Recently she bought a set of webbing harness, from Slovenia (in very unsubtle hi-vis scarlet and black to go with the fire engine's red paint). I have plenty of other harness to use on T but Jen wanted her own set. She has found that he goes better in its breast collar than in my wool-faced full neck collar - the line of draft being quite high, the neck collar was tipping a bit and he wasn't really settled with it.

The other thing she found yesterday was that the webbing holding the crupper dee at the back of the pad was a bit frail - it unravelled and pulled out when Mr T sat back into into the breeching. Thank heaven he's a steady old pony who's been there, seen it, done it and got the T shirt. With a green youngster the breeching suddenly dropping round the hocks could have been disastrous. T was very patient and stood talking to Ruby while Jen hauled the breeching back into place and put the crupper backstrap around the pad. Everything went fine from then on.

Jen checked all the other loops of webbing that evening - tug loops up from breast collar and breeching were all heat-sealed and soundly stitched. We'd just assumed that the loop holding the crupper dee would have gone right round the saddle tree as I would have done with my own webbing/leather saddles. Though the reins were too short and the traces too long, with those points sorted out by the local saddlery she's happy with a cheap purchase. We'll have to watch how it stands up to regular work; the eyelets for adjustment, especially, may not be sitting in sealed holes.

Today we drove down into Orton village, a round trip of about 6 miles, with both ponies swinging along for long stretches at a good, rolling trot, that lovely rhythm that you get when they've really settled into their work and can work for mile after mile without need to be steadied or chivvied on.

We walked most of the last mile home and they came home relaxed and only slightly sweaty. The winter coats coming out in handfuls and the summer coats look really well underneath.

Have a happy Easter, everyone