Unloved, uncared for?

I got up the field this morning and BG walked down as she saw us. She is looking like a little barrel from the front, although it is hard to tell how much of it is just her big fluffy coat. She was covered in mud! She looked a right state and it gave my arm a good work out brushing it all out of her coat. She was happy enough, very perky, wolfed down her breakfast, gave the bowl a lick, sniffed round the hay nets that had been put up for P2 last night, and then tried to nose the shelter door open after I’d taken her head collar off.

I know I will get up there again tonight and she will have the same amount of mud on her. In fact, it probably takes less than an hour after a groom for her to ensure she is covered again, I am beginning to think she’s a hippo. This morning was the first time I’ve really looked as her though and thought, if I didn’t know about horses and walked past, would I think you were badly looked after? My husband said a girl at his work thought there were some horses that weren’t very well looked after because she had seen them out and un-rugged. Would people really think that about my girl too?

May I just say that I know BG is both cared for and loved. As well as the minimum two visits a day I make up there the owners of P1 and P2 also visit so she is checked throughout the day. She gets two meals a day, albeit not always much. Even if I do not groom she is checked over thoroughly. Her hooves are trimmed when needed and she is up to date on wormers and vaccinations. I just hope no-one walks past who doesn’t know about horses and believes I am not caring for her, even if untrue I would hate anyone to even think that.