Paddy's eventful homecoming!!

This weekend was the weekend for picking Paddy up from Rockley. I had decided to use my own box, rather than hire one as it has always been very reliable, so Gillian and I set off in plenty of time, trundling down the A14, making sure that we could have plenty of stops to give the box a rest - she is an old girl after all!

Managed to get as far a Kettering, when she over heated - cue steam pouring out of the sides and me panicking that we were just about to blow up!! Called the rescue people who came along and after checking it said that it was because we were low on water, but did not recommend driving it all the way to Devon. Obviously it had not occurred to me that the water needed topping up!!
Had to do an about turn and head back to Cambridge, on the way Gillian managed to find a horse box to hire, but we could not pick it up until later. Got home, dropped the horse box off at the farm, went home & had a drink, then went and picked Gillian up again and set off to pick up the hire box. It was very small, but the horse part was ok. Eventually got to Devon at midnight after a mammoth journey and both of us fell into bed. Next morning after breakfast we set off to Rockley to collect Paddy, who was in the stable when we arrived. He had been out all night and felt it was time for a snooze...

He was not impressed at having his sleep disturbed and oh boy did he let his feelings be known over the next couple of hours!!

He came in from the field this morning hopping lame, which Nic thinks is an abscess so will need to try to draw this out.

Collected all his bits & pieces together and got him ready to travel - then went to put him on the box - he was having none of it, absolutely refused to have anything to do with the box at all, bearing in mind that I have never had a problem loading him, this was quite a shock - 2 1/2 hours it took us to load him - or rather took Gillian & Nic as by this time I was having a complete meltdown in the. corner. 

 He did eventually load & once on, off we set. He was as good as gold to travel and seemed to be pleased to get home.

Having done all my research and spoken to a number of vets, Paddy is booked in for his kissing spine surgery on Friday, so I am not looking forward to trying to get him on the box again, but Gillian said
that I can take Lordy as a companion to make things easier.....fingers crossed!!