<p>I recieved a text mesage the other day from one of my cousins who owns the livery yard where Fletcher is looked after. Well, I say text message, in fact it was just a photograph of a very large 'Spotty rear end' that I know only too well!</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Knowing the character of the horse to which it is attached, and his ability to get into trouble given the slightest opportunity, I bit the bullet and called her to find out what he'd done this time.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>"Oh... I just thought you'd like to see how FAT he is and let you know that he's now in the starvation paddock, and he's not happy."</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>"Any signs of Laminitis?" I asked a little concerned.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>"Not when the little****** was giving me the run around during the last fourty-five minutes, when I tried to catch him. No, there is no sign of laminitis!"</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>"Didn't you take him any carrots?"</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>"Of course I did, and the crafty sod managed to get everyone off me without being caught. I had to call in reinforcements at the end to round him up with the other horses and then separate him. He's an absolute swine to catch when you want him, and a pain in the arse following you around when you don't! It took four of us plus Jo on the quad bike before we got him."</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>(Oops! chuckle, chuckle.)</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>"I haven't had that trouble for a while. So where is he now?</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>"In the starvation paddock with two mares, but he's definately not happy, especially as I had to bath him after his little run around, he was steaming!"</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>He's such a deep thinking, calculating animal. I swear you can hear the cogs working sometimes.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>To summarise, here are the three main issues raised,</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>"Keep off the grass, it makes you fat."</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Fletcher may have won the "Calorific over-achiever of the year award" but he's definately lost the "Popularity contest" in doing so.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>(Laminitis is a painfull condition of the feet, generally caused by a rich diet and little or no exercise, although other factors can be responsible. It usually affects ponies, but can be seen in some horses and the most likely time for it to strike is in the spring with the first flush of nutrient rich grass.)</p>