When your 'youngster' becomes the nanny...

[Governor]

What an utterly strange feeling!

I guess Mr.G isn't a baby anymore. He's now nanny to YO's new person and did a sterling job as a hacking guide/blockade/bumper but I find it quite depressing...when did he got old and sensible?!

Secretly i'm quite proud of course.

 

[Tia]

How young is he?

I agree, I am always very impressed with my little 3 year olds who take lead role in trail rides and don't give a damn about anything, so I know what you mean.

 

[ann-jen]

Haha - I had a similar experience yesterday - not that Jenny is a youngster by any stretch but she's done zero hacking up until now and there she was giving a lead to a horse that does endurance rides past cattle, barking dogs and all sorts. She was like an old pro bless her.

 

[Penniless]

Well we've found that one of our weanlings (Jan born) has been a "nanny" since day one not just to the other foals but to the mums as well! Seriously, if the others (including mums) were running around playing, she often would run up to them and get them to stop. If the other foals were getting a bit too boisterous, then she would go up to them and step in between them to call a halt to it. Now the foals have all been weaned, she is definitely the nanny out in the paddock - even though we have our old 29 year old "proper nanny" out there with them - she doesn't play with the foals, she likes to walk around with our old mare. This foal is definitely too old and too wise beyond her age. She isn't boring though - if she is the first out, she loves a mad gallop herself first of all, but somehow doesn't think the others should be doing it all day. We're just starting to put some adverts up for this filly for sale now, and will really miss her - as she is the most easiest foal we've ever come across in over 30 years of breeding.

We think it comes from our stallion, as all his stock have always been so laid back, enough that when our 18 month old colt went into race training, within weeks he was leading the whole string of racehorses (the older ones) up the main road in Newmarket and onto the gallops.

If we end up keeping this filly, at least we know we have a ready made nanny for all of the foals due next year.

On the opposite end, our oldest horses are the most "loony" ones.

 

[Angua2]

my 5 year old is the most sensible of my two and tends to nanny the 15 yr old. out hacking she is the one I can usually trust not to be at all stupid and you can usually put anyone one her and she looks after them. However, idiot mummy jumping and that is another story all together!