A horse was a great addition for the farm too, since some parts of the property and the surrounds are accessible only on foot or horseback. So we’re often off checking boundary fences, stock and checking for unwelcome wildlife (dingos being the worst problem). But it soon became apparent that Jim was a big fat scaredy-cat who hated being on his own. Possibly because he was so young, and possibly because his racing heritage made him fond of humans. So I decided to pair Jim up with Blackie, the Shetland pony who can with the farm. Blackie’s much older than Jim and has kept him company ever since he arrived (Blackie reminds me of the pony in Racing Stripes!), and though they looked a bit like the odd couple, they’re pretty much inseparable. Even now you’ll hear Blackie squealing anytime I take Jim out for a ride, “take me take me!”. Maybe one day I’ll take him along for the ride and see what happens!
