be hugged 24/7
Well, someone must do this!
Our boys are also enjoying their winter holiday xx
Does his “bucket of grub” still contain Handsome Prince Food? Nice that he isn’t shod on holiday. What a life he has! (and deserves)
Have a good one Taktur – you earned it!
I am so glad to hear that you give Taktur and the others a well deserved holiday!
They must be happy to have the shoes off and have the time to just be horses on their own schedule!
Happy Holidays, Taktur!
Love your reference to a great old children’s book. One I have never forgotten. Love any animal who is a “Ferdinand”.
I adore Ferdinand. Positively my most favourist book ever. The illustrations are forever in my mind. That giant furry bottom about to sit on the bumblebee.
And, a little known fact, I honestly thought corks grew on trees just like the book! I never knew until I was in my 30’s!