You know that sad pony ad .....

[racaille]

... where the little shettie is ignored by the big black horses and the owner gets a pony flap for her door?

Well, I have the real thing and it's breaking my heart. Dr Evil is no longer part of the gang. He's always on his own and the other beggars are a bit mean to him now. He will rarely venture into the shelter to eat with the others in bad weather as he used to do. If there are treats being doled out he will wait a way off to be hand fed a few, not daring to join the scrum. He just seems sad and lonely these days and I can tell that he is as he even allows us to cuddle him a bit (but not with good grace )

He's come out of the winter having lost a little condition but he is not skinny and his teeth are excellent - the dentist was astounded. He is a tiny bit unlevel behind but hey, of course he has arthritis at his age. He looks a little scruffy as he sheds his winter fur coat - it takes longer as he gets older but I've no reason to suspect Cushings- but will allow me to groom him a little as long as I am quick. He will still try and play with Sam or Rac a bit but soon runs out of puff and doesn't like it when they play rough or chase him too much.

I suppose it is just that he is getting old and it is starting to show. But I hate to see the feisty little sh!te going downhill

[brigadier]

poor man- but there is life in the old codger yet!

[solomon]

Aww! It will be a sad day hen he goes. Such a loony! Can you feed him some anti-inflammatory to see if he is a little comfier?

[haffyfan]

Aww poor little man, you will have to give him a new nickname soon. How old is he now? I guess it's inevitable he had to start acting his age at some point and it sounds like he's fit and well otherwise.

[pboy]

Aww poor boy. I'd second the anti-inflammatory - if he feels perkier I'm sure he'd reintegrate into the herd. It must be so tough seeing him age like that, big hugs xx

[racaille]

He's started on turmeric now and is really enjoying the handful of feed that comes with it

I can't work out how old he is any more, I've been saying about 45 for years - I've had him 14 years and he was supposed to be a really old codger when he came to me. He was at my old mates's RC in 1982 and his then rider says he was known as an oldie even then. Suppose he was just in his teens it makes him in the high forties now. But the dentist recently thought that he was only in his thirties. That, I know, is not possible .......

I do love the little beggar!

[pboy]

That's incredible Rac! I wonder how old he really is...