This is Buffit.
Buffit is a stubborn pony that all the kids here have ridden at some stage or another. She seems to sense when it is working time and has managed, for years, to either be in foal or have a foal just in time to miss out on all the fun.
On Friday afternoon she was saddled up again, if she was human there would have been sighs and eye rolls I swear but being a horse she instead decided cantering away was a better option and when that didn't work her stubborn head went down and mouth clamped shut in a hope that all attempts at putting on her bridle would be given up on. It didn't work.
She stood quietly while being brushed down and while her saddle cloth and saddle were put on and adjusted. She stood patiently while kids lathered attention on her and Miss S plaited her mane to 'keep it out of her eyes.' She even stood still while Mr E mounted (was half thrown aboard by his father) and decided to obey some instructions while walking around the horse yards. Then it was time to go.
Buffit and Mr E headed off trailing behind Miss E on Diamond and Boss H and Boss R on their horses. They started to follow the track down to the cattle yards. As they rounded the corner of the horse yards Buffit started to display her well know stubbornness by deciding this wasn't going to be as much fun as she thought and heading in the opposite direction despite all of Mr E's efforts. Boss R eventually had come back and grab her halter to encourage her (lead her) down to the cattle yards. Luckily his horse Sandy is the fairly patient kind that will put up with things like this.
To fast forward a bit I had been watching for the cattle and riders to come past as photo opportunities like there aren't usually so close. After snapping away as they headed to Paradise Lagoon (a paddock here) I dawdled my way back to my quarters taking more photos along the way (wouldn't be me if I didn't). As I wandered I swore I could hear someone crying every now and again. I had noticed Mr E was missing from the riders but thought nothing of it as maybe I had missed seeing him or maybe he had been sent home. Well that crying sounded like him. I headed off down to the cattle yards following the woeful howling and as I came out of the trees there is Mr E sitting on his saddle, bridle and saddle cloth in his arms looking rather dejected, no Buffit in sight. After being asked what was wrong and being told that if he ever got lost all he would have to do is make noise like that and he would be found, he and I headed back to the houses. Mr E dragging along a bridle and saddle cloth and me lugging a saddle.
Buffit it turns out decided she really didn't want to do this working caper and decided to suck her gut in so the saddle went up her neck. Nimble Mr E managed to get off before falling off and as a result Miss Buffit got exactly what she wanted, her saddle and bridle removed and her freedom as she was let out with the cattle. Mr E was then instucted to walk home while the remaining three riders took the cattle away not before being told to 'get behind the cattle,' as his red shirt was baulking them. In amongst the confusion, dust and noise of getting the cattle away from the yards he misheard and thought, in his 6yr old mind, that he was told 'to go and get his saddle' (can you see the similarity of statements?). The dejected looking 'Lonesome Cowboy' I came upon, a few meters from the cattle yard gates, thought he had to drag his saddle home by himself and was crying his heart out because after a couple of meters and trying his best the saddle was too heavy. He so wanted to
please and get his saddle home.
The lesson learnt from this event was when close to home come and ask for help.
