Bucking stupid.

Clever Bird couldn't decide whether she was disappointed or furious today with the environmental activists. How is it okay for Extinction Rebellion activists to vandalise public and private property? Just because their graffiti (because that's what it is), looks neat and official, does not make it okay! In beautiful, historic Southwold, these paint-sprayed logos are appearing all over the place. These ones are on the windows of the public loos by the pier.

But there are lots more about. They've been sprayed on pavements outside the loos by the harbour, and on the boarding around a building site, and they are just the ones that Baggy has noticed.

In the summer there were messages painted on the actual harbour wall, to 'Save the environment.' Yes great; let's all try and do that! But how does vandalising the planet help to get that message across? It's not as if time, money and heaven alone knows how many chemicals are going to now have to be used to remove this graffiti is it? Idiots! It's not even getting the message across in Clever Bird's opinion. Those particular loos have been flooding for years during the winter high tides, as they're about ten feet from the beach; so most people will probably think they are official warning signs of the 'don't park here' variety. 

Here's a thought - why don't the vandals who are running around (or worse yet - driving around), spray-painting coastal towns, get themselves down onto the beach instead, and pick up plastic? 

Apologies - rant over.

Grotty Groom decided to do a bit of work with the Boy Wessles on the way home. Of course, Clever Bird got the timings all wrong; she arrived at noon aka, lunch time. Just as Grotty wandered out of the tack room, bridle and lunge line in hand, she heard the horses calling. Not for her of course, but for their lunch! 

Clever Bird can't decide whether Wesley was annoyed or delighted, when Pauline gave him some carrots instead of his usual feed, but they barely hit the sides. Grotty decided to take him down to the indoor school, for a little wander around. She tried to keep Baggy's heart rate down, by singing Christmas songs on the way down the track, as Wesley gawped at everything and snorted loudly.

Once Baggy had managed to open the heavy school door, with Wesley resting his chin on her shoulder, they wandered in. Grotty's plan was to walk around the school for a while, then take the Boy back to his stable. This was a good plan, and Wesley quite happily wandered along behind his mum. The only downside with that, being that he was so laid back that he was sniffing the hoof prints of all his stablemates, and virtually stepping on the lunge line in the process. So Grotty decided to up the anti a little, and actually lunge him. (For the non-horsey amongst you Baggees, this means letting him work at the end of the 20-foot-ish line, rather than walking with him on a short line).

Clever Bird decided that this would be good for Wesley, as standing in the stable for most of the day does cause his sheath to swell - a bit of more active walking would help with that. Wesley wasn't convinced that he wanted to leave his mum's side, and stuck to Grotty like glue. Grotty borrowed a lunging whip that was resting on the school wall.

'Come on Wessles - go out. I know it's been a while, but you know what to do.'
'If you really wantz!'
'Good boy. Walk on.'
'Iz a bit bored mum.'
'Good lad.'
'Still not feeling it.'
'Walk on.'
'Nah! Bored! I going faster.'
'Oh, you fancy trotting do you?'
'Much better.'
'Wow! That's quite a trot. You do look well. Good lad. Whoops! Mind the cavaletti poles!'
'No! Itz fun. See I can just - oops - that was harder than I thortz, but I did it.'
'Now walk.'
'Must I? Okayz!'
'Good boy. And... stand.'
'Rightho. I is coming in for a pat.'
'No. Stay out. Good boy. Walk on.'
'Boring! I trots.'
'Wow, you are feeling well. Now don't over do it. Steady!'
'But look wot I can do!'
'Ah! No Wesley! Whoa!'

As Grotty watched Wesley throwing in some massive fly bucks, she wondered how many of them she had 'sat' over the years.

'And walk.'
'You iz boring me mum. I just needs to stretch a bit.'

A couple more bucks, had Freda Fretter wondering why she hadn't made Grotty put her riding hat on, and Baggy's heart rate shooting up.

'Whoa Wes!'
'Boring - but okayz, I will.'
'Good lad. Now let's do the other rein shall we?'
'Ooooo goody. I haz quite a few more bucks in me stillz.'

As Wesley trotted, then bucked a bit more, Grotty grinned at her Boy. Grotty knew that he was just being exuberant, and letting off a bit of pent-up energy. She was in no danger at all, as the fly-bucks were all directed away from her at the full extent of the lunge line. Had he wanted to, he could easily have pulled the line out of her hands and hurtled off around the school, but he didn't want to.

'Course not mum. I iz a good horse. I just wanted to stretch.'

Grotty is so glad that Hormonal Hannah is in a good place and not preventing her from spending time with her beloved horse...

Note to readers: For the avoidance of any doubt, every character in this blog is Baggy! No Baggy was harmed in its writing, although some of them get pretty confused!