~ Sooty's Diet ~
'It's the spring grass that's done it,' said Mr. Halston, shaking his head,
his flat cap set at an angle as he looked down on the groaning pony.
Sooty, the jet black Welsh Mountain pony, and love of Rachel's life was the
cause for concern, who lay stretched out on the stable floor. His
stomach huge and bloated as he let out loud groans, the whites of his eyes
showed in his fear and distress.
Rachel knelt down with one hand on his soft dark nuzzle, in the other she
tightly clutched her pony's bridle. It had been a shock to come to
the field and find him in this sorry state, obviously in great pain and
distress. She felt like crying. It was as if Mr. Halston
read her thoughts.
"Ayle be alright lass," he said kindly, his voice low. "Just
too much o' that rich grass. Ayle, soon be rate, just needs to go on
t'diet." He nodded his head with each slow word as if to verify their
validity.
Diet! Her pony! Why, all he had eaten these past weeks
was the young, rich grass. She looked up at the old man, then back at
her pony. He seemed to have grown huge, his belly fat and
barrel like stuck out like the round hulk of an upended ship, his head flat
to the ground. She rubbed his soft nuzzle gently, and slowly stood up.
"I'm going to call the vet to him." she said decidedly. Her
eyes, wet beneath dark lashes, looked questioningly at the old man.
He nodded "Aye lass, if it makes tha' feel better, but ay's just
got a bitta bellyache. Too much Spring grass." He
turned and made his way slowly towards the rough old stable door that opened into
the sunlit field.
Rachel at his heels, they strode over the loosely piled straw bedding, put
freshly down yesterday. Then, it had smelled sweetly and looked
a picture. Today it was flattened and untidily strewn,
containing at least one lot of round brown droppings.
As she walked through the half stable door, Rachel automatically pulled it to
behind her, and as she dropped its latch into place, a loud belch, an
even louder windy fart, and a groan from inside hastened her movements.
She hurried down the field in the wake of the old farmer, who strode quickly for
his age, too concerned even to notice the ferocious geese, she was usually
so wary of. She followed the old man into the warm farmhouse kitchen
where a huge fire blazed in the old stone hearth.
That had been yesterday. Today there was a determined lift to
Rachel's chin, her eyes were calm and clear. She had a new goal
to achieve! The vet had been and upon his instructions, Sooty had to
lose a hundredweight no less. And she had to ensure that he did!
(C) February 2000 Maureen Annette Norman