Meet The Gang, Cos The Boys Are Here!

It occurs to me that if you're a newcomer to my blog, you may not know who the boys are, especially as the newest arrival hasn't had much of a mention. We talked about it, and decided it would be best to to let them introduce themselves, so here goes...

(Do you mind? I'm having my feet done!)

Hello, the name's Barnaby, and I can't waste valuable eating time talking to you, so I'll be brief. I'm in charge, obviously. I organise everybody in the field and make sure they don't get above themselves. The haylage is mine, the trough is mine, you get the picture. I'm in the prime of my life and it goes without saying that I'm dashingly handsome (you can see that for yourself, clearly). Things have changed a bit around here recently. I always belonged to Dad, but last year the Little Woman got a bit above herself and started riding me instead. We go out, we gallop, we come back, like I did with Dad, but she's obsessed with running round in bally circles, too. Total waste of time if you ask me, everyone just gets dizzy, but she won't listen. She also insists on kissing me and doing lots of slobbery stuff in front of the other chaps. At first I didn't like it but I've taught her to scratch me in all the right places and she's getting really good at it, so I suppose the odd kiss when nobody's looking is acceptable. She has her uses though, after all, someone's got to bring me my tea, make my bed and change my rugs, haven't they?

Is it my turn? Is it? How frightfully nice. Well my name is Zak but sometimes I'm called Just Enough. I am an officer and a gentleman. I have a passport with parents and grandparents (Did I tell you my grandsire was Nijinsky?) I belong to Father. He's terribly nice. I used to race and still like to run up and down whenever I get the opportunity. Barnaby and I are chums. I do like the Little Woman, too. Whenever it rains, she dashes out and pops my pyjamas on, which is jolly useful, as I'm not allowed to get cold or I drop orf (whatever that means).

Right my name's Lyndy and I'm a southerner. I used to be in a riding school, so I get totally fed up if my dad, or anyone else for that matter, tries to school me. I used to be in charge until 'he' came and I'm not happy about it, I can tell you. If Barnaby comes in from the field I always try to get in ahead of him, just to show him I can still do it. I've got a new hobby now anyway, it's called 'trashing the electric fence' and I'm the best at it. None of the others can do it as well as I can. I'm ace because I can do it even when the power is on and I can't feel it and I just push against it until it snaps, cos I've got super powers and Barnaby hasn't so there! And in case you're wondering, I'm huge and rugs don't fit me and I jump the stone wall in the summer, just for fun, but when mum takes me to a competition I pretend I can't do it, which is really really funny. Don't tell her. You won't, will you?

Top o' the marnin to ya! Moi name's Hugo and I've kissed the Blarney Stone, to be sure. I'm part Connemara and part Thoroughbred and I was an event horse until I came here. That involved workin, really hard and, if I'm bein' honest, I wasn't that keen. I've come here and you've got to like the craic, it's like bein' on holiday, so it is. I only get ridden once or twice a week, it's flippin great. And I get turned out every day, with other horses. I didn't think much of the grazin' to be honest, so I stuck me head under the electric fence and jumped the wall from a standstill, into the next field. It was worth it just to see the look on their faces. Apparently there used to be a horse here called Max, and he was in charge of games and telling bedtime stories, so Barnaby gave me that job and I love it. I love to play 'bite your knee caps' or 'who's got the highest head?' or 'bite yer face,' it's great. And of course, at night I can tell stories of my adventures on the cross country course and keep everyone awake for hours. I do like to play games with mum in the school, it keeps her on her toes - well on her back, actually, I don't know why she likes it down there. Never mind, she'll get used to it...