new horse for anette

the horse that anette started riding around christmas here is tutti, way too big and way too fast but exciting anyway even if there is no feeling of control there yet whatsoever...

wildlife in london, too

just when you think you've said enough about animals for the moment rike manages to find yet another one that grabs our attention

this time it's pony thomas who lives right around our corner in wickham mews

together with his little falabella friend billy and two other ponies, stuart and taylor, there are no less than four horses in our street - in the middle of london

well - horses are for riding and rike's high skills in pester power mean that she's actually allowed to ride thomas today (though not billy as much as she'd like to)

a strange sight as catherine leads thomas through the heavy traffic on lewisham way to the little paddock in lucas street - where we immediately have a few spectators

thomas gets lunged for a bit - he really is a cart horse we learn and you may have seen his owners driving with him through brockley

here they give rike a hand and at the same time tell us a bit about the old days when this area was still part of a large farm with horses everywhere. now this little piece of green belongs to br and they can turn out their ponies here

the saddle is a bit of a joke but that won't stop rike... thomas doesn't do the dreaded rearing so rike takes heart and

ready?

off they go...

perfectly normal thing to do in the middle of town on a saturday afternoon, guys

we want horses!!!

the yard is empty...

...so they must be in the school...







rebecca leads the bunch

are they playing polo?








lucy and anette are plotting their game, too

this time we'll get them!

yippiaieeehhhh







us too?

hop - hop - hop

legs underneath you!

oh oh -

jan is not amused

are these two doing any better?

you want my leg WHERE?

rike is our last hope...

but selica clearly calls it a day

girls with whips...

girls with caps...

girls with brushes...

and girls with lashes...








aint't we cute?!!