What are the best antidepressants?

It didn't need Psychic Ploppo's abilities to predict that as soon as number one furry went back to work, Hormonal Hannah would slip into a decline! However, what she hadn't realised was that it would happen before he even went back. Having found out on Friday night, that he was needed back at work today, Calum's sunny humour of the last couple of months departed, as he began to stress about going back to driving, and living in a lorry all week. Consequently, Hannah's anxiety rose exponentially, and the atmosphere in the Baggy household was a little tense at the weekend. But Calum and Grotty Groom were determined to carry on riding the Boys, and Grotty was even more determined to progress with Wesley. 

On Saturday, she persuaded Calum to wait to ride Joey, so  that she could see how Wesley behaved without his safety-blanket in the school with him. To Grotty's relief, the answer was "perfectly". On Sunday, Calum and Grotty rode the Boys together again, and Grotty extended Wesley's work to fifteen minutes.

Today was crunch time. Calum had to be up at six to head to work, so last night he had an early night. Hannah was wound up, so decided to keep Baggy up until midnight, but in spite of that she could not get to sleep, as Hannah's mind whirred. She must have dozed off at around 2.00am, only for Furry Mama to be woken by barking. She dragged Baggy downstairs, to find Pepper standing at the door wanting to go out - it was 3.00am. The black Pooch, vanished into the black garden, and Furry Mama could not see him, but Baggy didn't want to head into the darkness in her dressing gown, so waited on the sofa, and waited, and waited...

Pepper finally came back in at 3.30am, and decided to eat his supper. Baggy went back to bed, and listened to Hormonal Hannah's constant ramblings, as she tried desperately to get back to sleep. She dozed off, but woke up with a really painful ankle, and decided to walk about on it for a bit - it was 4.30am. Baggy went back to bed again, rubbing her ankle, and trying not to get annoyed at the extremely loud dawn chorus, only to hear Calum getting up. Assuming that it was 6.00am, and knowing she couldn't sleep, she decided to get up too. It was 5.00am! Sigh. But at least it meant that Baggy could have a cup of tea with her husband and chat for an hour, before he left for work at 6.15.

As Calum headed off for the week, Hannah felt lost, and decided that sleep was needed, to cut off her thoughts, so Baggy went back to bed once again. Pepper Pooch and Bracket kat, both decided to join her, but even though Baggy's ankle was still hurting, and she couldn't get comfortable because of the furries who were literally laying on her, she fell asleep, and finally woke at noon! Hannah wasn't in a good place at all, and by 2.30pm Baggy still wasn't showered or dressed - she decided to call Calum.

To Hannah's relief, Calum sounded quite chirpy, and was already back into the swing of his work.

"How are you now? How's your ankle?"

"The ankle's okay thanks. Me - not so much!" said Hannah and promptly started to cry. "I'm sorry, I knew this would happen. I don't feel like doing anything."

"Well, that's okay, you don't need to do anything until you go to see the horses."

"Actually, I wasn't going to go."

"You should! You'll feel better."

"Maybe you're right."

Clever Bird was furious with Hannah; Cal has gone back to work to pay the bills, and she's sitting about moping and stressing.

"You are right! Sorry. I'll take the Pooch to the beach, then I can go straight to the yard." And that's what she did. 

Hannah began to relax as soon as she was at the beach, and by the time she got Grotty to the yard, she was determined to work Wesley.

Freda Fretter was relieved when he came in from his paddock like a lamb, and decided to let Grotty tack him up, so that she could ride him if he was calm enough. As they walked down to the indoor school, Wesley whinnied like a numpty, calling to Joey who was still in his paddock. Joey didn't help, by calling back, but a determined Grotty led Wesley around the arena to see whether he was likely to be spooky. After five minutes of this, Clever Bird decided that it was time to phone Calum.

"Cal, I'm getting on my Boy! If you haven't heard from me in twenty minutes, which is 5.30, please call me back. If I don't answer, start to panic! And call Pauline. I don't think she's on the yard, but she'll know what to do."

Well, that was Clever Bird's theory anyway, because with her new "life is too short" attitude, Grotty was not going to be put off! Twenty minutes later, a very happy Baggy phoned Calum.

"We're alive!"

"You had two more minutes, and I was going to call."

"Yes, I just realised that the school clock is five minutes slow - I should have checked! But, apart from calling to Joey, and a couple of his other mates, and nearly vibrating me out of the saddle in the process, he was an absolute angel."

"Well done. I'm proud of you."

And frankly, Baggy was proud of Grotty, and Wesley as well! They might only have done a few circles and serpentines around the school in walk for ten minutes, but as far as Clever Bird was concerned, that was a small miracle, and the first step towards getting Grotty's confidence back! 

Better yet, even Hannah felt great! The black cloud that had been looming had receded and her anxiety was back to a manageable level. The fact is, that for Hannah, horses are a seriously good anti-depressant from just being with them; chuck into the mix, riding a horse as sharp and unpredictable as Wesley can sometimes be, and the total concentration that is required to stay safe, even when he is not putting a hoof wrong, and all worries are gone. As Hannah can no longer take actual antidepressants, as they eat away Baggy's stomach lining, taking a daily dose of half-a-tonne of horse is the best alterantive!

Now, as long as there is no bad news over Pepper Pooch's biopsy results, maybe Grotty can keep Hormonal Hannah on track, now that Calum is once again away all week. Tomorrow will be Joey's turn...

Baggy's current state!

Depression (Black = really bad/Grey = not great/Blue = okay/Yellow = sunny day): Grey.

Anxiety (From 1 = barely any to 10 = gibbering wreck standard): 6.
Tears: Yep.
Overall days: Stressful.

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!