by your Dartmoor Foster Pony correspondent somewhere out in the westcountry.

We thought something must be brewing this week when our halters and lead ropes suddenly changed from their normal mud colour to red, white and blue, and tasted strangely of biological detergent. The stable hands and the fencing machines were putting in overtime and a smart horse trailer appeared in the yard. What was happening? Was the Queen coming? Were we going on holiday? Or had we been so terrible that we were being sent back to Michelcombe? Kestrel was especially worried as he had been put in the cooler for two nights after getting unbearably big for his hooves.

It all became clear on Wednesday morning, when a huge motoracade arrived. We all stood to attention in the yard and in came a Very Important Person wearing a metal tag saying 'The Boss' and another Very Important Person carrying some nasty looking medicine. We vaguely remembered them both from our young training days, and knew that the only option was to be on our best behaviour.

We were clearly in for a hard time. The medicine was yukky, but thank goodness Head Groom Pat was on hand with a drink of water and a bucket of organic carrots to take the taste away.

As usual, Lark got full marks just for standing there and looking pretty. I really am considering getting a star painted on my face, as it seems to give a pony an unfair advantage in life.

There were disparaging comments about Teal's knees being too close together. He didn't think much of that remark, so made an issue of going into the trailer on the basis that it was unrealistic to expect him to do acrobatics in his condition (but he would make an exception for more carrots).

Kestrel had got the message about solitary confinement, and kept a low profile, although, being a whizz kid pony, he could not resist a couple of nips when things were not moving fast enough.

As for me, well, these two VIPs do have a magic touch, and my back feet are now quite exemplary. Here you can see Dru with Lark , and Kerry and Pat with me.

After the inspection, we all went on an exciting adventure to a new paddock. The idea was that we would all gallop and prance around so that the photographers could get some action shots (that's if they could finally work out how to use their digital cameras). But as we had not been fed for a good half hour, we were absolutely starving, So we just stayed put and ate the lovely fresh grass until they went for coffee. See below!

There was indeed some doubt that we would ever agree to be caught again. But when 'they ' came back with the halters, Lark and Teal gave in easily (spoilsports!) and went back quietly to the stable. Even tearaway Kestrel got as far as accepting his halter. Well, I was having none of that, and persuaded Kestrel to put on a real exhibition Wild West show. But unless 'they' have CCTV, they missed it.

But after a while, Kestrel got bored, and also returned to base. I hung out for a while in case 'they' resorted to an extra bucket of treats, but all Pat did was lean on the gate and ignore me. Well, I can put up with most things, but being ignored? Moi?? No way. So I went and fetched my halter, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Signed

Auk